Must see, iconic image from yesterday's March for National Unity in France:

[Surya Gayatri]

I live just 2 minutes from "Place de la Nation" where this was taken last night, showing marchers standing on the statue of "Maryanne", symbol of the French Republic.
A beautiful evocation of "La Liberté guidant le peuple" (Liberty Guiding the People) by Eugène Delacroix. The banners proclaim:
"LIBERTY of EXPRESSION"
"I AM LIBERTY"
"NOT AFRAID"
"I AM CHARLIE, I AM MUSLIM, I AM JEWISH"
"QUICK! MORE DEMOCRACY EVERYWHERE TO COUNTER THE BARBARITY"


https://twitter.com/argyroglo/status/554434942298755074/photo/1



So proud of my fellow French men and women these last few days. (I have dual nationality).

[rainy]

1. Beautiful, soul renewing!

[Surya Gayatri]

3. Brings tears to my eyes. The French can sometimes be so

blasé and cynical, but when their "valeurs républicaines" (Republican Values--i.e. Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité) are endangered, they really know how to stand up and be counted.

[NYC_SKP]

2. Ah, very similar to "Liberty Leading the People".

And not dissimilar in terms of inspiration.

Cool.

[Surya Gayatri]

12. I don't know how the photographer got everybody

to line up just right. He must have waited for hours to get that exact shot.
Then again, according to his twitter profile, he's a professional industrial photographer.

[oldandhappy]

4. Thank you for the post.

I appreciate the fact that I see things on DU that I would not otherwise see! WOW That was a mob of folk. Are you there? Such an amazing time. oops, just re-read your note. You are there!

[Surya Gayatri]

10. Thank you for being able to appreciate how

dear Republican values are to all French people:

LIBERTY-EQUALITY-FRATERNITY

They have trouble living up to these iconic values, but when the chips are down, they know what they believe in. They are ready and willing to demonstrate for and protect these founding values.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

5. A few more

Her arms are movable and as they carried her she would raise her arms. Very cool but can't find any video. CNN showed her briefly.

[Surya Gayatri]

6. Here she is in all her Republican glory!

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

7. Excellent.

Merci.

[Surya Gayatri]

8. Je t'en prie...(you're welcome)!

[johnp3907]

9. Wow!

Amazing image!

[Surya Gayatri]

11. N'est-ce pas ? (Isn't it, just?)

[ffr]

13. Le jour se lève... encore

EN: The sun rises... again

Beauty over barbarianism.

[Surya Gayatri]

14. Something is surely rising in France. "Do You Hear The People Sing?"

Never has such a huge people's march taken place in every corner of France. Just unprecedented. And God knows, the French have never been shy about taking it to the streets.

The Ministry of the Interior said they had to quit counting. The crowds were so thick they were uncountable.
At least 1.5 million in Paris and close to 4 million all over France--in even the smallest burgs.

[PeaceNikki]

15. In solidarity from Wisconsin.

[Surya Gayatri]

17. "Vive les valeurs de la République Française!"

"Vive la France et ses idéaux démocratiques!"
(bien qu'elle ne soit pas toujours à l'hauteur, ma chère France existe à cause de et pour ces mêmes idéaux républicains. Elle a payé le prix fort pour ses idéaux encore et encore...)


Long live the values of the French Republic!
Long live France and her democratic ideals!
Even though she isn't always up to them, my beloved France exists because of and for these same Republican ideals. She has paid a heavy price for these ideals again and again.

Les Mis "Do You Hear The People Sing"

[uppityperson]

16. k&r

[freshwest]

18. "QUICK! MORE DEMOCRACY EVERYWHERE TO COUNTER THE BARBARITY"

Tears in my eyes over the love being shown there.

Thanks Surya, for this thread!

[Surya Gayatri]

19. Me too, fresh. I feel priveleged to be a witness

to this historical moment from the perspective of "ground zero".

If you want more chills, here's the French version of "Do You Hear the People Sing?" from Les Misérables entitled "À la Volonté du Peuple":

English translation:

To the will of the people
And to the health of progress,
Fill your heart with rebel wine
Till the morrow, loyal friend.
We want to make it light
Despite the mask of night
To illumine our land
And change our lives.

We must win the war,
Our furrow to plow,
Mow down misery
To raise golden kernels of Peace
Who will dance for joy
In the great wind of freedom.

To the will of the people
And to the health of progress,
Fill your heart with rebel wine
Till the morrow, loyal friend.
We want to make it light
Despite the mask of night
To illumine our land
And change our lives.

To the will of the people,
I make a gift of my will.
If I must die for her,
I want to be the first,
The first name engraved
On the marble monument to hope.

To the will of the people
And to the health of progress,
Fill your heart with rebel wine
Till the morrow, loyal friend.
We want to make it light
Despite the mask of night
To illumine our land
And change our lives.

(Even more galvanizing in French than in English, I find.)

[countryjake]

20. Thanks for sharing, Surya Gayatri

I saw a similar image somewhere, quite a lot like this one, only somebody had passed the flag on up to the fellow holding the pencil.

A very moving picture to see! Thanks again!

[Surya Gayatri]

21. My pleasure!

[suffragette]

22. Beautiful and powerful