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| Fifth Column | |
| 1200 peace marchers in Portland | |
| 2001-09-17 | |
Singing Vietnam-era peace songs, about 1,200 people marched through downtown Portland Sunday, demanding that the United States find nonviolent responses to the East Coast terror attacks. While most Americans are clamoring for retaliation, the pacifists said military strikes will not help. The crowd observed a moment of silence for the victims, thousands of whom are still buried under rubble. But they also cheered and hooted vociferously to speeches condemning U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. "The peace movement is alive and well today," said Chris Ferlazzo, a member of the Portland Peaceful Response group that organized the march and a rally that preceded it. "It's a senseless crime, but more violence won't help and we're concerned more innocent people will die," he said.
Scattered bystanders who watched the rally didn't seem disturbed by it. But one man asked what he thought of the rally tersely said "I support the President" and walked off. | |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |