Thousands Rally Against War in Iraq, Push Peace
By Erika Hayasaki
Times Staff Writer

January 12 2003

Thousands of people protesting a looming U.S.-led war against Iraq marched through downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, with many chanting, "We want peace!"

According to police, the crowd numbered between 5,000 and 7,000. Many wore their opinions, such as "No War" or "Don't Cut Medicare for Bombs and Missiles," on T-shirts, buttons and baseball caps. Organizers estimated the crowd at 15,000, said Karin Pally, who helped put on the event.

Sponsored by KPFK-FM (90.7) radio and several peace organizations, the protest began just after 11:30 a.m. and ended about 5 p.m., after a march to the Federal Building at Temple and Los Angeles streets.

"All of these people here symbolize one idea: Let's not kill," said Onalysa Flynn, 19, a Los Angeles Valley College student who was attending her first protest. "Why isn't there another way? There's got to be another way."

At the Federal Building, rock singers, poets, activists and actor Martin Sheen, star of the NBC series "The West Wing," denounced war over loudspeakers. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) and Los Angeles Urban League President John Mack also took part in the event, which was a precursor to a series of upcoming demonstrations set to take place in San Francisco and Washington, D.C., on Saturday.

The rally, monitored by police but with no arrests, followed President Bush's announcement that the U.S. will deploy 62,000 more U.S. troops to the Persian Gulf because of Iraq's continued efforts to manufacture nuclear arms and its refusal to cooperate with United Nations inspections.

Marc Hewitt, 24, of Los Angeles said war is being peddled by Bush for selfish reasons.

"I believe we're going to war for oil," said Hewitt, who attended the rally with his girlfriend, Natalie Wilson, 23, of Long Beach.

Wilson said this demonstration will send a powerful message, but just as important, "it will keep people sane."

"We feel powerless. But when you see people here who are like-minded, it feels good."

Marchers made their way toward the Federal Building via Broadway, passing jewelry and clothing shops, magazine stands and pizza parlors. Weekend shoppers stopped on sidewalks to watch, while some store owners stepped out from behind their registers to view the mile-long parade as it passed.

"I didn't know there would be this many people against war," said George Mobasseri, who owns Modern Broadway, a jeans boutique.

The smell of burning incense and sage lingered. The sound of beating drums echoed down street blocks. Meanwhile, children and adults who live in high-rise apartment complexes on Broadway peered down toward the street, some waving flags in support.

The crowd included Muslim women wearing head scarfs, a man in a suit and tie, an elderly woman with a walking cane, children wearing peace signs on their T-shirts, people in dreadlocks, mohawks and a Princeton University baseball cap.

There was 83-year-old Irja Lloyd, of the Sunset Hall retirement home in the Mid-Wilshire district, who came in her wheelchair with a bowl of grapes and a sign that read: "Speak Your Peace."

"I'm here because I believe in peace, and I have seen too much war," she said.

There was 5-year-old Naima Orozco of Alhambra, who pumped her fists in the air and cheered when an announcer yelled: "You cannot have peace by bombing innocent children and families."

Naima's mother, Irma Valdivia, said she brought her daughter because she wanted her to learn about freedom of speech.

Bonnie Morrison, 46, said when she heard about the demonstration she put on her walking shoes and headed downtown from Pasadena.

"My heart is in this," she said, adding that it was her first protest. The imminent war with Iraq, and the possible large-scale death and devastation it may cause, pushed her to take part in the event, she said.

"At least, if it happens, I know I did what I could to stop it," she said. "I just hope this administration hears us."

Salam, Prez Bush is delusional and overreacting. I wish I lived In LA so I could come to the protests also. Maybe we should organize one in my town!
I hope these buttheads that run our country realize it's wrong before it's too late.

GEORge bush place is his ranch in texas not the white house

CNN: "about 2000 protestors according to police"
Voice of America : "tens of thousands of protestors" (unusual for conservative VOA although they don't rely on advertising dollars)
LATimes: "LAPD estimated 3000-7000 protestors"
This reveals once again what we all have known about the media.
And war always increases advertising revenue.

thank god for these people who shown america that not everyone is as empty minded & is led like pathetic sheep by our bird brain president, my heart was right there w/ those beautiful americans and i pray that we dont see a war where thousands of poor innocents lifes WILL be killed and scared . thank you LA

Here is a quick test to find out whether you're dumb. And if you're dumb, this will let you know just how dumb you are.

Q: Is this about oil?

If you answered, 'yes,' then we already have the answer. You are definitely dumb. Are you also blond?

Q. Was Bill Clinton a better President than GW Bush?

If you answered 'yes' then you're dumber than we first thought.

