D.C. protesters lose ground with muddled message

Who can resist a demonstration in downtown D.C. on a beautiful fall day? The short answer is almost every Washingtonian, except for an assortment of reporters and gawkers — and me. I am a sucker for demonstrations. They bring out the most interesting and odd sorts. So it was with high spirits and great expectations that I took myself down to Freedom Plaza Thursday at noon for the Occupy D.C. rally. Modeled after similar protests that began in Wall Street last month, the D.C. protest attracted hundreds of people who came to “occupy” the plaza across from the Wilson Building.

The protest signs said all and nothing. Among the array were: “Stop the Machine,” and “Subsidize Local Farmers,” and “Jobs — Health — Housing — Education!”