Here's a write up from the Daily Tarheel (The UNC Chapel Hill Student Newspaper) including a few words from yours truly...
http://www.dailytarheel.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/03/22/405ef57606008 Protests mark anniversary
By Kavita Pillai
Staff Writer
March 22, 2004
FAYETTEVILLE -- Larry Syverson stood among hundreds of peace protesters in an Amtrak Station parking lot Saturday.
The 55-year-old geologist from Richmond, Va., carried a sign with pictures of his sons Branden and Bryce, both soldiers who have taken part in the United States' military action in Iraq.
"Iraqi oil is not worth my sons' blood," the sign read.
"The reason I came out here was to put a face on the soldiers in Iraq. To me, it seems most of the American people have moved on."
Syverson's message echoed the theme of the peace rally and march through the historic district of Fayetteville one year after the beginning of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
The protesters gathered in the hometown of Pope Air Force Base, Fort Bragg and about 50,000 military personnel with one message: Bring the troops home now.
Dreadlocked 20-year-olds sang anti-war songs alongside gray-haired grandmothers, all espousing their belief that the war was fought on false pretenses.
Saturday's demonstration was planned by a coalition of peace organizations and was first proposed in January, said Chuck Fager, director of Quaker House in Fayetteville and one of the event's coordinators. He said they expected about 1,500 protesters. An unofficial count showed the number came close to that goal.
The demonstrators were met by a small group of counter-protesters chanting "We gave peace a chance. We got 9-11."
Bill Huber, a corporate executive from Huntersville, was among the counter-protesters and said the majority of the anti-war demonstrators do not genuinely support the troops. "The intent of (their) protest here is to demoralize the families of the soldiers. They're attacking the families while the soldiers are away fighting for their freedom."
He added that he thinks many of the organizers are active socialists and communists whose goal is to "destabilize the Middle East and allow the powder keg to continue."
But Huber's message could barely be heard above the drums and shouts of the war's opponents, which included a group of veterans.
"This whole thing going on in Iraq has made the world more unstable," said Vietnam veteran James Starowicz of Kannapolis. "This is just too much like Vietnam."
Syverson said his sons do not want to remain in the military after they come home, despite the fact that they planned 20-year military careers before the war.
Letters from his oldest son, who returned from Tikrit, Iraq, less than two weeks ago, describe the deterioration of relations between the soldiers and the Iraqi people, Syverson said. Instead of giving the soldiers gifts of food as they did in the beginning, they now throw rocks at soldiers on patrol.
"(Their letters show) that people no longer think of us as liberators but as occupiers," he said. He added that his sons are proud of what he is doing and understand that his disapproval of the war is not a lack of support for them.
"(Bryce) said there aren't very many dads out there who work so hard for their sons' safety," he said. "I've been very lucky that both my sons supported my right to protest."
The two groups of protesters were separated by police tape, but this didn't stop them from taunting each other with rivaling chants like "Draft Bush" and "Draft Kerry"
and yelling an occasional profanity at the other side. The counter-protesters carried American flags and signs saying "Support our troops."
Beth Pratt, one of the event's speakers and the wife of a soldier in Iraq, addressed this issue in an emotional speech while standing on a sign-laden stage in Rowan Park, where the march ended.
"I support my husband 100 percent," she said as a military jet flew overhead. "Ending this war and bringing them home is the best kind of support there can be."
Contact the State & National Editor at
stntdesk@unc.edu. Well said.
Wonder how many of those who claim relatives in Iraq are telling the truth and how many are phonies? Phonies like those who pretended to be Vietnam vets and lied as part of the Jane Fonda-John Kerry Winter Soldier sham propaganda event of 30 some years ago.
Oooooh, a "corporate executive!" Chilling :-).
A Corporate Executive (Shame on you you rich, white, SUV driving Republican) LOL
Ya think this reporter may lean just a little to the left? That will change after she gets her first "real" paycheck in the world of grown-ups.
The inane babble aka interviewing the peace people reminded me of a tagline I once saw on FR..."just because you have the right to be heard, does not mean you have the right to be taken seriously" - I thought that was very appropr for the Commie Zombies.
Looking forward to the next one.
Thanks for posting this article. The "unofficial count" was taken by me and stood at less than 750 who marched by our outpost of flags and signs supporting our troops. The press continues to double, triple or more the numbers of participants at these events.
It was a pleasure meeting you, TaxRelief, and the rest of the patriots who came out to share a beautiful day and support our troops. FReep On!