This is what democracy looks like! (warning-photos)

[slybacon9]

Washington DC. September 24, 2005

Democracy is a sea of voices




Some older


some newer


some reminiscent

some that foreshadow

democracy reminds

and democracy is accountable

democracy is witty

and to the point

biting

and gentle

colorful


and black and white

Democracy is fueled by the passionate youth

and carried on the back of experience

Democracy is an army of one

driven crazy by the truth (the liberal moran?)

and sometimes it's about admitting your mistakes (why can't republicans spell?)

and for some, democracy is scary

It is friends old and new


and family


but really... democracy is this man.

this blind gentleman who marched by himself. hundreds of thousands of people and he with his cane waving his blue flag. I only met him because he heard me tell my mom i was tired and he wanted to know where he could sit and rest. She led him over to the curb. He will forever be my inspiration... whenever i feel like any of this is futile, i will remember him.

[whistle]

1. Thanks

[Paradise]

106. Thanks, great photos. Democracy ignored. n/t

[Imalittleteapot]

2. Great photos. Thanks!!! n/t

[Dying Eagle]

3. Great Post

recommended for Greatest.

[KyndCulture]

4. Just when I thought I couldn't cry another tear...

[clitzpah queen]

5. Beautiful Pictures! Great presentation/organization! Thanks! n/t

(voted up)

[driver8]

6. Those are amazing photos...

The one that really got me was the man with the sign on his back that said "They Died". Very powerful...

The blind man photo is incredible, also. What an inspiration!

Thanks for sharing.

[texpatriot2004]

7. Thanks for these moving pictures.

Love the child with the war is not the answer sign.

Love the man in uniform with the stop the war sign.

Love the inside job sign.

And the man who marched without eyesight...brought tears to my eyes.

This is what Democracy looks like.

[SaveAmerica]

65. Look closer at the child w/ war is not the answer- that's a democracy

variety pack. People of all ages and types are in that one shot. I hope W is taking notice.

[Maestro]

8. Awesome pictorial!

Nominated!

[alphafemale]

9. Thank you!

[Turn CO Blue]

10. Great photo essay, but that last point really touched my heart!

(eyes are leaking). Thanks!

[Amonester]

11. Wow. Thank You! The World Is Watching And Hoping! B & Rec

(B ookmarked & Rec commended)

And what a nice man. He can see what's going on while the RW fanatics can't see anything wrong about their criminal "leaders" screwing 'em all in broad daylight all the time!!


Wish We Were There.

[EstimatedProphet]

12. Wow

Just...wow

[DrZeeLit]

13. Bravo! (and it's not just cuz I'm your mom) GREAT PICTURES!

I am so proud of you.

Yes, this is what democracy looks like!

[alittlelark]

48. Are you really the OP's Mom?

If so, you did an awesome job!!!

[DrZeeLit]

50. YES I AM .... Thank you... I'm hoping the world gets to know what I know..

he's a wonderful, amazing, kind, compassionate, fierce, intelligent artist.

We started life together -- a young single mom and a baby boy.
I didn't consider the obstacles, I considered the love.

On Sept 24, he took the red-eye from CA and I took the early flight from VT.
We knew we would HAVE to do this.
We couldn't NOT do the march.

It's how we raised each other -- with love.

[alittlelark]

60. WOW!!! I am quite impressed...

You raised a very cool and together kid! No one else seems to know he's your son yet - they are still transfixed w/ his photo montage.

You did yourself proud!!

[merh]

137. You both did a tremendous job of loving - what incredible

people you both are.

It is an honor to meet you both - proud and loving mother of slybacon9, the artist, the man, the patriot; and, slybacon9, loving and compassionate son of DrZeeLit, woman, warrior, friend and patriot.

Thank God you are both part of DU.

[faithnotgreed]

149. LOVE kick

thank you both for being part of this community and this world
you live in love and of course that is what you will see and experience

and share.....

[banana republican]

116. I love it good pic n/t

[nonconformist]

14. That was awesome. I went through it twice. Kick and rec. nt

[mcscajun]

15. Great post! Wonderful photos, excellent points made.

The last photo of course, the most poignant.

[ET Awful]

16. Those are all great, but the last one made me tear up dang it.

He is definitely an inspiration! Major kudos to that man wherever he may be.

