Despite the overcast skies, the cold and wind, a crowd of over sixty peace activists gathered on Fredonia’s Barker Common on Saturday, March 18 to remember the beginning of the Iraq War.   In humorous song, heartfelt prayer, and powerful speeches, they recalled and grieved the continuing deaths and injuries suffered by both the American military and Iraqi people.

The Dunkirk-Fredonia Center for Peace and Justice and the SUNY Fredonia Students for Peace jointly sponsored this event. Similar protests were held regionally in both Buffalo and Erie. Indeed, the event was in solidarity with millions around the world and an International Day of Action Against the War in Iraq.

Greg Forsgren’s drumming lead into the local program, which began with provocative songs by the Ragging Grannies, Grandmothers Against the War.  Among other songs, they sang “Are Your Sleeping” to the tune of Fere Jacques:

Diane Clark, coordinator of the program introduced periods of silence, prayer and statements against this war

David Swift, Faculty Advisor of the Students for Peace, read a powerful statement from Jack Berkley, long time peace activist and Professor of Geosciences at SUNY Fredonia. Berkley spoke to our nations’ misplaced priorities.  He said in part, “The sovereign country of Iraq was attacked unprovoked -- thus, in violation of International Law and the U.S. Constitution -- on March 19, 2003.”  Despite the evidence that  “there were no weapons of mass destruction, no air drones that could bomb American cities, no nuclear program or weapons, no biological weapons, nothing that could justify the initial carnage nor what has come later, 2,311 American soldiers dead, nearly 17,000 wounded, many horribly so, and perhaps hundreds of thousands of Iraqis dead and maimed.” After Berkeley’s message, Dan O’Rourke read a prayer.

“O God, help us and our nation to understand the wisdom of George Bernard Shaw, who long ago told us that ‘nations are like bees: they cannot kill except at the cost of their own lives.’ With grief and sadness,” O’Rourke prayed, “we have seen that truth today in the loss
not only of 2300 lives but the maiming of our young in both body and spirit.”

That poem was followed by Rosie Marie Musacchio’s presentation who displayed her sculpture "The Spirit Groaneth -- A Response to the Grief of the Iraqi People."  The title for this sculpture is from Romans 8:28. Musacchio spoke movingly of her inspiration for this work, which came from a newspaper photo of two grieving Iraqi women.  Musacchio herself was the model for her plaster sculpture with her arms outstretched in memory of her own pain and suffering in empathy with the Iraqi people.  She also created a plaster mask for the sculpture because masks are used to help us pretend to become the face the masks portray.  She wanted each of us to feel the pain and suffering of the victims in Iraq.

Sarah Clayton, President of the Fredonia Students for Peace, movingly read her own poem “Think Peace, Be Kind.”  She and other Students for Peace followed her reading by leading the group in singing, “This Little Light of Mine, I’m Going to Let It Shine.”  While reading of her poem, the only heckler during the event passed by berating the group and shouting that he had served in Iraq.   Clayton defused this tense moment by gently but firmly thanking the heckler for his service to his country.

The only other opposition were signs on a pick-up truck parked across from the Gazebo saying “We Support our Troops” and ”The Iraqi People Want Our Help.”  Two women sat respectfully in their truck. One of the women is the wife of an ex-marine who presently is serving in Iraq as an activated reservist.  A peace activist went over to speak to them.  They had a civil conversation. He told them that he had been in the military too but did not support this war.

According to a February 28 Le Moyne College/Zogby International survey, an overwhelming majority  --  72% of American troops serving in Iraq think the United States should exit the country within the next year and more than one in four say the troops should leave immediately.

Rev. Rodney Houck led the group in prayer again followed by silence. He read the “Universal Peace Prayer,” which said,  “Lead us from death to life, from falsehood to truth.  Lead us from despair to hope, from fear to trust, lead us from hate to love, from war to peace….”

Thomas Morrissey, Professor of History at SUNY Fredonia, used humor to punctuate his serious historical message.  He quoted Bob Herbert from the New York Times as saying “that everyone who thought this war was a good idea was wrong and ought to admit it.  And that those who still think it’s a good idea should get therapy.”  He related how Gerry Adams
was invited to the White House on Saint Patrick’s Day with the Irish Prime Minister, but ironically was not allowed to board an airplane to Buffalo because he was on a terrorist list from the Office of Homeland Security! On a more serious note, Morrissey quoted Herodotus, the great Greek historian, who said, “Peace is always preferable to war.  In peace sons bury their fathers; in war fathers bury their sons.”

After the gazebo ceremony, the group walked around Barker Commons and stood on the corners carrying posters proclaiming UNITED FOR PEACE  AND JUSTICE,  BRING OUR TROOPS HOME NOW and TOO MANY  DEAD.