When Donald Trump made his alarming inaugural speech on Friday about "transferring power from Washington D.C. and giving it back to you the people," he was not expecting "the people" to grab that power and take over Washington's streets by Saturday morning. Luckily for him, they came brandishing signs, not pitchforks.
Well over a million (YES, A MILLION) of "the people" took their Maximum Leader seriously and came from all over America to join the Women's March on Washington. Women of all colors and creeds, and of all age groups, came to Washington to remind everyone in America that sexism, bigotry and racism were not on the ballot last year. And they inspired men to march with them in a joyous celebration of a set of values that truly represent modern America--not the sad, intolerant past.
I used the term "People Power" for this blog because the vast congregation down on the Mall reminded me so much of the People Power movement in Manila that removed the dictator Marcos from power. I could equally have used the term "Pussy Power" which is probably a more apt title because the Women's March seized Trump's own crude expression and made it a term of honor.
Click on "Read more" below to see more photos
Pussy Hats resulted in a vast sea of pink flowing through the streets of Washington and became a symbol of defiance. The many reasons why women marched could be gleaned from the thousands of individual home-made signs which covered everything from reproductive rights and diversity to pleas for love, justice and a kinder, gentler America.
Other words that Trump had used during his awful campaign were turned back against him. The photo above should remind everyone that a new generation has also noted those words and will not be cowed by his bullying, bigoted and sexist rants.
While the signs were undoubtedly "political" in nature, the vast crowd was incredibly good humored; full of joy to be there at this historic moment; and thoroughly enjoying getting their POWER back from Washington DC. This was one reality show that Trump would not enjoy.
I will let the photos tell their own story. Suffice it to say that the Women's March was a powerful and almost overwhelming experience. At times, it was a scary experience--especially when we were trapped between two huge black fences with tens of thousands of others just in front of the Air and Space Museum.
For the record, the health app on my iPhone told me that we had marched for 4.7 miles in one huge loop around the city.
In another unplanned moment, we marched right in front of the Old Post Office on Pennsylvania Avenue, now notoriously re-named the Trump Hotel. The roars of opprobrium, the raised fingers and fists, and the non-stop chanting "Love Not Hate" were a fitting reaction to the desecration of this Washington icon. I am sure the Trumpeteers sipping their champagne inside were not happy.
And in another totally unplanned and unauthorized move, the vast crowd broke through the barriers on the road leading to the White House (obscured by the stands from the Inauguration). We let Trump know that the people knew exactly where he lived.
For me, it was the highlight of the whole Women's March and made the point that "power" really does lie with the people when they choose to exercise it. God knows where the police and security forces were but we moved through unmolested. Of course, there was a Yuge Fence blocking our way half way along the street but the crowd just turned right and flowed along the side of Lafayette Park.
That was the end of the Great March for our little group and we peeled away from the crowds. We walked along H Street and had a photo opportunity in front of the World Bank. Then we clambered on the crowded D2 bus back to Jane's house in Glover Park and had a nice cuppa tea and lots of Fig Newtons. It was an awesome, exhilarating and historic day. America is Back.
I will leave you with a photo of the two signs which, in my humble opinion, best summed up the mood of a remarkably peaceful but highly charged crowd led by, and inspired by, WOMEN. More power to WOMEN everywhere.
And what I didn't know at the time was that the same marches were taking place in cities all over America and the rest of the world--and there was even a small gathering in Antarctica.
Well over a million (YES, A MILLION) of "the people" took their Maximum Leader seriously and came from all over America to join the Women's March on Washington. Women of all colors and creeds, and of all age groups, came to Washington to remind everyone in America that sexism, bigotry and racism were not on the ballot last year. And they inspired men to march with them in a joyous celebration of a set of values that truly represent modern America--not the sad, intolerant past.
I used the term "People Power" for this blog because the vast congregation down on the Mall reminded me so much of the People Power movement in Manila that removed the dictator Marcos from power. I could equally have used the term "Pussy Power" which is probably a more apt title because the Women's March seized Trump's own crude expression and made it a term of honor.
Click on "Read more" below to see more photos
Pussy Hats resulted in a vast sea of pink flowing through the streets of Washington and became a symbol of defiance. The many reasons why women marched could be gleaned from the thousands of individual home-made signs which covered everything from reproductive rights and diversity to pleas for love, justice and a kinder, gentler America.