[slybacon9]

17. thanks...

thanks so much for all of your kind words. I'm greateful for the opportunitiy to share these with you... sly

[ignatius 2]

18. Wow,fantastic pictures!!! Thanks for sharing them.

These brought tears to my eyes, tears of pride for those who were there doing their patriotic duty, tears of happiness that so many are speaking out and tears of sadness for what our country was before the Bush madmen took over.

Thanks again, peace

[Suziq]

19. Beautiful . . .

Absolutely beautiful. I am at a loss for words.

My eyes are tearing.

[Bryn]

20. Amazing Photos!!

You did a great job. Wow!!! Thank you so much!!

[GreenPartyVoter]

21. Thanks. Added your post to the rally super thread :^)

[intheflow]

88. Do you have a link to the rally super thread?

I have a few links to add, including the photo group's threads of rally photos.

[GreenPartyVoter]

141. Sure thing. Here you go:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[intheflow]

144. Thanks, GPV!

Links added.

[LittleClarkie]

22. The Marine made me feel like crying

And God bless the Republican.

[intheflow]

23. Is the blind man the person who placed the cross in front of the WH?

I've been wondering what the reference to a blind man needing help was about.

As a photographer myself, I think your photos are beautiful. The shots and the narrative perfectly captured the day. Thanks so much for sharing.

[slybacon9]

24. i can't be sure...

but i don't think it was the same man. this man was just moving along by himself in the crowd. I think that the cross is making a reference to some proverb from the bible, but i can't remember from my catholic school days too well...

Thanks so much for the feedback too!

[PDJane]

33. I thought

That poster was a reference to the blind leading the blind......

[alphafemale]

25. Nominated. Didn't realize you were a newbie. Welcome!

[TallahasseeGrannie]

26. Now I feel

like I was there.

My feet even hurt.

[tnlefty]

27. Stunning and beautiful!!!

All of the adjectives that I can think of right now seem lame! I will never forget the elderly gentleman who was walking beside me for a while and he was using one of the smaller walkers with wheels on the front. I may forget which street turned which way, but I will never forget that man.

[FreedomAngel82]

49. That's what I loved about seeing all the pictures of that day

All ages. Young, teen, young adult, old. All working to end the war and save more lives. It's really beautiful and is what democracy looks like.

[nomatrix]

28. Best Post Ever!

Poetic...You and your Mom. Thank you for sharing your heart with us.

[lizziegrace]

29. I thought I'd run out of tears

until I saw the Marine and the blind man. thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for putting these photos up.

Have you considered a slideshow set to music? (a la Move On?)

These are terrific.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

30. Cool pics

Love those orange uniforms...

[soup]

31. Beautiful. Thank you. n/t

[OctOct1]

32. Thank You!!!

Thanks for posting these!!

[Melodybe]

34. Wonderful! I was there and you completely captured the moment

Thank you so much!

Keep this kicked and nominated it deserves to be numberone on the greatest page.

DU Hall of Fame for sure.

[leftchick]

35. the best photos yet...

thank you..

[titoresque]

36. I can't stop crying!

Thank you thank you thank you!
That was beautiful and inspiring and I'm overwhelmed.

Welcome to DU.....and again thank you so much!

[Tatiana]

53. Me either.

Democracy is a powerful thing.

[blondeatlast]

37. Democracy is BEAUTIFUL, too--and you captured some of it.

The last photo has me sobbing--for joy.

God bless you all.

[klook]

38. Great job!

These is the best collection of photos of the march I've seen yet. Thanks for the pictures and your captions.

[Generic Other]

39. Your pics are awesome

Especially the last one.

[DemReadingDU]

40. great pics, thanks for sharing!

[0007]

41. Beautiful fucking beautiful

[cowboy hula girl]

42. Beautiful Photos thanks......

[blue neen]

43. There have been many times over the past five days

that I have been moved to tears.

This post actually made me put my head down and sob.

Beautiful and eloquent. Thank you so much for the poetry in pictures.

[Alamom]

44. Incredible. Thank you so much. n/t

[bpilgrim]

45. wow - added to the gallery...

GlobalFreePress.com

great pictures!

peace

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

46. Thanks for the great pics...

...I too will remember your last picture when I feel like throwing in the towel.

