Salem-News.com (Oct-05-2006 22:50)

Exclusive- Anti-War Demonstrators Rally and March in Salem (VIDEO)

Tim King Salem-News.com

"...to see what's happening in our country, the destruction of justice, illegal wars, illegal wiretapping, I think we're going downhill and we need to take America back." - Jackie Pierce, Anti-War Demonstrator

(SALEM) - Anti-War protestors rallied around the world today, and a peaceful demonstration was held in Oregon’s capitol city.

"What we're trying to do really is wake up America to what the Bush administration has been doing during it's entire life in control of the Congress and the Presidency." Sharon Scott was also an active protestor during the Vietnam War.

Another demonstrator named Jackie Pierce says it is possible to bring about great change when people come together, "I think that if we get out here and do some on the ground stuff, then yeah, I think we can take America back. I think there are enough of us out here that know it wrong and it has to change."

One of the demonstrators is promoting a Website established by an Army Lt. named Ehren Watada who on June 22nd, became the first commissioned officer to publicly refuse deployment to the Iraq War and occupation.

The Website called www.thankyoult.org, it is intended to give a base of support for active duty soldiers who don’t agree with the direction of the nation. Local Demonstrator Reed Elder says he wants active duty personnel to pay attention to Ehren Watada's Website, "He's looking for people like him. He's trying to get other service people to say the same thing. That what they've seen in Iraq or what they know about Iraq, really says something to them, it puts a seed in their conscience."

Salem’s anti-Bush and anti-war protest was totally peaceful, with crowd estimates between 75 and 100.

Lt. John Hoffmeister with Salem Police says everyone involved was cooperative and that is generally how things go in Salem. "We've never had anything more than small problems and we pay attention to them and let those folks know what they're doing that is incorrect and they will correct whatever those issues are and we've always had peaceful completely law abiding protests and that's why we're here today."

"We're here to ensure their right to protest peacefully and lawfully as well as ensure everyone else's right to continue their normal other business that they would be doing as they're driving down the streets, walking down the streets, conducting business downtown."

As the march got underway, protestors headed west from the Oregon capitol on Court Street, making their way along the downtown sidewalks. Eventually they made their way past Salem's Convention Center and on to Peace Plaza at city hall.

Jackie Pierce says we are raised to tell the truth, yet she feels her own country is responsible for a series of lies, "It's very important for me to come up today, to see what's happening in our country, the destruction of justice, illegal wars, illegal wiretapping, I think we're going downhill and we need to take America back."

The protestors say more people should join them, they say people are complacent and need to stand up and make their voices heard, and everyone should do that, regardless of their political opinions.