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News from the Keweenaw Peninsula Posted March 18, 2003  Text © 2003 Keweenaw Now. Photos © 2003 Michele Anderson

Photos of Walk for Peace March 15, 2003

HOUGHTON -- "We support our troops. Let's keep them alive" was the theme of the Walk for Peace, sponsored by the Copper Country Peace Alliance (CCPA), on Saturday, March 15. More than 50 local residents turned out for the walk, taking advantage of warmer weather and sunshine.

More than 50 people carry peace signs through Hancock during the Walk for Peace on Saturday, March 15. (Photo by Michele Anderson)

After the Walk on March 15, some participants held a roundtable discussion, open to interested persons, in the Motherlode. 

The Walk for Peace is a weekly event that starts from the Motherlode Coffeehouse in Houghton at noon on Saturday mornings. 

During the March 15 Walk for Peace, participants display signs including "Honk for Peace" (center) for passing cars in Hancock. (Photo by Michele Anderson)

In keeping with sponsor CCPA's philosophy, participants in the Saturday walks carry flags and non-confrontational signs, including "Honk for Peace," which they display for passing traffic. A special peace flag, "Pace," ("Peace" in Italian) was sent for the walk by CCPA member Sarah Green, Michigan Tech professor of chemistry, who is now on sabbatical leave in Italy. Kristin Tepsa of Houghton carried the colorful Italian peace flag during the March 15 Walk.

During the March 15 Walk for Peace in Hancock, Houghton residents Kristin Tepsa and Bill Gale display the Italian peace flag sent by Sarah Green from Italy. (Photo by Michele Anderson)

In a Mar. 18 email message to Keweenaw Now, Sarah Green writes, "There are PACE (pronounced 'paach-ay') flags flying everywhere in Italy. Nearly every building has at least one. The goal is 'PACE di tutti balconi' (Peace from every balcony). Shops, restaurants, and some public buildings also fly the PACE flag. As in Britain, there is little or no public support for the decision of the Prime Minister, Berlusconi, to endorse war with Iraq. People are very concerned and angry about the precedent of 'preemptive' war."

Bill Rosemurgy of Houghton carried his "War is Expensive/Peace is Priceless" sign in the March 15 Walk, noting his son, Bill Rosemurgy, Jr., who has participated in the Walk for several weeks, invited him to join the Walk.

"My son is here, and he brought me along," he said.

Bill Rosemurgy of Houghton displays his "Peace is Priceless" sign during the March 15 Walk for Peace as the group returns from Hancock to Houghton. Also pictured are Viki Weglarz, left, of Ahmeek, and her daughter Abby Weglarz. (Photo by Michele Anderson)

Upcoming Peace Events:

"War will not bring lasting peace" will be the theme of the upcoming Walk for Peace on Saturday, March 22. Sponsored again by CCPA, the Walk start from the Motherlode Coffeehouse in Houghton at noon. After the Walk, an informal round-table discussion will be held at the Motherlode, starting about 1:15 p.m. The public is invited.

The Walk is one way for local citizens to demonstrate their support for a non-violent, diplomatic solution to the conflict between the U.S. and Iraqi governments. For more information call 284-0581.

The Michigan Tech University Graduate Student Council will sponsor "War in Iraq: A Public Forum" from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, Mar. 20, in Fisher 135 on the MTU campus.  The forum panel will discuss such questions as:

• Is this war justified?
• Is this war in the national interest?
• Why do France and Germany oppose this war?
• Does Iraq have weapons of mass destruction?
• Is Iraq supporting terrorism?
• Is this about oil?
• Will this war bring democracy to Iraq? and others.

Editor's Notes:  Read about about "the falsehood that Bush is about to wage war for the sake of peace; the falsehood that U.N. Security Council Resolution 1441 grants the United States the right to go to war even when the Security Council obviously would not approve it" in the March 17 editorial, "A Moment of Falsity," by Matthew Rothschild, editor of The Progressive Magazine. Read about a chilling parallel in Thom Hartmann's "When Democracy Failed: The Warnings of History," published on Sunday, March 16, 2003, by CommonDreams.org.

Return to Page One: "Local residents join Global Candlelight Vigil for Peace"

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