Signs of Peace
a local and national movement to end the war
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Every Friday afternoon around dusk at a busy intersection in Hayward they hold signs and candles and vigil for peace. Their name is Peace North and they’re calling for an end to the slaughter in Iraq. And their numbers are growing. The week before Christmas Nick Vander Puy from the Superior Broadcast drank hot cider and milled around with more than eighty people calling for the troops to come home. |
the people of Peace North
After she toured Vietnam on a bicycle in 1995 she came home and protested a Minnesota company making landmines. Jacque Lindskoog considers herself a peace activist. She’s the President of Peace North.
“Our mission is to educate people about peace. We have a monthly meeting. We show our movies twice a month. We try to have some fun once a year by having “Give Peace a Dance.” So I think we’re just many faceted. The main thing is to work for peace in a peaceful way. I don’t think we’re vindictive with people. We’re not argumentative. And I think that’s a very positive thing.”
Joe Spado has come down from Ashland for this vigil. He’s a Vietnam War combat veteran. He’s holding an American flag.
“Believe me, you know what, I’m a gutless guy, I’m gutless, you know why, because I didn’t throw down my rifle, I thought spending a year in Vietnam was easier than spending twenty years in Leavenworth. That’s why I stayed in Vietnam. I will forever be shamed of myself. That I didn’t have the courage to throw down my weapon and say enough.”
Leo Preisler is active with a local group called Veterans for Peace. They’ve raised enough money this season to provide 2000 hours of phone calls for local hospitalized vets.
“Only two percent of our country are involved in fighting this unjust war and the rest are out shopping this Christmas. It reminds me of a quote. We sleep comfortably in our beds at night while others do our killing for us. I say bring back the draft. Then we’ll see how patriotic this country really is.”
Steve Carlson is a member of Peace North. He supports the Iraq War Moratorium. The Iraq War Moratorium is a grassroots effort. It asks people to take some action, alone or with others, the third Friday every month, to end the war in Iraq.
“We hope and I’m certain the leaders at the national level hope that this is going to give people a chance to demonstrate locally on a monthly basis, the third Friday every month, and the monthly efforts makes anti-war opposition more immediate, accessible, and frequent to the average person. So we intend to increase this effort you see here on a monthly basis. The third Friday of every month.”
Many cars traveling past honk approval. Latest polls indicate about 2/3 the American public want the troops to come home.
I’m Nick Vander Puy for the Superior Broadcast Network.
for more information about the Iraq Moratorium click here
for more information about Peace North click here