In early May two veterans put some canned chili and a few hundred copies of the U.S. Constitution in a Chevrolet Astro van and took off from San Diego for Washington, D.C.
They took a southern-route. On Tuesday, they made it to the Golden Triangle.
Their 3,400-mile trip works like this: One man walks a few miles while the other trails in the van. After several miles they switch. Whoever is walking holds up an American flag and strangers they meet along the way get a free copy of the Constitution.
They are Jerry Oliver, 65, a retired U.S. diplomat who lives in Oklahoma, and Mark Lanham, 46, a restaurant manager and former airport employee who lives in Florida.
They don’t claim any political or social cause. They say they only want attention brought back to the documents ensuring Americans’ freedom.
By Tuesday afternoon, they were approaching the “Welcome to Columbus” sign on Highway 82 as cars sped by and passing semis blew horns.
“We’re concerned about our freedoms in the Constitution being stripped,” said Oliver, who seems to blame elected officials. “That’s why we’re walking highways with the flag up every step of the way. It’s ‘we the people’ not ‘you the government.'”
Oliver and Lanham met through a mutual friend who knew Oliver was planning the cross-country trek. Oliver, who saved three years worth of retirement to finance the trip, wanted someone to trail him in a vehicle and Lanham volunteered. Lanham told Oliver just a few miles outside of San Diego that “this isn’t going to work.”
“I told him we should alternate walking,” Lanham said, and that’s what they’ve been doing since.
There have been no mishaps. (The closest: Lanham stepped over a rattlesnake in Texas.) They shoot for 13 to 15 miles a day and go through lots of pairs of socks. They usually sleep in the van and eat chili for supper. Sometimes, though, usually on Saturday nights, they get a hotel room so they can “clean up” and attend a local church service on Sunday mornings, Lanham said.
On Tuesday, Oliver commented on the heavy Mississippi humidity and the fact that ants in this part of the world will bite. But he said that while they crossed the state on Highway 82 a handful of passing motorists stopped to find out what they were doing and wished them well.
They’ve encountered kind people across the country, Oliver said, and those “everyday people” inspire them to finish their trip in support of the Constitution.
“They’re heroes,” he said. “We meet heroes everyday.”
They plan on going to Brunswick, Ga., on Highway 82 and then taking Highway 17 north to Washington, D.C. They hope to arrive at the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 11, which is Veteran’s Day, and they’ve asked President Barack Obama for a short meeting. They said they aren’t holding their breath for that to happen, though.
In their letter to the president asking for a meeting, Oliver wrote, “It is our goal to have a meeting with you to provide assurances to all Americans that you are doing everything possible to ensure that our freedoms are being protected.”
Oliver and Lanham have a website documenting their trip. It is walkdaddywalk.com.
William Browning was managing editor for The Dispatch until June 2016.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 44 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