Other words that Trump had used during his awful campaign were turned back against him. The photo above should remind everyone that a new generation has also noted those words and will not be cowed by his bullying, bigoted and sexist rants.
While the signs were undoubtedly "political" in nature, the vast crowd was incredibly good humored; full of joy to be there at this historic moment; and thoroughly enjoying getting their POWER back from Washington DC. This was one reality show that Trump would not enjoy.
I will let the photos tell their own story. Suffice it to say that the Women's March was a powerful and almost overwhelming experience. At times, it was a scary experience--especially when we were trapped between two huge black fences with tens of thousands of others just in front of the Air and Space Museum.
For the record, the health app on my iPhone told me that we had marched for 4.7 miles in one huge loop around the city.
From L to R: Jane's friend, Richard, together with Sarah, Yours Truly and Jane atone of the many points at which we came to a grinding halt. The March was sometime a Shuffle.
At the very start of the day, we had to wade through this sea of people to get to "The March" down on Independent and Third.
I had bad Pussy Hat envy when I saw these guys. I asked them where they bought their hats. "Our friends knitted them for us," they replied. Hey, where are my friends?
We came to another halt on Pennsylvania when some members of our party had to take a bathroom break. You had to be brave or desperate to go into one of those Don's Johns.
I took a photo of this lovely lady from Athens, Georgia, who was carrying a Hillary sign.
She asked me if I wanted my photo taken with her signs. "Hell, yes!!" Where were the Bernie signs?
What can I say? Trump's nasty words have unleashed something fearsome in the land.
There were some poignant moments--a reminder that many people of color feel that they are going backwards. "Don't Piss On My America" says it all.
But there was humor too: "I Was Told There Would Be Cake" in front of the Newseum. "Let them eat cake" might have been what Trump was thinking in the White House.
The most raucous part of the March was this group of ladies who were leading the temporarily stationary crowd in various scurrilous chants on C Street.
Knitting is alive and well in America. And, Veronica and Max, please note the sign: "Hermione Wouldn't Have Let This Happen," presumably a reference to Trump's election.
The Mall was "off limits" but the crowd broke through and we marched along the Mall towards the Washington Monument which was bathed in mist.
In another unplanned moment, we marched right in front of the Old Post Office on Pennsylvania Avenue, now notoriously re-named the Trump Hotel. The roars of opprobrium, the raised fingers and fists, and the non-stop chanting "Love Not Hate" were a fitting reaction to the desecration of this Washington icon. I am sure the Trumpeteers sipping their champagne inside were not happy.
And in another totally unplanned and unauthorized move, the vast crowd broke through the barriers on the road leading to the White House (obscured by the stands from the Inauguration). We let Trump know that the people knew exactly where he lived.
For me, it was the highlight of the whole Women's March and made the point that "power" really does lie with the people when they choose to exercise it. God knows where the police and security forces were but we moved through unmolested. Of course, there was a Yuge Fence blocking our way half way along the street but the crowd just turned right and flowed along the side of Lafayette Park.
That was the end of the Great March for our little group and we peeled away from the crowds. We walked along H Street and had a photo opportunity in front of the World Bank. Then we clambered on the crowded D2 bus back to Jane's house in Glover Park and had a nice cuppa tea and lots of Fig Newtons. It was an awesome, exhilarating and historic day. America is Back.
I will leave you with a photo of the two signs which, in my humble opinion, best summed up the mood of a remarkably peaceful but highly charged crowd led by, and inspired by, WOMEN. More power to WOMEN everywhere.
And what I didn't know at the time was that the same marches were taking place in cities all over America and the rest of the world--and there was even a small gathering in Antarctica.
If you want to see more photos of the whole Women's March on Washington, have a look at the 200 or so shots I took. You can find them on Google Plus at:
Wonderful blog, dad! Your opening paragraph is that of a true poet's! An incredible event it was. That vision of people marching and chanting their disapproval of a racist bully will stay with us forever. We saw history!!!! - Phantom/Anonymous
ReplyDeleteDad - the photos are amazing. You totally capture the spirit of the day which was defiant but also positive. I've never been in a gathering of so many people. So glad that we were part of that historic day. And so glad you caught it all on camera.
ReplyDelete