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Anti-war cry peaks By Myles Murphy Ashland Daily Tidings More than 100 people picked up anti-war placards and picked up their feet to walk in the name of peace early Saturday morning, joining a global outpouring against an attack on Iraq. "We need people to understand war is wrong," Ashlander Betsy Bradshaw said as she walked north on North Main Street toward Medford. "People need to remember that George Bush and his administration don't speak for all Americans." The group gathered on the Plaza in Ashland at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, preparing to walk up Highway 99 through Talent and Phoenix, picking up others as they trekked along. Organizers estimated arrival in Veterans Memorial Park in Medford in the afternoon, where an interdenominational prayer service was planned. Saturday's march was the second such event in the Rogue Valley in three weeks, and the long walk is more than worth it for those who wish to make a statement, Bradshaw said. "We'll keep marching as long as we need to," she said. The walk follows a series of recent peace actions in Ashland and around Jackson County. Neti Rest covers her mouth with a gag that reads, 'Patriot Acts' during Friday's anti-war protest on the Plaza in downtown Ashland, where more than 100 people rallied against a U.S.-led war on Iraq. Ashland Daily Tidings/CHRIS MILLER On Friday, a peaceful noon rally on the Plaza drew more than 100 people voicing their concerns about the possibility of the nation going to war with Iraq. As with the Saturday walk, the Friday rally was made up of people from all ages and walks of life. Parents showed children the proper way to draw a peace symbol in chalk on the pavement as seniors knelt on the ground to paint protest posters. "We've let George Bush become a dictator," said World War II veteran, Purple Heart recipient and peace sign-painter Jim Jeffrey, an Ashland resident. A wide variety of colorful signs festooned the Plaza, sprouting from the ground and the hands of rally attendees with sentiments such as, "Evil Axis: Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld," "Kill an Iraqi, kill me first. We're the same," "Why is blood on my hands?" Many signs simply called for peace. "It's good to gather like this because a lot of people have feelings of ambivalence about what's going on," Ashlander Anne Grey said while handing out "no war" Valentines to passersby. The group gathered for more than an hour listening to Talent resident Jill Iles, who read a "state of the union address" from inside a large cardboard box that she dubbed her soapbox. Iles spent her time outlining perceived failures of the present administration's foreign and domestic policies. There was occasional applause for statements such as "If we can pay farmers not to grow crops, we can pay engineers not to build weapons," but there were grumbles from some in the crowd to let others have a chance to speak. "This is anarchy, I'll talk as long as I want," an amused Iles said while packing up her box. But around 1:30 p.m., anarchy showed a destructive side as a raucous splinter group burned an American flag and a large white effigy of what appeared to be a body bag in the street below the windows of Ashland City Hall. The leaders of the group stomped around while some jumped over the flaming pile of rags, and then called for the group to "take to the streets." An unidentified angry Ashlander protested the flag burning, and jumped in to put out the fire, yelling, "I live here, it's my goddamn country and I don't burn the flag." About half a dozen of the black-clad, self-described "anarchists" started marching up Main Street into the downtown, but dispersed when police arrived to ensure traffic safety. "(The rally) was going fine until then. These folks are here because they support no war, and that's great." Ashland police officer Bob Smith said. "I'm all for protesting, but when you're breaking the law, what's the deal with that?" No arrests were made, but police officials said Saturday morning they are looking into the possibility of future citations stemming from the incident. While the small group scurried away from police, the majority of the people at the rally stayed on the Plaza, playing a little music, dancing a bit and discussing the incident. "There's a lot of people who want to do peace and do it in a peaceful way," Ashland activist Suzi Aufderheid said while wearing a bright blue, full-sized "Gumby" costume. "But there's a place for (the more active demonstrations). You need that too." Ashlander Don Woods was unimpressed by the rally as a whole. "Nothing happened and nobody's paying attention much," Wood said. "The anarchists, at least they did something." 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