On the Road to Peace

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We continue down the Mall past the Monument to the "Operation Ceasefire" concert stage, where bands ranging from Sweet Honey in the Rock to Steve Earle to Thievery Corporation help the crowd celebrate and release the energy of the day. Backstage, I ask Ysaye Barnwell, of Sweet Honey in the Rock, why she came today. "I'm here because I want to be one in the number to stand against this war," she says, "and to stand for peace, and for bringing our troops home, and for using the money that we pay in our taxes in some more constructive ways, because I feel like the president of the United States is deconstructing this country. That's why I'm here."

"And to sing a song or two," she adds with a smile, summing up perfectly the feeling of this entire event.

The Road Ahead
Back on the WAMM bus, the Minnesota contingent is exhausted but buzzing. Sunday morning, after a long, deep, if uncomfortable sleep, people share stories about their favorite signs and slogans from the march, trade email addresses, and make announcements about upcoming antiwar events back home. Taking the microphone again, Marv Davidov puts it in context for us. "The Bush administration is watching," he says. Comparing it to the effect of the Vietnam War protests, he continues, "They're watching. They're counting the numbers. They're looking at the spirit. No matter what they say to us, all our words and actions count. This has been a great weekend, and we'll go forward until all our objectives have been reached."

As Ysaye Barnwell sings, "We are the ones we've been waiting for."

Related Links:

• Leif Utne's photos from the September 24 demonstration in Washington DC
• Visions of Washington: 9/24/2005

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