Small Turnout for Fayetteville War Protest

Saturday, March 18, 2006

(03/18/06 -- FAYETTEVILLE) -- Marchers chanted anti-war slogans and carried "Get Out of Iraq" signs Saturday in the city next door to the Army's Fort Bragg installation, but even the most ardent protester was disappointed by the small turnout.

No more than 1,000 people came to a rally at a city park this year on the anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Last year, more than 4,000 jammed the same space, said Police Chief T.D. McCarthy.

"This is pitiful," Raleigh lawyer Brian Upchurch said as he waited at a staging point with about 300 people before the march. By the time protesters got moving, several hundred more had joined the route under the eye of local police.

"Part of it is lack of media attention. If you're not in the peace and justice community, you're not going to know about it. That, plus typical American apathy -- many want to be home cutting their lawns," he said.

Upchurch, his wife, two daughters and two Yorkshire terriers joined the march. Kim Upchurch said she was marching to show displeasure with the Bush administration's handling of the war.

"I'm here to support the troops and bring them home," she said.

Claudia Swartz, a Fayetteville musician, said she was protesting because she believed the war wasn't necessary with Iraq.

"We invaded a country that had nothing to do with 9-11," she said as she straightened items in her harmonica case. "If they really wanted to wage a war against terrorism, they should spend more time trying to catch Osama bin Laden. That was justified."

But counter-protesters said the anti-war marchers weren't focusing on the right target. Members of a demonstration organized by the Rolling Thunder veterans organization said troops shouldn't feel like no one supports them.

"I want to support our troops and their mission," said Rob Laualler, a member of the group. "None of us likes war. I don't think they understand that we're at war and it's a world war. The Islamic extremists don't want to fight us, they want us all dead."

Army wife Jennifer Battaglia came to the protest with her 2-year-old son to show support for her husband, an airborne engineer now in Afghanistan.

Battaglia said she supported President Bush because she believes he has a plan to fight terrorists wherever they are found.

"As far as the Democrats and the left are concerned, they have no plan," she said. "They want to run. If we do that, the terrorists will bring the war over here."

Former paratrooper Blake Callens addressed the crowd about his experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan as a member of in the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division.

The 28-year-old former sergeant, now a guitar instructor, said troops were allowed to help people in Afghanistan. But the attitude toward civilians is more hostile in Iraq, and civilians there have similar feelings in return toward the U.S. military, he said.

"We are dooming ourselves to rapidly losing an already unwinnable war," he said.

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