EXTRA EXTRA May 5, 2007 March for Peace

On Saturday, May 5, 2007, The local chapter of the Northland Anti-War coalition held a peace march here in Ashland, WI. The group is organized out of Duluth, MN. There is a chapter here at Northland College. People who wanted to march for a show of soloidarity against the war assembled at the Sigurd Olsen Institute building on Northland's campus, and marched down Ellis Avenue to Lake Shore Drive. Then one block West to the Band Shell.

At the band shell, people who wanted to, spoke out, read passages from books or their own poetry. Music was played in a sing-a-long fashion. Then, a few snacks were served as the attendees hung around and got to meet a few new people.

Some of the folks from the Tuesday Peace Vigil were there and joined the Northland College students, and the others from Duluth who took part in this march. The group mustered about 30 people. Other than the march up Ellis Avenue, there was not much exposure to the general public unless they wanted to come to the bandshell and sit and listen. It was a blustery day and there wasn't much foot traffic around. No one stopped and parked and came over to see what was happening, at least not that I saw.

I did make a short announcement about our Tuesday Vigil. And one person asked for the e-mail address and the URL for this blogspot. I got one from them as well. I have posted it on the side bar and I will list it Here in the text as well.

There was a little confusion as the name Northland Anti-War Coalition would make some believe they were affiliated with our own Northland College, but the organization is more in reference to the "North Land", and the college has their own chapter.

In any event, it was a show of people speaking out and asking for peace and an end to this war. Small groups in small towns. Larger groups from the larger metropolitan areas. One voice, hopefully getting louder and louder, to bring the changes we need for a less violent society and peace in our lifetime.

Do something active to work for peace. Write your elected officials often. Attend marches and protests when you can. Give a buck or two to an organization that supports how you think. If you're a right wing thinking person and looks at every war demonstration as "against" what you believe in, maybe you need to look at the bigger picture. I mean, even if you think we needed to go fight in Iraq, wouldn't you want it to end and the killing to stop?

May peace prevail on the Sacred Earth Mother