We actually got over 600 signatures for the petition that we sent to the Chancellor, so the official estimate of the rally is in the range of 800-900 people in total.

As an organizer of the event today, I wanted to thank all the speakes, organizers, and most importantly those who came. The rally was incredible and the largest of any college campus in the country. This is the start of a nationwide movement that will stop the war on Iraq. I urge everyone to carry this momentum into direct action. Organize more protests, pressure your representatives, practice civil disobedience. This represents the a beginning of the reclamation of democracy!

HEY ORGANIZERS, YOU ROCKED TODAY! FOUR OF US FROM THE SGI-USA WERE THERE TODAY TO GIVE SUPPORT AND YOU HAD US IN TEARS
OF JOY TO SEE SO MUCH SUPPORT FOR NON-VIOLENCE. WE THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE. WE ARE A LAY ORG. OF BUDDHISTS WHO CHANT FOR WORLD PEACE EVERY DAY AND TAKE ACTION WHEN CALLED TO DO SO. WE ESTIMATE THERE ARE AROUND 6 STUDENTS PLUS OUR REGULAR GROUP OF 75 OR SO WHO ARE WILLING TO GIVE SUPPORT AS WELL. WE WILL CAR POOL UP TO THE CITY ON OCT 26. IF YOU WOULD LIKE, SOME OF US WILL COME UP AND CHANT AT YOUR PEACE CAMP AND BRING FOOD AND DRINK IF YOU LIKE. LET US KNOW. OUR YOUNG WOMENS DIVISON LEADER WAS THERE TODAY AND STAYED WITH YOU FOR THE WHOLE TIME. HER NAME IS KATE BLOCK. OUR CHAPTER LEADER WAS THERE AS WELL. HER NAME IS DEBBIE MOSER. YOU MIGHT BE CONTACTED BY BOTH. ONCE AGAIN THE DEMONSTRATION WAS AMAZING. KEEP MOVING FORWARD AND NEVER GIVE UP!!!
NANCY KECK

That was BADASS. MY only regret was that we didn't storm down to River Street and block Highway One. Oh well. Let's keep this up!!

Everyone involved in the organization, planning, coordination of events for this rally did a spectacular job! Thanks so much to everyone who attended and participated... it's the beginning of something huge! The speakers were great, the adrenaline flowed, and the reward was priceless.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX,
Corpy

Thank you to all who thoroughly and succesfully organized this rally and protest. I am a student and saw thousands of fliers two weeks before this event (way to go!!!).
Riding my bike towards Mchenry at 12pm I could faintly hear Bob Marley's beautiful and strong voice echoing amongst the redwood trees and it soothed me and at the same time my heart was starting to race. I was excited...because I knew something BIG was going to start. And was I surprised when I rounded the corner and saw people already blocking the street in front of the library.
Sitting on the concrete steps with strangers all around me listening and cheering on my family...yes among all these new faces I felt at home because for the first time people were coming together because there hearts brought them there... because their soul said...STOP! WE DONT WANT THIS WAR!
I must admit I know I don't want war...I don't stand for violence but I did not know the actual facts of why going to war is so illogical and contradictory to all what this government has been claiming...until today. And I thank all who stood up and gave us these words of information.
I am here for support...write me if needed.
om mani padme hung...keep peace within your heart!

I am so glad to have been a part of this rally. I honestly didn't expect it to be as big or powerful as it was. Seeing so many of my fellow students and community members, hearing them state the truth with strength and conviction, I was moved to tears several times. Now I know the spirit of hope is alive, because I have seen it. I look forward to working with you all to end this war before it starts.

Today was an excellent display of energy and emotion. There was a general sense of hope in the air, due in part to the (unexpectedly) large number of people who showed up at the demonstration. And as great of an accomplishment as it was to gather that crowd today, we must remind ourselves not to feel as though today's demonstration was any kind of pinnacle of our efforts to stop this death train. Rather, we must build upon today's events, feelings, words and chants. This was a fantastic stepping stone for our (human) community in the right direction, but we do have much work ahead of us. I know we're all busy people but NOW is the time to get involved! Start writing those letters, start organizing, show up at the peace vigil and show your support at the corner of Ocean st. and Water st. friday's at 5pm (?-verify), stop by the "peace camp" at McHenry, wear your message, shout your message, inform yourself, inform others, be creative. The sooner that masses of people get involved in this and demonstrate our opposition to this death campaign, the sooner we can start to make a real difference where it matters- in Washington. Keep the spirit of the struggle alive. peace and love to all my fellow humans. V

also, for those of you who didn't catch all of the Ani poem or who would like to read it (it's pretty rad), it is available at:
bumble.mushroom.net/anipoem.html

While it was wonderful to have so many people at the rally Monday, the House and Senate will be voting within days, perhaps hours, on the Bush Force Resolution. The only thing that can turn or delay that vote is massive demonstrations very quickly.
It seems to me vital that any future protests flow through and around the campus and then downtown to encourage others to come out.
Downtown after the McHenry library rally, Downtown For All did some tabling and got very strong and sympathetic support from most passersby, who took the "No War In Iraq" posters to put in their windows, cars, etc. Many people are alarmed, but don't know what to do.
Perhaps the thing to do is show up en masse at public meetings with Stop the War signs (such as City Council, Board of Supes) and at representatives's offices (Rep. Farr, Keeley, MacPherson), even though these folks oppose the Bush direction.
There may also be time after the Congressional resolutions are passed, but now seems to me to be a key time, while there is still some hope of stopping them.

