Although one question hangs in the air, What now?

Yes, we have their attention, the question is, what are we going to do with it?

 For many, unfortunately, the march will be a "one-off" event, and they will simply go back to their comfortable sofa, and back to watching Tom Delay  dancing with the stars, meanwhile Obama is still dancing with his czars.

  The answer to What's next, is Get Involved.

Organize a local tea party in your area if there isn't one already, if there is, volunteer to help for the next event. Most local tea parties are organized by a few overworked, underappreciated volunteers siting around a kitchen table, Join them.

There are other things we can do, but like conservatism itself, it's an Individual choice. One choice we can't afford to make though is to go back to the sidelines.

Don't let it be for naught.

Stay off the sidelines and Get Involved.

 I saw at least a million of my fellow Americans descend on the seat of power.
They came by Train, by Car, by Bus, morocycle, plane, and I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't at least one guy that hitchiked to get there.

 They came with a singleminded determination, and the passion that makes this the greatest nation that ever existed on this sad little planet.

 They came to defend all that is the America we all know and love.
They came to defend personal freedom, And personal Responsibility.
They came to defend their right to choose their own health care, and the responsibility of paying your own way in life.
They came to defend the very Constitution that makes this country possible.

 They came with Tshirts, and protest signs they designed with their own imaginations, not pre printed and handed out by community organizers.
They Paid their own way, they weren't rounded up and handed a sack lunch and a check for $50 to protest for fun and profit.

 They came to tell our "Leaders" We're mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore.

Sorry, never meant to "Wax Eloquent" on ya, that just sorta happened.
(steps from behind the pulpit)

 My head is still swirling with images and sounds, and yes smells of saturday.(we had to walk behind the porta potties)

 I guess the only way to do this justice is to start at the beginning, and go chonologically.

 We stayed in Sterling VA because the rates were Cheap and the rooms were nice too. (A Suite for 65 bucks a night!) This was after spending friday morning at the Flight 93 memorial. (I'm blogging about that tomorrow)
Friday night, I sat in my hotel room, and even out there in the burbs, there was an electicity in the air.
It felt like the calm tension just before a Big storm hits.

I knew we were going to witness something Huge.

When we arrived at the Vienna metro station, the line to buy tickets, stretched out of the lobby, across the freeway catwalks in both directions, across the parking lot and down the street!

This is when I saw the first event of the day that literally filled my heart with joy.

 As we stood in line, we were talking to a Mom and her teenage son, (libs but nice) who were headed into town to the museum.  Behind us was a couple from Ohio who had driven from cleveland in a rustbucket car because, like me and the boy, they Had to be there.
As we approached the ticket machines, the boy (he's 22, but still "the boy")overheard her asking the husband what they were going to use to buy the tickts, seems cash was pretty tight. (I didn't hear it, I'm kinda deaf)

When he got to the machine to get tickets, he paid for 4, then turned around and handed 'em to the couple. The look on their faces was priceless.
They tried to offer him money, and he just pointed at me and said "He always told me to  perform random acts of kindness.".

I musta done something right.

The next thing I know we're standing on a platform that's literally Crammed full, but no one was pushing or shoving, they were introducing themselves to new friends in all directions.

Boarding the train was an eerie flashback to those scenes they show on the travel channel in tokyo, the trains were literally Crammed full.  This was at the First station!

I can truly say I know what a sardine feels like. (old cliche's never die)
You didn't have to worry about falling over, there was nowhere to fall.

 We finally arrive more than 1 1/2 hours later, in what is normally a 40 minute ride. Long past the 10am meet up time at the washington monument.
As we streamed out of the station, Pennsylvania ave. was already a solid river of humanity.  We luckily got to meet up with 3 of the TH Band of Bloggers, with whom I'd had a chance to trade cell numbers. The rest sadly, were scattered around the crowd. (I found out today that Davecatbone was literally, Feet away from us.)

Then the currents took us down toward the capitol, elbow to elbow with patriots from every state and some territories.after an "interesting" shortcut, behind the porta potties.  At the time it was the only place the crowd was still moving toward the capitol lawn.

The boy, having spent 4 years as an Offensive Lineman in high school, naturally took point when the crowd got thicker.  He's not menacing, but for some reason when he walks by, people make room. :o)  As a result, we spent most of the rally right in the Mosh pit, maybe 200 yards from the capitol building. o)

 I can truly say I've seen some wild things in my life, but this was a singular event. Schoolchildren will learn about the Second American tea party.

There are a million images in my head, but there are some things that really stick out in my mind.

 For one thing, you never saw a Stranger, it was like a great big family reunion. People would read your shirt, or sign and strike up a conversation like you were old friends. And, this may be hard for libs to understand, It didn't feel weird, it felt Right.

I bet I talked to 200+ people that day, and 2 questions were invariably asked.
Where did you come from?  and How did you get here?
The answers were as varied as the US population, but they were all there for the same reason. "We're here to defend the Constitution".

Another thing that struck me was that the air was literally alive with patriotism and Joy. Everyone had a smile, everyone was laughing and pointing out funny signs and such. I must have gotten 100 compliments on my Tshirt.
Although we had gathered for a deadly serious reason, it was FUN.
 
Finally, The moment that will be with me forever was the sound of a million patriots singing the Star Spangled Banner. I bet half the crowd were in tears. It was one of those experiences no one ever expects, but never forgets.

Hearing "You Lie!" roll through the crowd like the Wave, was pretty darn cool too.
The same happened with chants of USA USA, spontaneous outbursts of sheer happiness.

I see that day as the moment in history where the wave of liberalism, crashed upon the solid Bedrock of America, and began to roll back.

For every person marching saturday, there were 100 Americans who wished they could be there.

The silent majority didn't speak on 9/12,

We Roared!

To every man, woman, and child there that day, God bless you, and God bless America. 

I think he did saturday.

Anyone have a 9/12 experience they want to share?
We'd love to hear 'em.

My take on the flight 93 memorial experience tomorrow, along with slideshows of both.