Residents For Peace, War Take Cases To Street

Sierra Vista Herald/Bisbee Review ^ | 13 April 2003 | David Rupkalvis

[Spiff]

Residents for peace, war take cases to street

SUCHAT PEDERSON-HERALD/REVIEW "You're not anti-war, you're just anti-Bush," shouts Todd Evans of Sierra Vista to the war protestors as they start their march along Fry Boulevard in Sierra Vista. Evans also played patriotic music as the peace demonstration occurred.

SUCHAT PEDERSON-HERALD/REVIEW Bisbee residents Cecile Lumer, center, and Rose Johnson, left, gather near Seventh Street and Fry Boulevard in Sierra Vista for a peace march up Fry Boulevard toward Fort Huachuc's Main Gate to protest against the war in Iraq. The demonstration was held on the International Day of Action for Peace.

BY DAVID RUPKALVIS

HERALD/REVIEW

SIERRA VISTA - Anti-war and pro-war factions faced off Saturday, disagreeing on almost every facet of the war in Iraq. The one thing the two sides agreed on was that they wanted U.S. troops to come home safely and quickly.

Approximately a dozen anti-war protestors gathered and walked slowly down Fry Boulevard Saturday morning, protesting what many called either an unust or illegal war.

The demonstration was held on the International Day for Action for Peace.

"This is an unjust war. We've only seen the beginning of the suffering of the people of Iraq," said Mary Jo Cox of Hereford. "Our government leaders have broken every international law trying to get control of oil."

The use of depleted uranium in both bunker buster bombs and tank-fighting missiles was an illegal act that devaastated both the Iraqi people and the environment, Cox said. Because of the United States' use of the weapons the Iraqi people will suffer side effects that will pose a threat for decades, she said.

Sierra Vistan Peter J. Swolak organized the demonstration Saturday. Despite having a sone in the military, he said he could not sit by idly as the war he opposed moved on.

"We're just showing our support for the troops and telling everybody that Bush made a mistake going to war," Swolak said. "So far over 100 Americans have died and last we heard, more than 3,000 Iraqis. This could have been resolved peacefully." The anti-war protestors faced some opposition of their own Saturday as Sierra Vistan Todd Evans came to their starting point and blared patriotic music.

As the marchers began to move out, Evans confronted them and got into a short heated argument with Cox. [Wrong. I was standing by my car with my son. Cox walked directly up to me and said she wanted to talk to me. I said I didn't want to get "into it" with her and that she should just go have "her little protest." She insisted upon arguing. She got heated, not me. The reporter was standing right there. I don't know why he characterized the encounter this way. - TE]

Cox tried to say that the situation in Iraq could have been dealt with through dialogue and repeatedly said that war has never led to peace.

Evans disagreed.

"Dialogue has never caused peace," he said. "Look at World War II. Germany has freedom. [I said "Europe has peace." -TE], Japan has freedom. War ended slavery and war has ended oppression. Pacifists are the parasites of freedom."

Evans had a sign on his car that said, "Bomb Hussein, Free Iraq." [Actually, the sign says Bomb Saddam! Free Iraq! -TE] As the anti-war protesters marched, he followed closely behind, chanting "1-2-3-4, peace can only come through war." [He left out that I added, "5-6-7-8, The U.S. fights to LIBERATE!" -TE]

Bisbee resident Will Sheterly participated in the anti-war march and agreed with Evans on one point.

"Everybody that I've encountered believes Saddam Hussein is a bad guy and should have been removed from power," Shetterly said. "This is the wrong way. The sanctions were working. We defeated the uSSR by being patient and it would have worked here."

Evans argued that the protesters' stances were only about politics and accused the protesters of being anti-Bush, which most agreed they were. He also asked where the protesters were when former President Bill Clinton was bombing Iraq or Kosovo. [I said "civilian targets in Serbia" not Kosovo - TE]

"It's purely political," Evans said. "If you look at Iraq, it's starting to wrap up. The end of the regime has happened. These people are not concerned with the citizens of Iraq, they are only concerned with their own political agenda."

Shetterly agreed that the war was coming to a close, but said he was continuing to protest because he wanted to pressure the U.S. government to keep all of the promises it has made to the people of Iraq.

"At this point, I hope we deliver Iraq what we were promising, which we didn't do in Afghanistan," Shetterly said.

Cox spoke for most of the anti-war crowd when she said, "I don't want any blood shed on either side."

HERALD/REVIEW reporter David Rupkalvis can be reached at 458-9440 Ext. 180 or by e-mail at david.rupkalvis@svherald.com

[Spiff]

I had to scan the pics and type this in by hand. The Herald's website doesn't include this story or the pictures.

[Spiff]

I FReeped 'em good!

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[Spiff]

Whoops! Forgot to ping you.

[knuthom]

We've only seen the beginning of the suffering of the people of Iraq," said Mary Jo Cox of Hereford.

This is worse than just stupidity. If she refuses to acknowledge the suffering of Iraqis under Saddam, it is the equivalent of the Holocaust denials.

