NEW YORK – Twenty thousand people converged in Central Park Oct. 6 to proclaim in one voice, “No War!” The “Day of Resistance” brought together many different social and political organizations, including community, labor, student and religious groups. Most speakers focused on the Bush administration’s war drive on Iraq.
Colleen Kelly, who lost her brother in the World Trade Center attacks and helped launch Sept. 11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, said, “my brother died because of single-mindedness.” The Bush administration, she said, “needs to think outside of the box. No amount of arms can keep us safe.”
SAN FRANCISCO – An estimated 10,000 peace supporters filled Union Square Oct. 6 demanding a halt to the war with Iraq. Grammy award winner Bonnie Raitt took her place at the rally microphone with scores of other speakers and artists.
PORTLAND, Ore. – Nearly 12,000 voters jammed downtown streets, Oct. 5, demanding a halt to the Bush administration’s war drive. First-time marcher, Cris Jackson, an office manager, said, “My coworkers were talking to me about this, and it is something I believe in. Maybe it will spread awareness that not all of America is behind Bush.”
DETROIT – Packing downtown city sidewalks, 500 Detroit-area residents demanded no war on Iraq, and called for the president to pay attention to the economy, to job creation, and to use public resources to help people in need.
Speakers included Detroit City Council President Maryann Mahaffey and Rep. John Conyers. Conyers urged the demonstrators to contact their Senators and Representatives.
“Tell them how you feel,” Conyers said, “but also ask them how they’re going to vote. … And watch how they vote. Then on Nov. 5, we have a chance to hold them accountable and vote them out!”
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Hundreds filled the lawn of the Benton County Court House, Oct. 6, demonstrating their support for a peaceful resolution of the crisis between the Bush administration and Iraq. Speakers from Oregon State University, elected officials, religious leaders and residents took the mike to question U.S. foreign policy, express concerns about the economy and oppose a war in Iraq.
OAKLAND, Calif. – The Oakland City Council voted 7-0 to endorse a resolution authored by Rep. Barbara Lee and signed by 26 other members of the House, calling on the Bush administration to resolve the crisis with Iraq through the UN instead of war. Oakland joins the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and the Santa Cruz City Council calling for peace, opposing war with Iraq.
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Over 1,000 demonstrators confronted Bush Sept. 27 at a Republican fundraiser. Demonstrators carried signs calling for “No War On Iraq,” and “No Blood for Oil.” Earlier in the day, Bush was greeted in Flagstaff by over 700 protesters opposed to his plan to make war on Iraq.
LOS ANGELES – Outside the Federal Building in Westwood over 3,000 people gathered Oct. 6 carrying signs saying, “Make sense, not war” and “No War for Oil.”
“People consider this a critical time,” said Not in Our Name coalition spokesman Steve Rohde. “The coalition is very concerned about the assault on civil liberties, the detention and holding of American citizens as well as non-citizens without a lawyer.”
AUSTIN, Tex. – “Drop Bush, not bombs” and “Vote for Regime Change in America” were among the placards carried by 1,000 Texans marching on the Federal Building Oct. 5. From the steps, speakers focused on Bush’s ties to Enron and other corporate scandals in the oil and defense industries. But stopping the war with Iraq before it starts was the main issue uniting Texans from Austin, Dallas and Houston who marched.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Silence spoke volumes, Sunday, as 400 marchers for Middle East peace and condemnation of U.S. “first strike” against Iraq walked from Pioneer Park to the City-County Building. Organized by People for Peace and Justice in Utah, the only sound heard was shoe leather on city streets. Their signs said it all: “Drop Bush, not bombs” and “Mormons for peace.”
CHICAGO – A rush hour march through the Loop of over 1,000 protesters, Oct. 6, capped a week of growing demonstrations here against the Bush administration’s plans for war with Iraq. The demonstration was organized by Chicago Peace Response and many other peace and religious groups.
On Oct. 2 over 1,000 protesters gathered at Federal Plaza to hear religious and civil rights leaders and elected officials denounce the Bush administration.
“This is a rally to stop a war from occurring,” declared Rev. Jesse Jackson. “What happened to the campaign to leave no child behind? Bush is diverting your attention from the domestic crisis and leaving America behind.”
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Sen. Rick Santorum stonewalled the over 100 students who gathered in his office, Oct. 4, and then had 16 arrested. Area students had written, called and emailed Santorum urging him to reject war with Iraq, and requesting a town hall meeting with the Senator.
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – On the courthouse lawn, Sunday, over 100 residents, organized by the Fort Wayne Peace and Justice Committee, gathered to make their voices heard, demanding a halt to the Bush war drive against Iraq.
SEATTLE – On Oct. 6, the Not In Our Name Demonstration drew almost 10,000 for a rally in Volunteer Park, followed by a march to Westlake Center in downtown Seattle. The diverse, spirited crowd sported a great range of homemade banners, massive puppets, and demonstrators wearing Bush and Cheney Halloween masks.
PITTSBURGH – In front of the Federal Building, 50 Allegheny County residents joined with Rep. William Coyne (D-Pa.) in calling for rejection of Congressional authorization of war with Iraq. Religious leaders and downtown workers rallied and held a press conference urging phone calls and e-mails to Congress supporting Sen. Robert Byrd’s (D-W.Va.) filibuster to halt war with Iraq.
DENVER, Colo. – Bush dropped into the Mile High City September 27 and was greeted by 2,000 demonstrators demanding “No war for votes.”
Tony Pecinovsky, John Bachtell, Joel Wendland, Marc Brodine, Joe Bernick and Denise Winebrenner Edwards contributed to this article.
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