By Eils Lotozo
Philadelphia Inquirer
Tuesday, June 1, 2004
Page One
...as U.S. involvement drags on in a hostile Iraq, the death toll rises, and American public opinion shifts, peace groups are finding new allies and using a range of tactics aimed at influencing policy.
"We weren't sure last spring when
Bush declared the war over what would happen to this movement, but it has not died away at all," said Leslie Cagan, national coordinator of United for Peace and Justice. Based in New York, the antiwar coalition has grown over the 14-month war from 200 groups to more than 800. In March, the coalition organized a day of protest, with rallies in 300 cities.
On June 26 and 27, that group and Win Without War, a coalition of 39 national organizations - including the National Council of Churches, MoveOn.org, and Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities - will lead demonstrations to pressure the President to set a firm date for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.
...
But ex-Marine Michael Hoffman, who was in the Iraq invasion force, isn't discouraged. Hoffman, of Morrisville, plans to keep up the "whirlwind" schedule of antiwar speaking engagements he's been on since his discharge a year ago. "I realized going into it the reasons given for the war weren't adding up," said Hoffman, 24. "And a lot of the guys felt as strongly as I did. But we had to put that aside because the main thing was to get home and help our friends get home."
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http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/magazine/daily/8807650.htm
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