DC March for Peace

Tens of thousands of protesters from all across America joined numerous celebrities and lawmakers today to rally against the war at the U.S.Capitol in Washinton D.C. Their hope to press their cause with a Congress restive on the war and a country that has turned against the conflict.

Robert Rouse of Left of Centrist was among the attendees, and I'm sure he'll have a great write-up on it after he gets some well-deserved rack time. Other notable attendees included Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, Jesse Jackson and Dennis Kucinich. In her first protest in 34 years, Jane Fonda addressed the crowd saying "Silence is no longer an option".

The peace brigade assembled at 11 am at the National Mall to hear the featured speakers listed above, and marched around Capitol Hill at 1 pm. 300 buses from over 40 states drove protesters in, as well as untold numbers of citizens such as Mr.Rouse and company who car-pooled in together.

A small contingent of active-duty service members attended the rally, wearing civilian clothes because military rules forbid them from protesting in uniform. One, Air Force Staff Sgt. Tassi McKee, 26, said she signed up because of patriotism, travel and money for college. "After we went to Iraq, I began to see through the lies," she said.

United for Peace and Justice, a coalition group sponsoring the protest, had hoped 100,000 would come. They claimed even more afterward, but police, who no longer give official estimates, said privately the crowd was just under 100,000.

Bush, who normally manages to be out of town during these things, was at the White House, likely with all of the shades drawn. Cheney was at an undisclosed location, natch.