Thousands gather on Common to protest war

An estimated 15,000 protesters gathered yesterday afternoon at Boston Common to rally and march against war in Iraq.

After speeches from Green Party gubernatorial candidate Jill Stein, actor Tim Robbins and author Howard Zinn, among others, the crowd washed onto Tremont Street and into the city. Police blocked traffic as the chanting protesters carried their signs and their message through South Boston, down Dartmouth Street and into downtown Boston via Boylston Street before they returned to the Common.

Organizers announced the procession was a mile and a half long and at one point stretched from Copley Square back to the Common. Police confirmed organizers’ estimate of 15,000 protesters and reported the protest was very orderly, with no arrests or incidents.

Before the march, the rally featured a diverse group of speakers with a unified message.

Brian Corr, the master of ceremonies, opened with a statement of purpose.

‘We are here to remind America of facts many they already know that have been battered in the subconscious by the war machine and the mainstream media,’ Corr said.

Zinn, author of ‘The People’s History of the United States’ and professor emeritus at Boston University, told protesters real change in Iraq had to come from within, not through U.S. intervention.

‘War breeds terrorism. War is terrorism,’ Zinn said. ‘If our government really wants democracy [in Iraq], they’ll lift sanctions.’

Zinn also pointed out the money the United States spends on war could be better spent on domestic programs, calling the spending of funds needed for health care and housing programs on the military ‘a crime.’

Stein echoed Zinn’s disdain for superfluous military spending.

‘We spend more than the next 11 military spenders combined and it creates enemies,’ she said.

Stein also encouraged voters to support third-party candidates. She said since the Massachusetts legislature, composed of nearly 85 percent Democrats, is ‘veto-proof and governor-proof,’ voters should feel free to vote for her instead of Shannon O’Brien, even if the result is a win for Mitt Romney.

‘There is nothing to lose by voting your conscience and voting for peace,’ she said, also throwing her support behind write-in senatorial candidate Randall Forsberg, who also spoke at the event. Forsberg’s campaign began after incumbent Democrat John Kerry came out in support of war in Iraq.

Bishop Thomas Shaw of Boston’s Episcopal diocese pointed out many religious organizations condemn the Bush administration’s push to declare war on Iraq.

‘Our president has so often used the religious community to further his own political ambition,’ he said. ‘I will not let him use the religious community to justify this war.’

Robbins, a surprise addition to the program, said the Bush administration is using war in Iraq to distract voters from the economy. He cited the involvement of many members of the Bush administration to the oil business.

‘Our resistance to this war should be about our resistance to profit over human life,’ Robbins said.

The 15,000-person crowd was as diverse as it was numerous. Students mingled freely with older professionals, families and veterans, all unified by a desire to voice their opposition.

Becky and Brian Barron brought their two children to the rally saying they wanted to protest the Bush administration as well as the war.

‘This country is being run by a cabal,’ he said.

Sharon Tramer, a research assistant at McLean Hospital, said she was happy with the turnout, but thought there were even more supporters who were absent from the protest.

‘For every person here, another 20 feel the same way,’ she said.

The protest was sponsored by United for Justice with Peace, a coalition of 27 organizations that includes the American Friends’ Service Committee, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, and the National Lawyers’ Guild.

The coalition holds a rally every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at Copley Square.