Sam Sussman: Winner Of The National Equality March Idol Contest

Our future is in good hands with youth like 18-year-old straight activist Sam Sussman!

Washington DC Trip Day 3: National Equality March And Rally

I spent today at the National Equality March and Rally. I got a great spot atop a stone wall (stonewall, get it?) at 15th St NW and Pennsylvania Avenue so I could get some good pics above the heads of the crowd. They're currently estimating attendance at 250,000. I'm not an expert, but look at the photos below. The parade route was packed, including people walking down the sidewalks on 15th, and it lasted 65 minutes with the marchers walking at a decent clip and no stoppages. Seems like more than 250K to me. Maybe at the rally, and more in the march?

Based on a lukewarm response at the announcement of the event months ago, I expected about 1,000 people to show up and that it would be an embarrassment for our community. I was thoroughly impressed. Our leaders and organization that said this wouldn't be a success (yep, Barney, I'm talking to you) have only shown that they are being replaced by a new generation of activist. Start paying attention or lose your power. Lead, follow, or get out of the way. Even if it doesn't make any difference on Capitol Hill, the march and rally certainly show a realignment within our movement.

Towards the end of the march, I jumped in and walked, too. Shortly after I did that, I spotted Mike from Mike In The Middle Ages and we had a brief chat. I first met him at the blogger get-together in New York City a year ago.

How many people can say they marched down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol of the United States for their civil rights? Very awe inspiring.

At the rally, I was most inspired by an 18-year-old straight man Sam Sussman from Orange County, NY that gave a fiery speech about civil rights. See the speech here.

Washington DC Trip Day 2: Arlington National Cemetery

I attended the wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery that was organized as part of the National Equality March scheduled for noon. I stepped off the Metro at 11:30 into the cool and drizzly weather, went through the ornate iron gates, and headed up the hill to the Tomb of the Unknowns.

Walk this way.

Shhhhh. Be vewy, vewy quiet. We're getting closer.

There was definitely an LGBT presence but the crowd was decidedly mixed since so many tourists were visiting. Hard to estimate the numbers in attendance for the Knights Out ceremony. I took the following photo about 11:50 and it definitely became more crowded by noon — maybe 50% more than you see here.

The Memorial Theater is on the left, the sentinel is on the right, and the tomb itself is to the right out of frame. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is guarded by a Tomb Guard sentinel. The tomb is guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and in any weather. Sentinels, all volunteers, are considered to be the best of the elite 3rd U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard). They pace in front of the tomb in two hour shifts and we were able to see a changing of the guard at noon. It's a process definitely choreographed by a straight guy. Boring and no jazz hands.

An officer holds the wreath before the ceremony.

Openly gay First Lieutenant Daniel Choi returns with a high ranking Navy official after placing the wreath in front of the tomb.

I found my political activist friends Tom and Jim from Orange County among the crowd and I snapped a pic of them with their friend Dan! Jim served in the Navy during Vietnam and was able to meet one of the ceremony's officials that also served during that time.

First Lieutenant Daniel Choi.

From his wikipedia entry:

Daniel Choi (born 1981) is a United States Army combat veteran of the Iraq war who served as an infantry officer. He has become known for challenging America's policy regarding gays serving in its military when he came out of the closet on March 20, 2009 in an appearance on the The Rachel Maddow Show. Since the show, he has become an LGBT rights activist.

The officers depart after the ceremony. I love a man in a uniform!

The engraving on the front of the tomb reads:

HERE RESTS IN HONORED GLORY AN AMERICAN SOLDIER KNOWN BUT TO GOD

This was a great tribute to our fallen and serving-in-silence brothers and sisters.