Anniversary of the Iraq Invasion

Paonians Parade for Peace

By Christie Aschwanden, 3-20-05

About 100 peace activists gathered in Paonia on Saturday to mark the two year anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq. The event began with a march through town, and ended with a peace rally in the town park football field, where pink flags commemorated American, Allied and civilian deaths.

The rally was organized by Code Pink Paonia, a grassroots peace and social justice organization started by women (though the group welcomes male members). Participants included an 87-year-old whose peace activism began when he registered as a conscientious objector during WWII and a young girl who expressed worry that her older brother might be drafted if the war drags on.

One pink-clad woman performed a visual demonstration of the war's toll on Iraqi civilians by presenting a 50 pound bag of organic soybeans and a metal bucket. "Each of these beans represents one of the 100,000 Iraqi civilians who have died since the war started," she told the audience. She hoisted the bag on her shoulder, ripped a hole in the top, and let the beans spill into the bucket. "This is not ok! THIS is not ok! THIS is NOT ok!" she screamed, tears flowing.

One man stood in front of the microphone and talked about his nephew who had been killed in the fighting. Another, an 87-year-old long-time peace activist read passages from the Bible and explained that Jesus asked his followers to "love thy neighbor." The Bible contains no moral justification for war, he said. Several young girls joined him at the microphone and sang a song he had written about the follies of King George (Bush).

Near the end of a rally, a woman stood up and said that it was time to stop looking for a way to peace. "There is no way to peace. Peace is the way," she told rally attendees. When she began singing the phrase, the audience joined in.

The event ended with participants holing hands, forming a circle in the field, holding hands, and holding a moment of silence for the soldiers and civilians killed in the war.

It was a poignant reminder. If only our leaders would take note.

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