EIJIRO KAWADA; The News Tribune Hundreds of people gathered Saturday in Pierce County to perform what many described as their patriotic duty a year after the beginning of the Iraq war. For one camp, it meant standing on bridges over Interstate 5 near Fort Lewis and waving American flags in support of U.S. troops. For others, critical of America's involvement in the war, it meant sitting cross-legged on a concrete basketball court at a Tacoma park, listening to music and anti-war speeches, and marching to Union Station.
With their events scheduled at different times and miles away from each other, there was no conflict between the groups, both under police supervision. Each rally attracted about 400 people, according to organizers.
Operation Support Our Troops began the day early on the bridge at Interstate 5's Camp Murray exit.
The flags and supporters have become a familiar sight for people on I-5. Since January of last year, at least several people have stood on the overpass every weekend. On one weekend last fall, the rally mustered several thousand backers.
By 10 a.m. Saturday, demonstrators - some with pets and strollers in tow - lined up along the sidewalks on both sides of the bridge. They moved American flags through gusty winds and waved their hands above their heads, greeting people in cars underneath them.
Many drivers honked to show their support, while others opened windows and enthusiastically waved their arms back to the demonstrators.
The common theme on the overpass was, "Until the last one comes home."
"We are not going to allow what happened to Vietnam vets," said Sheryl Sheaffer of Sammamish, one of the organizers of the rally.
Her husband, Jim, came home from Vietnam and faced anti-war activists. A few decades later, he and Sheaffer have two sons, 19 and 21 years old, in the Army. One is in Afghanistan.
Demonstrators tied yellow ribbons to the handrails on the bridge and held as many hand-written signs as flags. One sign read: "They've Freed Iraq."
Aris Caron of Puyallup stood in front of a large quilt she made. It featured a map of the United States with "United We Stand" in the middle. Also on the quilt was a picture of her 26-year-old son, Josh, an Air Force crew chief for a C-130, which recently flew Marines to Haiti. Josh now is in Puerto Rico.
"This is our patriotic duty," Caron said of her quilt and demonstration. "We can do this."
Mark Jansen, a professor at Pacific Lutheran University, said patriotic duty to him means criticizing the government when it's not doing the right thing.
United for Peace of Pierce County and Jansen, the chairman of PLU's language and literature department, organized an anti-war rally at McKinley Park near the Tacoma Dome.
"This is a government that systematically deceives American people," Jansen said.
Organizers sold bumper stickers at the park. One read: "Military solutions are problems." A hand-held sign read: "Invasion Has Increased Terrorism."
Protesters at the park held far fewer American flags than demonstrators on the overpass. Instead, protesters flew a flag of the United Nations and flags with the peace symbol, which gained popularity during the Vietnam War era.
Corie Jones, a state employee from Olympia, saw demonstrators on the overpass on her way to McKinley Park.
"Not letting (soldiers) come home after a period of time, that's not supporting the troops," she said.
One side of her sign read, "Bush Lied. Soldiers Died." The other side read, "I support the troops."
After 1 1/2 hours of singing, speech-making and chanting, protesters marched down East McKinley Way by the Tacoma Dome and headed toward the federal courthouse building at Union Station.
Ramon Robalino, 4, took part in the rally, holding a sign that read "Another family for Peace" and featuring a large sunflower in the middle.
His father, Mauricio, said he wants his children to learn the value of peace. "I don't want my kids to grow up to represent this kind of evil," he said.
Eijiro Kawada: 253-597-8633 |
