A renewed and energized, multi-faceted peace movement that understands the intimate connection between America's social, economic, even spiritual woes and the toxic effects of Washington's imperialist wars, occupations, injustices as well as alliances with reactionary forces globally, came together on Saturday, March 20 to speak out for peace with justice. This is Part 2 of my photo essay, the march itself after the rally.

::::::::

Continuing with my photos, here comes highlights from the DC anti-war march itself on March 20 organized by ANSWER. To get up to speed on my two part photo essay on this event, click here for Part 1.

The rally in sunny Lafayette Park on Saturday the 20th ended around 2:00 PM and the first ranks of marchers, who had been steadily positioning themselves behind the rally crowd, now began to step out:

One stream of marchers passed by the White House. You can bet they noticed us.

I wonder if Obama was peeking out the window when this sign passed by, and if so, did that have anything to do with his showing some backbone, or so we are told, against Right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who is attempting to pull off another fait accompli screwing the Palestinians out of more land, heritage and property, all because they are as paranoid of maintaining a pure "Jewish" State, whatever that means, as the Right-wing Afrikaners in South Africa were of maintaining White Boer Power forever.

I believe Obama did give "Bibi" an unpleasant time, judging from the way Israeli propaganda is now revving up against him.

The march's ad hoc rhythm section. They kept everything lively and the juices flowing.

One of the youngest marchers.

One of the icons of the peace movement, the Raging Grannies. The know it in their bones that war is the enemy of all human progress, and is certainly not some kind of solution to Obama's Manichean mental construct of good versus evil, which simply demonizes those we are incapable of communicating with or even understanding, compounding all problems and slaughtering the innocent.

The march is headed for the offices of Halliburton, the Washington Post, the Mortgage Bankers Association, The National Endowment for Democracy and the US Department of Veterans Affairs, where symbolic coffins will be dropped off to drive home the point that one way or another, these entities have blood on their hands.

Some families and relatives marched with photos of their children slain or incapacitated in America's wars of choice. Many soldiers and marines kill themselves or become hopeless addicts trying to cope with emotional anguish. How do you get rid of a poker of rage and guilt burning a hole in your head other than with liquor or drugs when your commanders and military psychiatrists are largely in denial or lie about the nature of the war and are left bullsh*ting you that "War good, killing bad guys good, you should be happy! Ugghh! Take these pills, shape up and shut up."

The colorful "Bongha Washington: Koreans for Peace" drummers also kept the marchers pumped up and motivated. You can also watch them interacting with marchers in this video:

A Gary Cooper-like strong, silent moment.

The March has stopped while coffins are delivered to one of the accused war enablers or veterans betrayers.

Many ethnicities were marching, including a strong Latino presence.

One of the ANSWER security volunteers foreground and the DC police in the background, who were generally pretty relaxed.

There was some very creative protest art, including this hideous-looking
paper-machete Uncle Sam with grinning skull and cavernous eyes.

One of Code Pink's flamboyant members. She had been up on the rally stage earlier doing some guerrilla theater with other Code Pinkers.

Great analogy!

Latino protesters against the war machine.

DRUM, or Desis Rising Up and Moving, fights against injustices against immigrants, another social progress organization protesting the wars.

Another drummer drives us on.

If you want a strong America, you need strong and honest unions to check the predator corporations and their paradigm of Greed is Good.

A couple of vets standing in front of the Department of Veterans Affairs watching the march roll by.

Thanking our vets for having the courage to serve their country. Unfortunately they are being misused and abused by the predator class, the same as if your local police department had been co-opted by the mob and slicked into executing its criminal agendas.

A local cop in front of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

A former sergeant in the Army who explained how he saw himself and his buddies getting shot or blown up and screwed, innocent civilians getting shot and screwed, all for lying fat cats in Washington. So he and many other Iraq Veterans Against the War were out in force protesting today.

Finally the march ended up back at the White House, where activities lasted for another hour or so, including the arrest of Cindy Sheehan and a half-dozen others for laying symbolic coffins in front of the White House.

Venceremos, we shall overcome, so keep on truckin' everyone!

Authors Bio:
I am a student of history, religion, exoteric and esoteric, the Humanities in general and a tempered advocate for the ultimate manifestation of peace, justice and the unity of humankind through self-realization and mutual respect, although I am not a pacifist, nor do I believe in peace at any price, which is no peace at all but only delays inevitable conflict. There are times when the world must act. Planetary consciousness is evolving, but there are many retrograde forces that would drag us back down.

I have also written one book, a combination of poetry, photography and essays entitled "Post Katrina Blues", my reflections on the Gulf Coast and New Orleans two years after Katrina struck. Go to the store at http://sanfranciscobaypress.com/ to purchase. And I also have a blog called Plutonian Mac.