Students march in anti-war demonstration
By MAUREEN REYNOLDS
News Writer
Despite the cold temperatures and strong winds, Notre Dame students joined an estimated 400 people, who gathered at St. Paul Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in South Bend on Saturday to take to the streets and protest a possible war against Iraq.
Carrying signs with slogans such as "War is Terrorism," they filed into the church to hear keynote speaker Rev. C.T. Vivian, a veteran of the Civil Rights Movement and colleague of Martin Luther King, Jr.
After Vivian's speech, the protestors gathered in the street. They walked through the neighborhood carrying signs with anti-war slogans. They waved to passers-by and chanted peace slogans as they walked. One woman began to sing "We Shall Overcome."
Among the marchers were Brenna Cussen and Mica Barreto, graduate students in Notre Dame's Kroc Institute for Peace Studies. Both attended the march to show support for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
"I want to witness for peace … I don't want war in Iraq, and I don't want war to be waged in my name as an American," said Cussen.
Cussen also reacted to the claims made by the U.S. government that Iraq is harboring weapons of mass destruction and chemical and biological weapons. She said, "There are definitely no nuclear weapons, and the other weapons that they may have, I believe we can disarm them with the surveillance technology that America has … I don't think we have a just cause for war."
Barreto, marching next to her classmate, advocated the innocent people, namely the children, who would be hurt by a war in Iraq. "If there is a war in Iraq, it will destroy future generations in America and the world. It will show that we can attack for any reason," Barreto said.
To make her point, she carried a sign that read, "Instead of bombing Iraq, have health insurance for children."
After marching for about 30 minutes, the marchers gathered in an empty lot a short distance from the church. They concluded with a moment of silence and then a prayer for peace, as well as the leaders who fight for peace and justice around the world. Then, they filed back to the church chanting, "No way, no war."
This protest joined those in about 600 cities in the U.S. and around the world, all held on Saturday. The demonstrations were held in the major cities of almost all countries.
The protest in New York City drew about 500,000 people, and stretched for about 20 blocks. In London, approximately 750,000 people gathered, making up the largest demonstration ever held in that city. The protest in Rome boasted the largest turnout with about 1 million people marching in the streets. Demonstrations in Sydney, Australia began Friday and concluded Sunday with a total of about 100,000 people in attendance.
These demonstrations come on the heels of remarks by Hans Blix, chief UN weapons inspector, to the UN Security Council Friday. Blix reported that the weapons inspectors have been making some progress in their inspections, and that Iraq is showing signs of increased cooperation.
Iraq recently agreed to allow surveillance flights over their land, provide new documents to the UN, and to allow them to investigate past arms stockpiles.
Because of this, many people feel that the inspectors should be given more time and that the U.S. should hold off on any military strikes as long as Iraq shows increased cooperation with the United Nations.
Mohamed ElBaradei, the chief UN nuclear inspector, believes support for war could increase unless Iraq completely cooperates and comes forward with all information they have regarding all evidence of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.
The U.S. believes that continuing to give Iraq more time with inspections will not keep the pressure on them to disarm.
Only time will tell how much influence Saturday's peace protests will have on the U.S. government to slow their movement toward war. Sean Hanle, a senior film and accounting major that attended the protest in South Bend, commented, "I don't think it's going to make an immediate difference … at least it's creating awareness."
Organizers also announced that on the first business day after war is officially launched against Iraq that citizens are encouraged to gather at St. Paul at 4:00 p.m. for an anti-war march through South Bend. Information about anti-war efforts in South Bend, and throughout the country, can be obtained from www.unitedforpeace.org.
All News Stories for Monday, February 17, 2003
