Cd'A woman spearheads peace rally Gathering begins 1 p.m. Saturday at Independence Point

Posted: Thursday, Jan 25, 2007 - 11:49:19 pm PST
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By DAVE TURNER
Staff writer 

COEUR d'ALENE -- A Coeur d'Alene woman spearheading a Saturday peace rally at Independence Point said bringing U.S. troops home from Iraq is long overdue.

Jean Brooks said since the U.S. has already set up a democratic government in that war-torn nation, "it's time to get out.

"We've done it," said Brooks. "Now, it's time to let them do it. We can give them money, a lot of military equipment to do it, but we can let them do it because it's time."

"If not now, when?" she said.

To drive home her point, she has organized a rally, beginning at 1 p.m. After a short rally, protesters will parade east along Sherman Avenue to Seventh Street.

Brooks, 58, said there are contingency plans suggested for breaking America's involvement in the war.

"There's a bipartisan plan for how we can get out and not leave the people hanging," she said. "The Center for American Progress has an excellent plan."

In a nutshell, the center's plan calls for promoting diplomacy and opposing military escalation, ignoring advice from "those responsible for the Iraq quagmire and exercising the proper Constitutional role of Congress in guiding Iraq policy.

Brooks said she decided to hold the rally after getting positive responses to a query she made after the first of the year.

She said she has participated other peace rallies in the past, including a pre-war march with the Milwaukee, Wis., Peace Action Society.

"This war is not about al-Qaida," she said.

Saturday's Coeur d'Alene rally is being held the same day as the National Peace Rally in Washington, D.C.

"I'd really like to be part of it," she said. "I was at the one in 2001 before the war, and I know how huge that is."

She said her rally is not in conjunction with the national rally.

"I'm just imitating it," she said.

Brooks said when she found out it would cost $800 for insurance to cover the rally, she almost decided to drop plans for it. But she said she joined with the Kootenai County Democrats, which footed the bill.

She said she expects about 100 people to attend the rally, even though she said she would like to see 1,000.

"The Democratic Party will have a very good showing," she said. She also expects grassroots supporters from here and Spokane, as well as a contingent of North Idaho College students.

"They are making posters (tonight)," she said.

She said she didn't expect any speakers to show up.

"I would have to use the bandshell if we had speakers, and electricity for microphones," she said. "I wanted the view more than I wanted speakers."

She said she also considered asking local community leaders to attend, but "I don't want people to come and have them say, 'well, gotta support the president.' That would be awful. I'd have to kick them off the stage."

Brooks said she wasn't doing this just to get the media's attention.

"I'm trying to get the peoples' attention, to show that there are people who care about what's going on here," she said. "I'd like to see a lot of people here so they know that this war's gone on too long."

Brooks said she really doesn't call herself a peace activist.

"I'm just someone who cares about peace," she said.

Dave Turner can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2009 or at dturner@cdapress.com.