I just got back from DC. Where do I begin? Firstly, it was a wonderful trip, I wholly enjoyed the camaraderie and the fact that I got to mix and mingle and connect with progressive minds and meet beautiful individuals. That was great. However, at some point, I found myself asking myself whether or not marching had not lost its flavor. The fact that one spent $80 to get on a bus ( o.k, someone paid for me to go),endured ten or more hours on a bus cramped into a little seat with fifty other bodies surrounding you and then marching for another two hours --which in and of itself is not bad, but this time I started to think--what is the point? What is it doing? Jimmy Baldwin said once, during his lecture at UC Berkeley in 1974 "we can't hit those streets again because they are waiting for us." This rings true in many ways. I think that both UPJN and ANSWER need to rethink their strategies--as I dont know how effective they are--or what they are doing. Now, we could be called to march--but we should be doing something as well. When Dr. King called people to march--as a matter of fact any marches led by anyone-- although I think it is significant that Malcolm never marched--but anyway--those who marched always risked something--which was vital, significant and it was taking a stand. Now, I think that it is good and a great thing to do to march and have one's voice heard---and I think that it has not lost its significance and it is a great way to get one's voice heard, but one thing that I would like to suggest to UPJN is to make it less a minivacation time--where people take their break and go buy a starbucks and bring along their cameras-and make it something that is actually worthwhile and something to do. That said, I enjoyed it--and I am glad that I stood three rows away from Cindy Sheehan and Jesse Jackson and heard them speak! I am glad Jessica Lange was there too! Where is Barbra?