Anti-War Coalition holds protest

By Kristy A. Simmons
News Editor

The protest occurred on the Main Avenue Bridge Sunday, from noon to 1 p.m., and was organized by the Red River Anti-War Coalition. Alyssa Hurst/The Spectrum

Protestors young and old stood at the edge of the sidewalk along the Main Avenue Bridge, holding their signs up for Sunday passersby to see.

“The majority is no longer silent,” “What would Jesus bomb?” and “Stop the war,” were just some of the messages seen on their homemade signs.

The Red River Anti-War Coalition gathered Sunday from noon to 1 p.m. in a show of solidarity with Cindy Sheehan.

Sheehan is the president of Gold Star Families for Peace and mother of Casey Sheehan, a soldier killed in Iraq. She and others who share her views have spent time camping outside President Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas.

“Our goal is to get awareness out to people concerning the need to call the troops back home from Iraq,” Thomas Harrelson, a member of the RRAWC, said. “We consider it personally as democracy in action. We’re expressing our vote against this war … we’re standing up with the rest of the country (in similar movements) for this.”

More than 40 people rallied Aug. 21, and they will continue to rally on a regular basis until late September, Harrelson said. John Peterson, a founding member of the group, said there were more participants Sunday than the previous week.

“The majority is no longer silent,” Peterson said. “An increasing number of people are coming out against the war.”

Most protestors reported positive reactions from those driving by, such as honking and thumbs-up signs.

Barb and George Weatherston, also present the previous Sunday, said 50 to 60 percent of the reactions were positive.

“The crowd is bigger here than it was last Sunday. We kind of keep track of cars that honk and give thumbs up,” George Weatherston said.

Barb Weatherston said some people did not react.

“Some people are really stoic. It bothers me when people don’t react. It’s Sunday, and they are probably thinking of scrambled eggs, but they just don’t react,” Weatherston said.

One woman was the target of a negative reaction Aug. 21.

“I was standing here like I am today, and all the sudden, there was some pop thrown at me,” Dorothy Barlow said. “I didn’t get hurt. I just got wet. They have the right to their opinion.”

Dan Heintz, an NDSU senior, made a sign with the words “Support greed” and a symbol painted on it in black. The symbol was in the shape of yellow “Support our troops,” magnets that many Americans display on their vehicles.

Heintz said the magnets are really a symbol of greed because they are produced overseas, and none of the money goes to benefit the soldiers.

“It’s just another way to support capitalism in its highest form,” Heintz said. “People believe in the troops, but they (manufacturers) are over there making a profit (from selling magnets).”

A friend Heintz grew up with stepped on a land mine and died. He said the soldiers, like the rest of the working class, have only their ability to work.

“It (the Iraq war) is a bunch of malarkey. We need to protect our class brothers and sisters. If it’s a time of war, that’s different. It (the Iraq war) is blatant. There’s no reason for this war … we’re securing profit for moguls. We need to be objective about what’s going on,” Heintz said.

Harrelson, who lived in Los Angeles during the Vietnam War, remembers protesting and demonstrating to get recruiters off school grounds. He said parallels can be drawn between the Vietnam War and the present war.

“It’s especially disgusting when you’ve lived through both eras. I was a lot younger then,” Harrelson said.

The NDSU College Republicans and College Democrats, who did not attend the protest, were asked to comment about the protest.

Melissa Mallett, a member of the College Republicans, said she disagrees with protesting the war. She advocates sending care packages to soldiers as more constructive than demonstrating.

“Even if you’re against the war, you need to show support. The soldiers have to think about how to get to tomorrow and follow commands … they don’t need to hear about what is negative (in America),” Mallett said.

Daniel Gallagher, a member of the College Democrats, said Sheehan and protestors with similar goals are not against the soldiers but are protesting to show their support.

“It’s perfectly legitimate to be against how the war was conducted. It was largely put on by talking points,” Gallagher said.
Gallagher said he believes that when questions are posed to regarding specific progress made in Iraq, President Bush is evasive.

“I want to see a radical change with what’s happening with the war. I would like to the public to be shown progress made there,” Gallagher said.

A national peace demonstration Sept. 24 will be held on the front lawn of the White House. The RRAWC will hold a local rally near that date that will be a “sympathy demonstration” to show agreement with the two groups — United for Peace and Justice; Act Now to Stop War and End Racism — which will be in Washington, D.C., that day.

“I should point out there’s a lot of people who are critics of the anti-war protest … we support the troops. The most supportive thing is to get them home as quickly as possible before they get killed,” Harrelson said.