Americans came together to express their desire to take their country back from the corrupt politicians and special interests that rule the day. My mom, Carol Blais, and I travelled to have our voices heard. Click on any picture for a full-frame image
Date(s): September 12, 2009. Album by Linda Blais. Photos by Linda Blais. 1 - 125 of 125 Total. 1009 Visits.
1 We stayed at Holiday Inn Capitol on 6th at C St - very close to the National Mall
2 Some like-minded folks from TX
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4 In VA you can order a special license plate: Fight Terrorism!
5 Dept of Education across the street - obsolete?
6 Bob Barnard from Mobile, AL. Very friendly guy making a statement coming to Washington
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9 Early evening September 11, 2009. Like the lyrics go... "Have you forgotten how you felt that day..."
10 Mom stands in the doorway of a shop (downstairs) at Union Station...
11 ... the store has only a cashier waiting for someone to come in.
12 Upstairs at Union Station this store is packed with customers....
13 ... and most popular sizes are sold out!
14 A performance artist in front of the Hyatt Regency on 9/11/09
15 He spoke with a colonial accent
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17 It seemed like the Texas Tea Party Patriots were hosting the event at the Hyatt.
18 Complimentary sign-making materials at the Hyatt (of course, donations were being accepted)
19 The ballroom had a very festive feel in the air on the eve of the Freedom Rally
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22 We stole this quote for our own sign
23 Texas delegation out in force.
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25 "And we're just the few who could make the trip!"
26 B*** S*** Deflector
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28 The Kentucky group at our hotel all wore these shirts (and they adopted us!)
29 Saturday morning some folks head out early for Freedom Plaza
30 Crowd control...?
31 Mom with one side of our sign. (I stole the idea for this side, too!)
32 CVS next door had $5 Tiki Torches. Took one apart to use as a pretty long sign pole.
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34 Couple from New Jersey having a coffee break Saturday am after the long drive to DC
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37 Come to find out this response was to a robbery down the street... it WASN'T because of the "MOB"
38 A family from Florida brought the signs they had used at their local Tea Parties
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41 The Museum of the Native Americans, part of the Smithsonian
42 Mom's taking a break
43 ? Tommy Lee Jones and Ali McGraw?
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45 10:30 am - 2-1/2 hours before the marchers from Freedom Plaza are due to arrive...
46 ...and the crowd is beginning to grow at the Capitol
47 This is the farthest right of a....
48 ... panoramic sequence... moving left 180 degrees
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56 "I am the MOB"!
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68 I WANT YOU! To protect the constitution
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71 A cheer rings out as the first of the marchers from Freedom Plaza arrive!
72 This is another panoramic sequence, moving right-to-left...
73 ...amazing experience for thousands of people to gather as one....
74 ... voice and peacefully (but enthusiastic!)
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76 As they filed in, all the marchers filled in on the grassy lawn.
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78 Something amazing happened... have you ever seen a school of fish move together all at once?
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80 The crowd instinctively split every 20 rows or so to allow people to navigate across the assembled mass.
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87 A new friend, Jimmy, from south Florida
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93 A Med Student from the University of Tennessee was here with some fellow doctors
94 Capitalist? Defininately not Socialist!
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97 Freak of picture-taking luck had the flag frame the Capitol perfectly.
98 Home-made stuffed "Don't Tread on Me"
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100 Most flags flying were the Gadsden variety
101 Is this the media?? No, the media was nowhere to be found.
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103 Not a single piece of trash or litter was left on the ground as the Rally concluded.
104 A serious-looking family (worried for what the future may bring for the kids?)
105 Good One!
106 The only police presence - except at the hotel - we saw all day (traffic control for the pedestrians)
107 Catching up on messages...? I couldn't get a call through on Verizon - presumably cell connections overloaded
108 John (?) a retired Marine 2nd Lt. from Westport, CT back at the hotel
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111 Dinnertime and the evacuation order goes out....
112 ... smoke alarm in the elevator shaft so everyone has to get out!
113 I had considered hanging my new "Don't Tread on Me" flag....
114 ...in our 2nd floor hotel window....
115 ... and if I had, it would have been visible to everyone on the street! Rats!
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119 Can't forget the Pentagon also came under attack on Tuesday, September 11, 2001
120 Four of our new friends from Kentucky. Part of the MOB! :-)
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123 These guys hauled their gear up 9 flights of stairs for a false alarm. Some of the bystanders cheered and clapped.
GREAT PICS LINDA, BET YOU AND YOUR MOM HAD A GREAT TIME...AND MADE NEW FRIENDS - WILLIAM, Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:03PM
Hi Linda =] WOW! The pictures truly tell a story! It must have been exciting to be a part of the movement!! Thank you for sharing this with me =] - Flo, Fri, 25 Sep 2009 2:15PM
Good job Linda. The pics really captured what went on. I'm glad we went. - Mom, Fri, 25 Sep 2009 4:30AM
