:(civil rights leader john lewis was asked to remove the question "which side is the federal government on? " from his speech at the march on washington in 1963 to avoid offending the kennedy administration. why was lewis questioning national leaders? the president had not issued orders to desegregate the military. the president had not spoken out for equality for people of all races. the federal government had not prosecuted southern racist violence. the federal courts had not outlawed public school segregation.