INDIANAPOLIS - Peace advocates gathered around Monument Circle Saturday with scarves, signs and one message for U.S. officials -- don't attack Iraq.
About 600 met at the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument at noon for the two-hour rally despite temperatures that dipped into the teens. The Indianapolis rally was one of many around the world Saturday.
City and state leaders told the crowd about their opposition to striking Iraq.
"In one way you are like the Marines," former Congressman Andy Jacobs said. "You are the few (who are against war), and you can be proud that you stood out here today."
U.S. Rep. Julia Carson said the possible war in Iraq would be fought "in the name of greed" because President Bush's main interest was in oil.
Indianapolis City-County Council member Joanne Sanders said a recent resolution was passed by the Chicago City Council that is against pre-emptive strikes on Iraq.
"I can't promise you that we could get something like that in Indy," Sanders said.
Like their leaders, other protesters had their views on a possible war with Iraq.
Beth Windish, a 19-year-old political science major at IUPUI, said she thinks a war would be unjustified.
"First of all they haven't found anything," Windish said. "They're trying to create things."
She said she could not understand why the United States would engage Iraq in battle after victory in the Gulf War.
"What disgusts me is we haven't considered anything else at all," Windish said. "There's a diplomatic solution to everything."
Students were not the only ones with solutions. Teachers also came prepared with ideas.
Judie Ney, a private school teacher from Indianapolis, said now would be the time to institute a global change. She said changes in environmental policies, safety and security are needed -- not war.
"If everyone would care enough, that would be a start to a number of possibilities," Ney said.
Retired Methodist minister John Gibson suggested the federal government create a Department of Peace. He said it would need to be equally funded and staffed as the Department of Defense and would find peaceful solutions instead of violent ones.
Gibson also said the United States needed to start acting as peers in the international community instead of being a bully.
"We need to stop flaunting our power," Gibson said. "We need to use it responsibly."
While most drivers who passed around Monument Circle honked in support of the protesters, some detractors could also be heard.
"I've heard it for forty years," Ney said when a driver yelled out in favor of war. "There will be others who drive by with thumbs up, and that's why there's hope -- there's still a thumbs up."
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