Protesters denounce Bush
Jim O’Neal
The Gazette
IOWA CITY – Nancy Carlson marched against the war in Iraq on Saturday because another war she deemed unjust claimed her friend Roger three decades ago.
“He was killed just before his 19th birthday in Vietnam,” Carlson said as she toted a U.S. flag in the upside-down distress position. “You never forget.”
Carlson, 58, of Iowa City, was one of about 100 people who turned out for an anti-war rally on the University of Iowa Pentacrest and a march through downtown streets Saturday afternoon.
At the rally, speakers excoriated President Bush for leading the nation into the war in Iraq. Imam Ahmed Elkhaldy of the Islamic Center of Cedar Rapids unleashed a blistering denunciation of the president.
“He betrayed his nation and the trust that was given to him,” he said. “We will no longer accept someone in the White House that lies and betrays his nation and brings us to a position that we are not trusted by anyone.”
Elkhaldy said anyone who fails to oppose the war risks being condemned along with Bush on Judgment Day.
The crowd cheered Elkhaldy’s comments heartily.
Brian Shearer, a member of the UI Anti-War Committee, emceed the rally and stoked the crowd’s indignation.
“We will not be lied to anymore!” he shouted. “We will not be misled anymore! We will take back the power! We are the strong, we are the determined majority that can bring this regime down!”
Shearer said the administration’s justifications for the invasion of Iraq are hollow.
“We are not promoting democracy,” he said. “We’re promoting hate. We’re promoting death.”
Marchers carried signs saying, “War is not the answer” and “Wake up and smell the catastrophe.” They chanted, “Bush lied, thousands died!” and “No blood for oil!”
A handful of counterprotesters stood at the Clinton Street entrance to the Pentacrest with signs saying, “The mission will be accomplished” and “Support the war in Iraq!”
“We wanted to get our voice heard,” said counterprotest organizer Matthew Talbert, 21, a UI student from Northbrook, Ill. “When they do stuff like this, it hurts troop morale.
We want to show (troops) that we’re still with them.”
Talbert said military action is needed to counter oppression and spread democracy.
– Contact the writer: (319) 339-3170 or jim.o’neal@gazettecommunications.com
This column was originally published in The Gazette of Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, Iowa, on Oct. 30, 2005.