Student "Walk-Out" Peace Protest - DuPont Circle, Washington, DC - 2/21/03

On-Site Observation | February 21, 2003 | Kristinn (from the rally)

[Angelwood]

Several hundred DC area high school students skipped school (after all these snow days) to hold an "anti-war" demonsatration at DuPont Circle in Washington, D.C.

The rally is well-attended by the media. There is a small sound system in use; the student speakers are all repeating the marxist indoctrination slogans. There is a sign calling them "D.C. Area Students for Peace."

The speakers are calling for more money for education -- their education. As an aside, D.C. and Montgomery County school systems are two of the best funded educations systems in the country with an average cost of about $9,000 of our tax dollars per student (about the poverty level income of a single person with no dependents).

They have the usual signs: "Drop Bush Not Bombs," "Have Another Pretzel, President Bush," Wilso Students Against the War in Iraq - Books Not Bombs."

And chants:

DROP BUSH NOT BOMBS

1, 2, 3, 4 = STOP BUSH'S OIL WAR

5, 6, 7, 8 = PLEASE FOR PEACE ABOLISH HATE

What Do We Want? PEACE

When Do We Want It? NOW

BEAT BACK THE BUSH ATTACK

The media (including CNN and Washington Post reporter) seem to be eating up this "spontaneous" rally. Look for it on CNN and local TV tonight.

[Angelwood]

Kristinn called in this report. He'll probably have more comments later when he gets home.

The students seemed to spend their time bashing President Bush and whining about needing more money for their education.

[Nick Thimmesch]

Cool: although today I ain't the same, plenty of us DC kids in the late 60's/early 70's had loads of fun with the "anti-war" culture that thrived in the Nation's Capital. It's a click thing....

[jmc813]

Kristinn called in this report. He'll probably have more comments later when he gets home.

That's so funny. I had always assumed that Kristinn was a woman judging from his screen name. Sorry Kristinn!

[Dan from Michigan]

Most students there.

"Get out of class? Woo Hoo. I'll be there, where's the beer?"

[Keith]

They would all get zeros for the day in my class...

[PetroniDE]

OK -- Pop Quiz. Anybody missing gets a ZERO.

[nina0113]

Us DC kids (actually Fairfax) in the late 70s/early 80s used to drive around the Iranian Embassy shouting "F*** Iran!".

[jriemer]

The students seemed to spend their time bashing President Bush and whining about needing more money for their education.

Too bad these DC students' flirt with truancy shot their schools in the foot. Federal funding is based on daily average school attendance. This little stunt may have cost the DC school district thousands of Federal education dollars for today absentees. This policy has been in place since the Carter administration.

Ironically if they really wanted to do something about their schools education funding, they could have stayed in school and not blamed the President. But that doesn't send a political message.

[Nick Thimmesch]

Equally cool: thanks!

[FreeTheHostages]

Oh, I assure you, these are mostly private school kids. The richer they get here in DC, the more liberal.

[BurbankKarl]

no doubt they filed out after all their heads were counted in home room, assuring their daily student renumeration.

[angkor]

Do you recall the Panthers office at the intersection of P Street and Dupont? The panhandling junkies in Georgetown?

[mountaineer]

There's supposed to be a nationwide college student anti-war "strike" on March 5 (thread here), so expect more of this nonsense.

[Nick Thimmesch]

Naturally: how about Roy Rogers or Little Tavern in Georgetown...even better, the St. Albans Coffee House at the National Cathedull.

[angkor]

used to drive around the Iranian Embassy shouting "F*** Iran!"

I was a Metro Messenger motorcycle courier back then (the yellow BMW's), and had to deliver stuff to the front door of the Iranian embassy rather often.

First run the gauntlet of DC police, then get photo'ed by the feds, then try to get the embassy staff to open that huge brown front door.

I always assumed there were several automatic weapons on the other side of that door, all pointed at me.

[angkor]

Quicksilver Times.

[bmwcyle]

Students are required to be in school. I don't know any clause they can skip for President bashing.

[richardtavor]

That will be good--our troops will be taking Baghdad by then.

[nina0113]

Actually I guess it was just part of 81 and 82 - what was it, 444 days?

[Loyalist]

One question for the protestors:

Why don't you ask fellow students at Baghdad High to walk out in protest against their president's warmongering?