[FreedomAngel82]

47. Aw

Everything is beautiful and touching. The last one is definitley amazing. Wow.

[Sydnie]

51. Thanks so much for telling this story

I will never forget it.


Welcome to DU too!

[PatriotMom]

52. kick and nominated..This is wonderful, it made me cry

You have put together a wonderful post. Thank you

"We are light and they are darkness. Darkness can NEVER overcome the light, ever. As long as there is one spark, the darkness has lost. We will prevail, we will be victorious. The darkness has lost because our beacons of peace and truth are shining for the entire world to see. And it is a very pretty sight."....Cindy Sheehan

[qanda]

54. This is an absolutely amazing presentation

Maybe those who weren't there will now see why those of who were there felt it was such a success. Thank you for sharing.

[ewagner]

55. Indeed!

This is what democracy looks like.

Sometimes so diverse that it makes your head spin, but the diversity is the secret to its beauty and its soul.

thank you so much for the thougthful photo essay....it was truly well done.

e

[Ellipsis]

56. You have a "fine" brush...

...up and comer.

I look forward to more of your "paintings."

Thank you,

Peace.

[meganmonkey]

57. best. picture. thread. ever.

[meganmonkey]

58. dupe

[stickdog]

59. THANKS.

[SIU_Blue]

61. The greatest post I have seen on DU.

I was there, and I did not feel as emotional then as I did looking at your pictures. The Republican. The Marine. The Blind Man. Those, friends, are heros.

Thank you.

[SaveAmerica]

62. That is the most beautiful thing I have seen in ages, I had to sneak

away to wipe away my tears (I'm a never let them see you cry type). Chilling, the young African American on the post with the MLK poster in the foreground gave me my first round of chills. You must get these 'out there' somewhere, this is exactly what the protest was about. Can I copy them? I'm not digisavvy, is there a way I can copy them onto a CD(R?). Thanks, and thanks for sharing these, thanks for letting those of us who couldn't go, feel like we were there.

I have to add that I just looked over them again, you certainly have an eye for your subject. Democracy is glad you were there that day.

[JanMichael]

63. The last photo is beyond moving...

Beyond just about everything...

[UrbScotty]

64. Thank you. This thread now has 102 votes. (nt)

[Laelth]

66. Sadly ...

... that is what the frustrated remnants of a shattered democracy look like.

This is what democracy looks like:


Kerry rally in Philadelphia 2004

Tragically, democracy was thwarted in 2004 as it was in 2000, but the hope remains.

-Laelth

[me b zola]

67. Stunning

You have done a remarkable job captuing democracy with a lens.

[GoneOffShore]

68. Extraordinarily moving photo essay

Thank you.

[AuntiBush]

69. My Heart is Breaking for the Blind Gentleman...

But the poster is right! He should be our poster for "inspiration."

[incapsulated]

70. That was beautiful, thank you.

[Wilms]

71. Amazing images. Well done.

Thanks.

[lildreamer316]

72. Inspiring.

Thank you very very much.

[NMMNG]

73. Amazing, absolutely amazing

[Lifelong Protester]

74. I had to refresh this page five times

but I just had to get to that last picture. And I wept too, for him, for us.

It was a fantastic photo essay and helps all of our collective resolves.

Power to the people.

[Blue_In_AK]

75. All I'm seeing is

Photobucket.com Bandwidth exceeded. What does this mean, and how can I fix it?

[cry baby]

78. Hey Blue, I can't see them either!! I'm so upset!

Maybe someone will help us.

[madmax]

76. I was touched by every picture but,

the blind gentleman is where broke down.

Thank you for the great pics and for being there.

[cry baby]

77. I can't see them...I get the photobucket.com bandwidth exceeded

I am computer illiterate, help!

[donheld]

79. That's all i get too

[cry baby]

81. damn it!

126 recommendations and we can't see it.

[donheld]

143. I finally saw the pics

Thanks.

[bpilgrim]

80. -- --- ---------- --------------- --------------- - > new link

Images

peace

[cry baby]

Thank you, you're a dear!!!!!!

[bpilgrim]

82. ----------- --------------- -------------- > SlideShow

Start SlideShow

peace

[cry baby]

84. Which one is the blind man pic?

I must be stoopid tonight...

