Stop the U.S. War in Iraq Peace March and Rally

An outdoor rally began at 1:00 pm in front of the Walker Library on Hennepin Ave. The diversity of the crowd was impressive as people of every age, race, and background gathered in a spirit of hope and unity. Before the march began, some of the organizers of the demonstration addressed the crowd. Joe Callahan of the Iraq Peace Action Coalition and Jessica Sundin of the Anti-War Committee each spoke about the responsibility each of us has to hold our leaders accountable for misleading the American public, spending billions of dollars on a pre-emptive war, and bringing increasing levels of suffering, violence, and death to Iraq every day.

Amelia Smith of the Anti-War Organizing League (a U of M student anti-war group) and a high school student named Lauren from Youth Against War and Racism each spoke about the importance of young people getting involved in the peace and justice movement. The crowd responded with enthusiastic cheers. Finally Keith Ellison, a MN state representative from the north side of Minneapolis, and Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, professor of Peace and Justice Studies at the University of St. Thomas, stepped up to the microphone. Ellison pointed out that politicians often come before a crowd asking for endorsements, but he promised not to do so. On the contrary, he said, “I endorse all of you for coming out into the streets and demanding an end to this unjust war, and I endorse you for having a better vision for the future of this country.” Nelson-Pallmeyer echoed his sentiments by saying, “Not only does the U.S. occupation of Iraq need to end now, but there needs to be a dramatic shift in U.S. foreign policy. We need a foreign policy that rejects empire, respects international law, and seeks to re-enter the world community.”

Following these inspirational words of wisdom, we were ready to march! A group of volunteer “marshals” or peacekeepers stood in designated positions to clarify the route and stop northbound traffic on Hennepin Ave. as marchers poured into the street. Carrying a wide variety of peaceful signs and banners, we chanted messages such as “Money for schools not for War…Hands off Iraq!” “Troops Home Now!” and “This is what Democracy Looks Like!” While marching we received many smiles, waves, nods, and words of encouragement from passing motorists and pedestrians. The atmosphere was charged with positive energy and mutual determination to voice our opposition to war and to stand united for peace. After marching about 2 miles, participants gathered on the steps of the Basilica as the resounding call of church bells rang out our hope for a non-violent future.

St. Joan of Arc parishioner Nancy Emery was part of the coalition that planned the demonstration, and she also served as a marshal. She was at the top of the Basilica steps as the mass of people approached their destination. Nancy said, “Seeing the size of that crowd and hearing those church bells ring as they converged on the Basilica was an incredibly moving experience. At that moment I wished I was in the streets with them, but it was amazing to see the view from up above.”

After the majority of the crowd had reached the Basilica, people began moving inside to hear additional speakers. Members of SJA played a large role in the post-march events. Parishioner Steve Boyle was a moderator along with Kristin Dooley from WAMM. Nancy Emery served as a sign language interpreter, and Deb Harley played the guitar and led the incoming crowd in singing “We Shall Overcome.”

The first post-march speaker was Sami Rasouli, a well-known Iraqi-American who was born in Iraq but has lived in Minneapolis for over 20 years. He spent the last 10 months in Iraq working with the Muslim Peacemaker Team and is currently on a speaking tour to provide eye-witness testimony about the occupation of his homeland. Sami opened by saying, “The time has long passed for this war to end.” He characterized the current situation in Iraq as “intolerable,” with authorities finding as many as 1300 corpses in a recent 7-day period. As sectarian tensions rise, many Iraqis remain unemployed, lack basic services, and tremble at each passing day as fear and violence continue to grip the country. Sami called upon the United States to recognize international law and end the occupation immediately.

Next up was Amy Santoriello, a teacher and a sister of a U.S. soldier killed in Iraq in August of 2004. Despite the tragic loss of her brother, Amy’s message was one of hope and inspiration. She affirmed the audience by reminding us that “today we showed that we can come together for the common good.” She encouraged us to continue “loving justice and embracing peace,” and finished her address with the words of a beautiful benediction. (The full text of this prayer appears at the end of this article)

Stepping up to the microphone next was Ismael Khalidi, a Palestinian-American spoken word artist. He opened with a brilliant quote from Mark Twain about the connection between war and deception. Then he dazzled the audience with two poems, giving voice to his outrage with rhythm and passion. He finally challenged us to keep raising our own voices and quoted June Jordan, reminding us that “we are the ones we’ve been waiting for.”

Next up was Mike Perkins from the newly formed MN chapter of Military Families Speak Out. He explained that the message of MFSO is simple: “Bring the troops home. Take care of them when they get here.” Mike described how his family has been personally affected by the war in Iraq. His son served in Iraq and witnessed the deaths of two close friends. He has since had the names of both friends and the dates of their deaths tattooed on his arms.

Mike also described how the pain of war traumatized his brother who drove a tank during Gulf War I. He returned with so-called Gulf-War Syndrome, a set of severe health problems that were later attributed to depleted-uranium poisoning. DU is a radioactive weapon first unleashed by the U.S. military during the first Gulf War and is currently being used widely in Iraq. Mike’s brother was so devastated by his war-time experiences and his subsequent health problems, that he eventually committed suicide. Mike closed by saying that even his father, a life-long conservative who “thought Reagan was a bit too liberal” is strongly opposed to the war in Iraq.

The next speaker, Chante Wolf, a veteran of Gulf War I and current member of Veterans for Peace, continued on the same theme by asking the question, “What does it mean to support our troops?” She spoke against recent cuts in VA funding and pointed out that two years ago, 1,704 female service members reported being raped by fellow soldiers. In 2005, the number of reported rapes was a startling 2,374. She said the military has yet to take this issue seriously and stated that the best way to support the troops would be to “dismantle the military killing machine.”

The final speakers of the day were Ruben Joanem, a Haitian-American and member of the Haiti Justice Committee, and Peter Erlander, a professor at William Mitchell College of Law. Ruben spoke of the persecution and resilience of the Haitian people in their struggle for justice. He stated, “As human beings, we owe it to ourselves to uphold the dignity of humanity.”

Peter Erlander began with a history lesson on how governments convince the public to support wars of imperialism. “Ordinary people don’t want war,” he said. “It has always been that way. The way to rally support for a war is to announce a threat, blame the pacifists for being disloyal, and attack democracy at home in the name of security.” He emphasized the need to cherish our civil liberties and warned not to trade them for a false sense of security. “We must take our country back from those leading us in a dangerous direction,” he urged. “Power concedes nothing without a demand.” We cheered in agreement and closed the rally by singing “Let There Be Peace On Earth,” led once again by Deb Harley.

Members of St. Joan’s who attended the demonstration were re-invigorated in the struggle for peace and justice as they eagerly swapped stories at Sunday Mass. St. Joan of Arc Peace and Justice Coordinator Julie Madden was impressed by the size and diversity of the crowd. “The tide is turning,” she said. “More people are recognizing that this war is not only causing death and destruction in Iraq, it is causing us to completely re-structure our domestic priorities at home. We who oppose this war represent a widespread sentiment that was truly and beautifully reflected yesterday.”

We will close this report with the words of the benediction read at the post-march gathering in the Basilica.

Jon and Katrina Plotz, a newly married couple, are thrilled to be a part of the St. Joan of Arc community. Jon teaches 10th grade English at Anoka High School and Katrina teaches 7th grade English at Oak View Middle School in Andover. Jon and Katrina can be reached at krplotz@yahoo.com.

Todd Dalebroux, his wife Karen and their children have been active in several ministries at SJA including Sister Parish, Soup Suppers, and Religious Ed.

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