I saw last night on the front page of Yahoo News an article about the pending march. I was astounded that this had made it to the forefront of the news. I've been to four other marches since death warmed over the country on January 20, 2001 when on a cold, rainy day Washington DC turned into a dark Gotham City during the coronation of pResident Shrub. As a witness to tens of thousands of people protesting the coronation, and the hundreds of thousands who've marched against wars since, I discovered for the first time, first hand how mainstream media in the United States controls the media to such an extent that almost nothing would be said of the protests.

One time NPR and WTOP in Washington DC aired a Marine Corp race that took place in front of the Pentagon and nothing on a march that had about 300,000 people protesting war that same day. This has been a tragic eye-opener to the Orwellian state this country has become--against which I fight tooth and nail.

That being said, again, I am astounded Yahoo news put today's march on their front page news last night.

I believe the article came from Associated Press, which stated they expected the march to be mostly 'students of high school and college age'. I was at both the rally and march from 11 am till 6pm. I beg to differ. Yes, there were a lot of young people. MOST people were my age and older. I am 38. About 1/4th of those attending had all white and grey hair. This is a march where the early 20-somethings and teens were the minority age group. This was a representation of America.

I have always been amazed at Washington DC for its multiculturality, especially at progressive marches, demonstrations, and protests. Of course there are many white people there. There were all shades of skin and nationalities represented. All styles of dress from a few of the wild to a sea of tee-shirts with political statements and middle-class saturday attire. All religions were represented-- Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhist (a number of monks were there), Pagans, etc., etc.... I bought a book from the Tikkun people (progressive Jews--and fans of the deceased Senator Paul Wellstone). And there were all political parties represented. Many Democrats came showing their support for either Dean or Kucinich. Greens were there. So were Republicans and Libertarians, showing their opposition to the war and the occupation of Iraq. One of the tables selling progressive books and bumper stickers was run by Libertarians opposing War. EVERYONE showed their support of the troops who are held hostage to the act of terrorism thinly veiled as "preemptive war" by the Bush administration. I spoke at length with one of the Republicans. I don't recall how we found each other, but he was an elderly man from New Jersey and told about how he grew up in a town that was 95% Republican, and that he and many other Republicans look upon the majority of the people now running the country and congress as liars

. He wanted me--a liberal--to know that there are many Republicans that oppose what Bush has done and what is happening to the country and that not all Republicans were in support of what has happened. He said it was wrong to have a "one-party system" --especially in the United states--referencing how the Republican and Democrat parties have become one party. I commented on how European countries have numerous parties and that Northern Ireland, as an example, has upwards of 10 parties. We agreed that there are many voices wherever you go and not just a minority of people should be represented in government all the time. We agreed that more can be done with more parties representing us and we won't have to 'settle' as we are now. He said he not only came to support the troops and their return home but wanted to support changing our current one-party system.

This man and I both represent the majority opinion of these wars being enacted upon the rest of the world, and our opinion of the Bush regime. Most Americans are against these and the media can't hide us all from each other *anymore*.

On the way to the march Nancy and I found one of the Muslim organizations in the middle of their morning rally before the big rally. I noticed a lot of people wearing the same scarf I wore--the black and white checked Palestinian scarf. I had also worn my "We are All Palestinians" tee-shirt". We joined this group in their march to the Washington Monument where a sea of people were awaiting our arrival. Along the way Nancy and I conversed with a man from Iraq. He was a well-dressed man who' could have been on his way to the office. His features reminded me of Robin Williams. He had dark hair, but I noticed he had stark blue eyes. Most people with dark features tend to have brown eyes. (I have to tell this for some of the white people who haven't a *clue*!) He told us how he was not able to go back to Iraq, that even though his visa is good, he is stuck here in the United States and is not able to go home. That was interesting to hear since there are hundreds of Middle Eastern and Asian people--mostly men--in US jails (without trials or even pending trials) because their visas ran out, but no crimes had been committed. They are held without due process and the media is not allowed into any hearings or trials when there are any--so that people like YOU don't know what's really going on. (I remember when I was a child the US government--with MY taxes--paid restitution to the Japanese they held in America in concentration camps during WWII- -history continues to repeat itself. We need to stop this.)

The rally and the march were packed. It was hard to tell how many people were there but there were over a hundred thousand from what I was able to see. Just as the march began, at 1:30, Nancy and I stood near where the march began for 45 minutes and wall to wall people made their way from two streets where they merged onto 17th street. I finally got tired of just standing and there were still a field-full of people left to go, so we joined in the middle of the march. We didn't make our way back to the Washington Monument until 5pm.

