We Could Use A Man Like Iron Eyes Cody Again

How about the gigantic pile of clothes left in front of the MLK library two days ago? What was that all about?

I saw a lot of the literature left on the sidewalk as far up as 7th and E on my run this morning. I am sure a lot of it was intentional in order to spread their message.

Yesterday, I tried to jog to the Mall via 7th Street at 6 a.m. The throngs of young people refused to leave room on the sidewalk for others and even were abusive when we asked for space (so we wouldn’t have to go into the street). March for Life? How about not risking the lives of innocent bystanders and treating people with respect!!!!

it doesn’t matter what the political persuasion of the protest/gathering on the mall is. liberal or conservative, radical or reactionary, they all treat DC like a dump that they don’t have to worry about…someone else will deal with whatever messes they leave behind.

You want to see garbage, go check out the streets after the Puerto Rican Day Parade in NYC.

In DC it’s not just these protestors, look at the litter near the bbq stations at Haynes Point after a warm weekend day.

Actually, I found the protesters against the genocide in Darfur to be quite polite. I jogged on the mall in the middle of their event and had no problem moving through the crowd as they kindly left room for me and my dog to pass. But I agree #4 that most have some form of protester/tourist autism and see us as objects instead of real human beings.

Sorry to say, but the Anti-War rallies are by far the worst. Because not only do they treat our neighborhood like crap, but they also put freaking stickers on everything! I don’t like picking up after protesters, but worse is trying to peel stickers off our signs, buildings, newspapers stands and even cars!

PS: Last year they also spray painted the steps of the Capitol, but we don’t live there and they have their own police.

This should be a topic in the current discussions on how to “rebuild” the mall. When a group files to protest/hold a rally on the Mall, there must be some provision that addresses cleanup after the event is complete or management of whatever documents are handed out. Everyone is complaining about the protestors being asked to rally in a specific area, but this may reduce some of the trash strewn about and wear and tear to the Mall.

You know what would be a great idea? In addition to the fees that the park service charges to stage gatherings on the national mall, they should also require the group to provide volunteers to clean up afterwards, or be faced with fines.

It is so discretful of these groups to come into our city and trash the place, I am of the same opinion of the groups that deface buildings around DC with those sticky posters!

Amanda from DCMetrocentric.com

The stickers left behind on lampposts, streetsigns, bus shelters, etc are the worst! Like they’re actually going to persuade anyone who reads them? We have enough of a litter problem in this city.

#9 is right. What could also work is a “security” deposit, just like when you rent an apartment. You have the responsibility to clean up the apartment and make necessary repairs when you move out, or you lose the deposit.

Thank you for posting about this! Groups who leave their garbage behind should be denied permits in future years.

I hate litter and I’m not excusing it, but put it in perspective. The fact is that this is the nation’s capital and people come here from all over. Considering that there were hundreds of thousands marching, there was not much more litter than usual.
And of course the worst was the piles left by horses not people!

#13, according to the Post article there were tens of thousands, but whatever the numbers (or the participants politics) I would say there is a lot more litter than usual after these large events.

And the fact that this being the Nation’s Capital means that we might have to deal with more litter? That makes no sense to me. Shouldn’t the Nation’s Capital be treated with more respect then your own home, not less?

I think what Joe R. is saying is that sure, in a perfect world, there would be no litter at all. But, in the real world, a city will always have some litter due simply to the number of people in it. With a large event such as this, there were more people in the city: more people=more garbage. I further would agree with Joe R. in that, considering the large number of the group, any increase in litter on Tuesday was hardly noticeable.