JUST got back from WH rally

[The Witch]

Hi all,

I just got back from attending the rally at the White House. It was amazing. I got there early so was right up in front with my sign saying "Here in Spirit: Democratic Underground" with about a hundred of your names/usernames on them. (I will make a list of all the names and post them shortly). I flashed it in front of loads of cameras, so hopefully you'll be able to see at least a few images of it.

There were a bunch of Japanese tourists that were there, so I wrote in Japanese on the back of my sign, "The White House is pretty but the person living in it is no good!" They all agreed with the sentiment and some took pictures with me.

I wish I remembered the names of everyone who spoke, but there were veterans, Cindy Sheehan spoke, Abdul Henderson (the guy from Farenheit 9/11) spoke, John Conyers (I was Thhhiiiiiiiiiiiis close to him! ROCKSTAR!!!!) spoke, Reps. Barbara Lee & Sheila Jackson Lee among others (those are just the names I remember), the Ohio recount lawyer, the vice president of NOW... all THIS close to me :-) They all smiled into the crowd. Ms. Sheehan said this was the happiest she'd been since she lost her son. I was totally crying.

Loads of people came up to me and said "I'm a DUer too." I even got some signatures on the sign at the event.

One message for you all: Will Pitt of truthout came up to me and specifically told me to say hi to everyone whose names were on the sign.

I will look for pictures and if I don't get any I will try to get a digital photo of the sign (at the very least) up ASAP...! Thanks!

Will try to think of more details, but this was my first appearance at a rally and I was really overwhelmed. What an amazing group of people these are.

EDIT: Here are the names (103 names) on the sign. If you asked to be included and you don't see yours, please write because I may have just missed it when counting. It's dark in here and my monitor has a weird blue tint. Also, there may be typos on the list, but everyone's name is correct on the sign. (I'm tired.)

Allen Brooks
Amanda Adams
Amber
AnnaBanana
Anne Pritchett
Arthur Ruger, MFSO
AUYellowDog
Bayoobengal107
Billy McDonald
Bobby C.
Carla in Ca
Cassie Forney
catmandu57
Chalky
Cheryl Caloia
Clark in CA
cyantnite
Dave Holloway
DearAbby
Debbi801
Dora
DoYouEverWonder
Dwayne Eutsey
earthboundmisfit
ekelly
faithnotgreed
Flvegan
Fooj
Greyleonard
Heather A
Heather B.
Horsewithnoname
Howard C.
Iching
impeachthescoundrel
Indianburn
Jerry D.
Jill West
Jojo54
Jugami
Julie Revell Benjamin
K.C. Baker
KarenS
Kathy D.
Kevin Spidel
Kirsten Selberg
Kittenpants
Laisa Alexandrovna
Lauren Gordon
Libby Enloe
LiberalEsto
Lietta Ruger, MFSO
Lisa Johnson
Lisa K
LordLQQK
Maga
malmapus
Marie N.
Megan Andrews
Melani M. M. From NC
Melissa B
metta
Mialora (Miami)
MuseRider
myrnaminx
nadinbrzezinski
NewinNJ
nitty-gritty
Obreaslan
Orleans and family in Illinois
Pachamama
Peggy Long
proudpatriot
PuraVida
Rabbit2484
RB Ham
Rick Harbin
Rick Ramsey
rumi88
Ruth Lamirande
Sabra
Savannahana
SCDem & son
Sean Quinlan
seg4527
Shannon MacDonald
sharleen
southernleftylady & children
steve2470
stillcool47
Straight Shooter of DU
tenshi816
Teri S., NC
texanwitch
Thomas Martin
TimeChaser
understandinglife
unhappycamper
Vicki T. frm PA
VickieS. from Illinois (in_cog_ni_to)
Wayne Collins, CA
William MacDonald
Wolfram Tarant

EDIT 2:
I'm going to keep updating this thread as I think of new things to say.

Great quotes of the night:
"What does that house behind us look like to you? It looks a lot like a SINKING SHIP to me." --Will Pitt

"Today is the beginning of the end" -just about every speaker said this and it really felt like it

EDIT 3: Yeah, yeah, Will, Bill, what's the difference...

