Washington • For several hours on Saturday, cynicism was banned from the streets of what on many days seems to be the most cynical city in the world.
Throngs estimated to number up to 800,000, and perhaps more, gathered because a group of determined, organized, eloquent and extremely shrewd high school students asked them to come, and because too many Americans have been killed by guns.
Suddenly, hope-mongers were stalking the nation’s capital. They believed, against so much past evidence, that the National Rifle Association could be routed.
The crowd seemed to expect it would require an election to usher in the reforms they seek.