[cry baby]

85. Oh my gosh, I can see the pics now...I see the blind man!

very inspirational.

[alittlelark]

83. Thank You for that!!!

[slybacon9]

86. PhotoBucket Upgrade! Thanks so much!!!

Geez, I had no idea this would happen! Thanks so much to those of you who made slideshows and whatnot. I went to eat dinner and came back a few hours later to an exceeded bandwidth!?? wow... So i bought a 3 month thing at photobucket for nine bucks that should let everyone see em. Thanks for all of you kind feedback again... I'm sorry i let them disappear for awhile!

[never cry wolf]

87. No, thank YOU

well done!

[Graf Orlok]

89. Greatest. Thread. Ever.

[Liberty Belle]

90. Awesome! More photos here:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/rafterymiriam/slideshow?....

Pics were taken by my friend, Leon Thompson, while I interviewed folks along the march route for a local newspaper and a website.

It was an amazing experience!

[Carla in Ca]

91. Your photos are wonderful

What a tale they tell. Thank you for sharing.

[Nothing Without Hope]

92. This is GREAT!!!! Bookmarked for a rainy day, and I know it will cheer me

with the faces of all the people who are part of our fighting community. We WILL NOT be ignored!!!!

Thank you for this. If there is still time, I'll add one more recommendation to the amazing total - taking it from 136 to 137!!!

So who's the guy with the Democratic Underground banner?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

93. This is what fascism looks like:

[rucky]

95. do those doors lock from the outside? n/t

[ClayZ]

94. You are and artist and a poet!

Thank you for your photographs and your words!

I have been at the hospital with my father for the last 7 days, so just now viewing some of the power of the protest.

Good work! I am moved to tears!

[wakemewhenitsover]

96. I love "Mandate My (Ass)". Someone should print those t-shirts...

[mom cat]

97. Thanks for the pics slybacon. I couldn't be there, so these really help.

[skoppa]

98. WOW, great post...

...very touching. It almost brought tears to my eyes.

[OneGrassRoot]

99. You, slybacon9, make me proud...........

to be an American. This is stunningly beautiful and touching. You helped me BE there with you.....

(I hadn't seen the group in orange suits with BushCo masks....very cool....

Welcome to DU.....I look forward to more of your sharings.....

[Frederik]

100. Awsome

Great post, moving and inspiring. Thanks.

[tyedyeto]

101. Beautiful essay. Thank you. n/t

[deutsey]

102. Fortunately, these people didn't wait at home for the perfect protest

That's a great photo of Tokenlib holding the DU banner!

[newportdadde]

103. I see dozens.. maybe hundreds.

[CitrusLib]

104. Simply marvelous! Thank you so much for sharing.

[Sugar Smack]

105. That was so beautiful, I am speechless.

Thank you.

[katinmn]

107. Beautiful photos!

[SunDrop23]

108. Great pictures. Thanks for sharing!

[Liberal Isti]

109. Thank you for posting

Those are amazing pics. I took one of the guy standing on the Constitution Ave. street sign too!

You definitely captured the mood of the day and the representation of people.

To all of us that were there.

[rox63]

110. Thanks for posting this fantastic and moving photo essay

I was there, and democracy was fully on display, in all it's beautiful colors.

[Mutley]

111. Beautiful job.

Thank you!

[Boo_Radley]

112. Great photos

Hey, great stuff. I got some of the same shots, but I don't think I did as good a job.

http://booradley.homeip.net/photos/events/DC-sept-rally... /

(It's slow).

If you want to compare. I really like a few of yours, though. I'm definately new to the hobby.

[jarab]

113. Welcome to DU !!

...O...

[SaveAmerica]

117. Welcome to DU, Boo!!

[ncrainbowgrrl]

118. Hi Boo_Radley! Welcome to DU!

[Boo_Radley]

119. Thanks

Thanks, jarab, SaveAmerica, and ncrainbowgrrl! (I thought I had an account on here once, but I can't remember the login, for the life of me.)

[BrklynLiberal]

114. This is a historical document, not merely a thread on DU....

[rox63]

115. Although it can't come close to your photos and commentary

I just posted my own little photo thread from the protest, right here. Check it out, before it sinks into obscurity:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[Butterflies]

120. Wow, that's the best picture thread I've seen from the march

Your pictures and words brought tears to my eyes. Thankyou for posting it.

