Group protests Bush’s stance on Iraq

Young Chang

Chuck Anderson tied a body bag around a lamppost Saturday

afternoon as part of a protest against the United States going to war

with Iraq.

He and about 35 others making up the No War on Iraq Sponsoring

Committee occupied all four corners at the intersection of Bristol

Street and Anton Boulevard in front of South Coast Plaza. The group

carried signs that read “Honk For Peace,” “War is also Terrorism,”

“Stop Bush,” “Thou Shalt Not Kill,” “Don’t Invade Iraq” and other

slogans protesting President George Bush’s proposal to attack Iraq

preemptively if it refuses to comply with weapons inspection demands.

A few passersby honked their car horns in solidarity with those

standing outside in the heat.

The committee of protesters gathered on a Saturday for the first

time this weekend. The group normally protests on Fridays and have

been gathering at the same intersection for 52 weeks. Their first

protest was against bombing Afghanistan last year.

“What we’re protesting [now] is the intended attack against Iraq,”

Anderson said. “There is no reason to go to war against Iraq other

than to steal their oil.”

Paul Kelly, a retired aerospace engineer from Costa Mesa, said he

has shared his anti-war stance in the form of letters and phone calls

to his representatives and senators.

“If the U.S. goes in unilaterally, it is a war of aggression,”

Kelley said.

Joyce Georgieff’s poster advocating peace instead of war included

a photo of her grandchildren.

“I think that foreign policy needs to be based on justice,” she

said.