Peaceful march draws thousands against war (Oregon)

Oregonian ^ | 10/5/02 | MICHELLE COLE

[Andy from Beaverton]

 

Peaceful march draws thousands against war

10/06/02MICHELLE COLE

They came by the thousands -- grandmothers, teachers, students, doctors, military veterans. Together, they formed the largest peace march seen in Oregon in more than a decade. An estimated 6,000 people paraded through downtown Portland streets Saturday afternoon. Organizers said as many as 12,000 people participated in the march and rally that followed -- one of more than two dozen protests planned in cities nationwide in the next few days.

Although they were of different ages, occupations, religions and political persuasions, their voices spoke in unison on potential U.S. military involvement in Iraq: "No more war."

"I'm totally against our involvement in this war effort. I feel that it's being railroaded, and I feel that people have already made up their minds," said Carolyn Rux, 60, who cut short a vacation on the Oregon coast in order to march with her husband, Pete Rux, 61.

Like many others attending Saturday's march and rally, it was the first time the Portland couple had participated in a war protest.

"In the '60s, I was busy raising my family. Now I have time to be involved. I just don't feel that it's justified or that there's an immediate threat. I don't think war is the answer anymore," Rux said, as she hoisted a hand-painted sign that read: "World to Bush: Back off Iraq."

This was also the first war protest for 48-year-old Dave Kurtz of Sherwood. A member of the Portland Mennonite Church, Kurtz said he decided to come out on a gray and damp afternoon because it's "important to speak out for peace."

Others agreed it was not only important but imperative to speak out before it's too late.

"I believe we can make a difference if we make our voices heard," said Mike Hanson, 37, who marched with his wife, Lori, 36, and their 21/2-year-old daughter, Raina.

Even as President Bush prepares a national address to sway the Senate and public opinion in favor of using force against Saddam Hussein, many of the people who marched in Portland said the United States should give peace a chance.

"I believe that we need to teach our children, and we need to learn ourselves that issues can be settled without war," said John Liedel, 53, of Portland.

Wearing khaki slacks and a salt-and-pepper beard, Liedel said he's no stranger to peace rallies -- including a giant Vietnam protest rally held in the fall of 1969 in Washington, D.C.

Asked whether the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks made him feel reluctant or somehow unpatriotic to be protesting U.S. military action, Liedel shook his head.

"No," he said. "I don't believe that patriotism demands that you blindly agree to everything your government wants you to do."

Organizers said the last large anti-war protest in Portland was in January 1991, when more than 12,000 people rallied against the Persian Gulf War.

Kory Harding, 13, was another of the seasoned protesters in the crowd. The eighth-grader rode in with his mother Saturday from their home in Mount Hood. Harding said his first protest was against the Gulf War. "I was really young -- a toddler in my mother's backpack," he said.

On Saturday, Harding carried a sign he'd made himself.

"I want to tell Bush that we don't want a war -- especially over oil," he said.

The march stretched for dozens of blocks, delaying traffic at a number of intersections.

Portland Police reported no arrests and only one minor incident, where a young man climbed onto a portico at City Hall. The youth waved a protest sign, ate an orange and then climbed down.

"It shows that people can cooperate and get their point across," said Officer Henry Groepper, a police spokesman.

Organizers said the crowd exceeded their expectations.

"We're thrilled with the turnout and thrilled with how peaceful it was," said William Seaman, spokesman for a coalition of more than a dozen groups that sponsored the march and rally.

It's too early to say whether the response will generate more events of its kind. At the very least, Seaman said, "It is an opportunity for people who were very likely unaware of the work being done in the community to now plug into it."

Michelle Cole: 503-294-5143; michellecole@news.oregonian.com

[Blue Screen of Death]

I dont see any of them saying "we were wrong then, and we learned from that".

Of course you do. That is the whole point. They are saying that they did not go far enough last time. The reason they did not go far enough last time was to appease the appeasers who screamed about a limited war with a clear start and end. It is the ones that forced the limits that need to acknowledge that they were wrong and we should have gone all the way to Baghdad and finnished the job.

[buffyt]

There have been numerous small peace protests here in the Claremont/Ontario/San Dimas area. Looks like graying hippies to me usually. I wanted to pull up next to them and sing BOMB BOMB BOMB, BOMB BOMB IRAQ to the tune of Barbara Ann... but the light changed too quickly.....

[fight_truth_decay]

"protests planned in cities nationwide in the next few days'... guess they dont have jobs to go to..or can cut class.

[Clinging Bitterly]

> I want to tell Bush that we don't want a war -- especially over oil

Well whatever. I hope this kid gets a decent education before he grows up. I don't remember there being anything going on in world events that would make one think this is over oil (not that it would make any difference to me if it were).

In that education, I hope he also learns of those particular entities that are responsible for our being dependent on mideast oil to the extent that we are.

I remember 1991 in Eugene, and there was pretty much the same thing going on for months. They did some damage around here, and were a steady annoyance in the downtown area. They marched out and blocked Interstate 5 a couple times, and for some reason, firebombed the local IRS office.

I, along with hundreds of others, spent a great deal of time "Freeping" them (of course it wasn't called that back then). We were concerned there would be more acts of terrorism, so we kept the downtown streets well patrolled. Many of us were harassed by the city for doing so, but I don't regret a minute of it.

Dave in Eugene

[dalebert]

Protest paid for by the DNC. Ah Oregon. Land of the terrorists.