Posted on 01/16/2005 5:56:44 AM PST by clyde asbury
Published on: Sunday, Jan 16, 2005
On the one-year anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq, hundreds gathered in Fayetteville for what some called the city's largest peace rally since the Vietnam War.
Even more people are expected for the second anniversary.
A rally set for March 19 at Rowan Park is being advertised nationally by United for Peace and Justice. On its Web site, the group is promoting a ''major regional protest in Fayetteville, N.C.''
The day after the rally, Iraq Veterans Against the War plans to hold its national convention here. Mike Hoffman, a former Marine who lives near Philadelphia, is the group's national coordinator.
''People talk constantly about numbers and strategy,'' he said. ''They're forgetting the individual stories of people.''
Organizers said the highlight of last year's rally was the stories from veterans and military families. Chuck Fager said he expects veterans, military families and perhaps even active-duty soldiers to give talks this year.
Fager is director of the Quaker House, an organization that helps soldiers who want to leave the military. It helped plan last year's rally. This year, the Quaker House and Fayetteville Peace for Justice decided to invite people back. Other groups sponsoring the rally include the North Carolina Peace and Justice Coalition, North Carolina Council of Churches, Military Families Speak Out, Bring Them Home Now and Veterans for Peace.
Lou Plummer, co-founder of Fayetteville Peace for Justice, said one of the main reasons he supports the rally is that he has friends and family serving in the military.
''This is my hometown; I grew up here,'' he said. ''This war is not something abstract I read about in the newspaper. It touches my life in a small way every day.''
Plummer and Fager said this year's rally will be similar to last year's. It will start with a march and feature speakers, music, poetry, art and dancing. Fager is hoping for a celebrity speaker.
Last year, many people were scared to come to Fayetteville, Fager said. But the rally - and counterdemonstration across the street - passed without incident.
''People who wanted to come last time but were too nervous to do it probably won't be so nervous this time,'' Fager said.
Fager said it is difficult to measure the rally's influence, but he and other war protesters receive support whenever they are out.
They held their last Fayetteville peace vigil in November.
''We had the same reaction then that we've had since the summer of 2003,'' he said, ''more favorable responses than unfavorable. That reinforces our sense that there are a growing number of people uneasy about the war.''
Plummer said last year's rally was effective because it gave people a voice.
''It was not effective in that we're still in Iraq,'' he said. ''If this rally doesn't help stop the war, we'll have one next year, but I hope not. I want this to be the last one.''
Staff writer Allison Williams can be reached at williamsa@fayettevillenc.com or 323-4848, ext. 331. Copyright 2005 The Fayetteville (NC) Observer
Ok. I could download and test it with you Tuesday Morn if you're available and if you can't find anyone to try it out with you before then . I have to do tons of work on another project today and tomorrow.
Let's make sure we keep the actual planning "meeting" to Freepers who are visually known to other Freepers.
I am not familiar with Pal-Talk, but it should allow you to setup a private meeting room. Do not post the password to the room in public, hand it out only by Freepmail to those you want in the meeting.
What are the chances that we reserved Rowan Park before the lefties did...and they will be across the street protesting us?
PING
Add steveyp to whatever NC list there is.
I live in Charlotte, NC.
My wife and child will be out of town that day, and I can think of nothing better to do than counter-rally.
Good. Consider it done. Thanks, Steve.
I drove over to the Airborne/Special Forces museum two weeks ago. What a great tribute to America's fighting forces. What a pity those dinkwads are walking by it.
Rolling Thunder.
Bikers?
I have the Friday off work the day before this "protest". (I'm pressed to understand what is being "protested" now, but that is a rational, questioning mind trying to grasp a purpose to this. I guess they are rooting for the head-hackers?)
I'd also be able to travel out on Fri morning/Thurs evening and spend the night in a hotel to prep for this.
Excellent.
I urge all available FRs to take the time to join us this year..it will mean a lot to our troops...besides ya can meet ol rude and crass rrrod!
Well then I will be there for sure. (TR please keep me on your ping list and let me know if I can do anything to help)
Looking forward to it.
I still plan on passing out flyers in Fayetteville a few days before our rally....need help with a design and stuff like that...I'll pay for them and recruit folks to assist!
suggestions welcome!
We need to get the word to local military support groups, Army Wive's clubs, the local VFW posts, ect...
Since Dr. Raoul has the sound system, should I bring some Arabic music tapes and plan to belly dance? Or maybe that would be a bad idea, with the motorcyclists there ...
Apparently, DAWN doesn't want their people to go to the DC ANSWER event. They strongly push the need to go to Fayetteville.
On the other hand, cANSWER lists Fayetteville as one of the protest sites. I don't know if they signed up as co-sponsors of the Fayetteville event of United for Peace and Justice or if ANSWER is simply going to claim credit for all the protests, as they often do.
Rrrod,
If you get a .pdf of that flyer out to all of us, we can pass it out all over the country.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.