Anti-war Protesters Send Strong Message to Bush at UN

n the opening day of the 61^st General Assembly of the United Nations, as President Bush was inside defending his disastrous war in Iraq and his so-called "war on terror," outside about 5,000 anti-war protesters were calling for an immediate end to the Iraq war.

Carrying signs and banners bearing such messages as "Support Our Troops, Impeach Bush" and chanting slogans like, "Money for jobs and education / Not for war and occupation!" the activists had marched from Harold Square to Dag Hammarskjold Plaza. Among them were retired college professor Ernece Kelly who said she was there because she thinks it's important to show that ordinary people like herself oppose the President's policies, as well as retired teacher Eunice Harris, who has a daughter in the military. The only reason she didn’t end up in Iraq was because there was a mix up about her military papers.

Also participating was Podres Earl Spencer, Associate Pastor of the Concord Baptist Church of Christ. "This is an unjust war, and there is no reason in the world why we should be in Iraq, nor Afghanistan – none whatsoever," he stated emphatically. "Bush has overused his power, and we are here to tell him we want our brothers and sisters and our children back home."

"I'm here because I hate war," said Brotha Sean, who energized the marchers with his drumming. He added that he’s against the American incursion into any of the Middle East countries. "I think that's a really bad policy for the US to be taking, especially when here at home folks are hungry and need basic services and education," he commented. "It’s a big waste of money, and a lot of people are dying needlessly on both sides."

Serving as a Security Marshall for the event was Jackie Alleyne, SEIU Local 1199 Vice President, who has several members of her extended family in the military. "This war is Bush's agenda, not America's agenda," she declared, "and we will not stop protesting until it ends and we bring the troops home."

Among the many speakers who addressed the crowd at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza was Claire Thompson, Vice President of the Registered Nurses Division of 1199. She observed that in times of yore, kings led their own troops into battle and that maybe we need to have Presidents, Prime Ministers, Secretaries of State, etc. do the same now so that they can experience for themselves what it’s like to go to war – just like the ordinary people they send into the line of fire.

The final speaker was Reverend Jesse Jackson, who said that this war is putting the soul of the nation in jeopardy. "We deserve better leadership and a clearer vision," he stated. "We are losing money – $250 million a day – and lives, and we are losing our honor. Because of the war the price of gas is up and wages and benefits are down. We must end this war now!"

Jackson concluded by telling the protesters, "You here today are the conscience of our nation. You make us better and stronger."

Other speakers included Leslie Cagan, National Coordinator for United for Peace and Justice, which had organized the rally; Colleen Kelly of Sept 11^th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows; Fernando Braga from Iraq Veterans Against the War; Katherine Metres Abbadi, Executive Director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee; and Adam Tenney of the National Youth and Student Peace Coalition.