From Denver McMullen
On Sept. 12, my friend and I attended the Freedom March at our nation’s Capitol. Our inspiration to do this came as a result of attending Mr. Fred Dailey’s Constitutional Studies class at the public library in St. Mary’s on a bimonthly basis. Fred announced that he was going to the march. My friend and I figured it was the least we could do as it appeared to be next to useless to call our elected officials and voice our concerns, which we have done repeatedly.
We drove to Slainsville, W.Va, Hampshire County, and spent the night with my daughter and her husband. My daughter insisted on driving as she was familiar with the city. In truth, I believed she had her doubts about letting two gentlemen, slightly long in the tooth, go unescorted to the city.
We boarded the metro in Fairfax and made our way to the Federal Triangle in DC. We proceeded to Pennsylvania Avenue just as the march began. It was a sight that I find hard to describe. Pennsylvania Avenue was packed solid with people from the Washington Monument to the Capitol steps. Each had a homemade placard proudly displayed.
We began the slow shuffle toward the Capitol. It was an exhilarating feeling walking arm in arm with the total strangers, not knowing or caring the political persuasions of the person next to you, but knowing that every one there had one thing in common-the want to preserve our precious freedoms.
In my youth I was in the military and have stood to the colors many times and I always had a feeling of pride. On the march down Pennsylvania Avenue I had a sense of pride that surpassed all those I had felt before.
The pride I felt this time was for my fellow countrymen and women, some in their late 80s, some even in wheelchairs. Young and old, all of one mind. It was an experience I will always cherish.
It was doubly good for my friend. We made a side trip on the way home to the site of the Civil War battlefield at Cedar Creek, Va. His grandfather, Albert Villers of Wick, was seriously wounded in this battle (survived). He had never been there, but I had and was familiar with the area.
I will close with the words of our Founding Fathers: “Gentlemen, let us hang together, or most assuredly we will hang separately!” Let us thank God each and every day for our precious freedom, and do all in our power to keep it.
Denver McMullen
Middlebourne