[notadmblnd]

1. go on with your bad self

:yourock:

[understandinglife]

2. Thank you very much!!!

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4173.htm


WE THE PEOPLE .... WILL NEVER FORGET

"... we sent our young people into harm's way without leveling with the American people." - Congresswoman Pelosi before Congress, 16 June 2005

Peace.


www.missionnotaccomplished.us - Impeachment of Bush and Cheney; indictment and prosecution of all members of the Bush regime who participated in the deception, should be campaign promises of any candidate worthy of our vote in the 2006 Congressional elections.

[Frances]

3. Thanks so much for your report

Looking forward to seeing pix

[LightningFlash]

4. Finally now they can demand their answers....

I can't wait to read the full transcript!!!!

Nail that petition and all the names, all 1 million names to their door......Including the dead!! :applause: :applause: :thumbsup:

[GetTheRightVote]

5. You are so awesome for doing this, very thoughtful of you, thanks

:hug:

:kick:

[steve2470]

6. Glad it was so inspirational for you. Thanks for going ! nt

[mandyky]

7. Oh man!

Lucky you! You did a great job!

[Beaverhausen]

8. Thanks for representing us!!!

:toast:

[fricasseed_gourmet_rat]

9. Does anybody have pictures???

Protest/rally pictures are my favorite thing in the world!!!!

[otohara]

Yeah, Where's The Pics?

if the press was there WTF? Oh, it's the US press, my bad.

[faithnotgreed]

10. great report ROCKSTAR! and you know japanese to boot!

so great
glad i put in to have my name on your sign and thanks for the report

[Blue Belle]

11. That is so great!

I'm just beaming here back at Fort Apache on the Oregon Coast. I truly was with you in Spirit today. Thank you again for placing my name on your sign.

:yourock:

[ailsagirl]

12. A HUGE THANK YOU

:yourock:

[babylonsister]

13. You're a doll! I'm sure we all wish we could have

been there, so you were our spirit! Thanks for your efforts! :toast:

[annabanana]

14. Most Excellent!

Thank you for getting there to "represent"!

[EFerrari]

15. Thank you!

:hi:

[dave502d]

16. The Witch,When i read thisI felt like i was there. Thank you.n/t

[SharonRB]

17. Thank you so much

Do you have any idea how many people were there? Can't wait to see pics.

The hearing is being rerun on CSPAN 2 right now.

[cynatnite]

18. Way to Go!!

:headbang: :yourock: :headbang: :yourock: :headbang: :yourock: :headbang:

[AuntiBush]

19. Thank You so much. Be Still My Beating Heart...

:applause:

[texanwitch]

20. A great big Texas thankyou and a hug.

:grouphug: :hug:

[MelissaB]

21. I have tears in my eyes. Thank you putting my name on that list.

:pals:

I would loved to have really been there.

:yourock:

[meganmonkey]

22. Thanks for being and there and for reporting back and

for putting our names on your sign!

I am nearly in tears reading about all this and seeing the hearing this afternoon - the last couple of days have done so much to restore my hope!

:grouphug:

[FreedomAngel82]

23. Sounds like it was great!!

Thank you for the account for those of us who couldn't be there today.

[TexasLady]

24. Thanks soo much

on behalf of myself, my husband, and oldest son.

[ellenfl]

25. all i can say is

:yourock: wish i could have been there.

i tried surreptitiously to listen to the forum online while at work but i kept having to turn it down so my bosses would not hear it. yeah, they're republican. :eyes:

ellen fl

[libnnc]

26. Thank you so much for doing this

you're an angel O8)

[spooky3]

27. Great work, especially your message in Japanese & conversation with

the tourists!

[bleever]

28. Thanks for being there! I wish I had been there too.

:toast:

[laruemtt]

29. wow! thank you

so much for including my name - wish i could have been there with you!

[Straight Shooter]

30. As Elvis would say, Thank you, Thank you ...

... Thank you very much!

:yourock:

[BigBearJohn]

31. Thanks for representing us -- You did us proud!!!

Sorry I didn't get my name to you quickly enough.

[steve2470]

32. oh yes,thanks for putting my name on your sign :-) nt

[gumby]

33. Thank YOU so much for being there

and writing the report. I'm so impressed with your writing the Japanese message. Thanks again.

[Carla in Ca]

34. I'm on the list! I'm on the list!

Soooo exciting. Thank you for making so many of us a part of it.

