DC Candle Light Vigil
I just got back from the Cindy Sheehan Candle Light vigil at the White House. It was held on the new marble street between the park and the Whitehouse fence.
I estimate that there about 1000 people there. In front of the White House they stood thirty to forty deep and extended width of the White House. The crowd then curled around to the other side of the string to form a big ring.
To the left the Freepers were demonstrating. They had a big banner set up and it appeared that 14 people were present. People were counting, some counted 12 and some counted 14. Someone was walking in front of the Freepers with a “Draft the Bush Twins” sign.
I was really impressed with the crowd. Not a nose ring or a tattoo to be seen. They were almost 100% middle class types. All were well dressed and everyone I spoke to seemed educated and articulate. It was about 50% people over 40 and about 50% college kids. A lot of people brought their children.
It was very quiet, almost like it is at the base of the Viet Nam memorial. Everyone held candles and Zipporah's “I stand with Cindy” signs. I had run off hundreds of the signs a couple of days before and left them with people to pass out. The people sang the old '60s protest songs like We Shall Overcome and Amazing Grace.
I've been to a lot of protests, both in the present day and in the 1960s. This was one of the most dignified and well done I have ever seen. Judging from the quality of the crowd, I think Bush is in trouble.