[Stockholm]

121. Wow getting a bit misty eyed here...

recommended

[toad12]

122. That was beautiful, thanks so much for sharing! (eom)

[mzmolly]

123. Wonderful photos. Took 15 mns to view on DSL, but they were worth the

wait.

[volitionx]

124. Great Photos!

Here's a photo from our Denver protest.

That's me with the yellow and black sign behind the mic stand.

My sign reads:

George W. Bush: LIAR...THIEF...FASCIST

By the way, the best way to make these signs is to do your graphics on Photoshop or similar, print it out onto an overhead projector sheet (you can make the lasercopy image small, like 1" x 1" to save toner), project it onto a wall with your poster paper taped on it (you have to own an overhead projector, of course), trace it, and paint/ink it in.

Denver images: http://www.coloradopeace.org/2005/DenverSept24/Photos /

Image with me:

[Rainscents]

125. WOW, just WOW!!! Picture's are just WOW!!!

The last photo of blind man made me cry.

[leftchick]

126. This should stay on the home page until our troops come home

amazingly beautiful. Thank you...

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

127. beautiful

thanks

[HEAVYHEART]

128. Thank you for sharing

I'm crying again...

[Spazito]

129. Incredibly powerful pictoral essay!

Thank you for this!

[cyberpj]

130. Good job. Really moving. Wheelchair or not - I hope there's a next time..

...cause I'm THERE, I swear. If I can't wrangle my homies to come and keep an eye out for me I'll just head for that big DU sign and hang with some of the best of the best that BE.

Now I have to go find some tissues.

[CottonBear]

131. Wow. Incredible post. The last picture brought me to tears.

Thank you for posting these beautiful photographs.
Welcome to DU!

[bj2110]

132. Beautiful... Kick...

[Wilms]

133. kick n/t

[slybacon9]

134. Before this leaves the Home Page

I just want to say thank you all again for your kind words. This week has been a really moving for me, and perhaps a life changing moment.

I went to this march with the idea that this movement needs people who know how document these things to be there. We are our own coverage. Our own media.

I bought a ticket, as you might have read my mom say above, the day before the event. Red eye from california and had only two hours of sleep before the march began. My ever supportive mother/cohort met me there from vermont.

I went for lots of reasons. I went because i will always remember a woman on the randi rhodes show that was a mother of a newborn who was going to the last protest in DC months ago. I went because i wanted to go to NOLA and help people but never did. I went because i was sick of not showing up.

You have all changed my life in the last 24 hours. You have reaffirmed a dream i have had since i was little to be a photo journalist. I love that we can all have this effect on each other. This is what community does. What democracy looks like.

Anyway, its not about me, but i just had to say thank you after hearing so much feedback!

you all rule, keep it up!

[merh]

136. You rule, slybacon9 -- you have touched our hearts and given

expression to what so many of us have in our hearts. Thank you for illustrating The Ripple Effect - thank you for capturing these emotions, and thank you for joining our community.

Welcome to DU, slybacon9. Welcome home.

[ignatius 2]

150. Damn,now your words have got me crying all over again. Kudos to

you and I know you're dream will come true with such a keen talent as yours.

I think of two pictures when I think of Vietnam, the young girl running after being burned with napalm and the Kent state picture with the young girl kneeling.

IMHO,the pictures.as much as anything,helped turn the tide against the war.

God bless .

[DaBruno]

135. -

I'm a Republican.

I don't agree with almost anything you guys over here at DU say. I believe in abortion regulations, preferably not allowed after the first trimester.I am against gay marriage, in that I believe that marriage is an institution originally founded by a religion, and that religion has the final say. I don't believe President Bush lied about Iraq.

However, that doesn't mean that I blindly follow the Republican political agenda. I believe, if it could work, in full health care for all. I don't think Bush, the local, or the state government did anything well regarding Katrina. I don't believe that Roberts would make a good SCCJ nominee. I wanted Bush out by the end of the first term, but Kerry just didn't seem right for me. I would have voted for Dean in a heartbeat, but he didn't make it.

