More protest news

Saturday March 08, 2003 22:23

by Bernard

Rallies is US

Two rallies, two viewpoints. More than 1,000 people gathered at Pittsburgh's Point State Park on Saturday to support American soldiers and the impending war with Iraq. Across the state, about 200 women marched in an anti-war protest in Philadelphia.

Robert Bootay, 53, of Pittsburgh, rallied in that city to support his son, Spec. Glen Bootay, who's in Kuwait with the Army's 3rd Infantry Division.

"They're a little disheartened with some of the (anti (war)- reaction they're seeing though the media - but they're ready," Bootay said.

The Pittsburgh rally was publicized through handbills and The Cycle Source Magazine, a Tarentum-based publication that caters to about 20,000 motorcyclists nationwide. That produced a flag-waving, anthem-singing, red-white-and-blue - and black leather-clad - crowd from as far away as North Carolina on a bright, sunny day.

"This isn't pro-war, this isn't anti-war," said Amy Miller, a magazine employee. "It's just 100 percent support for the troops."

The crowd had other ideas.

One man invited people to wipe their muddy feet on a French flag to signify disgust with France and other nations that oppose war. A sign reading, "Give Peace a Chance: Get Saddam out of Iraq," was typical.

Veterans or servicemen and their families offered off-the-cuff remarks at an open microphone during the 90-minute rally.

Vietnam veteran Russell Armstrong addressed his son, Trevor, a specialist with the 307th Military Police unit out of New Kensington. "Son, I love you. Come home," Armstrong said, adding he supports the war with Iraq.

Another Vietnam veteran, Scott Clemens, a retired Navy man, offered the rally's only dissent . After saying that Americans need to support their troops because the Bush administration does not, he was booed off the stage and confronted for a few tense moments by other veterans.

Police estimated the crowd at 1,500, although organizers said they had attracted 2,500.

In Philadelphia, protesters at City Hall beat drums, read poetry and made speeches in a rally organized in conjunction with protests in many countries coinciding with International Women's Day.

"Our country is bankrupting itself in order to control the rest of the world when people aren't being taken care of here," said Mary Jo McArthur, a 52-year-old Philadelphia therapist in the crowd.

"You've seen what happened when America went into Afghanistan. It is not OK for that to happen in Iraq," said one speaker, Pam Ladds, 53, of Flourtown, a native of Yorkshire, England.

Source :

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/local/5348398.htm