The DC Peace Vigil: Working All Day Everyday to Make the World a Better Place

...  Peace Vigil Then  On the scene report from Lafayette Park’s 24/7 peace vigil—what’s left of it, what’s changed, and what hasn’t. The north fence line looks strangely bare at first glance; the blue tarp and most of the weathered plywood boards that once framed the White House Peace Vigil are gone. What remains is lean and hand-carried: posterboard pleas against nuclear war, a couple of laminated fact sheets clipped to a wheelchair tray, and a small U.S. flag that flutters when the cross-breeze funnels through the Treasury side of the square.  The person most passersby still recognize—Philipos Melaku-Bello—sits in his usual spot, fielding questions, posing for photos, and explaining why, after forty-four years, the vigil’s footprint is suddenly so small.  “They took the structure,” he tells tourists, “but not the First Amendment.”  Federal officers dismantled the sheltering setup in early September after President Trump, prompted by a right-wing complaint, to...

  Every Picture Tells a Story ... A Vigil Restored (for now)

"I have signs and it is covered by the First Amendment right to freedom of speech and freedom of expression"  -- Philipos Melaku-Bello  By   ASSOCIATED PRESS 09/07/2025 02:37 PM EDT WASHINGTON — Law enforcement officials on Sunday removed a peace vigil that had stood outside the White House for more than four decades after President Donald Trump ordered it to be taken down as part of the clearing of homeless encampments in the nation’s capital. Philipos Melaku-Bello, a volunteer who has manned the vigil for years, told The Associated Press that the Park Police removed it early Sunday morning. He said officials justified the removal by mislabeling the memorial as a shelter. To keep reading, click here.

 Here are  20 critically sourced facts  about Congressman Jeff Van Drew that many have found controversial or troubling—grounded in reputable reporting and records: 1. Switched parties for political survival Van Drew, originally elected as a Democrat in 2018, switched to the Republican Party in December 2019 immediately after opposing Donald Trump’s impeachment—a move widely seen as a calculated strategy to save his seat in a Trump-leaning district. Wikipedia Vanity Fair 2. Staff resigned in protest Following news of his impending party switch, eight staffers, two advisers, and his entire re-election campaign team resigned, citing a betrayal of their values. Vanity Fair Axios 3. Pledged “undying support” to Trump Van Drew declared his “undying support” for Trump once he switched parties, demonstrating complete allegiance. Wikipedia The Guardian 4. Aided by Trump’s endorsement Trump quickly endorsed Van Drew, even holding a rally in South Jersey that highlighted his alignm...