Some of you will call me a Freeper, immediately reporting this post to have me banned. That is fair enough, considering I used to be a resident of the site-that-shall-not-be-named. I heckled you over there, but more often than not, only the more demented of posts here.

I know, I will probably be banned for writing some of this, but I didn't come here to debate, or to defend Republicans, or anything of that sort.

I came to praise all of you that participated in the march on Washington. I came to praise you for the marches in California, in London, and all over the world.

I joined up specifically to tell you all that I'm proud of you coming together, united under if not one, then under several banners to get a point proven. It bothers me to no end that the media barely covered the protests. I don't believe Media is either right or left leaning, but regardless, it's a disgrace that they didn't cover the protests in their infinite lack of wisdom.

This truely IS what Democracy is about. Shouting your views, loud and clear, directly AND indirectly.

I just wish that my party would have the same (for the most part) honesty of the Dems and the Greens.

Ah, well... I digress. Mods, I humbly ask that you don't delete this post. I want to show that certain things, namely this rally, these numerous rallies, are enough to bring certain political affilations together, and it's enough to bring others to their knees.

I salute you, members of Democratic Underground. Not for your politics, not for your view of morals, not for your message.

I salute you for being humans first, politicians second.

For the few of you that will read this post before I'm tombstoned, please remember this. Not all of us Republicans are cold and heartless. For the most part, we're just like you, working alongside you every day, doing the same shit, different day routine. As a great... well, my memory fails me... It was a good quote, too.

I digress again.

Long story short (too late), I guess what I'm trying to say can be summed up in two words.

Thank you.

I now leave you with the expectation to be tombstoned, and the hope that at least one member here can read this for what it's worth, not the superficiality that I'm a Republican.

Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again, DUers.

[mwar]

139. Republicans never supported radicals

And now your party is infested with the worst kind. My advice, become an independent. Dissent is your patriotic duty. We'll welcome you on the streets.

[DaBruno]

142. Aye, they didn't.

However, I feel that if I leave the party, I'm giving up. I'm going to continue to fight what corruption I see in the party (I don't see MIHOP and LIHOP everywhere I look, but it's occasionally there. ) from within. I agree that the modern Republicans are a shame to their namesake, however... It saddens me to see the Grand Old Party taken over the way they have been, without a scream or a whimper of protest. At any rate, I'm going to cut this short, as I have a few things to do, but thank you for not banning me, Mods. More importantly, thanks for not banning my first post.

Merry meet, merry part, everyone.

[edwin]

138. Inspiring. Thanks! n/t

[zippy890]

140. wonderful photos, thanks

[PittLib]

145. From one who was there ...

this is amazing. I'm so glad that you captured that last shot, because I teared up every five seconds because of people like him. I had 2 hours of sleep and spent my only day off in three weeks to be in DC for that march and just when I would start bitching about leg cramps and such ... I would see an elderly man toting an oxygen tank or a woman with crutches who had a kind friend carrying a chair so that she could rest periodically, I saw walkers and wheelchairs and young and old. And they were there and they were marching and they were determined and they were not bitching. They were resolved. I have to think of the gentleman who sat next to me at lunch during the Take Back America conference. He was confined to a motorized wheelchair and had difficulty with coordination and speaking. But there he was (unaccompanied as far as I could see) all the way from Wisconsin. These are the fighters and should be an inspiration to us all ... they sure are to me. Thank you for the touching tribute.

[goodhue]

146. great photos

[pro_blue_guy]

147. Wow.....

I am glad to see all the younger people around my age (college/high school/20-something) in those photos. The high school I went to in a rural part of northern Ohio had less democrats than republicans (but not by much) and really no political activism from either party. I'm just glad to know there are people out there who share the same sentiments and views and values as myself.

[MJEmirzian]

148. Sept 24 rally in Toronto

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mje/sets/1011493

Photos from the Sept 24 rally in Toronto

[MileHiStealth]

151. So that's what 50 people gathered together looks like !!!

[Voltaire99]

152. If only this is what elected Democrats looked like...

This beautiful sea of people putting principles into action...

Where was Hillary?

Where was Kerry?

Where were Lieberman and Biden and all the other pro-war Dems who have found it easier to stand for invasion than for peace?

Power to the peaceful. Fuck the politicians who have deserted us!