Oregonian: Five years of duty, dissent and war
Five years of duty, dissent and war
Portland protest - Despite the rain, thousands hit the streets, saying they hope to pressure the next president to pull out of Iraq
As thousands of protesters marched through downtown Portland in a torrential downpour Saturday, one man held a sign that seemed to capture the overriding sentiment of the crowd: "I can't believe we're still protesting this war."
After five years of war in Iraq, Portlanders did what they do best: They took it to the street, chanting to end the war in Iraq and bring the troops home.
Although there was no official tally of the number of marchers, protesters packed 31/2 city blocks and included senior citizens, war veterans and many families with children.
"We worked really hard to make this a family-friendly event," said Rachel Larson, executive director of Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility, which helped organize the event. "In the peace movement, so often nothing happens beyond the rally. We wanted families to take the spirit of the day home with them and deliver the message that we can be a peaceful nation and we can have a better life."
Among Saturday's more poignant images was a tiny
4-year-old boy who held a sign that said, "This
war's older than me." Another small boy rode in a
Radio Flyer wagon decorated with a sign that said, "War
leaves every child behind." A gaggle of preteen girls
wore yellow signs on their backs: "Imagine . . . It
could be different."
John Arnoldy, 55, showed up for the march and rally with his
common-law wife, Noreen, and dog, Rex, who howled loudly
through several city blocks.
"He's crying for peace," explained Arnoldy,
who carried a sign that read, "WWJD?" meaning,
"What would John (Lennon) do?"
Arnoldy said he made the sign (covered in plastic to protect
it from the rain) five years ago and has carried it at
rallies ever since.
"I'm going to keep it until the war is over,"
he said. "I pray to God that doesn't mean five
more years."
Organizers said nearly 100 local organizations and
businesses joined to sponsor the march, which began at 2:30
p.m. in the South Park Blocks. The route began at Southwest
Park and Madison streets and wound through downtown, much of
it on Broadway, and back to the Portland Art Museum.
A Portland Police Bureau spokesman said there were no
arrests or serious incidents during the march.
Some of the protesters, such as Margie Doolan, said they
were there because they think the U.S. is at war for the
wrong reasons, primarily the need for oil.
The Fairview resident has marched every year since the war
started. "I don't think the war is the
answer," said Doolan, 50. "I think we're
creating a horrible situation that we're going to pay
for for a long time."
Doolan's son-in-law spent a year as a soldier in Iraq
and now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, she
said. She described his experience in the U.S. Army as
"horrible." By marching, she says, she hopes
others will consider opposing the war, too.
"It shows ordinary mothers and grandmothers are against
the war," Doolan said.
Portland resident Bess Austin said she participated because
she opposes the war and also to hear her son perform on the
main stage after the march.
Austin, 57, said Saturday's crowd was vocal and
energetic but that she had wanted to see more people
involved. Many marchers and organizers commented that this
year's crowd was smaller than last year's,
probably because of the rain.
Even so, Austin said, she hopes the protesters' efforts
will encourage the next administration to bring the troops
home.
"I hope it just galvanizes momentum to put pressure on
the incoming president to stop this war."
As of Saturday, 3,988 members of the U.S. military had died
in Iraq since the war began in March 2003, according to The
Associated Press.
Russ Swinehart of Ridgefield, Wash., said he marched in
Saturday's rally because he's tired of being lied
to. Calling the war a "plot from the beginning,"
he said the rally and march gave him an opportunity to
express himself.
"It's definitely a worthwhile cause,"
Swinehart said. "I feel real strongly the war is not
right. It's not the answer. The lies about weapons of
mass destruction are ridiculous."
Still, Calvin Olsen, a Clatskanie resident who is a veteran
of Portland's anti-Iraq war marches on the third and
fourth anniversaries, said the sparse turnout let him down.
Yes, there's the rainy weather, Olsen said, but war
opponents need to show their strength. "I'm
feeling a lot of disappointment right now," he said, as
rain dripped from his umbrella.
Staff writer Joseph Rose contributed to this report.
Michelle Roberts: 503-294-5041; michelleroberts@
news.oregonian.com
