Why Did You Decide to Participate in the

Why Did You Decide to Participate in the D. C. Peace Rally Last February (2007)? “I was heavily involved with peace club and the peace movement, I thought going to Washington DC would be a great way to protest the war and the current administration…I also went because I needed to get out of Hopkinton [NH], and do something important. ” ~Colin Wilkey (Age 16) “I took the trip to be part of the crowd that understands that speaking out against policies and positions our leadership has adopted is what democracy is all about. ” ~Carl Hedberg (Age 51)

“Peace is really important to me and it breaks my heart to hear of upsetting things that go on throughout the world… I want so badly to be able to do something major and change the world for the better, and when I participate in huge marches like the one in DC, I feel like I'm actually doing something and part of something larger than what I can do on my own. ” ~Emily Hough-Kovacs (Age 17) “They [my girls] encouraged me to take time out from my busy day to attend. . . I have been disgusted with the Bush administration and the untruths that they promoted that got us into this war. I figured that every person there would count. “ ~Heston Scheffey (Age 48)

“I decided to go on the trip to DC because I had really done nothing active to support my views on the war. I was never even an active member of peace club until then either. ” ~Becca Dubreuil (Age 19) “I decided to go on the trip to DC because I felt like it was important that I actually DO something if I didn't support the war in Iraq. In my opinion, a big problem with peace activists is that there’s more talk than action; I kind of wanted to back up my reasons for wanting the war in Iraq to end, so I went to DC. ” ~Jessie Jewell (Age 19)

What Was Your Experience Like at the Rally? “It was heartening to see and hear all the multitudes putting out such positive energy about such an awful occurrence… This administration is so determined to "stay the course" that these protests get swept under the rug. I would like to think that energy, that positive energy, is out there and gathering its momentum. ” ~Heston Scheffey (Age 48) The best part was the feeling of being part of a movement that was not shy about demanding a radical change in our policies towards other countries. The downside was the realization that although the crowd numbered in the tens of thousands, it was ultimately too small to push Washington towards any sort of change in the near term. ~ Carl Hedberg (Age 51)

“One of the most incredible parts was at one point I stepped out of the crowd during the march and saw all the people walking by and it was like a very slowmoving stampede. It was incredible… Some cons were that with such a huge group it's difficult to understand what is going on all the time and there are of course always people who aren't there for the same reasons as you, and there a lot of distractions so it's hard to keep in mind the real reason you are there. ” ~Emily Hough-Kovacs (Age 17) “I made new friends and had one of the greatest times of my life… I had never seen that many people before, much less that many people sharing a common cause… It was definitely one of those things that words cannot describe, you had to be there to feel everyone’s energy. ” ~Colin Wilkey (Age 16)

“I really loved the experience. Seeing the huge crowd of people that were genuinely interested in ending the war was uplifting for me. The only con that I can say I experienced was the fact that I got no sleep on the bus; although it wasn't the most comfortable ride down to DC, it was definitely worth it. it's an experience I wont forget. ” ~ Jessie Jewell (Age 19) “I truly had a great experience in DC, and if the opportunity came again, I would do my best to take advantage of it. I also feel as though my presence was effective… the more people who attended, the better!” ~ Becca Dubreuil (Age 19)

What Peace Activism Have You Participated in Since the D. C. Rally? “As far as activism goes I have not been as involved as I was in years past. I did the Gimme Shelter [an event for homeless awareness] and I have been to a few protests but nothing more. Over the summer I worked at the NH peace action booth during market days and I do try and attend peace club whenever I can. ” ~Colin Wilkey (Age 16) “Nothing with regard to peace activism, but I have since become a board member of the New Hampshire Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy (NHCommon. Sense. org)… This may seem like an unrelated path, but in fact it is still an effort to achieve a measure of sensibility and progressive thinking from misguided and/or misinformed politicians that perpetuate bad policy. ~Carl Hedberg (Age 51)

“Since then I haven't really done many major things, especially things relating specifically to Iraq… I plan on attending Get on the Bus which is an annual peace-oriented rally and march in New York City hosted by Amnesty International. It focuses on four or five different human rights or peace issues going on in the world each year, and gives updates to previous year's actions. ” ~ Emily Hough-Kovacs (Age 17) “Not too much other that trying to keep abreast of the political situation, exercising my right to vote, and talking to others about how they are voting. And I am continuing to hope that we, as human beings, can continue to grow towards a more just, thoughtful and compassionate species. ” ~Heston Scheffey (Age 48)

“Unfortunately, I honestly have not been very active in the peace department. However, since attending the march I became more involved with politics and our society overall. I found that I was actually really excited to vote and became somewhat involved in the candidates. Since I voted democrat. . maybe that counts as peace activism? Ha. ” ~ Becca Dubreuil (Age 19) “Honestly, I haven’t done a whole lot as far as peace activism is concerned since the trip to DC. I’m embarrassed to use this as an excuse, but I have been really busy and finding time to do extra activities like the one in DC is hard to manage. I realize there are smaller things that could be done, but I haven’t had the chance to do any of them yet. I’m hoping to change that in the future though!” ~ Jessie Jewell (Age 19)