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News from the Keweenaw Peninsula Posted April 11, 2003 Text and photos © 2003 Keweenaw Now.

Peace Alliance Walks, Vigils to continue

HOUGHTON -- The Copper Country Peace Alliance continues its Peace Walks and Vigils to attest that in the absence of social and economic justice for all, there can be no genuine peace or security for anyone.

A Walk for Peace will be held again this Saturday, April 12, starting at noon from the Motherlode coffee house in Houghton. The Vigils will continue from noon to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday, in front of the Houghton Post Office 

On Saturday, April 5, 2003, Peace Walk participants held their usual weekly Walk for Peace, carrying black flags of mourning, the American flag, an Italian peace flag (above, right) and peace signs. Their Walk followed a Veterans' parade and rally for the troops in Iraq held in Houghton and Hancock earlier the same day.

This Walk is in solidarity with dozens of rallies to be held on April 12 in dozens of cities worldwide.*

While the Bush administration is continuing its war with Iraq, millions still remain in opposition around the Planet. In the United States alone thousands plan to convene in Washington D.C. from April 10-15, to express their objection to U.S. military and economic intervention around the world.

Here in the Copper Country, in addition to the Saturday Walks for Peace, a daily observance is made on Shelden Avenue in Houghton each weekday during the lunch hour. For the past three weeks members of the Copper Country Peace Alliance have held a Vigil for the victims of war, for the loss of peace, for the soldiers -- and the list goes on.

Vigil participants stand near the Houghton U.S. Post Office at noon on April 10, 2003. In spite of some unfriendly remarks shouted from passing cars, the daily noon Vigils continue. Being careful not to block the sidewalk, the vigil participants welcome questions and conversations with passers-by. Here Anne Wysocki, right, and Kristin Arola of Hancock pause to chat with Vigil members, from left, Bill Rosemurgy, Scott Rutherford, Susan Roth, Mark Pavolich and Tarik Kanaana.

Reaction to the Vigil is as mixed as can be expected. Support and objection are expressed from honking horns to threatening shouts. At times people actually stop to engage in conversation, even those in opposition to the Vigil. Sometimes each side ends up the better after these conversations.

Vigil participant Bill Rosemurgy of Houghton expressed his feelings on why he participates during his lunch hour: "I feel this is an example of our democracy, freedom, and liberty being threatened," Rosemurgy said. "The want of a clear conscience. The grieving for the lack of freedom because what we did was unjust to the innocent people, the ones who were not responsible for what their leaders did. I did not agree with the unprovoked attack!"

During the April 10 vigil, Tarik Kanaana of Houghton said, "This is my only way to publicly express and to say my feelings about the war. This is much bigger than saying a few words, and holding this black flag does it better."

Kanaana noted his participation in the Vigil is not only for the dying but for those who live through more than war and for all the people in poverty who are dying slowly.

Hancock resident Scott Rutherford, who participates regularly in both the Walk and the Vigil, said he joined the Vigil because it was another way beyond the Walk to express his strong opposition to the war by mourning for its victims--our troops and all of the Iraqis who will suffer physically and emotionally from the effects of the war.

"It was also a way to do something about my feelings of complicity in the war. I feel responsibility as a citizen for what has happened," Rutherford said. "I think the war is illegal, immoral and wholly unjustified. Further, I’m opposed to this war because we aren’t fighting it for any of the reasons we say. We have deceived the world and in doing so, in my mind, are presenting the world with a true but highly distressing view of the United States. This is apparent in our impatience with the UN and the process for disarming Saddam that we never gave a chance to unfold.

"We didn’t want it to unfold. We wanted to this on our own. We wanted to show everyone that we were numero uno in the world and that anyone who stands up to us, as Saddam had the audacity to do, is going to be punished unmercifully," Rutherford explained. "I don’t want to see my country playing this kind of role in the world, undertaking pre-emptive and preventive wars where there is no threat to our national security."

Diane Miller, who is the unofficial journal keeper of cat calls, advised of the following heard during the Vigil: "Go home you Commies, go home!" "(Expletive) traitor hippies!" "Anti-war is pro-Saddam!" and from the police chief: "Make sure you don't block the sidewalk."

Diane Miller of Houghton carries her grandson Alex during the March 29 Walk for Peace. Pictured with her is Merle Kindred of Hancock.

The Walk for Peace is held each Saturday at noon. Participants of all ages, including children, depart from the Motherlode in Houghton and walk across the Portage Lift Bridge to Hancock City Hall and back. In recent weeks, the walk has been followed by a roundtable discussion, which generally starts at about 1:15 p.m. at the Motherlode.

Both Walk and Vigil participants prefer to be non-confrontational despite the catcalls. During one of the post-Walk roundtable discussions, Peace Alliance member Steve Pluhacek described this philosophy in part of a statement he wrote for the group: "Let us not forget that those with whom we struggle today are also those for whom we struggle. For they too are to be counted among the wretched of the earth. And we struggle to redeem their lives as well.

"But let us remember that our struggle does not end there. For we struggle first and foremost for those without food, for those without voice, and for those without hope. We struggle for justice. We struggle for peace ..."

Andrea Abbate of Lake Linden carried a peace sign in the Walk for Peace on April 5, the same day Veterans in Houghton and Hancock marched for supporting the troops in Iraq.

"We support the troops, but we do not support the invasion of Iraq," Abbate said. "The veterans' benefits have been deducted from the budget.** That's not what I call supporting the troops. As a senior citizen I cannot afford health care, and yet our government is going to pay for free health care for the entire Iraqi population," she noted.

Abbate said she recently sent an email to Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow asking if she (Abbate), as an American, could go to Iraq for free medical care.

"And I'll pay my own airfare and help the airline industry," Abbate added.

Cassie Van Dam and her Mom, Suzanne Van Dam, of Houghton, pause for a photo during the March 29 Walk for Peace, along with their dog. Each week Cassie is the unofficial counter of "mammals" -- people and dogs participating in the Walk. The number has been as high as 70 plus.

For more information on the Peace Walks and Vigils, which are open to everyone, call 482-0581 or 483-3183.

Editor's Notes:  * Visit the United for Peace Web site to learn about the peace rallies being held this week around the world. ** See Rep. Bart Stupak's comments on loss of veterans' benefits in President Bush's budget. Guest author Mark Pavolich is a Keweenaw County resident and a participant in the Peace Walks and Vigils.

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