Protests against president are peaceful

Analysis:

What do you think the Press means by “Peaceful protests?” and why is that the language used for the headline and not why people were protesting? This article is based upon comments from people who either participated in or witnessed the protests organized on April 20 in respond to Bush speaking in East Grand Rapids. There is mention that two separate demonstrations were organized, but no mention of the groups involved or comments from those that organized the protests, even though one of the groups ACTIVATE was handing out flyers with reasons why they were against the war. The only sources cited are 2 women who came to the East GR protest, but neither of those comments give reasons for being opposed to the war in Iraq. Two other women are cited in the story, both of whom commented on the list of dead Iraqis that were on signs at the protest in downtown Grand Rapids. The only real reference to the East Grand Rapids protest had to do with which streets people gathered at and this sentence “Gaslight Village took on a carnival atmosphere as protesters drummed out anti-war chants and slogans.” What does the Press mean by “carnival atmosphere?”

Story:

AnneMarie Bessette didn’t come to shop when she took her 15-year-old daughter, Coralie, to Gaslight Village.

Mother and daughter were there to join nearly 1,000 protesters who roamed the business district Friday, waving signs and shouting anti-war chants while President Bush delivered a speech half a block away at East Grand Rapids High School.

“I’m trying to educate my children and help them understand international affairs,” Bessette said. “I’m trying to help them understand what’s happening in our country, and especially the war in Iraq.”

It was one of two separate protests held during Bush’s brief visit to the Grand Rapids area. A smaller group of about 60 voiced their opposition to Bush and the war in Iraq at South Division Avenue and Fulton Street.

Prior to Bush’s arrival at the high school, most of the protesters lined the east side of Lakeside Drive SE in the belief the president’s motorcade would pass them. When the motorcade arrived from the other direction at 1 p.m., they streamed west along Wealthy Street SE and posted themselves at the intersection of Bagley Avenue SE.

Gaslight Village took on a carnival atmosphere as protesters drummed out anti-war chants and slogans.

Irene Bach, 83, basked in the sun and watched from a lawn chair that she and her husband, Sol, brought from their home on Breton Road.

“I guess I’m opposed to war, period,” she said. “I’m very much for peace.”

During the protest in downtown Grand Rapids, Amy Hamb, 38, of Rockford, stared at a 250-foot banner that carried the names and dates of death of more than 3,000 Americans killed during the war.

“Those are the dead?” whispered Hamb as she stood at a nearby bus stop. “I didn’t realize. You hear about one or two West Michigan deaths, but those are the number dead from this war. I never got that,” she said.

Plenty of cars beeped in recognition of the signs instructing “Honk if you want peace.”

The handmade messages even included a nod to former President Reagan’s words about the Berlin Wall: “Mr. President, tear down this war.”

Donna Harris left her downtown residence to see the crowd gathering on the corner. She walked past the signs and moved in closer to examine the banner listing the names of the U.S. war dead. A furrow creased her brow.

“Oh my God, there are 43-year-old women on here. This really makes you face our dead,” Harris said. “When I was younger, you used to be able to tell the president something and he would listen. That is not happening,” said the 64-year-old woman, who described herself as an artist.