Italian leftist parties supporters show a banner reading "No to the war, yes to the peace," during a rally in Rome's central streets, October 5, 2002. Thousands of Italians flocked to peace rallies across the country on Saturday to protest against a possible military strike in Iraq. Photo by Giampiero Sposito/Reuters

Peace Protests in Austin and Italy:

"One, two, three, four; we don't want your oil war"

Germany, France, Italy and Americans in Austin, the capitol of Texas, are marching in protest of little George's kill Saddam campaign.

It does seems strange for people inside and outside of America to be protesting the same thing.  Sort of reminds one of Vietnam.

John WorldPeace
October 6,  2002

By Dick Stanley

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Sunday, October 6, 2002

Under an Iraqi, several Palestinian and a few American flags, ranks of young and old people marched Saturday through downtown Austin to protest the Bush administration's threat to go to war to disarm Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

The marchers, whom organizers estimated at almost 1,000, chanted "One, two, three, four; We don't want your oil war."

"No Blood for Oil" was the most popular sign, followed by "Drop Bush not Bombs." Another placard read: "Vote for Regime Change in America."

The march ended in a rally on the tiled plaza at the Federal Building, 300 E. Eighth St., where speakers addressed a grab bag of issues, from criticism of the Enron Corp. bankruptcy scandal to the defense industry in Texas and prosecution of the war on terrorism.

"The Bush administration is using the 9/11 attacks as an opportunity, not a tragedy," Texas Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rahul Mahajan told the crowd.

He said President Bush is using the attacks to implement "a pre-planned agenda" to gain control of the oil reserves of Central Asia and the Middle East, as well as to launch a domestic war on civil liberties.

Austin Against War, the North Texas Coalition for a Just Peace and the International Socialist Organization were among six sponsoring groups that bussed in marchers from Dallas and Houston. Nationally, religious leaders are speaking out against proposed military action, including the heads of the United Church of Christ and the Episcopal churches. Those church leaders joined 46 others in sending a letter to President Bush opposing military action, The New York Times reported Saturday.

In Austin, across the street from the rally, about a dozen people demonstrated against the anti-war protest around a large sign that read "Radical Left Hates America."

How can we manifest peace on earth if we do not include everyone (all races, all nations, all religions, both sexes) in our vision of Peace?

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