Q. Which of the following celebrities is the brighter and more objective observer? (a) Noam Chomsky, (b) Rush Limbaugh, (c) Gore Vidal, (d) Ramsey Clark

A. If you answered (b) Rush Limbaugh, then congratulations, you're not so dumb after all.

Q. True or False: The Protests against Taco Bell are sending our message to the American People, loud and clear!

A. If you answered 'true to that, then you should be in he new Dumb and Dumber sequel

Q. Which country is the greater danger to world peace? (a) North Korea; (b) America; (c) Iran; (d) Iraq; (e) Israel; (f) Venezuela

A. If you answered a, c, or d, then you're not so dumb after all.

And now for the biggie, the question that separates a true dummy from a real moron. Are you ready (drum roll)?

Q. We enjoy a high standard of living in America and the west because:

(a). Our wonderful governments have given us great products, wonderful technology, food, clothing, and hope, or

(b). Dissident left wing protesters have given us great products, wonderful technology, food, clothing, and hope, or

(c). Corporations and entrepreneurs have given us great products, wonderful technology, food, clothing, and hope, or

(d). Labor Unions have given us great products, wonderful technology, food, clothing, and hope, or

(e). Foreign dictatorships like Cuba, Zimbabwe, Iran, and more recently Venezuela have given us great products, wonderful technology, food, clothing, and hope.

If you answered anything but (c) then you are truly and idiot and too dumb to register on this IQ test.

error

You are truly funny. All you have to do is wait your turn for this government aka corporation to take you hard earned money,property, and good name. You mean nothing to your "wonderful" government. Don't you worry, we will help you when your are down.

the United States of America: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT
better yet...LOVE IT & CHANGE IT

While I have no love for Bush or his desire to go to war,
there is one anti war argument that bothers me.
the thing about the oil.

Think about it, OPEC controlls the price of oil, so does it really matter if the oil comes from Iraq or anywhere else? The same price is being paid no mater where the oil comes from.

I do agree we need to find ways to reduce our dependency for oil. But I think the real reason we are going to war is because it's a way of showing off how powerful a nation we really are. But it will come at a heavy price.

I love America, which is why I am willing to work for change. If I fail, then 15 more will take my place.
My loyalty is to the United States of America, Not George W. Bush!!!

sorry, but i feel the need to respond to the assertion that only corporations have 'made this country great'.
It was left-wing dissidents that helped bring civil rights - as a matter a fact I believe many right-wingers called them commies at the time
It was the labor movement that brought us a 40 hour work week, weekends, the end of child labor, overtime pay
It was left-wing dissidents, many openly socialist, that agitated for unemployment, welfare, social security and a minimum wage
It was 'crazy environmentalists' that suggested that maybe we should clean up our beaches, our air and our water - beaches have since been reopened, the hole in the ozone is finally showing signs of closing etc.



this is an extremely short list but try to imagine our country without these things and the many other rights and freedoms we have. freedom, equality and justice were not won on a battlefield, these things were won in the streets.

oh by the way, it was corporations that brought us pollution, child labor, slavery, disposable consumer culture with its accompanying mountains of waste....

Hey Mr. Dumb, Maybe you don't realize it, but dissent is normal here in these United States. The reason why you can put so much trust in your corporations, in your faith that Rush Limbaugh is a balanced view (come on pal, give me O'Reilly as balanced any day, Limbaugh is clearly a Republican puppet), in your computer that gives you the power to write such trash is because:

a) Our corporations and the citizens that occupy their power structures are ingenious at manipulating and taking advantage of the rest of the world, so we can have such a nice existance.

b) Simple minded people like you continue to feed a belief structure and a media that states: we are right, and they are wrong

c)Our military might can back up any argument, any dispute, anywhere because we have the most weapons of mass destruction.

Now, you seem to be ok with that. I don't. I think that this world, all 7 billion of us, need to figure out a better way to get along. I don't mean that in a liberal peace nick kind of way either. It's no longer king of the jungle. We're all part of this crowded festering big happy family, we have no choice but to get along. Sure we need to remove zits like Saddam, but do we want to take Osama's bait and jump in with all our military might, further disstabalizing, the region and the world? Have you thought about the resources it takes to fight a war like that, and that some of our 'terrorism fighting' resources are being sent overseas in the form of reserve soldiers?

I respect the fact that you are calling for us all to be thankful. Believe me, I am. But, unlike you, I choose not to call people 'dumb' and rather search for a better long term tomorrow. If you think that going to war, and living like we have will continue to work, then think again.

I'll leave you with a statistic. It's a simple one, so even the dumb will understand.

America has 3% of the world's population.
America uses 25% of the world's resources.

Now you'd have to be REALLY dumb to think that everyone else in the world can enjoy this over abundance. And even MORE dumb to think that a war will better this statistic.

I been reading peace stuff on this web page.something dawn on me.if you believe in peace why dont you go where people neeed peace and freedom of speech more in iraq.if you come back and tell what happen so the world know how dumb you are and see why we need to take this guy out before he take your right to live in peace and speech freely.