Hey, this is a big number of people for a small town like Santa Cruz! I don't live there anymore, but I never saw a demostration with more than a hundred people when I did live there. Hey if war is declared you should all have a city wide protest in downtown by the clock! All over America we should meet in our town squares to let them know in no uncertain terms that "We, the people," oppose this war and only the president and congress support it. What do you say?

Peace Camp and Blockade to Protest the War Vote

450 Golden Gate Avenue
San Francisco
5:30 P.M. on the 10th and 7 A.M. the 11th

5:30 P.M. Assemble at Federal Building for Nightlong
VIGIL

Drums, dancing, People’s Assemblies, skills sharing,
direct action training, candles, rites of exorcism and
healing to bring Liberty back from the dead (and
whatever else we can think of or get away with…)

Friday morning: SHUT IT DOWN!
7 A.M. nonviolent civil disobedience at the Federal
Building.

The time to protest is NOW.
Most likely the House is voting this week to give
authority for a war of aggression that would kill
thousands of civilians, cost taxpayers billions, lose
the friendship of our allies and destabilize the
Middle East… Come protest the vote.
This war of aggression must be stopped.
The choice is in our hands.
The power is ours, if we take it.
Take Back Our Democracy!
For updates check: www.unitedforpeace.org

The coalition issuing this call includes
representatives from Global Exchange, Not in Our Name,
Berkeley StopTheWar coalition, Boycott the Gap, RANT
(Root Activist Network of Trainers), Kitchen Table
Affinity Group, and more.
THE CHOICE IS IN OUR HANDS. THE POWER IS OURS, IF WE
TAKE IT. TAKE BACK OUR DEMOCRACY!
Chris
Global Exchange
(415)255-7296, ext. 311

Great job the other day! We have to let the world know that we DO NOT want regime change in Iraq! We must support Iraq under this threat. What has Iraq ever done anyway? And the Iraqi people want Saddam so who are we to change their gov't? Come on! We need more debate and should place more faith in their leadership to do the right thing. Keep it up!

Bradley

I just wondered, was it 500 or 1000 people in attendance?

It seems that are a lot of smart guys in US.
Please, keep on fighting. These kind of attitudes makes the difference.
If "Adolf" Bush could only hear this people...

I am so sick of hearing the "Protest for Peace" kind of B.S. in Santa Cruz. It reminds me of those fake liberals who put free Tibet stickers on their car... GO TO CHINA AND DRIVE AROUND WITH THAT STICKER. You say protest, yet, the protest is about mobalizing against war? You kind of have to be mobalized against war before protesting. If you want to make a difference go blow up a recruiting station. Go destroy nukes, go do something other then whine in the safety of your hometown. I mean the Mayor spoke at this protest! This so called protest was a waste of time. I agree with civil disobediance. Like one person posted "MY only regret was that we didn't storm down to River Street and block Highway One." I would of went to this so called protest if it was called something other then a protest. If it was called a lecture or anything other then a protest. JUst because you are rallying in Santa Cruz does not mean you are protesting

I was an inspiraion to read about your anti-war action. I recently attended a monster demonstration in London. A staggering 400,000 people marched against war on iraq. I will be on a protest in Glasgow this weekend and on the 31st of this month, there will be a UK wide day of action. Sudents plan to occupy their universities so your action is an inspiration. Keep up the protest-it was rebellion a home and abroad that eventually made he US admi defeat in Vietnam.

May the Lord God of Yisrael (Israel), Yehudhah (Judah), and the Gentiles post the Angels of His Holy Son, Yehoshua (Jesus), the King, in your camp.

Fight the 'good' fight of the King of Peace and righteousness.

Sincerely,

Leslie Barnave

Peace protesters might levy economic pressure against the war simply by refusing to participate in the rampant oil economy. QUIT DRIVING; if you do drive, you are helping to FUEL this potential bloodbath in the Mideast. When you blame the oil companies and not take responsibility for your own actions as a gasoline consumer, you are simply a hypocrite. Pseudo-progressives seem to like to rant and rave about everyone else being at fault for this continuing saga, yet often fail at putting a plug in their own tailpipes. So much for conscientious objection...

It's great to hear there actually is anti-war support in America because we only get told about the US politicians all voting for and supporting a war that will kill thousands of innocent civilians. Here in Australia, pretty much no coverage is shown of anti-war protests and when it is, it's just tivialised by picturing "long colourful haired hippies" fighting the police. I think the media in both the US and Australia are trying to be too patriotic so that they can sell papers and get ratings.

I strongly back up the action the students and faculty did in order for them to be heard. I think it is really sad that an educated spirted left side of our country has to take drastic measures in order for reality to be heard. This propaganda filled media message of why we are going to war should be questioned by every single American... and when we ask questions, we discover reality. People need ot realize that the media is not always right (metaphorically, it is mostly "right"), but anyway the media is not always correct.
When we ask questions, we discover truth. How come people have lost that tendency to question? This is a democracy (at least, I would like to think so) are we are the people. We have the right and a privledge to ask questions. C'mon America, question authority even if it is the goverment, what makes their minds superior to ours? Way to go UCSC!

Hey... think what you all are doing is great! I'd love to get involved, could u keep me informed on what your doing? This war seems so pointless! i hope we can stop it!!!
Thanks, Mel

http://www.rodni.com/fark/wildpostbush.jpg
www.rodni.com/profiler/
www.rodni.com/flags
www.rodni.com/desktop/flaggag.jpg