The Commons at Paulie World

As I made my way to their RP, and not knowing where it was I thought I would follow the crowd as they would be easily identified by their signs and what not. I saw none of them going to the A.N.S.W.E.R. RP from the direction of the Mall. This lack of “help” required me to ask the Police. The first police I saw were two hanging out talking, stating that I had to get to the A.N.S.W.E.R. rally, I inquired as to the location Eyeing me suspiciously, I guess thinking I was one of the protesters, one of them asked who was making me go, to which I explained my situation, they looked at each, other as if to say I would be better off to just bag it, but did give me directions. I thanked them and was on my way. As I neared the gathering area I noticed more and more police, although they appeared to be manning the intersections. When I got to the A.N.S.W.E.R RP, at New York Ave. and 15th Street, I was very aware of a whole different feeling from the police, and the crowd. At the GoE RP the police were relaxed and stayed a back from the crowd talking amongst themselves. They didn’t seem concerned with us causing trouble or problems. In fact I had to actually look for them and I could only see about six of them, gathered near the GoE RP, relaxing against their vehicles. However, at the A.N.S.W.E.R. RP, they gave off a vibe of tension, as if just waiting for someone to start something or the crowd to get out of hand. There were also A LOT more of them there. Their vehicles, pulled up near by, approximately ten to fifteen feet away, forming a cordon as they eyed anyone not carrying a camera with interest, and the police appeared to have video set up also. They were also dressed in BDU style uniforms, whereas the police at the GoE RP were in the usual uniforms one sees police wearing. The mounted police were at the GoE RP and the horses didn’t have the face guards that I saw later when the A.N.S.W.E.R. crowd was in the area. I guess the police were worried about those people trying to harm the horses. I asked one police officer, unofficially of course, what the felt about this whole ordeal, he looked at me and said “Sir, I am just doing my job. I have no opinion about all this.” But with a wink and an almost imperceptible shake of his head I knew how he felt. I chuckled and walk across the street, and into a group of what is called the “Black Block”

Now here is a wacko group. They are distinguishable by their all black clothes, and the fact that they wear bandanas to cover their face. They are also supposed to be prone to violence. Well, I have hung out in biker bars, and was more worried about violence then in the midst of these kids. They were all fresh faced, and seemed to be freshman or sophomores in college, about twenty or twenty two. I asked why they wore the masks, and was told they are SDS, yes SDS, and that the mask was so the police could not target one individual for arrest, it made for more difficult identification. To which I stated that I remembered to old SDS and they put their faces out there were all could see it, and if they were proud of their work they should let everyone know who did it, and not hide behind a mask. This did not go over well. I then told them that this was just my observation, and didn’t mean to insult them. Discretion is the better part of valor, as they say, so why start a ruckus with them. I was by the way vastly out numbered, something like fifty to one, but I did chat with a group of five as we chatted others would slip into the conversation and drop little snide remarks, I guess hoping for a confrontation. There were also a few who came up trying to act intimidating, but did a poor job of it, and didn’t stay long. We chatted for a about an hour, and they told me they were anarchists. This started a debate about someone having to be in charge, or nothing would get done, something they didn’t seem to agree with, but they were respectful of my opinion. When informed that even animals have an individual in charge, they said well, that is animals, and how humans can work together and not need a leader. I told them that just because we lived in buildings and got our meat wrapped in plastic didn’t mean we were civilized, and pointed out what happens when there is a natural disaster, like a hurricane, citing New Orleans in September 2005as an example, but they seemed to discount that as an anomaly. A few talked about not paying enough taxes, and we should pay about fifty per cent, which started a whole other debate. It was not to much later that I excused my self and said I had to be going to cover more of the march.

I moved to Pennsylvania Avenue and 13th Street to view the march as it went by. Well, as I stood there chatting with some counter demonstrators, some protesters set up a sound system, and commenced to play some “music”, same monotonous beat over and over with the same constant refrain of “George Bush is a TERRORIST”. I wanted to tell them to fire up something such as Gil Scott Heron’s “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” if they wanted a revolutionary tune, but didn’t they would have any idea what I was talking about.

Then the main event started, here came the march. First there were some people out front from the MAS, I guess since the women wore, while not a burka head scarves, and long formless dresses. They were spouting some anti American tripe, which caused me to lose my objectivity for a moment, and pointing at myself told them “INFIDEL” which they didn’t appreciate much. He he he he, oh, well. As the media truck came by I asked why they were focused solely on the protester, and not the patriots at which point they turned their cameras my way, but I turned my back wanting the Vets and patriots to get the attention. I stood there for a while, and watched as the crowd came by, they seemed to not like the idea of the advance teams from the GoE standing along their parade route. They became nastier as they went by the longer I stayed they more vocal became in their opposition to the GoE being there. I moved down the street to where the police had barricades set up separate the two factions. Now, here is where the A.N.S.W.E.R. crowd became enraged by the GoE, as they were mostly vets, and couldn’t be challenged as to why they didn’t go fight. The vets mostly held a patriotic signs, with a few denouncing the protesters, while the marchers had signs for End the War, War is Never the Answer, Whatever War Can Do Peace Can DO Better, I discussed this with a vet and he said it worked real well for the Jews during the Holocaust, didn’t it. There were also words thrown from both sides in anger, however the vets stood quietly until the marchers started with their taunts of “Chicken Hawk” “War Monger” and yes I did hear one yell “Baby Killer”. When this happened things got real quiet for a couple of seconds, as if everyone understood a line had been crossed. To which no one responded, I think they knew it would become ugly if they did, and one of them would probably end up in jail, and the protester in need of a medic, but no one wanted that. Although one vet did appear as if he wanted to give someone an attitude adjustment, I seriously thought someone was going to need medical attention, but the vet seemed to change his mind, he seemed saddened and disgusted, and shaking his head just walked away.

