Having just returned from the Stand With Ukraine Rally today, I thought I would share some impressions. The rally gathered at 2 pm at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. After the speakers, the rally would become a march past the White House to the 16th Street residence of the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the U.S.
The rally was well attended given the brisk weather, the crowd filling the space from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to the western edge of the reflecting pool, with spill-over on both sides and into the grassy areas. Thankfully, there was no rain. Many in the crowd carried U.S. or Ukrainian flags or wore blue and gold, but there were also Georgian and Belarus flags (the Belarus opposition version). I would guess a pretty even mix of US citizens and Ukrainian diaspora, given that you often heard Russian/Ukrainian spoken around you. It was not a festive air, understandable in the circumstances. Instead, there was a feeling of deep determination on many faces. You had the sense people understood that Ukraine has its back to the wall. But I didn’t detect despair. Nor, one after the other, did the speakers evince any.
I don’t remember all the precedence and identities but recall that things opened with singing of both the Ukraine and US anthems, followed by religious invocations by clergy of both the Ukraine Orthodox and Ukraine Catholic denominations. There were heartfelt reactions to a row of injured Ukrainian combat veterans who were seated in front seats of honor. Behind the platform were US combat veterans of Ukrainian background from prior US wars, wearing their VFW-style caps.
There were a number of speakers from various Ukrainian cultural organizations. The US government was well-represented by Uzra Zeya, Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights at the Department of State. I believe someone was also there from USAID. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D) gave a real barn-burner speech which elicited a lot of applause, as he vowed to get the Ukraine aid bill through the House, by one way or another. Ukraine Ambassador to the US Oksana Markarova also addressed the crowd. Interspersed with the speakers were musical performances by a group of Ukrainian folk singers. Unfortunately, no GOP speakers.
Following the program, the march ensued through DC to the Russian Ambassador residence, accompanied by the longest Ukrainian flag you can imagine, which took about five minutes to unfurl. I don’t speak Ukrainian or Russian, but I can tell you that once we got sight of the Russian flag flying above that 16th Street building, some curses filled the air.
Other Highpoints:
- One speaker after another urged each of their listeners to call at least two Congresspersons, especially GOP ones, to support a vote on the Ukraine bill (or a discharge petition). Speakers said they had been told that the GOP Members of Congress had been getting a 10-1 anti-Ukraine ratio in their calls and we needed to counter that (I’ll bet a lot of those anti-Ukraine calls are astroturf). That is a recommendation I am hereby sharing with KOS readers. I plan to follow-up myself.
- At one point they noted 600 Ukraine support rallies were occurring around the world. They asked people to “look up” while the Ukrainian anthem was played again (a haunting piano version) and I think what was happening was that they were capturing the upturned faces of Ukraine supporters in city after city around the world, to make a powerful montage later.
- a reference at one point was made to the chilly weather, but I couldn’t help but notice that the Ukrainian wounded guys sitting up front were wearing just army fatigues — they and other native Ukrainians probably see a day in the 40’s in February as time to sunbathe.
Attending this rally was a very moving experience. But as an American, I also felt recurring shame. Speaker after speaker talked about the strong bonds that united Ukraine and the United States. The Ukrainians expressed genuine thanks and affection for this assistance. But I think they are very freaked out too. Looming over all the warm sentiment was the naked fact that US assistance to Ukraine has been blocked in Congress for months by MAGA. All the pretty words from the White House, and all the fancy titles of the US speakers, mean little or nothing without that assistance.
Welcome any thoughts from others that may have attended other rallies elsewhere.