The War Stops Here

By Linda Stout
Journal Staff

WATERTOWN — Since New York Marches for Peace — a group marching in protest of the Iraq war and for better treatment of veterans of Iraq — left Ithaca last week, they’ve walked up Route 11 through a series of small Central New York towns and villages, joining up with marchers from Rochester and Utica, getting understanding and a few boos along the way.

Several miles outside of Watertown, where the march ends near Fort Drum, Bob Nape of Ithaca said on Friday that the response was increasingly welcoming.

“People are coming out of their houses, offering their bathrooms. We’ve been all over the news up here. It’s been positive. There’s been nothing negative. I haven’t had the middle digit thrown at me today,” he said.

Ellen Grady of Ithaca said, “I think the biggest thing is how many people along this route have family or have been in the military themselves and have been in Iraq. We say we are here to support the soldiers, their rights to get the services when they come home.”

Grady has walked the entire route.

The 10-day peace march is scheduled to end at the Fort Drum Spring Festival from 1-7 p.m. today — Armed Forces Day — at Black Water River Park and Campgrounds, 1605 Huntington St. in Watertown.

Walkers Michael Blake and Nathan Lewis, veterans of Iraq tours, said they grew to oppose American involvement in Iraq. Lewis, 25, now a history student at SUNY Potsdam, went into the Army right out of high school in Barker, Niagara County, and entered boot camp the week of Sept. 11, 2001.

“All these little towns we’re going through are similar towns to what I grew up in, very patriotic; they really respect your service in communities like this. I’ve seen a lot of people really showing support and really liking what we’re doing (marching against the war),” he said.

He believes many people’s opinions have changed, just as his has.

“It seems like the general opinion is against the war, like people are sick of it. … Back home, too, a lot of people who originally supported it have turned against it,” he said.

Elizabeth Salon of Ithaca intended to walk for two days but has been so inspired that she arranged to keep walking.

“I spoke with a shopkeeper opposed to withdrawal from Iraq, and her son is there, so we had a long discussion of our imperialism. I just saw her eyes widen and lighten up. She was very kind to allow us in her store and use her bathroom. She became closer to our mission,” she said.

Nine out of 10 honk positively or join the group, Ellen Grady said.

Some people, like Travis Terry, 21, have just joined in. He was in Brewerton having lunch at the Waterfront, debating and depressed about politics and the state of the world and learned of the march. He dropped everything and went.

Terry said, “It’s good to walk through some of these communities and show the people there’s a group of people who care about the world, about the global community and peace.”

Several marchers said they were pleased that a New York Times story highlighted the march Thursday, and the Fort Commander of the 10th Mountain Division Major General Michael Oates welcomed the group to Watertown and the Army post in a television newscast and said soldiers could attend Saturday’s festival as long as they were not in uniform. Marchers would be permitted on the post as well, he said.

Nape, who has walked from Ithaca, said of the commander’s welcome, “That is an olive branch. And it shows that he understands our mission is not to be divisive and polarizing, that we are trying to be inclusive.”

The march involves numerous groups from throughout the state, including Iraq Veterans Against the War, Military Families Speak Out of New York City and New York Direct Action for Peace, a coalition of groups. Among the local groups are Tompkins County Marches for Peace, Cornell University Chapter of the Campus Anti-war Network, Ithaca Catholic Worker, Students United for a Just Peace of Ithaca College, Justice and Peace Ministry of Catholic Charities of Tompkins/Tioga and The Ithaca Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Council.

From the Ithaca Journal