[R-G] 5,000 Protest War In Palo Alto

[DavidMcR at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/2/03 8:43:29 PM Eastern Standard Time, lvpsf at igc.org 
writes:

<< Posted on Sun, Feb. 02, 2003
 
 http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/5087981.htm
 
                              Anti-war protest rally held in Palo Alto style
                              DIVERSE TURNOUT REFLECTS VARIED SUPPORT FOR 
 PEACE   MOVEMENT
                              By Nicole C. Wong
                              Mercury News
 
 About 5,000 anti-war protesters from cities along the Peninsula crowded 
 onto Palo Alto's City Hall Plaza on Saturday afternoon, making the rally 
 against invading Iraq one of the Peninsula's largest demonstrations ever.
 
 But despite its formidable size, the rally was rather whimsical. People 
 carried balloon animals twisted into circular peace signs. Children 
 scribbled peace slogans on the pavement with chalk. And a choir of two 
 dozen elderly women wearing sunbonnets crowned with brightly colored 
 crepe-paper flowers belted out ``Make Peace Instead of War'' to the tune of 
 ``When the Saints Come Marching In,'' accompanied by an accordion and a 
 frying pan used as a tambourine.
 
 The suburban rally had a diverse turnout, indicating anti-war sentiment is 
 resonating with an audience much broader than activists living in large 
cities.
 
 On the sunny but windy afternoon, demonstrators from Woodside, Mountain 
 View and San Mateo arrived with walkers, strollers and Razor scooters.
 
 They sported stylish two-piece suits, tie-dyed T-shirts, designer 
 sunglasses, hijabs and cowboy hats.
 
 That wide array of ages, lifestyles and personal beliefs was evident 
 throughout the crush of bodies, which protest organizers and Palo Alto 
 police officers estimated at 4,500 to 5,000.
 
 ``When you see this number of people turn out in smaller towns, it really 
 speaks to the level of opposition in this country,'' said Paul George, 
 director of the Peninsula Peace and Justice Center and organizer of the 
 rally. ``It's not a radical fringe element. It's America that opposes this 
 war. If you looked around this crowd today, you would see a reflection of 
 the Peninsula.''
 
 And this rally was oh-so-Peninsula.
 
 An organic espresso bus parked cater-cornered from the plaza sold several 
 hundred cups of organic macchiatos, lattes and cappuccinos made with soy 
milk.
 
 Despite the frills and good cheer, there were serious messages.
 
 Signs bobbing up and down in the crowd included ``Drop Bush, not bombs'' 
 and ``Blessed are the peacemakers -- Jesus.''
 
 The demonstrators took their messages on a march around two blocks of 
 downtown. Police closed Bryant and Waverley streets and University and 
 Hamilton avenues for about half an hour as the activists went on their walk.
 
 Some of the participants haven't attended a demonstration for decades.
 
 Palo Alto neighbors Marcia Croft and Margaret Schmidt, both in their late 
 50s, said they haven't done this since college.
 
 ``We're sort of getting to the age where we want to support causes rather 
 than stand on the side,'' said Croft, who attended rallies during the civil 
 rights movement.
 
 Schmidt, who protested the Vietnam War, said they have been too busy 
 raising children. But now they have time to focus on the ``unsettling'' 
 situation at hand.
 
 ``We're especially concerned Bush's policy is not including the rest of the 
 world,'' Schmidt said. ``He is choosing to stand alone. That is 
 particularly unsettling. We should not in any situation think we are above 
 the world and the world's opinion. That's what the United Nations is for.''
 
 Others came out to support their own causes.
 
 Ronna Devincenzi of Palo Alto carried an anti-abortion sign. And to the 
 side of the plaza, a big blue-and-white banner declared: ``Palestinians and 
 Jews listening in dialogue.''
 
 Vera Clydesdale, 50 of Mountain View, held a sign quoting Mohandas Gandhi: 
 ``The most violent weapon on Earth is the table fork. Go vegan.''
 
 ``I am against killing -- killing in any sense,'' she said.
 
 IF YOU'RE INTERESTED
 
 Anti-war activists plan more demonstrations for the coming weeks, in San 
 Jose on Feb. 15 and in San Francisco on Feb. 16.
  >>