Observations from the March for Lives Rally today in Phoenix

March 24, 2018  Phoenix/Tempe Arizona

There were already hundreds of people at the State Capital in Phoenix a little more than an hour before the start of the March for Lives rally. There appeared to be thousands by the time the rally started at 10:00 a.m.The setting at the Capital was a Farmers Market of progressive political activity with activists, young and old, holding signs promoting life, gun control, and an end to the influence of the National Rifles Association. There were also vendors representing Democratic and Progressive candidates and causes as well as a rigorous voter registration drive by the Maricopa Democratic Party and Next Gen. The Republican Party committed political malpractice by not even having one table for vendors to visit. It is not like this was a Trump rally where they had to fear for their lives. The State Troopers were there to protect them in that unlikely event. 

Amid chants such as "Vote Them Out," "We are change," and "Must be banned," the speakers, led by students like Jordan Harp offered a passionate appeal to the assembled crowd, calling for everyone to "March today and March Tomorrow" and to register to vote and participate in the process calling for sensible gun control reform. 

Speaking with vendors and people in the crowd, all were unanimous in applauding the initiative of these high school students across the country. One person I spoke with, likened it to the rally's protesting the Vietnam War when she was a child. 

If the enthusiasm of rallies like these is an indicator, Democrats and Progressives should do well as long as they hold true to what they promote and sustain the momentum among their supporters.  

This report will also appear in Blog for Arizona