[DearAbby]

35. THANK YOU SO MUCH for allowing me to be with you in Spirit!

I am so proud! and crying too!!

[IChing]

36. Thank you for placing my name so I could be there in spirt.

We anxiously await you pictures,


thanks again
.

[Lorien]

37. Glad you were there

I think you mean Will Pitt (William Rivers Pitt)?

I was there in spirit, as one of the 540,000 people who signed the petition (hopefully EVERYONE here was too)!

[sonias]

38. Wonderful report, The Witch

Thank you for representing us. Glad you got inspired. Looking forward to the pictures.

:yourock:

Sonia

[Mel]

39. Thank you so much!

good report and much appreciated!

[rabbit2484]

40. Thanks again Witch

You Rock! You made my miserable day much better.

[wicket]

41. Awesome!!!!

Thanks for the update! :yourock:

[i miss america]

42. News photos

Conyers and a half-dozen other members of Congress were stopped at the White House gate later Thursday when they hand-delivered petitions signed by 560,000 Americans who want Bush to provide a detailed response to the Downing Street memo. When Conyers couldn't get in, an anti-war demonstrator shouted, "Send Bush out!" Eventually, White House aides retrieved the petitions at the gate and took them into the West Wing.
-- from: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=856350

[MelissaB]

43. Thank you so much!

I'm going to read the link now.

[WilliamPitt]

62. Amazing pictures

[intheflow]

65. Wow! That first one is impressive!

They're carrying all our signatures. Look at the determination on their faces! It's just beautiful! Thanks for posting!

[immoderate]

44. Thanks for representing DU!

Next best thing to being there!

--IMM

[KoKo]

45. Wow! thanks so much for that report for those of us who couldn't be there

with you but were watching it live on C-Span 2 and just rooting for all of it. It's amazing how wonderful it was to watch others who thought like us...and they are elected Dems serving in Congress.

Just to know that all the time we've spent protesting this which is to many of us an "Illegal Invasion of a Sovereign Country" (even if the ruler was a brutal/ruthless dictator) it still is a matter of "Principle" over Congress having the power to declare war if there is not an "overwhelming imminent threat of attack," which Saddam wasn't.

So, for the first time I felt I and others here in peace groups everywhere weren't alone in exposing what our government has done by lying to us and taking us to war with our tax money and in our name.

We citizens will suffer for many decades because of what Bush & Co. have done. Whether we stay in Iraq or pull out...we will be targets because Bush put us in there in the first place. :-(

[NewInNewJ.]

46. Thank You so much

Wished I could have been there!

[earthboundmisfit]

47. Thank you! What a wonderful, thoughtful thing to do.

What a great representative of the true blue DU spirit you are, Witch!
Many, many thanks to you (& also to Will Pitt) for being our eyes & ears and carrying our spirits with you on this historic day! :patriot:

[KarenS]

48. ThankYou so much for doing this!!!

I am pleased that my name was included on your sign !!

I was truly there in spirit.

[DoYouEverWonder]

49. Here's a few more pics

Thanks so much for putting my name on your sign. What a great idea. I feel like a part of me was actually there. Thanks again.

[DoYouEverWonder]

67. I just realized that the first pic is of the DC Freepers

All 6 of them.


Here's freeper Kristinn and the bearded fellow holding up the sign during happier times:



Free Republic W2 Inaugural Ball
January 20, 2005 - Washington Plaza Hotel, Washington, DC

[GreenPartyVoter]

50. Well Done!

[proud patriot]

51. Thank you

:loveya:

[WLKjr]

52. Thanks!

Keep on rocking in the free world!

[frictionlessO]

53. Without a doubt the best rally report ever! Awesome! Well Done! Congrats!

Your enthusiasm is well felt and hey sounds like the best kind of first rally experience ever as well... right out of the movies!

Wish I'd made myself known to you as well, would've loved to have been on that sign!!

History! You were a part of history!!:headbang: :yourock: :applause:

[SeanQ]

54. Thank you SO MUCH!!!!

[Tigress DEM]

55. Cool!

If you hit any more big events like this, please add Tigress DEM to your "here in spirit!" sign. What a great idea!

Maybe I should make one of my own. When I attended the Minneapolis Media Fair, I mentioned 70,000 people on the DU knowing more than the seasoned news guys.