Again the 911 Truthers were there, Geez, I love these moonbats. They think the government caused 11 September. I asked a truther to give me one claim about 11 Sept. He thought a minute and asked why the security camera at the Pentagon didn’t catch the “plane” and yes he put finger quotes around plane, hitting the Pentagon. Now, that was simple enough to answer, the camera was capturing one frame per second, and a plane traveling at seven hundred eighty feet per second would never have been captured even if the lens was open at the exact time, which of course he didn’t buy so we didn’t speak further. About this time I was coming to the end of the march route, but here is where I saw the one of the best things of the day, some guy in an Arab headscarf said some dumb thing about martyrs, and a vet offered to help him in his quest to become one, but this chap didn’t take the vet up on his offer, instead deciding to just slink away.

It was here that everyone started to wonder over t the Capitol for the Die In. The protesters occupied the lawn in front of the Capitol and we took the walkway leading up to it, and the sidewalk and street in front. I, along with two other fellows had to cross “Indian Territory” to get to the GoE area but we were unmolested as I went through. Not long after a small group of GoE people came out of the protest area, and as we joked with them about having made it safely across enemy territory, one of the women in a pink shirt with black lettering that read NAVY SEAL MOM said “Yeah, well, I’m a Special Forces mom” to which someone quipped “heard that” It was here that I encountered “The Mad Pitbull” what a guy. This man had his face painted with a blue with stars at his chin and red and white stripes going up and over his head. This guy was hilarious. He kept us all entertained while he chided the protesters. He also led a round of applause for the Capitol Police Force, for protecting the building from the protesters. Pitbull’s chiding was not well received by some of the protesters and a few approached to engage him in a debate, but for some reason none came to close and it was hard to hear some of their comments. While others just wanted to hurl insults and invectives. We did see a few of the Die In crowd receive a pair of matching stainless steel bracelets, as they became guest of the Capitol Police, for jumping the barriers which were in place to keep people away from the building, for this the Police received taunts of Facists, and Sieg Heil for their trouble. The Pitbull taunted them with the frightening specter of having fallen into the hands of VP Dick Chenney , and Haliburton, which gave us a good laugh and a few of the Capitol police some amusement. It was about this time that we were asked by the GoE marshals to return to the GoE RP, where the organizers, the Director of Operations actually, thanked us for coming and told us that “Even though we were out numbered we KICKED THEIR ASS”, the protesters did seem to be a bit wary of the GoE, and “We (GoE) aren’t going away” and that GoE would be wherever they, the protesters, are anytime. He further told us, pointing to the protesters, “If there are twenty of those people on your street, and it is only you, call me, I will get on a plane and come join you” This was the end of the day for the GoE, and it had been a long one for them, they had arrived at about 5:30 AM, and this was now about18:00. Some of the protesters remained at the Capitol a few getting arrested for crossing the barriers, but the festivities were basically over. The operations director was losing his voice, but he was pleased with the way things had gone. He told us that if we cold make it, Code Pink was supposed to be on one of the corners at the Meet The Press studios at 8:45, but the GoE was planed on arriving at 8:00 and take every corner so Code Pink had no where to stand. I knew I was never going to get up early enough to make it so I just moseyed back to the subway and my car. Man, was I beat, I had walked from the Smithsonian subway station down the Mall to 8th Street, then to 15th Street, and New York Avenue, then back to 7th Street and Pennsylvania Ave, from there to the Capitol and back to the subway, talked to many people about a quarter them were protesters, and the rest GoE. For some reason the GoE seemed more receptive to conversation, the GoE were also more pleasant then the protesters, and would initiate a chat, whereas you had to engage the protesters in conversation, and not easily at that. It was as if they were afraid you might be some kind of law enforcement.

I also listened to a man from the First Cavalry; explain about the Stetson he was wearing, which was interesting. While it isn’t regulation there are times when they are allowed to wear it, along with the spurs and other things from the old Cavalry days. To get the Stetson one has to complete a seventy two hour exercise, without sleep. Then there is a ceremony for those who complete the exercise, at which point one is presented with the hat, which is then filled with beer, and most be drained completely without stopping or, how should I put this… reverse drinking. If not successful then one must start with the seventy two hour exercise and complete the entire ritual again. When drained the hat is placed on one’s head and worn until it dries, this allows the hat to conform to one’s head and causes the distinctive drop of the brim in the front. At least this is how it was explained, by a man wearing one with the crossed swords on front and a First Cavalry pin on the back, so I guess he knows what he is talking about.

I guess that is about all, there were other events, but they would take to much time to report on in this post. This is a just some highlights of what I saw. It seems that these people don’t think America ever does anything good. They hated the fact that veterans were there to challenge them on their views. They seemed to hold the most hatred for the vets, and the police, as the “Black Block” stopped near a group of police and chanted ‘No Justice, No Peace, F*** the Police”. I don’t think they actually support the military despite what they say, if they did they wouldn’t have said such things to and about the veterans who disagreed, but they thought the ex-military personnel who wearing their uniforms marched holding signs denouncing the country were heroes. They wanted us to stop our support of Israel, and to completely leave the Mid East. I hope I have given a clear picture of what it was like at the March.
The Swamp Fox.

Finally the quote(s):
If I must choose between righteousness and peace, I chose righteousness- T Roosevelt

For those that will fight for it, FREEDOM has a flavor the protected shall never know. L/Cpl Edwin L."Tim" Craft, February 1968, Khe Sahn Combat Base.