It was five years ago today that the U.S. was hit by the deadliest attack in its history, leaving almost 3,000 people dead and launching a global crusade against terrorism. In that time, much has been said about securing the homeland to avoid another attack — and billions more have been allocated to actually doing so. District residents have observed the march towards security both as residents of the city and the nation’s capital, most…

Emerging from a Metro crowded with families, cloudless, sunny skies and the outermost walls of the Pentagon greeted participants in yesterday’s America Supports You Freedom Walk, an event sponsored and organized by the Department of Defense to memorialize the 184 individuals who died at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001 and to honor the service of the country’s armed services. Various signs reminded walkers that pre-registration was a must and signs and banners were…

Good morning, Washington. We don’t know about you, but we had an enjoyable and relaxing weekend. With low humidity and shortening days, we can definitely feel fall on the way. Today, however, summer will linger on with highs in the upper 80s. DCist reader Ran Borgersen sent us the above photo in response to our post last week with photos of Borf tags in Rome. Borgerson writes: “I saw this BORF on tag near the…

On Friday, DCist readers engaged in some relatively civil back and forth over the much publicized America Supports You Freedom Walk, an event organized by the Department of Defense to honor the service of the country’s countless men and women in uniform and to memorialize the death of those who lost their lives four years ago at the Pentagon. Taking place today, thousands of people, pictured above, gathered at the Pentagon and followed a…

The Pentagon’s top brass seems to have stepped in a steaming pile of irony today. According to the Post, the America Supports You Freedom Walk (known more simply as the Freedom Walk), set to take place this Sunday and show support for the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and memorialize those who died in the 9/11 attacks, is facing increased restrictions on both participation and media coverage. The route, which will wind its way…

For those of you who find the government-sponsored Freedom Walk more propoganda-ish than poignant, there’s another option for the walking-inclined that day: the D.C. Unity Walk. Members of all religions and cultures will be walking together to promote peace and religious tolerance. Things will get started with a ceremony at the Washington Hebrew Congregation at 3935 Macomb Street NW, at 1 p.m. September 11. From there, the walk will start at 2 p.m. and proceed…

The lipstick hasn’t even dried from the Washington Post’s kiss off of a Pentagon-organized march commemorating Sept. 11, and the Washington Times already has stepped in to sponsor Freedom Walk. “We offered to help with free advertising,” Dick Amberg, general manager and vice president of the Times, told Editor and Publisher. “It seems like a very reasonable thing to do in terms of public service.” The Washington Post announced Aug. 15 that it backed…

Good news for those who were a bit wary of the Post colluding with faux-country artist Clint Black (oh, and parterning with the administration on a government-sponsored march supporting the military and the war) — the Post announced today that it is dropping its plans to promote the Freedom Walk, set to take place September 11 on the Mall:”As it appears that this event could become politicized, The Post has decided to honor the…

For those out there who hate Thievery Corporation and Ted Leo but love freedom, the Pentagon is offering an alternative to Operation Ceasefire. None other than country music legend Clint Black will headline a concert in support of the military and Sept. 11 victims on the four-year anniversary of the attacks. The concert, named “America Supports You,” will follow up the Department of Defense’s two-mile Freedom Walk from the Pentagon to Arlington National Cemetery to…