Hundreds of University of New Hampshire students and faculty demonstrated today against a possible U.S. war with Iraq.
Correspondent Roger Wood reports.
(SOT Chant) :05 "No war on Iraq"
(SOT Westfall) :07
"I would like us to commit ourselves, as others have in the past, and as others right now are around the world, to waging peace."
Mary Westfall, Chaplain of the University, the lead-off speaker at the midday rally. Hundreds in the University community filled the mall outside Dimond Library for the demonstration, sponsored by the UNH Peace and Justice League. One of the organizers, Noah Perch-Ahern, accused the current administration of tunnel vision, and pointing guns at dissenters abroad and at home.
(SOT Ahern) :16
"Tell Washington to project its fear by helping its citizens at home, not by expanding the American empire. Tell Washington no, do not terrorize Iraq?Tell Washington no, do not terrorize Iraq (Two times)"
Demonstrators held up signs like "Peace is Patriotic," and "War is Terror" during the rally. This student, Amber Lessard of Wolfeboro said that she isn't certain that protests will make a difference in the outcome of the crisis.
(SOT Lessard) :10
"Just to make the word know in the state of New Hampshire, the student body, the younger students and the younger people in our state are really interested in promoting a peaceful environment without war."
There was no counter-demonstration, but a small group of students did show up to disagree with the anti-war messages. Among them was UNH Junior James Bednark of Barnstable, Massachusetts, who is convinced that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein must go.
(SOT Bednark) :09
"He should be out of there. At the very least he should be taken out. Whether that means war, I don't know. But there needs to be regime change in Iraq. And if that's the only way he'll listen, then we'll go to war."
Coincidentally, at the height of the rally, an Air National Guard KC 135 Tanker, the type used to refuel military aircraft, flew directly overhead. For NHPR News, this is Roger Wood at the University of New Hampshire in Durham
