National, Local Peace Events Planned for Wartime
By Kim Forrest
WASHINGTON–Win Without War, a coalition led by former Rep. Tom Andrews (D-Maine), announced Wednesday its plans for national peace actions protesting military action against Iraq. Local groups have been planning various measures as well.
The national group said vigils, letter-writing campaigns, and petitions were planned, while locally, peace vigils and rallies are also in the works.
At a press conference here, Andrews mentioned three actions. A candlelight vigil has been scheduled for locations around the country at 7:00 PM on the first night of military action. The vigil would be similar to ones held Sunday in 6,800 locations in 140 countries.
“We will stand as a united people – across the nation and across the world – to affirm our opposition to this needless invasion and occupation,” Andrews said.
Andrews, along with representatives from various other supporting groups, discussed the group’s support and concern for servicemen and women. They planned to participate in “Operation Dear Abby,” which facilitates the sending of supportive e-mails and letters from civilians to soldiers.
In addition, a “Citizen’s Declaration” will be available on Friday, and Andrews encouraged people in both the United States and worldwide to sign it.
This declaration, he said, “will affirm our commitment to address international conflicts through the rule of law and the United Nations and that would pledge our commitment to ending the Bush administration’s first-strike doctrine.”
“We are committed to building this extraordinary global citizen’s movement that has quickly become a new force for peace.”
In New Hampshire, vigils are planned for this weekend, but some of them will also be held the evening military action begins. Keene’s vigil is set for 5 PM the day military action begins. Vigils are set to continue every Saturday in Keene’s Central Square and in Peterborough at the Town House as well. A vigil in Nashua is also in the works.
A rally and march in Manchester for all Granite Staters is set for Saturday at noon.
Jenn Monroe, a spokeswoman for the Keene vigils, said the Saturday vigils in Keene have been going on for almost two years.
“There is a strong movement here in Keene, and people come from surrounding areas too to stand with us,” she said.
Calling New Hampshire a generally “conservative” state, she said that it is comforting for people with differing views to know that there are others who agree with them.
“I hope that people feel that they are not alone, that the vigil is a safe place where they can express their views…, some sort of feeling of unity even in the face of feeling hopeless,” she said.
Patrick Carkin, co-director of New Hampshire Peace Action, noted that turnout for these vigils and protests has increased in the past months. In the first week of October, he said, one to two-dozen participants attended, but more recent protests have seen upwards of 200-400 people. The Feb. 15 protest, the largest in the state, had about 1,000 participants, he said.
Tripp Mikich, a Peterborough vigil participant, said he hopes that people will continue to demonstrate their opposition to war and work toward “real democracy.”
“We would ask people to continue their presence of opposition to war,” he said. “It’s a statement about working to create a world in which war is not an option.”
Mikich added that while he was discouraged by the current administration, he felt heartened that so many people throughout the world spoke out against the war.
“If there’s any silver lining to the clouds that hang over us, it’s that there’s been an international movement that’s really greatly desiring a world of peace, where war is not an option,” he said.
Published in The Keene Sentinel, in New Hampshire.
