I was in DC on 9/12! Lets hear your story!

[Slipstik]

I was there, and I don't care what anyone else says ( 2 million or only a few Thousand) I'd say there were at least 1 Million for this rally. Between those on the Mall, and those on surrounding streets, I'd say we hit a Million EASY!

Good time had by all, even my 2 yr old grand-daughter had a blast! Lets hear your stories!

[pyld]

DC fire department estimates 60-70k. That's one heckuva stretch to get to a million.

[YBNORMAL]

park service said 1-1.5 mil, we need some facts.

[shiloh]

I was there from about 10:30 until 4:30 -- the march was supposed to start at 11:30 at Freedom Plaza (near the White House) and go down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol, where the rally was supposed to start at 1 p.m. When we got off our bus at 10:30, we met a bunch of folks who told us that the march had already started -- there were so many people that they couldn't wait until 11:30. We were advised by some FreedomWorks volunteers to go right to the Capitol. So we did -- I'm no crowd expert, but I'd say there was a good 50,000 to 60,000 right in the area of the West Lawn of the Capitol by 10:45 -- and thousands were streaming in every second. I tried to get up to the steps of the Capitol so I could look down Pennsylvania Avenue, but was shooed away by Capitol Police. From the look I got from a lower vantage point, it was a sea of people all the way down past the Washington Monument. I stood near one of those big old trees on the West Lawn for the next three hours, and it was a never-ending procession -- just a solid river of people coming in. It also was the best-behaved protest crowd I've ever seen -- lots of "excuse me's" and "thank you's" -- it was more like a family reunion than the angry mob the media talks about.

Here's some video and pix that may give you a better idea of the crowd size: http://www.glennbeck.com/content/art...cle/198/30493/. Look at the time lapse on Pennsylvania Avenue.

I saw lots of gun rights folks throughout the day -- if any of you saw a guy wearing a "The Second Amendment -- America's Original Homeland Security" NRA T-shirt and holding a "Destroy the Debt Star" sign, that was me.

One more thing -- we stayed until most of the crowd was gone, and afterward, you'd never have known there was a protest there. Hardly a scrap of litter on the West Lawn. Contrast that to the sea of garbage you see after most events, including the Obama inauguration.

[shefearsnothing]

I posted pics and a video over here: http://forum.pafoa.org/national-11/7...ow-page-6.html

I don't remember what time I got there. That is all a blur. The metro was INSANE!! I think I left around 3:30 though. I forgot my sunblock and I got burned pretty bad.

[shiloh]

Excellent pix! It was a great day (sorry you go sunburned, though).

[Paradigm]

I've seen sports stadiums with 80,000 people.

THIS is a heck of a lot more than 80,000 people:




Unfortunately, politics will never allow the real number to come out.

[shiloh]

I'm sure this is no surprise either -- I saw very few media types at all. There was a CNN truck parked right near the reflecting pool down where the mall is, but I didn't see any of their reporters walking around. And while I was standing under a tree on the West Lawn for three hours, the only media I saw was a camera crew following a small group of counter-protestors who were pushing through the crowd on one of the sidewalks leading up to the Capitol. They tried their best to start an argument but no one was listening to them, so they gave up and went away after about 15 minutes.

[Bucky]

I'd like to sincerely thank everyone who took the time to attend the event. I'm in Las Vegas right now shooting the USPSA Nationals (poorly, but that's another thread ), so I wasn't able to go. I look forward to checking out all the pics when I get home and have a "real" internet connection.

[Tiadaghton44]

Here is a link to a poster aeriel shot of 1-20-09. I read somewhere around a million were there that day. Sorry if the poster makes you suffer from nausea. Saturday was truly historical if you ask me. I am glad I was a part of it.http://www.zazzle.co.uk/history_aeri...34947423776071