# Robb's Capitol Hill > Photos & Narratives from Washington D.C. Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts. Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`). ## Pages ### About Robb's Capitol Hill URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/about/ Last updated: 2026-07-09T16:38:13.000Z **Robb's Capitol Hill** is an independent publication I launched in July 2026 to explore Washington, politics, and the stories that unfold beyond the headlines. Through photography, essays, and analysis, it offers a perspective shaped by observation, curiosity, and a search for the people, places, and moments that often go unnoticed. The goal isn't simply to explain what's happening, but to help readers see it differently — through images, essays, and stories that uncover the quieter moments and perspectives behind the headlines. ## Access Whether you choose a free or paid subscription, I'm grateful you're here. Every membership helps support original photography, essays, and the continued work of independent storytelling. Paid subscribers receive additional benefits based on the membership tier they select. ## Fresh content, delivered Every new post is delivered straight to your inbox, so you never have to rely on algorithms or social media feeds to stay informed. When there's something new to read, you'll be among the first to know. ## An independent eye. An independent voice. At its core, *Robb's Capitol Hill* is about seeing Washington differently — through photographs that reward a second look, essays that ask more questions than they answer, and observations that will be from Washington and beyond. Some stories will be timely. Others will be timeless. Every story will be published because I believe it's worth your time. --- ### Exhibit: Capture the Flag URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/capture-the-flag-2/ Last updated: 2026-07-03T18:29:11.000Z **July 3-August 21, 2026** [Aurora PhotoCenter](https://www.auroraphoto.org/capture-the-flag?ref=robbscapitolhill.com), Efroymson Gallery 1125 Brookside Avenue, Suite C9 Indianapolis, Indiana 46202 **Opening Reception: July 3, 6-9pm** *Free and open to the public* ### [What does America's flag mean to you?](https://www.auroraphoto.org/capture-the-flag?ref=robbscapitolhill.com) Throughout American history, The Stars and Stripes has functioned both as a rallying point and a symbol of oppression — often at the same time. We are living through a moment in the American experiment when the meaning of the flag feels fundamentally divided. Capture the Flag looks at how Americans project their beliefs, fears, and identities onto this enduring symbol — one that has never been as unified as we might imagine. --- ### **Can't make it to Indianapolis?** [**Purchase the zine!** ](https://robbscapitolhill.photoshelter.com/index?ref=robbscapitolhill.com)Extra photos, essays – plus the exclusive exhibit sticker just $20 – uh, plus a little shipping and handling. Purchase zine [here](https://robbscapitolhill.photoshelter.com/index?ref=robbscapitolhill.com). [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/zine-cover-small.jpg)](https://robbscapitolhill.photoshelter.com/index?ref=robbscapitolhill.com) Capture The Flag: Exhibit Zine $20 --- *Special thanks to Mary Goodwin and the board of the Aurora Photo Center. All photos and text © 2026 Robb Hill.* ## Posts ### Pardon Our Mess URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/pardon-our-mess/ Last updated: 2026-10-15T12:33:52.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### All That Glitters URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/all-that-glitters/ Last updated: 2026-10-08T11:00:50.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Gold-Plated Democracy URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/gold-plated-democracy/ Last updated: 2026-10-08T11:00:37.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Empty Chairs URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/empty-chairs/ Last updated: 2026-10-01T21:02:10.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Empty Chairs and Possibilities URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/empty-chairs-and-possibilities/ Last updated: 2026-10-01T20:59:21.000Z _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Protesting at the Kennedy Center URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/protesting-at-the-kennedy-center/ Last updated: 2026-09-24T11:45:15.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Hands Around the Kennedy Center URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/hands-around-the-kennedy-center/ Last updated: 2026-09-24T11:34:52.000Z _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Visual Notebook URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/visual-notebook/ Last updated: 2026-09-17T12:02:08.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Postcards From My Visual Notebook - #1 URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/postcards-from-my-visual-notebook-1/ Last updated: 2026-09-17T11:57:57.000Z _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Shinnecock Powwow URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/shinnecock-powwow/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T05:41:10.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### At the Shinnecock Powwow URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/at-the-shinnecock-powwow/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T05:37:45.000Z _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Trying to Bend the Moral Arc URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/trying-to-bend-the-moral-arc/ Last updated: 2026-09-03T13:12:44.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Bending the Moral Arc URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/bending-the-moral-arc/ Last updated: 2026-09-03T13:05:26.000Z _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### The March marches on URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/the-march-marches-on-2/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T16:27:05.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### The March marches on URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/the-march-marches-on/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T16:17:22.000Z _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Freedom Fence URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/dont-fence-me-in-2/ Last updated: 2026-08-20T19:17:10.