THE STREETS OF WASHINGTON

I was up early this morning to join the weekly Catholic Worker community vigil at one of the entrances to the Pentagon. About a dozen of us stood in the cold morning at 7:00 am for an hour as more than 8,000 military and civilian personnel filed by us into this one heavily guarded entry way.

I held a sign that read No Weapons in Space and others held signs with biblical quotes or words from Martin Luther King Jr. opposing killing and war.

On the way back into downtown DC we passed a museum that was advertising their current show: The State of Deception, The Power of Nazi Propaganda. Quite ironic I thought having just come from the Pentagon that is the world's leading promoter of violence while selling itself as the bastion of freedom and democracy.

After a quick hot cup of tea and something to eat I joined the Freedom Plaza marchers as they passed the White House and stopped at the entrance to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce building. This headquarters for corporate lobbying has huge flags hanging from their facade that read Jobs and the Free Enterprise system. The Chamber HQ faces the White House, with Lafayette Park sitting between them, as a clear reminder that the business of America is business.

We tied a huge banner (Chamber of Horrors) across the entry way and chanted and held signs for the next hour. Several of the 60 attending the protest spoke on a megaphone about the corporate greed that was leading to record home foreclosures, lack of affordable health care, environmental destruction, and endless war.

When we finished it was quickly decided that we should march back to Freedom Plaza in the middle of the street. So off we went with the DC police going ahead of us blocking traffic. We had an unimpeded path back to the plaza which is home to about 70 tents including a food tent, information tent, media tent, and a medical tent.

As we made the short march back to the plaza many on the street waved and smiled. The people are happy to be witnessing some manifestation of the growing movement across the country to take back our democracy. You can see the pride in many faces as they feel they have in some way been a part of this rising tide.

There might still be small numbers actually in the streets but the movement is clearly growing in the hearts of the people.