The Orpheum Theatre, 216 State St., was filled to capacity Tuesday night. Many were turned away as the anti-war group Not In Our Name presented \An Evening of Conscience.""
Not in Our Name, a group based in New York City, has received national prominence after placing an advertisement called ""Not In Our Name Statement of Conscience"" in The New York Times in September, signed by actors, activists, intellectuals and others who are against a possible war in Iraq.
""In September we bought some free speech in The New York Times,"" said Debra Sweet, who came to Madison from New York.
A similar committee formed in Madison after Jean and Charles Sweet of Madison visited their daughter Debra Sweet in New York City and sought to have similar advertisements placed in Madison-area newspapers along with an event. The Madison committee is the first to have an event since an October one in New York City.
The group specifically chose Tuesday night to coincide with President Bush's State of the Union address.
""Tonight's event isn't just Madison saying, 'Not in our name,'"" John Nickels of Madison said. ""It's Wisconsin saying it.""
The event included songs sung and written by Lou and Peter Berryman, and Oscar Brown Jr., who also performed at a similar event in New York City, as well as politicians and speakers from various local organizations.
Paul Bentzen, Sarah Day and Jim DeVita of the American Players performed an excerpt from the play ""Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been?"" by Eric Bentley about one man's testimony during the days of McCarthyism.
Ed Garvey, known as the ""People's Governor,"" spoke about the impact the people actually have when it comes to getting those in power to listen. Garvey said he believes that if what is being done now had been done before the Vietnam War, the lives of many may have been saved.
""When 120 members of the House signed to allow room for diplomacy in this situation, someone was listening to the people,"" Garvey said.
The theme of peace echoed throughout many of the speeches.
""We don't just mean, 'Not in our name but any other way it's fine,'"" David McReynolds, two-time presidential candidate for the Socialist party said. ""We mean 'No! Not at all.""
UW-Madison students have become very involved in the anti-war movement including the group Stop the War! According to Josh Healey, a UW-Madison freshman, even though most of the people at the event are already opposed to war, an event like this is about networking and meeting one another.