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Don't Fence Me In URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/dont-fence-me-in/ Last updated: 2026-08-20T19:15:07.000Z “Everything Freedom 250 has done to celebrate America has come with lots of fencing and tickets.” _This post is for subscribers only._ ### This is a Metaphor URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/this-is-a-metaphor/ Last updated: 2026-08-13T15:11:22.000Z On June 13, an editor at The Washington Post sent me to the Kennedy Center to get the first photos of the restored name if the tarps and scaffolding came down that day. When I arrived, three TV crews, four security guards, several National Guard members, and about a dozen protesters were already there, while a steady stream of drivers and bikers stopped to see what was happening. One biker, after taking a few photos, declared, “This is a metaphor for the upcoming midterm elections.” Ignored at first, he repeated himself to a group of fellow bikers: “This is a metaphor for the upcoming midterm elections. Trump does something illegal, is told to stop it, drags his heels by tying up the courts, and when he finally does stop the illegal activity, he looks for ways to cover it up, hoping we don’t notice.” ### Nothing to See Here URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/nothing-to-see-here/ Last updated: 2026-08-13T13:15:57.000Z “This is a metaphor for the midterm elections. Trump does something illegal, is told to stop it, drags his heels by tying up the courts, and when he finally does stop the illegal activity, he looks for ways to cover it up, hoping we don’t notice.” _This post is for subscribers only._ ### See It Online: Capture the Flag URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/capture-the-flag/ Last updated: 2026-08-09T15:07:08.000Z ## America’s Competition for Identity Subscribe to Robb's Capitol Hill for more visual commentary and quests from the DMV's one-man photo bureau. [Be the first to sign up for Robb's Capitol Hill ](https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/#/portal) ## ****What does America's flag mean to you?** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/2_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/3_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/4_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/5_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/6_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/7_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/8_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/9_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/10_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) Flags can be beautiful banners, offering communities, states, and nations a focal point to gather around. Yet that very same flag can also be experienced as divisive, even horrific. Throughout American history, The Stars and Stripes has functioned both as a rallying point and a symbol of oppression — often at the same time. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/11_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/12_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/13_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/14_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/15_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/16_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/17_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/18_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/19_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) As the unfurled embodiment of our highest ideals, Old Glory stands for freedom, liberty, and democratic principles. In our nation's darker moments, the American flag has been equated with oppression, blatant inequality, colonialism, and blind self-righteousness. In his essay "Notes on Nationalism," George Orwell writes that patriotism is "devotion to a particular place and a particular way of life, which one believes to be the best in the world but has no wish to enforce on other people." In the same essay, Orwell defines nationalism as "the habit of identifying oneself with a single nation or other unit, placing it beyond good and evil and recognizing no other duty than that of advancing its interests.” Orwell acknowledges how easily the two can blur, so he separates: "patriotism is of its nature defensive, both militarily and culturally," but "nationalism, on the other hand, is inseparable from the desire for power." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/12_Capture_the_Flag-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/13_Capture_the_Flag-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/14_Capture_the_Flag-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/15_Capture_the_Flag-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/16_Capture_the_Flag-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/17_Capture_the_Flag-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/18_Capture_the_Flag-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/19_Capture_the_Flag-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/20_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/21_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/22_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/23_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/07/24_Capture_the_Flag.jpg) Capture The Flag We are living through a moment in the American experiment when the meaning of the flag feels fundamentally divided. Does our flag symbolize e pluribus unum — a nation where many cultures, foods, religions, and driving habits coexist? Or does the Star-Spangled Banner represent one kind of people, with a singular heritage forged at the beginning of the republic? Capture the Flag looks at how Americans project their beliefs, fears, and identities onto this enduring symbol — one that has never been as unified as we might imagine. --- I want to give a big thanks to Eric Bond, WOWD, and Talk of Takoma for featuring this work and the great conversation. I also want to thank Mary Goodwin, the founder of the [Aurora PhotoCenter](https://www.auroraphoto.org/?ref=robbscapitolhill.com) in Indianapolis, for her friendship and support of this project. Subscribe to Robb's Capitol Hill for more visual commentary and quests from the DMV's one-man photo bureau. [Be the first to sign up for Robb's Capitol Hill ](https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/#/portal) ### I give General Donahue 4 stars URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/i-give-general-donahue-4-stars/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T16:52:42.000Z