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
Please see post 61 and 60 and see if you can do yer magic!
Thanks!
We were sooooo grateful that you left your wonderful signs for us to use!
The signs made their way to DC with tglstakoma and it has been nice to see them show up in photos at various FReeps.
Thank you, Huber. You got him to fix my screwup. LOL!!! He deleted me. I'm still laughing.
I haven't read through this thread yet, but count me in on this Freep.
Ya can bet on it...won't be ol rrrod in a belly dancers costume lol
See you there March 19th.
And just like last year they purposely fail to mention exactly who funds these protests!
Just passed word to a friend up there with extensive contacts in the Vietnam Helicopter Crew Association. He travelled to the Kerry Lied Rally and I'll be he can round up some folks for this one too.
I'll keep my eyes open for more plans to pass along...but if you include me on your list, I'll help get more folks there. (they should be freepers too, but some are deployed or have no time to play).
Do bring the troops with you. The great thing about FReeping in Fayetteville, is that the home crowd is totally appreciative!
Get some of this:
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Put it on an old coat and mingle with the anti-war crowd.
That will be great! There were a couple of us from Fayetteville up there in DC. My husband had been in Nam with the 173rd. I think he was back in the area again but I'm not sure when. I would have to check his records.
Bad idea, unless you're volunteering.
My friend in Fayetteville said he'd missed any announcement of this and was grateful for the head's up.
Will keep ya'll posted on his progress!
Am checking dates today, and will hopefully make it up from Atlanta.
I promised you over a Lone Star that I'd ping you to this, and a promise made over a Lone Star at the W2 Ball is NOT to be taken lightly!
Hope ya ken make it!
PS: Have you thought of putting your video on a CD and selling it to FReepers for a nominal fee? I'll bet a lot of us would love a copy to show to friends who wonder what we do on the computer all the time!
I can't sell it, but I can give it away.
Send me a mailing address.
Done!
PING!
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