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M/CLOUDY Temp: 49 °F Wind: WSW at 3 mph Tuesday, February 18, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend January 19, 2003 Marching through Talent Saturday morning, several hundred protesters made their way to a Medford rally where up to 1,000 people gathered to oppose a pre-emptive war against Iraq. Similar protests were held worldwide. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Drumbeat for peace gains legs 12-mile march evokes Vietnam era spirit By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune Bill Ashworth often relies on walking as his transportation, but Saturday’s walk had a purpose. "I hope that nationally the turnout is so big that the Bush administration can’t ignore it," said the 60- year-old Ashland resident. Ashworth was one of about 500 marchers who gathered in the Plaza in Ashland, armed with peace signs, peace armbands and peace songs Saturday before 9 a.m. to head for a rally in Medford. As in Washington, D.C., Tokyo, London, Moscow and cities around the world, crowds assembled Saturday for a peaceful protest against a war in Iraq. The local 12-mile walk and rally was sponsored by Peace House and Southern Oregon ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism). Organizers say the date was selected to be in conjunction with Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, because of King’s support of seeking nonviolent solutions. Banners reading things such as "I have a dream..." followed by a peace symbol were held by protesters on overpasses above Interstate 5. Some banners asked freeway drivers to honk, which led to noise complaints for police. Carrying signs reading "Peace is Less Taxing on All," "No Blood for Oil," "Just Say No," and "SUV’s: War Machines," the crowd of passive activists circled up on the plaza in Ashland for a prayer led by Dave Chief, 73, of the Sioux Nation. "I prayed for all the walkers. I pray in Lakota, the Sioux language," he said, translating afterward. "I want war to be stopped. It’s up to the people at the White House," he said, adding that he called on the knowledge and the wisdom of the elders. Tim Church, 53, of Ashland said he hadn’t "protested like this since Vietnam." "I’m fed up with this war-mongering," said Church. "Sure, Saddam Hussein’s a bad guy, but he was our buddy up until Kuwait." The marchers began arriving in Alba Park in downtown Medford just before 2 p.m., where more protesters awaited, adding a few hundred to the crowd’s size. As they poured in, many reported that drivers along the Highway 99 route had been respectful of them and waved and made room. A lone man stood in front of the downtown post office with a sign reading "Wimpy Commie Liberals." Medford police said the peace marchers were indeed very peaceful. Peter Buckley, an Ashland resident and recent Democratic candidate for Congress, helped coordinate the walk and headed up the march carrying an American flag. "I have three kids and I’m determined that our country goes in a different direction than it’s going," he said as he entered Alba Park. He said he was surprised by the large turnout for the protest and saw it as a good sign that so many were speaking out. "It’s vital for democracy. This is what we must do." Darcy Cronin, 25, of Ashland, said she wasn’t tired or achy after the walk, just excited. "It’s been great to see so many people turning out in solidarity," she said, carrying a flag bearing nothing but a photo of the planet Earth. Ashworth, as he set off in the morning, said he wouldn’t be making the entire walk to the afternoon rally. "We talked about doing a car shuttle and then we decided the whole thing is about oil, so we’ll walk (a portion of the distance) and then walk back." Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S