Hundreds of New Hampshire residents come to Concord to register their opposition to the War in Iraq.
Freelance producer Cheryl Senter was there and brings us these sounds from the march.
A youth shouts "What do you want?" Marchers answer "Peace!"(Cheryl Senter, NHPR)
(The sounds of marchers chanting)
What do we want? Peace! When do we want it? Now!
(one man shouts, yesterday!)
What do we want? Peace! When do we want it? Now! What do we want? Peace! When do we want it? Now!
(same man shouts, years ago!)
(Cars honking in support of the the marchers, whistling, crowd sounds)
(Drumming)
(Shouting) "Out of Iraq, SIR!" The name is Smith! Jaqueline! I'm from Sunnapee. I'm here to stop this foolish war! We wasted our
rescources. And the people that are running it are dumb, dumbsfeld, Dumbsfeld! How's that for Secretary of Defense. Bush bin lyin.
(Sounds of a band warming up)
Marchers make their way to the State House.(Cheryl Senter, NHPR)
Sister Terrence Gallagher from Sister of Mercy "When we were, you know, we couldn't go out before. Now in the last 25-30 years we're right out there marching and protesting against wrong, and working for justice.. That's one of our biggest goals now. This war is really getting to me and I think that we are looking on the back of this, the numbers of the deaths that have happened in Iraq. The deaths and the wounded, it's wrong! And I will get out and I will do my upmost to get those troops home as soon as I can!"
(Working a table selling bumper stickers) Gary Walker "I'm in Concord, NH at the State Capital protesting the outrageous war in Iraq. Trying to promote peace in the world and the country. All I can do is try to talk to people and try to get what I think the truth is out. Because as most people realize we've been lied to. Flat out lies! Outrageous lies! They're spending two billion dollars a week to kill people in Iraq who never threatened us and couldn't threaten us even if they wanted to. It was a destitute nation, defenseless as any body could see. As the invasion proved that. I don't call it a war, I call it an invasion.
Over 800 people attended the rally.(Cheryl Senter, NHPR)
I grew up through the 60's and when I got out of school and into the real world, I found there was a lot of apathy out there and I was kind of disappointed with the responses people had about the war in Vietnam. And so now, I think I should do something. I have two children that I'm concerned about. I feel the need to do something."
(On stage, flute playing along with drumming)
Pat Scanlon "I'm a veteran for peace, and a musician. I'm here today to support this activity, this march and rally declaration for peace. I'm a Vietnam veteran. I had spent the year of 1969 in Vietnam. I was in bomb damage and assessment unit of B52s, military intelligence. There was a team of 25 of us that planned the B52 strikes in Vietnam. And, I have litterally been spending my life in working and kind of repaying the universe for what we had, what we had done."
(More drumming and flute music)
Arnie Alpert "I'm the New Hampshire coordinator for the for the American Friends Service Committee which is one of the organizations that co-sponsored todays march and rally.
Youths dance to drum music as the rally comes to an end.(Cheryl Senter, NHPR)
We are on the State House lawn as the rally is wrapping up with a drumming and music group after a number of inspiring speakers and other music and a march down the hill from Hazen Drive. We think there's about a thousand people here. And what is most impressive is about this, in addition to that there are people of all ages from all over New Hampshire, is that we have a very big outpouring of people who are active in religious organizations. People here are saying that their opposition to the war in Iraq is intimately tied to their religeous faith and that part of their religious expression than has to be to stand up and in the spirit of nonviolence and to say no to war and yes to justice.
Well, what I am particularly excited about right here today is to see so many young people. We think that obviously that's were the future is. And, change has often been made throughout history by young people, whether we think about the civil rights movement, or the peace movement or other movements that have made a difference, It has often been young people, willing to stand up and be counted and take risks. It's great to see so many young people here today.
Cheryl Senter/NHPR
