Progressives Unite For Change At The One Nation March

October 2,2010 marked a monumental moment in American history.  On this day LGBT leaders, the NAACP, Islamic activist, Black Christian church groups, Hispanic civil rights orgs, and environmentalists all joined forces in a rally for one common cause—national change and progression.  It is estimated that more than 175,000 people flooded the Lincoln Memorial to participate in the One Nation Working Together march on Washington—a speak out demonstration sponsored by a coalition of over 400 union, civil rights groups, and progressive organizations in the fight for jobs, better education, and human rights.

Tom Privitere, LGBT activist

Tom Privitere, the vice president of a local Pride at Work chapter in Rochester, NY, says that the rally represented a fundamental step towards progression by bringing together gay activists and religious based liberal groups.  “I think this march is really been the first time ever that we have felt such an inclusion with people of color,  the NAACP,  labor unions–progressive groups from across the country have made sure that they have included the LGBT community in this march, and it’s a wonderful feeling.”

Willie Ash, a 77-year-old Marine veteran from North Carolina and NAACP member, was also receptive to the diverse crowd that filled the National Mall.  “We need to band together.  We are all God’s creation and we need to realize that…together everyone accomplishes more,” he said.

For over four hours, protesters listened to poets, musicians, and headliner
progressive leaders including Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and MSNBC TV host Ed Schultz express concern about the direction of the nation and preventing the Conservative Right-wing party from taking over.  Taking the podium, Ed Schultz criticized the Tea Party claiming: “They talk about the Constitution, but they don’t want to live by it.  They talk about the forefathers, but they practice discrimination. They want to change this country.”  He then asked the crowd, “Are you America?”–“Yes!” they echoed.

Rev. Al Sharpton was also loudly received when he talked about the need for job creation.  “We need America to deal with the issue of jobs.  We bailed out the banks. We bailed out the insurance companies. And now it is time to bail out the American people,” he declared.

The One Nation march took place one month after conservative commentator Glenn Beck held a rally at the same location which brought out thousands of Tea Partiers and Republican supporters. However, the diversity seen at the One Nation march offered a better representation of what the American people look like, as compared to the Tea Party crowds which are dominated by white, middle-class males.  “The vibe here is a direct contrast to the Tea Party protest– there is more of a unity where different people are working together,” said Nicholas Powers, a professor at SUNY Old Westbury in New York.  “Here there is more of a reassurance of the strength that [liberals] felt in the Obama campaign and so I think [the march is] trying to reignite that sense of hope and also decency that you felt in that campaign,” he says.

As a former member of the Black Panther Party, Young Lords Party, and a host of other civil right groups, Denise Oliver Velez has witnessed a lot of protests throughout her lifetime.  However, Oliver says that this march is unique in it’s ability to unite such a vast variance of liberals at once. “There is a huge progressive movement in this country, but we don’t see it together and so this is a demonstration of that.”

Fear for the state of the economy drove Kathy O’Reilly, a 58-year-old mother from Connecticut, to the march with her husband, son, and step-son.  “I am out here because we have kids and I’m very concerned about their future,” she said.  “I have friends who are unemployed and don’t have health insurance and can’t find a job.   I drive around our neighborhood and see for sale signs everywhere for houses.  It’s just really scary.”

However, in Asha Noor’s case, a 21-year-old college student from Virginia, coming to the rally signified a chance for her to counteract anti-Islamic sentiment.  “I came to this rally because I am a Muslim-American and lately I’ve seen a lot of Islamic-phobia in the country,” she says.  “I think it’s really positive that there are so many different people here in this rally, and it’s really peaceful and not violent.–It makes me happy to see us all working together towards one cause.”

Like many of the marchers that journeyed to the nation’s capital, 21-year-old Chrissy Andre from Brooklyn, NY, says she traveled with her college chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. because “we’re fighting for jobs, we’re fighting for better education, we’re fighting to keep the Veteran’s hospital open,” she says.  “There are a lot of important issues going on and I’m glad to see a lot of people out here.” ?

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The only thing louder than the fired up crowd were the signs that they held with pride such as the banner held up by the Veterans for Peace which read: “Mr. Obama: End these F**king Wars!..War is the obscenity.”  Other signs were seemly less profane and more comical. However, each clearly expressed the underlying message that liberals want change, and they want it now.

See more of the totally awesome signs from the march after the jump.

Photos by Selena Hill

Interview with Nicholas Powers, Professor at SUNY Old Westbury in NY