Everyone Should Experience Being Part of a March, Protest, or Demonstration

If it’s a cause that’s meaningful to you, it’s an unexplainable and memorable event you’ll never forget

Photo by Zoe VandeWater on Unsplash

“If I were to remain silent, I’d be guilty of complicity.”
― Albert Einstein

It’s an amazing experience to be part of a large movement, to be lost in a crowd of other like-minded souls with a singular goal or purpose in mind. One opportunity I had to participate in a march was during the summer of 2003. It was the year I joined in a protest against the Iraq war in downtown Chicago.

It was a warm day in early June. Many of us in our Michigan Avenue office opposed George W. Bush’s declaration of war on Iraq in response to the 9/11 attacks on the U.S.

Only a few of us thought it worth gathering after work to meet at the Chicago Daley Plaza to show our support. We heard that it was to be a “gathering” We had no idea it would quickly evolve into a massive march that would shut down the loop, Gold Coast area, and Lake Shore Drive.

When we arrived at the designated meeting point, there was already a large crowd, and it was snowballing. The grid of streets surrounding the Daily Plaza was a stream of humanity quickly feeding into the plaza area from every direction. I don’t know that anybody expected a turnout of this magnitude.

It was a sea of people as far as you could see. Chanting began that swept through the crowd like wildfire. Signs appeared. Some more athletic bodies began climbing light posts, monuments, and civic art sculptures.

The chants got louder. The energy was contagious and electric. We were a single giant unstoppable organism. It never occurred to me to leave, but there was no way, even if I wanted to escape.

In a short time, we were flanked by mounted police. Who knew the city had so many horses and riders on hand? Next came the helicopters from various news channels, all vying for exclusive event capture. Above the incessant chants, a bullhorn came alive. The speaker announced that we were about to move.

Slowly the mass began moving north and then east towards the lakefront. We crossed over…