| Locals savor spirit of unity in march |
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by Mary Beth LaRue, Daily Iowan WASHINGTON - After a 25-hour bus ride to the nation's capital and a restless evening spent on the floor of an Episcopal Church, UI sophomore Jennifer Fath was ready to burn her bra. "She's been talking about doing that since the day we signed up for the trip," joked UI sophomore Carolina Canas. Fath, a self-described "marching virgin," was one of the 3,000 students from across the country and one of the 100 from the Iowa City area involved in the Young People's All Access Contingent of the March for Women's Lives on the National Mall Sunday. The event attracted approximately 500,000 to 800,000 people from across the nation and nearly 60 countries. They marched to demonstrate support for Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court's landmark ruling on abortion, and voice discontent with the Bush administration. "I think it's an impressive move to call the march a women's march," said UI junior Denise Dooley. "I don't know if I would've gone on a march that was strictly pro-choice as a faithful Catholic, but I like the idea of a more inclusive women's rights march." Despite a bus blowing a tire and leaving two marchers stranded at an Illinois Wal-Mart, Iowa march organizer Alison Oliver calls the trip "experimental" but a success, both locally and nationally. "Experiencing the march and its vastness created an energy that was worth the energy we put in," said Oliver, the executive director of Iowa City's Women's Resource and Action Center. "I hope that people are inspired and connected with people who care about the same issues. We don't want people to go to D.C. and cheer, then go home and do nothing." With their bright orange T-shirts covered in pins declaring activist messages such as "Hey George, stay out of my bush" and "It's pro-choice or no choice," the marchers resembled Boy Scouts proudly showing off their badges. The students stood in anticipation, watching the 30-foot screens broadcasting speeches near the Washington Monument by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and Eleanor Smeal, the president of the Feminist Majority, an hour before the march. "I'm overwhelmed with a lot of emotions," UI freshman Megan Mathews said. "I used to be strictly pro-life, but the women's movement is something that has become very important to me." The march began around noon, led by 20 students from the Young People's All Access Contingent chanting "Say it loud - pro-choice and proud" while dancing with unfaltering energy and pumping their fists into the air. "No matter what you believe in, this march pumps you up," said UI sophomore Erin Clark as she marched with the group. "The uniting of all of these different groups is what makes it really important." Though it is dubbed a march for women, the crowd attracted many men, including one UI student and self-proclaimed feminist. "Hopefully, this will bring the movement back into mainstream consciousness because the media portray young people as not caring," said junior Derek Coffman. "Seeing all of the young people here should encourage discussion and, hopefully, change the idea that we're apathetic." As the student marchers approached the Washington Monument, an older woman looked back at the group and said, "Maybe this country isn't as fucked as I thought it was." The Daily Iowan |
