More than 100,000 people, including many from Madison, are expected to march in Washington, D.C., Saturday protesting the threat of possible war with Iraq.
Stop the War!, the student/youth caucus of the Madison Area Peace Coalition, organized a group of approximately 150 to attend the rally. More than half of those are UW-Madison students, according to organizers.
They will join campus groups and community members from every state in the country at the protest, sponsored by International Act Now to Stop War and End Racism, in Washington, D.C. The event will be held in conjunction with protests in San Francisco, Germany, Japan, France and England.
Organizers of the events said they hope to send a message to the Bush administration that the majority of American citizens are against a war with Iraq.
\There are so many people that have the gut feeling that this war is not a good idea. A lot of people feel really helpless about the fact that Bush wants to go to war,"" said UW-Madison senior Melea Carvlin, a member of Stop the War! ""For some people, they realize we can do something about it.""
The Saturday event begins at the Vietnam Memorial at 11 a.m. before protesters will march to the White House.
Erik Aukland, a member of Stop the War! and a UW-Madison senior said students have a crucial role in the anti-war movement.
""Students at the university are future leaders of the world,"" Aukland said. ""Decisions that are being made in the American foreign policy right now could drastically shape our world and could put us in a situation where countries attack countries and chaos is the norm.""
Protests in other countries show that the majority of people around the world are against a war with Iraq, Carvlin said.
""I think it's time for the U.S. to make a protest of its own since everybody else in the world is so against the war,"" Carvlin said.
While the outcome of the protest is uncertain, Tony Murphy, media coordinator for International ANSWER, said this is one step in the process to stop the war.
""This is the start of a campaign which will build and take on a life of its own and be something that can challenge George Bush and the war plans of the Bush administration as well as become a new movement for people's rights,"" he said.
Stop the War! is also planning a local anti-war protest in solidarity with those around the world. The Madison event is at noon Saturday on the steps of the Capitol by State Street.