[Spiff]

This is worse than just stupidity. If she refuses to acknowledge the suffering of Iraqis under Saddam, it is the equivalent of the Holocaust denials.

I asked her about the estimated 3 million Iraqis killed over the years by Hussein - a genocide - and she didn't care. I told her that more children were murdered under Saddam's rule per day than have died throughout this entire conflict at the hands of coalition forces. She called me a liar.

Later I challenged one protestor who shoved a picture of a bloodied child into my 9-year-old son's face. I said that if he REALLY cared about the loss of innocent children's lives he would be protesting the 3000 innocent babies killed EVERY DAY by abortion in the United States. The protestor turned and ran from me, hissing. It was like spraying holy water on a vampire.

[Paul Atreides]

The reporter was standing right there. I don't know why he characterized the encounter this way. - TE

Surely, you are kidding.

[Paul Atreides]

It's funny how you see all walks of life from the pro-war rallies. However, all of the anti-Bush rallies have one look: hippie freaks.

[Chad Fairbanks]

"This is the wrong way. The sanctions were working. We defeated the uSSR by being patient and it would have worked here."

Only after millions of deaths through proxy wars over the course of 40+ years... but hey, what's a few historical innacuracies when you are for 'peace'...?

[Spiff]

Check out the peacechick in the yellow dress. Her name is Ceclie Lumur. She's been involved in the local open borders/reconquista movement and protests too.

Also, notice her sign. Look at the bottom of the sign. Yes, that is "People's Weekly World" - a communist/marxist newspaper. Hmmmm...

[Paul Atreides]

I noticed that!

[Spiff]

"This is the wrong way. The sanctions were working. We defeated the USSR by being patient and it would have worked here."

We also defeated the USSR by spending HUGE amounts on weapons - not through dialogue. We simply outspent the USSR on weapons and they couldn't keep up.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Shhh... The Commie Pinkos get mad when you mention stuff like that - they hate knowing that the people of the world prefer freedom over cummunism... ;0)

[Spiff]

I noticed that!

You should have heard that peace chick talk. It was like she was on something - it was weird.

[Paul Atreides]

"This is an unjust war. We've only seen the beginning of the suffering of the people of Iraq,"

This gives me an indication of the type of people with whom you were dealing.

[The Right Stuff]

isn't it fun to smoke the little fascists out?

[Spiff]

isn't it fun to smoke the little fascists out?

Sign Materials...$6.00
Radio Shack Bullhorn...$39.00
Smoking the Little Fascists Out...Priceless

I haven't had that much fun in a LONG time.

[Spiff]

My report from another thread:

Sierra Vista rally turnout was disappointing. Blame it on the organizer who did not get the word out very well. Also blame it on the other things going on today such as the Rose Parade in Tombstone.

The highlight for me was showing up an hour early to FReep the antiwar whackos. A dozen showed up with their stupid signs. When they started their march I didn't hear any chants so I pulled out my bullhorn and said, "I don't hear any chants. Let me help you get started."

I kept it up as the marched up Fry to Buffalo Soldier Trail and back. Man, that bullhorn made all the difference.

1..2..3..4..Peace can only come through war!
5..6..7..8..The U.S. fights to LIBERATE!

Liars! Losers! Traitors! Fools!
You are all just Saddam's Tools!

If you hate the USA
Why don't you just go away?

Go home Bisbee Fedayeen!

Etc.

Needless to say, it severely dampened their enthusiasm. Add that to the demoralization they've experience since seeing Saddam fall and the Iraqis rejoice and welcome our troops and liberators and all the whackos should be put on suicide watch. They did try to argue with me a few times, I gave excellent counter arguments, but they're too dense to comprehend logic and reality. Besides, their arguments were so idiotic I won't even post them here - they're not worth the bandwidth.

FReeper SandRat showed up late in the game and took some pictures. We quickly moved to meet the idiots as their march finished and they went to their cars. The bullhorn was working fine and I blasted them. When the passed SandRat he tossed some lollipops their way and said "Suckers for the Suckers!"

One loser decided to bring a picture of a bloody, injured child, which was allegedly an Iraqi child injured by coalition bombing, and put it directly in my 9-year-old son's face. My son just silently videotaped the jerk as he'd videotaped everything else. He later said he thought the guy was a real "butthead". I agreed.

I can say that I haven't had that much fun in a long time. People were pulling over to shake my hand and thank me for standing up to the idiots. Store owners would come out of their stores to see what all the noise was and then give me a thumbs up and words of encouragement as I hounded the anti-American, seditious nuts. I had an Army Lieutenant pull into a parking lot and jump out of his car and run over to me to shake my hand and thank me. I had a couple of people join me along the way to add some choice words of their own.

The toxic waste from Bisbee never did get those chants started. All I can say is that I tried to help...

Pics:

She's pointing across the street at me.

The peacechick in the yellow dress was especially annoying. She was all peace and love until she got into our face after her march. She went away ANGRY.

[Paul Atreides]

LOL! That looks like Jerry Springer's core audience.

[Tealc]

However, all of the anti-Bush rallies have one look: hippie freaks.

Hippies.