Students trek cross-country in support of nonviolence
Monday, June 25, 2007
Two teenagers, traveling by foot across the country in opposition of global violence, arrived in Craig on Saturday afternoon, bringing with them a message of peace.
Michael Israel, 18, of Jackson, Calif., and Ashley Casale, 19, of Connecticut, began the approximately 3,000-mile "March for Peace" journey May 21 in San Francisco. The trip is scheduled to conclude Sept. 11 in Washington, D.C.
The two student marchers are both pacifists, they said, and are making the journey in protest to the war in Iraq specifically, and to all war efforts globally in general.
Other people around the country have joined the students for stints during the march, sharing Israel and Casale's vision for a nonviolent global community.
"I think everyone has their own reasons," said Israel, a recent high school graduate. "For me, it's the Iraq war. We can't just let our military sit in Iraq and be shot at every day. We need a new plan."
"It's a message we can get across. : The U.S. government could do so much more if it wasn't concentrated on an unjust war in Iraq," Casale said, citing the need for increased American involvement in Darfur and other countries where crimes against humanity are occurring.
Casale attends Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn.
More broad themes of the march include the impeachment of President George W. Bush, civil disobedience to social injustices and the end of nuclear weapon holding and proliferation.
"Peace marchers do not simply advocate for the control of nuclear weaponry, but we demand the end of nuclear weaponry," according to the "March of Peace" Web site, www.marchforpeace.info. "We do not stand for the 'responsible' holding of nuclear weapons by certain powerful countries, but for the universal surrender of arms."
After a brief rest Saturday, the two students picked up and left Craig later the same afternoon. They stopped Sunday outside Hayden, and are scheduled to resume their trip toward Steamboat Springs today.
With about 1,000 miles of American soil behind them, the "March for Peace" is roughly one-third completed. The halfway point comes July 14 at Levi Carter Park in Omaha, Neb., where Israel and Casale will join a music festival and peace rally sponsored by the Nebraskans for Peace organization.
Casale said the price she and Israel are paying - months of long walks and hot temperatures hundreds of miles from home - is worth the reward of raising awareness to critical domestic and foreign issues.
"We've already come this far, so it's not too daunting anymore," she said. "We're in it for the long haul."
Comments
Jason Miller 5 years, 10 months ago
It must be nice to have that much time on your hands.
Watcher 5 years, 10 months ago
Why don't they go walk in Syria or Iran. Just to keep it equal and let the Muslims be peaceful too!
Ledbetter 5 years, 10 months ago
I agree that they have unreasonably idealistic goals but..."All progress depends on the unreasonable man. The reasonable man adapts himself to the world. The unreasonable man persists in trying to adapt the world to himself." - George Bernard Shaw, Irish playwright & socialist. Accurate statement whether your goals are laid out in the Project for a New American Century or in some opposing doctrine.
dundalk 5 years, 10 months ago
While I support the United States efforts in Iraq, I commend these youth who go far beyond the cliche limitations ans produce a meritorious effort to bring attention to their cause.
JazzSlave 5 years, 10 months ago
dundalk:
We'll have to agree to disagree. Wannabe hippie peacniks hiking/hunger-striking/sit-in/protesting for kumbaya are the ULTIMATE cliche.
corduroy 5 years, 10 months ago
since when did non-violent protest become a bad thing? I applaud their efforts. Even if their message reaches only a few people, at least they are out there saying what they believe in. Everyone I see on these forums (not excluding myself even) just like to whine and bitch, do you actually contact your senators and representatives to bring about change?
auntie 5 years, 10 months ago
As an aunt of one of the marchers named in the article I can tell you first hand, these kids worked and saved money for this journey. The only assistance they have asked from anyone is information about the availability of food, water and a safe place to camp for the night. They walked Hwy 50 from Nevada to Utah, and it deserves it's name "Loneliest Hwy in America". The purpose of this march is to draw attention to the cause, and maybe encourage others to become more active in a variety of way with the anti-war movement.
BillyBob27 5 years, 10 months ago
"The first meeting I had with Michael I asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up, and he said he wanted to be the leader of the free world," Coleman said. "And I asked him if he had a plan."
Coleman said Israel told her he'd start with Cuba, which has an ailing dictator, is close, and easy to invade.
This kid is a sick person in need of serious help!!!! How could YOU support this kind of belief in violence to achieve peace? - This is working right now in Iraq, right?
JQPUBLIC 5 years, 10 months ago
"social injustices".... is this the part WHERE we are expected to take from the rich (workers) and give to the poor (affordable housing), WHERE killing a gay gets you life and killing a white man gets you 20 years because "hating" the gay is more horrific than whatever reason you used for killing the white guy, WHERE the government should tax us to death so they can mis-administer more programs to make sure the have nots get as much as the haves? Yeah...let's march.
"we demand the end of nuclear weaponry"... I agree with watcher.... why don't you go march through Syria and Iran spouting your peace demands, should you make it through there, head for Russia or China and "demand the end of nuclear weaponry" because I am really interested in how well you and your demands will be received.
It's rather ironic that you are making these demands in the only country that will protect you and your right to demand anything. Peace brother, flower power, make love...not war.... and pass the joint.... yeah, let's march!
Ledbetter 5 years, 10 months ago
Leader of the free world...invade Cuba...what a hoot! But I guess some folks have no sense of humor and can't see it in others. Besides, everybody knows Castro made a deal with the devil, exchanging his everlasting soul and several boxes of cigars for immortality.
I don't see eye to eye with JQ on everything, but...our ability to exercise first amendment rights may be as rare as you say. It may also be at risk here at home. Use it or lose it.
Requires free registration
Posting comments requires a free account and verification.
Or login with:
OpenID