Presidential Inauguration 2005

January 20, 2005

A word to Republicans: I expect every one of you to enroll in the military today. If you really believe the so-called "War on Terror" is real and that Bush didn't lie to get us into Iraq; Then your duty as a patriotic American is to join the National Guard and DEMAND to be sent overseas.

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Community house in DC.
This is the community home where I slept for two nights.
Protestors never get the luxury accomodations.
I slept on the floor. People who work for democracy usually don't get the luxury accommodations.
We are about to leave for the protests.
My house-mates for the protest, from left to right: John, Rachel, Joseph and Doile.
Barry lives in Asheville.

Barry playing the banjo.
Crowd at Malcom X Park where the rallies started Thursday Morning.

I reported on what I saw for WPVM via cell-phone. I sound like the amature I am, especially against the professional-grade intro-music. It's embarrassing to be posting this here, but for the sake of the historical record I'm swallowing my pride. I used the pseudonym: "John Roman" for the reports. BTW: I screwed up on the year...it's 2005.

I strongly suggest you right-click and save this to your machine instead of using my bandwidth... I'm running off a slow home-based server.

All audio links have been taken out due to high bandwidth usage. You may email me if you want to hear them. I'll open the links back up once I have a bigger server.
Father Jean Juste at the 2005 Inauguration protests.
Father Jean Juste at the 2005 Inauguration protest. This is what a real Christian looks like.
David Lytel alone
David Lytel, all by himself in MacPherson Square. It would be hours before the marchers would arrive from Malcom X park, but he still put on a great speech. He's a real trooper.

Here's an audio of my first impressions at MacPherson Square.
First wave of people.
Then the crowds started coming.
Women for peace.
They poured into MacPherson Square.

The first wave of people from Women for Peace and Grannies for Peace. (About a thousand people.) It was epic to watch so many people crowd into a space that was almost empty a few minutes before.
coffins at 2005 inauguration.
They (the crowd) laid coffins at the foot of the podium

The second wave of people was even more impressive. Especially as they carried the coffins.
David Lytel and Granny D.
Granny D gets introduced to the crowd
Billionaires for Bush.
Postcards for Bush
This woman transcribed postcards to Bush for anyone who wanted to.
Doris "Granny D" Haddock

Me and Doris "Granny D" Haddock. I love this woman.

I like to dress conservatively when I go to protests. My motto: "If you don't want trouble, dress like you don't want trouble."
Young pro-democracy activists.

Line of young pro-democracy activists on a bench at MacPherson Square.
The elite in line to see the boy-king.
Line of Republicans with tickets to get into the inauguration. The lines for them were long, but we pro-democracy folks had to wait HOURS to get in.
The line of pro-democracy activists.

Line of pro-democracy activists trying to get into the inaugural parade. (Corner of Pennsylvania and 14th Street.) I waited about two hours to get in.

It reminded me of the way I had to wait to vote back in November 04.
Vermin Supreme
Vermin Supreme spent most of the day at the front of the huge line telling people about how the police were acting illegally.
Dancing to the song Louie Louie
Street theater on 14th Street. They danced to the song "Louie Louie."
A kodak moment for FOX News.

Here we see two republican operatives burning the flag in order to give FOX News a kodak moment.

The crowd was chanting "Don't burn the flag! Don't burn the flag!" But these two asshats did it anyhow. (That's why I suspect they were police provocateurs.)
Immature, brain-dead, unpatriotic, flag-burning assholes.

It took these wankers 30 minutes to light the flag because it was made of a flame-retardent material. (I'm not joking.) Then the guy on the right had his pants catch on fire. LOL!

Justice is sweet.
Several cops had thier ID numbers taped-over.

To their credit, the police did act like professionals. Scary, semi-facist, but professional.

I didn't appreciate how many of them hid their ID numbers on the backs of the helmets with black tape. (Note cop on left)
Republican woman wearing fur.

Many pro-Bush folks wore fur. I know this woman was pro-Bush because she said so to the two young people in the next picture.

I thought the animal-rights people were un-necessarily rude to the Republicans wearing fur. (Wearing fur is cruel and vain but taunting them isn't going to change any minds.)
Two evil Republicans

Love ya W. I wonder if these guys have enrolled in the military yet?

The Bush administration has a word for young people like this: Suckers.
I wish I had better pictures of the riot that happened when the Presidential motorcade passed. These two pics don't look like much.
I was so agog at all the commotion, I forgot to take pictures.

Here is my crude attempt at reporting during a riot. The protesters had big balls to go up against the armored-covered police. The wave I'm referring to is the way the crowd who seemed to act as one mind when they stormed the fence.

Inaugeruration parage.
A picture of the parade.
DUers doing what we do best: Drinking.

I met fellow DUers in person! Here we are at the bar: "DA's RFD." From left to right: Brainshrub, Scubed, Hoot-n-Holler, William Rivers Pitt, MrScorpio and Estimated Prophet.
Stepping out on the town with DUers.
On our way to the Billionaires for Bush party at the Platinum night-club. DUers from left to right: Faye, Scubed, Estimated Prophet, William Rivers Pitt, Andy Stephenson and Susan Truit. You can also barely make out hoot-n-holler behind Andy)
The Billionares for Bush party was a huge blast! Lady More Kaching (in the blue fur) and Sammy More Warbucks (in the red, white and blue non-fur).
 Susan Truit and MrScorpio

These fake bills were showered down from the roof. It was fun to pretend that they were real.

Here we see MrScorpio barely able to contain his glee. Susan is a bit more in the spirit.
   
   
   
Brainshrub