Capitol Juxtapositions

REPORT! from DC

By Tim Boivin

Leader, Writers Room, 50501 Veterans

On Labor Day this week, my wife and I got off the Amtrak at Washington, DC’s Union Station around 1800, after an eight-hour journey from Boston for the Rage Against the Regime protests.

We walked through the plaza of the 1908 Beaux Arts landmark to head over to the FLARE USA tent on Columbus Circle. As we exited the doors at the station, we immediately saw evidence of why we were there.

Parked on each side of the Christopher Columbus Fountain were two MRAPs with six National Guard MPs. A not-so-subtle message was being sent from the dictator in chief.

As we walked past the MPs, I thanked them for their service, then told them this was bullshit and not what they signed up for. My comments were answered with slight nods and nervous thank yous as they looked around.

Several veterans and allies were already on-site, keeping a respectful distance. They were vocal in urging the MPs to contact the GI Rights Hotline to learn about their options and responsibilities when it comes to following unlawful orders.

I signed in at the Vets table and met with the Rage Against the Regime organizers in the FLARE USA tent. Then we sat down in the grass to watch the first juxtaposition in three days full of them unfold in front of us – veterans repeatedly asking their brothers and sisters in uniform to stand down.

A handmaid sat front and center on the Columbus Fountain plaza between the MRAPs, sending her own message.

Tuesday morning, the MRAPs and troops were gone…disappeared for the first time since they first appeared on site, according to the FLARE USA folks.

As a retired marketing and military PAO dude, I could see why. It’s terribly bad optics for veterans to be seen telling Guard MPs in no uncertain terms that they swore an oath to the Constitution – not to a child rapist, draft-dodging coward, and petty wannabe dictator, as well as a convicted felon. And they shouldn’t be complicit in this occupation.

At 0800, roll was called for Veterans to march to the Capitol. Marine Sgt. Eric Rhodes, a member of 50501 Veterans and a stalwart at these protests, assembled the Color Guard.

Sgt. Rhodes gave me the great privilege of carrying the upside-down American flag, signifying the dire distress our country now finds itself in under this fascist misadministration.

More than 1,400 veterans signed in for the March and lined up behind us as we began the March up First Avenue to the U.S. Capitol. This was a much larger turnout than the organizers had anticipated – a virtual Veteran Army amassed for a peaceful, nonviolent protest.

Usually, a protest with that many marchers requires a permit. That’s when the next juxtaposition occurred.

FLARE officials quickly conferred with a top-notch sergeant from the U.S. Capitol Police, and officers on bikes helped block intersections as we proceeded up the Hill. The sergeant would have been well within his authority to deny us the chance to march on the Capitol, since we did not have a permit. But he worked out the details not just then, but throughout the next two days.

He is to be admired and respected, and we salute him.

As we reached the Capitol, the Capitol Police sergeant and Sergeant Rhodes conferred to discuss how we should best advance. The route was adjusted so we could march around the perimeter sidewalk of the U.S. Capitol Grounds.

Sgt. Rhodes issued the order for a column left, march, and we proceeded by the Russell Senate Office Building. A block down, we made a column right maneuver at the First Avenue light and marched in front of the Supreme Court. At the next intersection, we made another column right to march in front of the Cannon House Building that holds so many of the offices of top congressional leaders.

All along, chants rang out from the ranks…

“Do Your Job!”…

“Free DC!”…

“Honor Your Oath!”…

”Release the Files!”

When we reached the intersection across from the Capitol security gate on New Jersey Avenue, Sgt. Rhodes again conferred with the sergeant from the Capitol Police. The decision was made to do an about-face and retrace our steps back to Union Station instead of trying to cross directly in front of the U.S. Capitol.

As we resumed our march, the chants got louder and Congressional staffers peaked out from the windows above us.

Another juxtaposition – or maybe a better description would be a moment of serendipity. As we started marching again across from the Supreme Court on First Street, we could see the Handmaids marching across the street in the opposite direction, before they stopped in front of the Supreme Court to stage their own protest. A reminder that we veterans are not alone in this fight. We have many allies

Later that morning, after speeches at Columbus Circle, we lined up to march on the Capitol again, this time with Rep. Al Green (D-TX) leading the way with several of the protest organizers.

They were followed this time not just by veterans, but with reinforcements from other ally organizations who joined us. This time, we were allowed to march directly across the front of the U.S. Capitol to the Southeast Drive grounds, again with the assistance of the U.S. Capitol Police.

From there we organized into several “companies” of 30 protesters each. Our mission: Flood the Zone. We deployed each company to the House and Senate Office buildings to urge members of Congress to “Impeach, Convict and Remove” the MetaMussolini from office.

Later that afternoon, another rousing protest was held in Lafayette Park, directly in front of the White House, for Trump and his fascist minions to all see. You can see videos of the speakers there on the FLARE USA site.

The next morning, Wednesday, vets marched again from Union Station to the Capitol and back. At 1000 hours, our Veteran Army, again augmented by ally organizations, marched yet one more time to the Capitol – this time for the Epstein survivors’ press conference, an emotional experience that no one who was there will ever forget.

The next juxtaposition. During the presser, SecDef Kegsbreath, at the MetaMussolini’s direction, deployed a missing man formation overhead in a feeble attempt to try to disrupt the survivors. This was supposedly done to honor a Polish pilot killed in a training accident, under the pretense that the Polish President was visiting him.

Sure.

Many on the ground – myself included – rendered salutes of the single-finger variety at yet another abuse of deploying our nation’s military, this time to try to intimidate the Epstein survivors. It didn’t work.

That was followed by yet another juxtaposition. As the press conference continued, several groups of students in orange t-shirts that read Southridge High School 2025 Washington Trip passed by in front of us. It was a stark reminder that the courageous women across the way who were telling their stories to the world were of the same age as these students when they were trafficked and raped as children.

During the press conference, at the Capitol Police’s request, we began to disperse and redeploy our forces to Flood the Zone yet again in the Congressional Buildings. In case Congress didn’t get the message the first time, we wanted to be clear: we are not going away until they honor their oaths to the Constitution, no matter the political or personal price they may have to pay.

There were more protests throughout the week, with another big day of action coming up in DC this Saturday, if you happen to be in the area.

As Sgt. Rhodes said during the protest:

“SHOW THE FUCK UP! We have to save ourselves!”

Make no mistake, all the various Veteran groups, including 50501 Veterans, will continue to SHOW THE FUCK UP! We are dedicated to continue to fight these fascists.

The battle ahead will be tough, and many of us are getting up in years, but as veterans we are up to the challenge. Some things are worth fighting for.

The soul of our country is definitely at the top of the list.