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‘We Cannot Be Bystanders to Injustice’: The March for Truth in Washington, D.C.

Lauryn Gutierrez

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Protesters showed concern about whether hacking done by the Russian government played a part in the 2016 election and urged Congress to "expose Russian ties," should there be any, with the White House or its associates.
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Megan Cardwell, 23, of Alexandria, Virginia, arrived at the protest dressed as a handmaid from Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale.

"I wanted to bring attention to the fact that, not only will the Trump administration refuse to treat his ties to Russia as an issue, they also refuse to treat reproductive rights as an issue. Coming to the march dressed as a defiant handmaid also sends a message that we will not allow our country to become Gilead [the fictional dystopia from the novel], where we have no rights and suffer under a totalitarian regime," said Cardwell, who said other protesters had expressed similar fears to her.

"'Nolite Te Bastardes Carborundorum' means (in botched Latin) 'Don't let the bastards grind you down', which is exactly what I want the people of this country to remember. No matter how defeated you feel, you cannot give up, because we are all standing with you and supporting you," Cardwell continued.
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In his remarks, Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland's 8th District emphasized the importance of protecting First Amendment rights: "A free press is not the enemy of the people. It is the people's best friend and the tyrant's worst enemy. This is our government, and the people have the right to all of the facts that relate to it."

"We don't know all the facts yet, but we know this much: Donald Trump has a staff infection, and it's spreading every day," Raskin said, referring to investigations surrounding Michael Flynn, Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort.
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"Fear. It's the oldest tool of power. If you're distracted by the fear of those around you, it keeps you from seeing the actions of those above," a protester's sign read.
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The crowd listened as Terry O'Neill, president of the National Organization for Women, spoke about reproductive rights: "Abortion care is a human right! We will never go back."
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Protesters gathered to show Congress that U.S. citizens want to know if their government was constructed legitimately.
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A protester poked fun at the use of "covfefe" in one of the president's latest Twitter outbursts. The meaning of the word confounded the public and press alike.
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A sign depicted President Trump throwing the planet into the garbage. Last week, the president decided to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement.
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"Truth [and] justice are the American way," a protester's sign read.
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"As a result of this terrible time, of all of us paying attention and being involved in a way we never have before, more will be possible than we could have imagined. There is a chance that we can turn this into something that allows us to face how far we had to fall for someone like Donald Trump to happen, and build something better," said Jon Lovett, political podcaster and former speechwriter of President Barack Obama.
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"That firing was abrupt, what are you covering up?" the crowd chanted in the direction of the White House, referencing the firing of James Comey, former head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who was recently dismissed by President Trump.
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Activist Linda Sarsour, one of the organizers of the Women's March on Washington, encouraged those gathered not to let the outpouring of information and anger about Russia distract from human rights issues like health care and the Muslim ban.

"We cannot be bystanders to injustice," said Sarsour. "If engaging in dissent was easy, everyone would be doing it."

Remarking on the recent violence perpetrated by a white supremacist in Portland last week, she implored the crowd to ensure that "the voices of hate and divisiveness are not louder than those of love and solidarity."

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"It is my civic duty to stand up for the things I believe in, and attend protests and marches near me so that I can make my voice heard" said protester Meghan Cardwell (not pictured). "Being at the March yesterday reminded me of the solidarity I felt at the Women's March in January. Together, those of us who are willing and able to go to these events can show the administration in the White House that they will not control us."
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On Saturday, the March for Truth was held in more than 100 cities across the United States. March organizers said their main goal was to “call for a fair and impartial investigation” into the Trump campaign and its associates’ possible collusion with Russia during the 2016 election.

In Washington, D.C., the event brought more than a thousand people to the Northwest grounds of the Washington Monument. Following the rally, protesters formed the words “Investigate Trump,” documented by an aerial camera.

Jon Lovett, former presidential speechwriter and current podcaster and producer, mentioned in his remarks that he had just been at the White House across the street, where a small “Pittsburgh Not Paris” counter protest was being held in support of the president’s decision last week to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement: “They did not get out in the kind of numbers that I see here— it’s almost as though he’s a President without a constituency whatsoever.”

Lovett continued, “This was a really hard week. It’s been a hard 135 days. For those of us who view what’s going on behind me [at the White House] as a national emergency, and then you look at what’s happening on the Hill and they treat it like ordinary business, it’s more than just a typical outrage of bad policy and bad politics—we’ve dealt with that for a long time. This is heartbreaking.”