Wednesday, April 3, 2013

When bad weather makes for good video


When a group of Episcopal bishops organized a public "Way of the Cross" in Washington as a witness against gun violence, they planned a walk down the open, grassy spaces of the National Mall. And they probably hoped for good weather.

But a week before the event, police told them the Mall was a non-go. The march had to use city streets. As for the weather, it could not have been worse: "mixed precip," alternating between freezing rain and melting snow. (You'd think a group of bishops would have more clout!)

So there were about four hundred cold, wet people walking down Pennsylvania Avenue huddled under umbrellas and praying at places like the U.S. Justice Department and the Capitol. For those who stuck it out, it was a much more memorable day. For those who saw the photos or videos, it was visually a much more powerful witness.