Activists air message of peace.Byline: JACK MORAN The Register-Guard America wouldn't be on the brink of war with Iraq if President Bush hadn't employed an overt strategy to "demonize de·mon·ize tr.v. de·mon·ized, de·mon·iz·ing, de·mon·iz·es 1. To turn into or as if into a demon. 2. To possess by or as if by a demon. 3. " Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein (born April 28, 1937, Tikrit, Iraq—died Dec. 30, 2006, Baghdad) President of Iraq (1979–2003). He joined the Ba'th Party in 1957. Following participation in a failed attempt to assassinate Iraqi Pres. as evil incarnate in·car·nate adj. 1. a. Invested with bodily nature and form: an incarnate spirit. b. Embodied in human form; personified: a villain who is evil incarnate. , a peace activist A peace activist is a political activist who strives for peace, and against war. Peace activists are part of the peace movement. The role played by peace activists in preventing wars have been questioned in a paper published by Dr. from Seattle said Monday night in Eugene. "This has never been about weapons of mass destruction Weapons that are capable of a high order of destruction and/or of being used in such a manner as to destroy large numbers of people. Weapons of mass destruction can be high explosives or nuclear, biological, chemical, and radiological weapons, but exclude the means of transporting or ," Bert Sacks told a crowd of about 100 who gathered inside Columbia Hall on the University of Oregon campus The University of Oregon campus in Eugene, Oregon has around 80 buildings and facilities, including athletics sites such as Hayward Field, which is the site for the 2008 Olympic Track and Field Trials, and McArthur Court, and off-campus sites such as nearby Autzen Stadium and the . "It has always been about a regime change, and about putting our soldiers in Iraq so we can get control of the oil.' Sacks, a retired electrical engineer and representative of the peace group Voices in the Wilderness, offered his comments at a Peace, Justice and Civil Liberties Conference sponsored by a coalition of social justice groups. Peace educator Leah Wells also addressed the crowd Monday. In addition to issues of war and civil liberties, the weeklong conference will focus on militarism Militarism See also Soldiering. Adrastus leader of the Seven against Thebes. [Gk. Myth.: Iliad] Siegfried killed many enemies; led many troops to victory. [Ger. Lit. Nibelungenlied] and mainstream media bias. The event kicked off Monday afternoon when a crowd gathered at the Federal Building in downtown Eugene to take part in a peace vigil. Monday night, both Sacks and Wells talked of thousands of Iraqi children who they say have died since the Persian Gulf War Persian Gulf War or Gulf War (1990–91) International conflict triggered by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. Though justified by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein on grounds that Kuwait was historically part of Iraq, the invasion was presumed to be because of punishing economic sanctions Economic sanctions are economic penalties applied by one country (or group of countries) on another for a variety of reasons. Economic sanctions include, but are not limited to, tariffs, trade barriers, import duties, and import or export quotas. imposed by the United States. Sacks said the United Nations' "oil-for-food program" instituted after the war has left individual Iraqis with about $100 per year to live on. The hardship faced by Iraqis is a direct goal of U.S. policy, Sacks charged. "By making life uncomfortable for the Iraqi people, we hoped to encourage (them) to remove Saddam Hussein from power," he said. Wells, who's traveled to Iraq several times in recent years, said Iraqis do not dislike Americans, despite the decline in living conditions since economic sanctions were imposed. "It's so commonplace (in Iraq) to hear the air raid sirens and see the planes fly overhead," said Wells, a peace education coordinator for the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation is a non-profit international organization on the roster in consultative status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The organization is founded for and noted for its opposition to nuclear arms. . "Still, its amazing to see that every time we go there, we are treated with such beautiful acceptance and gratitude." She said it's time for the American public to wake up and realize that the gulf war never really ended - at least not for the citizens of Iraq. "I keep hearing that we have a chance to stop the war, but then I keep having to remind myself that the war in Iraq has been going on for 12 years," Wells said. Sacks said those who oppose war with Iraq need to find the strength of their convictions: "Being a warrior for peace requires as much courage ... as being a soldier with an M-15," he said. PEACE, JUSTICE AND CIVIL LIBERTIES SINCE 9-11 Evening speeches are at 7 p.m. in Room 150, Columbia Hall; workshops are at various locations in the Erb Memorial Union. Today - Ryan Amundson, relative of Sept. 11 victim and member of Peaceful Tomorrows, and Kevin Danaher, founder of Global Exchange Wednesday - Barbara Lubin, Middle East Children's Alliance, and Rania Masri of the Arab Women's Solidarity Association Thursday - Kevin Gray, civil libertarian and editor of Black News Friday - Amy Goodman, journalist and producer of "Democracy Now" Saturday - Panel discussion on conference themes Sunday - World Cafe Workshops and other events - For a complete schedule, visit the conference Web site at www.efn.org/~eugpeace/iraq/ or call 343-8548 CAPTION(S): Marley Blue, 10, (left) and his sister Jalen Rose, 8, attend Monday's Veterans Day peace rally at the Federal Building in Eugene. |
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