03/19/08: Peace rally expected to draw again - Sauk Prairie
Peace rally expected to draw again
By Todd Krysiak/Sauk Prairie Eagle
Five years after United States President George W. Bush launched the invasion of Iraq, local activists and organizers plan to gather on the U.S. Highway 12 bridge over the Wisconsin River in Sauk City to protest the ongoing conflict and express their desire for peace.
A similar protest on the bridge last year drew more than 150 people, organizers said, but with the five-year anniversary on the horizon, area peace advocates hope to lure even more voices to their cause this year.
"This is not about the upcoming election or politics and who wants to vote for whom," Sauk City organizer Gail Lamberty said. "This is about being a citizen in a democracy and expressing our rights."
The protest is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. March 15 and continue until noon and is part of a larger movement of gatherings that are being pushed by the New York-based organization United for Peace & Justice.
Sauk Prairie Police Department Chief Jerry Strunz said he is aware of the event and doesn't believe the department will need to do anything out of the ordinary to prepare. "Throughout the course of the year, a number of organizations do things like this," he said. "We're not anticipating any problems with it." Strunz said that as long as participants do not block traffic or pedestrian right-of-ways, citizens have the right to speak out.
Sauk City resident Marilyn Fuss said she helped distribute information about the event last year and again wanted to take part in it. "I am becoming increasingly upset about the lack of funds to treat these guys and gals who served over there when they come home," she said. "We find the money to send them there and then there's nothing for them when they get back."
Fuss said she also opposes the ideology behind the war, claiming it has not made Americans any safer and the basic premises behind the invasion have all proven false.
"Doing something is better than nothing," Fuss said. "Voting isn't the only method we have of expressing our opinions and that's why we have the right to do these things in this country."
Lamberty agreed. "Here in Wisconsin, we have a huge progressive tradition that we take to heart," she said. "Ultimately, the goal is to stand for peace."
By Todd Krysiak/Sauk Prairie Eagle
Five years after United States President George W. Bush launched the invasion of Iraq, local activists and organizers plan to gather on the U.S. Highway 12 bridge over the Wisconsin River in Sauk City to protest the ongoing conflict and express their desire for peace.
A similar protest on the bridge last year drew more than 150 people, organizers said, but with the five-year anniversary on the horizon, area peace advocates hope to lure even more voices to their cause this year.
"This is not about the upcoming election or politics and who wants to vote for whom," Sauk City organizer Gail Lamberty said. "This is about being a citizen in a democracy and expressing our rights."
The protest is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. March 15 and continue until noon and is part of a larger movement of gatherings that are being pushed by the New York-based organization United for Peace & Justice.
Sauk Prairie Police Department Chief Jerry Strunz said he is aware of the event and doesn't believe the department will need to do anything out of the ordinary to prepare. "Throughout the course of the year, a number of organizations do things like this," he said. "We're not anticipating any problems with it." Strunz said that as long as participants do not block traffic or pedestrian right-of-ways, citizens have the right to speak out.
Sauk City resident Marilyn Fuss said she helped distribute information about the event last year and again wanted to take part in it. "I am becoming increasingly upset about the lack of funds to treat these guys and gals who served over there when they come home," she said. "We find the money to send them there and then there's nothing for them when they get back."
Fuss said she also opposes the ideology behind the war, claiming it has not made Americans any safer and the basic premises behind the invasion have all proven false.
"Doing something is better than nothing," Fuss said. "Voting isn't the only method we have of expressing our opinions and that's why we have the right to do these things in this country."
Lamberty agreed. "Here in Wisconsin, we have a huge progressive tradition that we take to heart," she said. "Ultimately, the goal is to stand for peace."
Submitted by wnpj on Thu, 03/20/2008 - 12:56pm.