We arrived at the rally around 11 a.m. Already the rally was packed with people from 3rd Street at the tip of The Mall facing Congress, to about 5th Street. From there, people were scattered all the way back to the Washington Monument. Though we could not hear what the speakers were saying, we could hear the crowd roar in reaction to the strongest or most lively statements. Everyone was here to oppose the ongoing presence of U.S. troops in Iraq.

Anna Swanson, a mother in her 20s from Charlottesville, Virginia with a nine-month-old infant in a stroller with her, said she was in D.C. to "show opposition to the war."

Swanson said she supports an immediate pull-out. "Once we pull out, then, I think, more countries will be willing to help rebuild Iraq." Wearing a T-shirt stating in large letters: "Impeach Bush," Swanson said that she supports impeachment now, because "Bush started an illegal war."

Darlene and Keith, an older couple from Germantown, Maryland, were standing two blocks from Congress and said that they want Congress to hold this administration accountable. Congress needs to "get the U.S. out of the war," said Keith.

Keith, who is 60, has been opposed to the war from the beginning. Today he sees parallels between the Iraq war and the Vietnam War. In both cases, he said, "the military strategy is not working and the leadership is not adjusting to the circumstances."

Keith sees the current government as "arrogant," addicted to power, and one of the most autocratic administrations in his lifetime. He believes unchecked power is the main problem in government today. "Once political leadership gets into power--whether Democrat or Republican--they do what they want to do."



Then 20 to 30 young people in yellow T-shirts came marching by. Their shirts and banners proclaimed they were the "Hip Hop Caucus." This two-year-old group is dedicated to expanding political awareness in Hip Hop and urban communities. In addition, they want to represent these voices on the national stage. The Hip Hop Caucus sprung out of the political work of Russell Simmons and Puff Daddy, who led a "Vote or Die" campaign in 2006.

Hip Hop Caucus member Kalu Kalu says too many youth are dying in the war. Young people need to be more aware of the circumstances of war and economics in America because young people are the ones who will fight war if war is decided.

Many see the military "as a way to get money for college," says Kalu. He himself has a friend who served 1-year in Iraq. While over there, "he did nothing," says Kalu, implying his friend sat around in Iraq as part of a misguided and wasteful war and reconstruction effort.



"We're not going to stop this war if we're a segregated movement," Kalu added. Kalu and Hip Hop Caucus member Jahiri "Sneak" Johnson both said they are helping to build a grassroots movement to help effect change.

When the march began at 1 p.m., the Mall was so packed, people were spilling off the parade route. They were spreading up towards the Capital, off into the side streets, as more people arrived.



The march wound up around the Capital, and slowly came back again. Baltimore Indymedia thought at 1 p.m. that there were 50,000 to 100,000 people--all in Washington to call an end to the U.S.-led Iraq war. The march continued to grow as people continued to arrive. From friends and families, to union and various political groups, people marched from The Mall around the Capital, and many stayed scattered on the mall until sundown. The Washington Post in the end reported police estimates of between 100,000 and 150,000 people.

At 3 p.m. from the Capital steps, the entire Mall vista near Congress was filled with people. The colors of shirts and banners created a joyful mosaic in the wintry sun. It felt great to be around so many progressive people.



The work that progressive people have before them is both specific to ending the U.S. war in Iraq, but also larger and more incremental cultural work to change hearts and minds.

This Jan. 27, 2007 march on Washington D.C. was the largest march since a few months after the Iraq war began. One can argue that marches have failed to make a difference since then. I myself was skeptical of this one. However I am glad I went. I found it revivifying to be around so many progressive, pro-peace people. Being in this crowd simply felt better than daily life, when most opinions and thoughts are masked behind casual or work attire.

I think that if pro-peace people in society were more visible, society would discover that progressive views and ideas are more widespread than believed. It would be useful to see more progressive signs, symbols, and T-shirts in daily life. Otherwise we blend in with today's regressive status quo, and therefore reinforce it.