UW-Madison students were among more than 75,000 protesting a pre-emptive war with Iraq in Washington, D.C., while hundreds of Wisconsin residents demonstrated at the state Capitol Saturday.
Stop the War!, the student/youth caucus of the Madison Area Peace Coalition organized the Madison protest and brought three busloads of people to the protest in Washington, D.C.
Those at both demonstrations fiercely denounced the Bush administration's plan to attack Iraq.
Many spoke out against impending violence, questioning why the United States would seek to further damage an already devastated country.
\1.2 million people died in Iraq'how many more?"" said Mohammed Abed, a representative from the Alternative Palestinian Agenda and a graduate student at UW-Madison.
Several speakers also voiced rage against what they said is a biased, corporate-controlled media.
""Information is our tool to fight imperialism and this war. The information and opinions people get are controlled by the media,"" Dan Hooper, a UW-Madison graduate student, said.
Hooper and others also urged the crowd to consult sources of information that counter traditional media.
Speakers in both Washington, D.C., and Madison expressed anger toward the Bush administration.
Jesse Jackson addressed the Washington, D.C. protesters, calling for a regime change in the United States.
""In two years we've lost two million jobs, unemployment is up, stock market down, poverty up,"" Jackson said, according to the Associated Press.
Abed declared similar sentiments to the Madison crowd.
""I have had enough of seeing all the money this state generates going towards weapons instead of to the poor and education,"" he said.
Speakers at the Madison protest also demanded greater mobilization against the war.
Activist Alan Roth urged protesters to take a step beyond marches and protests by joining political organizations.
Will Williams, a Vietnam veteran who spoke in Madison Saturday, said he is skeptical of Bush's intentions.
""Vietnam was a mistake. Iraq is a mistake,"" Williams said.
Some protesters said they were moved by Williams.
""The rally was excellent'especially the Vietnam vet who gave the perspective of a soldier. I don't want to see Americans or Iraqis die. ... Real people are going to die,"" said UW-Madison junior Josh Peil.
Students from across the state attended the Madison rally.
Pat Bents, a sophomore at UW-Eau Claire, said he thinks the Madison rally will motivate others throughout the state.
However, UW-Madison senior Tony Klemme was more skeptical.
""People are too involved in their daily routine to care,"" he said.
Despite such apathy on campus, the protests in Madison and Washington, D.C., coincided with anti-war demonstrations worldwide.
Chris Dols, UW-Madison sophomore, traveled to Washington, D.C. with Stop the War!
""[It is great to] feel the positive energy of being with people who agree with you and want to make a change,"" Dols said.
Erik Aukland, a UW-Madison senior and member of Stop the War! who traveled to Washington, D.C., agreed.
""There were a lot of people there representing different groups, but despite all of our differences the varying group interests there was a lot of unity,"" he said.
