Cities around globe unite to protest Iraq war

As the threat of war in Iraq intensifies, so too does the schism between those in favor of war and those advocating peace. And America is not the only nation with splintered opinions between these two philosophies.\nThis Saturday, an enormous mobilization against war will take place with simultaneous mass demonstrations in 528 cities across the globe to protest against U.S. plans to attack Iraq.\nBloomington is included among the masses -- at noon Saturday, protesters will assemble at the Sample Gates and will march to the Monroe County courthouse.\nThe largest protest in America will be in New York City. Sponsored by United for Peace, the stationary rally will start at noon in Midtown Manhattan on First Avenue and 49th St., a location that is in sight of the United Nations. In Chicago, the Coalition Against War and Racism has organized a protest at the intersection of Devon and Leavitt Streets in the heart of the Pakistani community. In Indianapolis, the Peace and Justice Center has organized a protest at Monument Circle.\nSenior Lauren Taylor has spent the past several weeks trying to motivate and organize IU students, faculty and community residents to venture to any of the protests to make their voices heard.\n"It's so important to overcome the illusion of powerlessness," Taylor said. "This idea that we can't do anything is why people don't make the effort to get informed. We have such a tremendous responsibility to try and use information to do what we think is right. When people realize collectively they have power, they can protest and unite."\nTaylor left early today for New York City, with approximately 35 IU students and residents. She said she's most concerned about the U.S. destruction of Iraq's political and social infrastructure. \n"We're demonstrating collectively how we feel. I think it will be energizing for the peace movement and empowering to see the whole world protesting the same issue," she said. "I hope to come back with lots of good ideas, more energy, more inspiration. I also hope to talk to people about the direction the peace movement needs to go, and try and work on setting specific goals."\nTaylor is a member of the Coalition to Oppose the War in Iraq, who met Monday to discuss transportation to the protests. Usually Ballantine Room 209 accommodates the crowd sufficiently, but this week there were twice as many people in attendance as their were chairs, evidence that the movement is growing, Taylor said. She added the growing interest encourages her to be optimistic about the outcome of this weekend's protests.\nFaculty are noticing the growing anti-war sentiment among students also. Mike Gasser, an associate professor of computer science and linguistics, said a student told him he would be unable to complete an assignment due next week because he was traveling to New York for the protest.\n"That's the first time this ever happened," Gasser said. "I was just blown away. It felt like a flashback -- this could be 1968. I was a student then. So (the movement) does seem to be growing slowly, but growing among students."\nGasser is a member of the Progressive Faculty Coalition and has been working to coordinate Bloomington's protest. Though he hopes several hundred people will attend Bloomington's protest, he mostly hopes people will attend demonstrations in larger cities like Chicago or Indianapolis because those will get the most media coverage and therefore have the largest impact.\n"The event on Saturday may be largest protest in the history of world. People will be protesting all the way from East Timor to Rwanda to Estonia," he said. "I think they're going to fight the war anyway -- we don't have much hope but we have to do it anyway. It really is the best and last chance we have because plans are moving forward."\nTaylor said regardless of the outcome of the protests, it's important for people to stand up for what they believe in.\n"It's going to be impossible for the administration and the press to ignore," she said.\nSenior James Bourke works with Taylor in COWI and plans to go to Indianapolis Saturday. He has been highly involved in activism since the war in Afghanistan, and said the sense that his actions make even the slightest bit of difference is uplifting and empowering.\n"The 15th is a date that has been selected for worldwide protests, collectively as the world says no to war," Bourke said. "I feel the need to take part because I want to support my views. And when people go to protests it's an invigorating experience, and generally a positive experience. I'm hoping that will carry into our local efforts."\nFor more information about protests around the world, log on to www.unitedforpeace.org