Why I Marched:
By Danielle Frater | Owl Staff
I marched because I refuse to sit quietly and watch people being discriminated against because of their race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, and sexual orientation. I marched because I believe in equality for all.
In addition to the march itself, the train ride there was a highlight. With each stop different groups of people boarded the train and sharing their stories. I sat next to a man from California who flew to Maryland just for the march.
Why I Marched:
By Mike Stenger | Owl Staff
I marched because I see huge potential in our society when women are elevated. You can already see it happening — a whole half of the population starving to make things better, to set higher standards of moral integrity, grow more loving communities, more efficient workplaces and more poignant art.
This became very real to me, seeing who showed up to the march opened my eyes even more to the contributions my women friends have provided the world. I’ve been blessed with a mother and sister, both incredibly strong role models that I’m often guilty of taking for granted. This was for them.
People have given all kinds of online objections for thinking the march was illegitimate — noise from the right told the snowflakes to go back to work (on a Saturday), while voices from the left accused the protest of being too milquetoast for 2017.
It was so much more colorful and meaningful than what people saw on TV or Facebook, in
my experience. So many different groups were represented in solidarity that I think, even more than speaking to the population’s disapproval of its leadership, it highlighted the fact that people from all corners of the nation, the world, are impacted by the status of women.
We all have skin in the game.
Why I Marched:
By Matt Tennyson | Owl Staff
One of the most controversial figures in modern American history was sworn into office as the 45th President of the United States. One day later, America witnessed the largest protest it has ever seen. I decided these two events were interesting enough to attend so that I could get an idea of why people were there.
Simply getting down there was a feat. Lines of people were out past the parking lot at every single metro station on the way into D.C. People would chant, sing, and shout in unison to the tune of anything that put down the president-elect. Despite this, there were a varied number of political philosophies represented, from anarchists, to Republicans that hated Trump, to far left-leaning liberals and everything in between.
My goal was to go down there and talk to the people who felt disenfranchised and hear what they had to say. As someone who is also concerned by the rise of Trump and the rhetoric he has made mainstream, I had to be aware of my inherent bias.
Instead of just joining the chants and falling in line with the atmosphere, however, I would challenge people to think about why he got elected. I wanted people to see between the lines.
Why I Marched:
By Tacy Brown (Age 11) | Owl Junior Staff
I went to the Woman’s March because I wanted to stand up to the things Donald Trump had said about women because they were rude and sexist. I expected there to be a lot of people, and there were even more than I expected!
My experience at the march was fun and interesting; the highlight of the day for me was when the march finally started and when Madonna came on. We walked for a long time and it was very loud, but there was no violence. Everyone was holding up signs, but I didn’t because my arm would probably get really tired since we had already walked for a few
hours.
Some people played drums, which was interesting and set a nice mood. It was my first protest since I was one year old. That march was in support of breast feeding in public. I
obviously don’t remember that, but if there was a protest in support about breast feeding now, I would go to it.
I would participate in another march if it’s for a good cause because the people who are in the wrong need to be shown that not everyone is behind them.