Over the last few months, I’ve read a great deal about how Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been transforming the military. Yesterday, I read that he has essentially forced Gen. Chris Donahue into retirement. I met Gen. Donahue three years ago in Draguignan, France. I was there to participate in a Memorial Day ceremony at a U.S. military cemetery where my grand-uncle, Staff Sgt. Leo DeGraw, is memorialized. He and his squad were shot down on Dec. 5, 1943. Before the official ceremony began, my French hosts and I stood beside a wreath and a photo of Leo while waiting for Donahue to come over. My hosts — Willy, a retired colonel, and Michel, an active-duty captain — became ramrod straight when Donahue approached. After we were introduced, I shook his hand and told him I was honored to meet him. “I am honored to meet you,” he replied. “Honored that you came to France to pay your respects to a family member, a fallen member of our services.” Donahue then placed his other hand on my shoulder and said, “Tell me about your family member.” For the next several minutes, as I told him about Leo, I felt as though everyone else around us had disappeared. Donahue was so focused on what I was saying, and he asked questions that showed he was fully engaged in our conversation. The hundreds of other people — the U.S. military band from Germany, senior U.S. officers, French officers from Paris, the mayor of Draguignan, members of the French Parliament and the pilots about to fly over — all seemed to vanish as we talked. It was the most intense and remarkable lesson in leadership I have ever experienced. At the reception following the ceremony, I spoke with a group of U.S. soldiers who were clearly uncomfortable socializing with senior officers and who did not speak French. I thought I’d give them a taste of home. As we chatted, I asked what they thought of Donahue.Every one of them said he was the kind of leader you followed not because he outranked you, but because he inspired you. I spoke with Donahue again at the reception and asked whether I could take a photo with him. After a couple of pictures, he laughed and said, “Come on, Robb, smile for the next ones.” Donahue earned his fourth star some time after I met him. I have no doubt he will land on his feet after his “retirement” from the Army. I am equally convinced that the military will be a less effective fighting force without a leader who inspires rather than merely commands. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/06/RHP_1859.jpg) General Chris Donahue speaking during the Memorial Day services at the Rhone American Cemetery and Memorial in Draguignan, France in May, 2022. ### Another Act in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Circus URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/another-act-in-the-lincoln-memorial-reflecting-pool-circus/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T16:45:20.000Z June 22, 2026 - Washington DC The circus sideshow at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool continues. Over the weekend, authorities issued warning citations and arrested several people after they removed pieces of the blue coating that had peeled off the bottom of the pool. On Sunday morning, I did not see any pieces of the blue liner floating in the water. Most of the algae has been eliminated through treatment with hydrogen peroxide and what officials described as "high-tech nanobubble ozone technology." It was later reported in The Washington Post that the nanobubble technology wasn't installed re-installed. President Trump said "disgraceful vandalism" was the reason the $14.7 million liner is coming off, despite no public evidence supporting that claim. Security has since been significantly increased. I counted 20 National Guard troops patrolling the pool, though there were likely more. There was also a larger-than-usual presence of National Park Service police officers and sheriff's deputies from across the region, which made me wonder about jurisdiction. To top it all off, Trump said the pool will probably have to be drained again. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/06/488_The_Reflecting_Pool_dc.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/06/724_The_Reflecting_Pool_dc.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/06/807_The_Reflecting_Pool_dc.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/06/1454_The_Reflecting_Pool_dc.jpg) ### Washington gets a facelift URL: https://www.robbscapitolhill.com/washington-gets-a-facelift/ Last updated: 2026-06-24T21:16:44.000Z Yesterday, I was awake at 6 a.m. and decided to check out the beautification and construction projects underway in Washington as the nation prepares for America's upcoming birthday. The Columbus Fountain at Union Station has water flowing through it for the first time in 19 years. Lafayette Square is undergoing a major renovation. And a UFC arena is being erected on the South Lawn of the White House. The Columbus Fountain at Union Station has water flowing through it for the first time in 19 years. Lafayette Square is undergoing a major renovation. And a UFC arena is being erected on the South Lawn of the White House. I would prefer the administration not divert funding from other national parks to spruce up Washington. To be fair, the arena is being funded by Freedom 250 and the UFC. Freedom 250 is a public-private partnership established by the Trump administration to celebrate America's semiquincentennial — and Trump's birthday. America250 was established by Congress 10 years ago to plan and stage events commemorating the nation's 250th anniversary. It's a bit like a mother and a stepmother planning and hosting two different birthday parties at the same time and in the same place. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/06/02_Pretty_DC_RCH.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/06/03_Pretty_DC_RCH.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/06/04_Pretty_DC_RCH.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/06/05_Pretty_DC_RCH.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/06/06_Pretty_DC_RCH.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/06/07_Pretty_DC_RCH.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/06/08_Pretty_DC_RCH.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/06/09_Pretty_DC_RCH.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/36/86/3686685c-eb11-4657-b981-b531c420018a/content/images/2026/06/10_Pretty_DC_RCH.JPG)