Indiana joins worldwide peace rally to protest war

Anna Peay and her three sisters protested the Vietnam War decades ago, and they said they were "called back to duty" three years ago.\n"We, of course, are for peace," Peay said, holding a sign that said "ALL WE R SAYING IS GIVE PEACE A CHANCE." The four Indianapolis women participated in a peace rally on the Monument Circle in Indianapolis Saturday, which was part of a global commemoration of the three-year anniversary of America's initial invasion of Iraq. Activists opposing the war organized protests from all corners of the country, including some demonstrations internationally.\n"I came with my sisters today because we are very concerned about what is going on with the war," said Mary Jane Mesner, whose sign read 'I am free to disagree.' "It has become very unpopular to speak out at times."\nThe Indianapolis rally, sponsored by 11 Indianapolis organizations, was themed "Honor the dead, heal the wounded, end the war." The protesters released 24 white doves as a symbol for peace as well as hundreds of red balloons to honor the dead.\nProtesters' signs urged passing cars to honk if they supported their cause. While many cars did, others drove by in silent disagreement or apathy.\n"Our goal is to let people who do not agree with the current situation of the war to come forward and speak out," said Margo Kelly, vice president of Progessive Indiana, one of the event's sponsors. "We want to give a voice to the people that are in disagreement with the war."\nSponsors of the event set up tables and handed out anti-war buttons, bumper stickers and literature and set out petitions for attendees to sign. \nIn preparation for the day's protest, press releases were sent to many Bloomington-based groups to encourage attendance of IU students and faculty. An IUPUI group, Student Advocates for Global Equality, was one of the event's sponsors. Two of the speakers were IUPUI professors as well. \n"(The purpose of the peace rally is) to commemorate the third anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq and to remind citizens that taxpayers fund this war and, therefore, are responsible for bringing it to an end," said Dee Anne Moore, secretary of the Indianapolis Peace and Justice Center, one of the event's sponsors.\nParticipants rallied around dozens of speakers, including politicians, religious leaders and musicians. The speakers denounced the Bush administration's war policies, referring to them as "criminal."\nThe protesters chanted "one, two, three, four, we don't want your stinking war" together, as led by Harold Donle, one of the emcees of the event, an IUPUI professor and a twice-wounded Vietnam veteran.\n"You know these people are so immoral that they probably have not lost a wink of sleep over it," Donle said of the Bush administration.\nThe speakers often alluded to the money being spent in Iraq, calling it wasteful. Former Indiana Congressman Andy Jacobs spoke to the protesters, rallying them in opposition to funding the war.\n"I am a conservative," the former Democratic representative joked. "I do not believe in squandering hundreds of billions of dollars on a bloody boondoggle."\nAcross the street, a counter-protest formed. Although the hundreds of peace rally participants outnumbered their opposition, Indianapolis resident Natisha Cooper said she believes there are more people on her side.\n"I think the peace activists and their demonizing and bashing of America gives comfort to our enemy, and I think it encourages them to keep fighting," she said, holding a sign that read 'Al Qaeda supports you. We don't.'\nSaturday marked Cooper's third counter-protest, and she said she plans to keep fighting back.\n"I made a promise to myself a long time ago that what the peace activists did during the Vietnam War, I was not going to let go," she said. "As long as there's a war going on and I have breath in my body and I am able, I will be back."\nDespite the counter-protest, the peace rally continued on the other side of the street as planned.\n"I'm here because I am a crier," said Sara Federle, one of the four protesting sisters, whose nephew is in the Navy. "This war makes me cry"