Kate Parry who is the Reader's Rep at the Mpls/St Paul STRIB did an article about the delay in putting out the Downing Street Memo because they needed corraberation and none was out there. She also said that those on the internet are way ahead of them lots of times.

I've been thinking about sending story ideas her way. I have mostly been busy pointing out bias or inaccuracies. Sigh.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

79. Hey, TigressDEM, are you coming to the meetup this evening?

cf. Minnesota forum

[Horse with no Name]

56. Thank you so much

I'm glad you made it back safe and sound.
Thanks for taking me with you!

[Jara sang]

57. Hey Witch, I was there too.

I gave you the magic marker so you could write the message in Japanese. Dang, small world!:hi:

[Griffy]

58. I saw u.. I was wondering what that said in Japanese!

impeachment was the buzzword that everyone was thinking.. could it be... are those OUR representatives actually speaking for us.. wow! The tide is indeed turning!

we are still going to need 1 massive protest... so start thinking about getting here, and when.. I think in sept is going to be it. This is just begun, keep up the good work my friends... we my yet get some justice in this nation and world!

[Kurovski]

59. You are a sweetheart. n/t

[burrowowl]

60. Witch!

There are not enough Smilies or Words to express my appreciation!

LONG LIVE WITCHES!

[Nothing Without Hope]

61. Thank you for this excellent report! Even those of us NOT on your sign

were there with you in spirit! :yourock:

http://www.realcities.com.nyud.net:8090/images/realcities/krwashington/11903/141682229307.jpg

Caption: GABRIEL B. TAIT, Detroit Free Press
Representative John Conyers, Jr., (D-MI)

Found here: http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/11902946.htm

[nadinbrzezinski]

63. thank you now go to bed

[chalky]

64. WoooooHooooo!!! Thanks for representing me The Witch!

:yourock:

eta: Oh, and HI BACK, WILL!!!

[G_j]

66. thank you!

:yourock:

[Amaya]

68. Thank you so much for sharing!

I watched the hearing last night and for the first time in a long time, I'm hopeful.

[Mnemosyne]

69. Thank you so much Witch!!

I wanted to be there in person sooo badly. You helped me be there in spirit!:toast: :hi: :yourock: :applause:

:kick:

[in_cog_ni_to]

70. Thak You SO MUCH for putting our names on your sign!

:hug: That was so awesome of you! GREAT report and I LOVE the Will Pitt quote! SINKING SHIP INDEED!

:yourock:

[myrna minx]

71. Thank you so much!

:yourock:

[lucca]

72. Thank you so much!

As we go forward, seeking the truth, and stopping this madness; I smiled with pride as I read your words, and felt your excitement.

What a wonderful day it was!

Yes..."Today is the beginning of the end."

[specimenfred1984]

73. Thank You For Going!

Here's a short sweet slogan:

WAR LIES ARE IMPEACHABLE

[malmapus]

74. Thank you and domo arigato =)

Wow!! That must have been some rally, I'm sorry I couldn't of been there in DC but thank you for having me there in spirit!!. :)

[redqueen]

75. What a great idea...

thanks for the summary ... wish I'd have seen your original thread.

:hi:

[bear425]

76. Please add me to the sign! I was there in spirit, too!

Thank you so much for the update! Wish I could have been there in person with you! bear

[Lydia Leftcoast]

77. Waaa, Nihongo de sonna koto ga kaketa no?

Erai wa nee.

Howaito Hausu no mae de sonna yuumei na seijika nado to issho ni irarate, urayamashii wa ne.

Watashi mo, Witch-san no keikaku wo shitte, sain sureba yokatta!

[lonestarnot]

78. BOOOOOO! hooooooooo YOU FORGOT ME!

[WebeBlue]

80. Another Thank You. You flew from Calif to WA DC? Wow!

I'm grateful you included my name. And thank you for your work on this. Is there a photo of your poster yet?

[The Witch]

81. hah not me, i live in DC

There is a thread up now ("The Here in Spirit Sign") w/ a pic of the poster.

[TheUnspeakable]

82. Thank You so Much !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so proud to be included-it means a lot to me and it sounds like an awesome experience! I am HOPEFUL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cheryl Caloia p.s.You're so cute!!