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BRING THE TROOPS HOME

Hundreds of people rallied at the federal building on March 17 to call on the government to "Bring the Troops Home!" on the fourth anniversary of the Iraq war.

Speakers who addressed the gathering included Terry Ricketts, who was wounded when his Nebraska National Guard unit was ambushed by Iraqi insurgents in 2005. "You can support the troops without supporting the war," he told the cheering crowd. "It's breeding a never-ending cycle of violence. We need to start a never-ending cycle of peace."  Omaha World-Herald report of ambush

Rev. Dr. Rebecca Brown, pastor of East Lincoln Christian Church, mourned the high human toll the conflict has taken on all sides, Iraqi and American. "As we commemorate the fourth anniversary of this war, as we remember with deepest sorrow all who have lost their lives in this un-just on-going war, may God forgive us for believing in weaponry and the ways of war more than we believe in unleashing the power of love to change the world."

"We need to bring our troops home now and take care of them when they get here," said Susan Emanuel, the mother of a Nebraska National Guardsman who returned last fall after serving for a year in Iraq.

Emanuel said that this issue transcended party lines. "Our own Senator Hagel, a Republican, says it is wrong to put American troops in the middle of a tribal sectarian civil war for which there is no U.S. military solution. Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, a Democrat, says that Congress should vote to stop the war not in 2008 or 2009, but now. A delay in congressional action will guarantee more American soldiers will die."

Echoing the words of the late columnist Molly Ivins, Emanuel said, "We need people in the streets, banging pots and pans and demanding, 'Stop it, now!'" Responding to her call participants marched through downtown Lincoln with pots and pans, clanging cowbells and beating drums chanting, "Money for health care, not for war," and, "How many more must die? Bring the troops home now!"

At a closing rally after the march Rev. Michelle Reed from the newly-formed Lincoln Clergy Peacemakers group invited people of all faiths to join Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Unitarian clergy in an Interfaith Service of Remembrance and Reflection on the fourth anniversary of the Iraq War. The service will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 20 at First Presbyterian Church, 840 S. 17th St. in Lincoln.

Reed said that a member of her Southminster United Methodist congregation will share personal reflections on her loss due to the conflict at the Interfaith Service. Kristen Swisher's husband, Staff Sergeant Christopher W. Swisher, was killed on October 9, 2003.

The gathering took a moment to recognize Becky Henderson, who attended the rally in commemoration of her son Marine Cpl. Matthew Henderson who was killed in action in Iraq in 2004.

The youthful event was co-emceed by peace organizer Jill Francke and Jake Hoy-Elswick, a student leader at Nebraska Wesleyan University. Other speakers included Alex Stamm, University of Nebraska-Lincoln chapter of Nebraskans for Peace; Jessica Lane, East High School student leader; Carol Flora, community activist; Cathy Lohmeier, poet; Patrick Jones, University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor; and Melissa Illian, peace activist.

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