Restoring Honor rally

The Restoring Honor Rally (or 8-28 "Restoring Honor" rally, etc.) was a religious right "values" and patriotism rally promoted by conservative pundit Glenn Beck and held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on August 28, 2010. The rally was co-sponsored by the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.

Announcement and preparations

On November 21, 2009, at The Villages, Florida, Beck announced a rally for nine months hence, on August 28, 2010, in Washington, D.C., at the Lincoln Memorial. Beck originally intended to use the rally to promote his next-to-be-released political book, The Plan, in which he would outline a century-long plan to "save the country," but soon decided to re-focus the event on raising awareness and funds for the charity the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. Beck named his planned rally "Restoring Honor," saying its theme was "about honoring character" as well as honoring the sacrifices of U.S. Armed Services personnel.

Organizers hoped as many as 300,000 would attend, with someone from the National Park Service's telling ABC News that the Service's preparatory plans estimated that attendance would reach 100,000. Beck mocked the media's reporting of attendance at his rally stating that "there is over a thousand people here today" and that he "heard the crowd was between 300,000 and 500,000" but implied the number was much higher when he said, "if that's coming from the media, God only knows." Former Governor and 2008 Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin and Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., were announced speakers, with expected attendees to include Major League Baseball player Albert Pujols and MLB manager Tony La Russa, both of whom deciding to attend after being assured by Beck that the rally would not be political.

Commentators noted that the planned date would be the forty-seventh anniversary of the Great March on Washington, at which, on August 29, 1963, King had accompanied an assemblage of 250,000 African-American Civil Rights Movement marchers from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial, where King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. Beck said the timing and place for his event was coincidental but appropriate, with its theme agreeing with King's "message of focusing on the content of a person's character above all else." The rally would coincide with the Reclaim the Dream commemorative march planned by Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III for further down on the National Mall at the future site of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial, which created concern over a clash because of what some view as conflicting themes and criticism by some that Beck was co-opting Martin Luther King's message.

8-27 Pre-Event

On the evening of August 27, 2010, in an event not officially connected with the charity Restoring Honor rally the next day, Glenn Beck and David Barton co-hosted the "Divine Destiny" inspirational patriotic meeting at the 2,454-seat Concert Hall in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Beck and his wife had rented the Hall and in the audience were mostly religious leaders to whom Beck and Barton had given tickets, the rest given to a few members of the general public. The event was emceed by Scott Baker, with Randy Forbes, founder of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, and John Hagee's offering prayers. An "all-star choir," in the genre of gospel music, performed various religious or patriotic selections (while several of its members performed praise dance), including what was noted as a rousing rendition of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." Twila Paris sang “True North” and J. E. McKissic, co-pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church of Fort Worth, Texas, sang "God Bless America."

Beck was introduced by his radio show's co-host, Pat Gray, and spoke for a very few minutes.

This building was [filled] by invitation [to] some of the best and bravest pastors, priests, rabbis, clerics in the country. Tomorrow, we will announce the beginning of the Black-Robed Regiment. And here is what’s amazing, here’s what’s amazing, they keep saying this is a political event, and it is not. It is not a political event at all. ... I'm convinced that not just this event, but this time period is going to be remembered as the beginning of the great awakening in America.

Other speakers included Barton, televangelist Gloria Copeland, Rabbi David Lapin, Dr. Patrick Lee of the Franciscan University of Steubenville [Ohio], the Rev. Miles McPherson (formerly a San Diego Chargers football player), actor Chuck Norris, and the Rev. Dave Roever (a decorated Vietnam War veteran).

8-28 Rally

According to the Washington Post, "The crowd stretches densely back to the World War II Memorial, spilling onto the hill at the Washington Monument and onto the fields north and south of the reflecting pool. And hundreds continue to stream south from downtown streets and Metro stations." The Post said that those sitting near the Washington Monument were too far away to clearly hear the speakers.

External links

Official 8/28 Website