According to the Yahoo article there was supposed to be a counter demonstration nearby of a thousand people. I don't know where they all were, and we canvassed that place pretty good. I saw all total of about 55-60 people. Nearly all were Fundamentalist Christians, all were white, save about three, all were male. Most were in their early twenties. "REPENT!!", they shouted. On their bullhorns they went on and on about Jesus. One sign they had said "GOD HATES ALL YOU COMMUNIST, ABORTIONIST, ALCOHOLICS". A woman held a sign that said "FUCK YOU COMMIES". Several came up to the edge and into the area of the Anti-War demonstration. A shouting match between the fundies and interested protesters ensued. Of course the cops are all over the place. Nancy, an old-time protester from the Vietnam days, has a great deal more bravado than I do. Just like a few dozen other people her generation and older (the Flower Children and the Grey Panthers) inched closer and closer to see more of the shouting.

The cops just stood around like they would rather be home masturbating. Finally, a couple policmen came up and hauled off the counter demontrators and made them go back to their side of the street. The small group of hecklers could only heckle from yonder. Two minutes later a group of protesters designated as security pushed back another counter demonstrator who had gotten into the rally, chanting "No More Violence, No More Hate!", until the cops moved him back across to his side of the street. I could just feel the action brewing there. I wrongly thought we were done and was ready to go back into the rally to hear more of Damu Smith and Ramsey Clark--but NOOOOOOOO.... Along with a few of the former Flower Children and Grey Panthers (where the hell were the kids??) had to inch a little closer to the other side of the street from where the hecklers were shouting. WHAT THE HELL IS SHE DOING?? I'm worried about getting arrested--cops were pretty thick through there. Curiosity. Curiosity. More curiosity than I have and I kept looking around for my exit just in case. But nothing happened. At all. The cops only made that one move to haul those fundie guys out of there and that was it. They returned to their fantasies. No--the bastards weren't going to get a fight out of any of us--of course not--we are the Anti-War march. Nancy said the cops didn't cart any of the antagonizing counter-demonstrators away because they were safe with us--where in the reverse situations the cops would arrest any of us crashing their party--we would not be safe with them. I think she's right.

The media--there were a lot of them there. I suspect most were independent media. I saw the truck and reporters of local channel 7 and a woman I did not recognize wearing a CNN badge. There were photographers and camera people all through the rally and march. But where did I see the mainstream media?? Right where the counter- demostrators were. I saw no one I recognised as mainstream up and down the march or within the rally. Not a one. And that means if you get to see any of the march on the news they will probably only show a couple of the standoffs with counter demonstrators, not many marchers, and a bunch of cops. Channel 7 interviewed the cops--not us. Don't you dare let the bastards fool you into believing there were only a few people there, centered around a standoff between the American Fundamentalist and protesters. The mainstream media always goes there--unless they are photographing a dog at a march for the Washington Post. That bit of antagonism was in one little area involving a few dozen people--not the hundred-plus thousands that were there. I was there. I know. You are getting a first-hand account from a primary source--ME.

At the end of the march people filtered out of DC. I crashed on the grass to listen to a musician play some live James Taylor music. Another reporter took an interest in my sign lying flat on the ground. "*We* ARE the Majority!" She asked if I would give her an interview. (I've gotten interviewed at every march on account of whatever sign I was carrying.) I figured she was independent media-- one of the good guys. I told her who I was and where I was from and about the sign. last night I heard a speech by Michael Moore. He told how he has gone around the country to deliver speeches and lately everyone of them have thousands packed in the buildings where he spoke and thousands more outside who couldn't get in. He said people needed to understand that *We* *are* the majority. Not them. And I said that mainstream media has done everything in their power to hide the fact there are so many of us against this war and to hide us from each other, but we keep finding each other. Mainstream media can't hide us any longer and I was carrying Michael's message that We, not the Bush regime or the people who support them, but WE, the people who oppose war, are the majority. And WE will change this country.

The reporter was from my all time favorite radio station--WPFW in Washington. While I spoke to her two photographers came and snapped my picture--a red-head wearing a Palestinian checkered scarf and the tee-shirt to boot. An anomaly.

And my message to you is know that you don't know the whole truth-- therfore it is your responsibility to seek out other points of view from around the world. If you've gotten this email that means you have access to the internet. USE IT. Search international websites and independent media in addition to whatyou are already watching and reading. Then, remember that a large voting turn out favors progressive candidates. Since Clinton left office we went from a large surplus to trillions in debt, from a strong economy to millions of jobs and businesses lost. My gym went out of business a few weeks ago. I have friends who are either jobless or have been for long stretches in the past two years. It is your responsibility to make sure you show up at *all* of the polls, including the primaries. Show up, or vote absentee (you have to apply for it at least a month in advance), and take a bunch of your friends with you. It is YOUR DUTY to vote. Everything politicians do directly affects you and your loved ones. And find out who is running NOW in the primaries NOW. Find out what they all stand for. There are wolves in sheep's clothing--don't wait till the final election and end up voting one of them in. Just like Michael Moore said, they can all "be better". Call their committees NOW and tell them how you want them to improve to secure your vote. Next spring or summer is too late--by then they will be locked into their positions. They need to know where you stand NOW. They need to know NOW how to represent YOU. Reclaim your country, NOW.

Until next spam--WE ARE THE MAJORITY!

Wendy

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