Twenty supporters braved the rain this noon for a silent ceremony honoring conscientious objectors.
Jeff Cox speaking briefly before ten minutes of silence.
Spokesperson Jeff Cox said the vigil, held at the Peace Pole outside the public library, was meant to:
...honor equally those who have refused to participate in any war in obedience to the commands of Christ, those who have followed the inner teaching of conscience, those who have refused to participate in an unjust war, and those who have simply recognized that war is the greatest evil known to humanity.
Special mention was made of the 50,000 Americans who resisted the Vietnam War; Cox noted "there are no memorials to them."
The crowd seemed evenly split between the Vietnam era and the Iraq II era. Among those present were Megan Felt and David Goodner, two of 11 people convicted of tresspassing yesterday for a sit-in at Chuck Grassley's Cedar Rapids office. After the rally, Goodner said the conviction is
...a sad comment on the state of democracy in our society when nonviolent peacemakers are considered criminals while people like Bush, Grassley, and the rest of the warmakers in our federal government commit war crimes and crimes against humanity yet go free.
The judge chose law and order over justice.
Sentencing on the misdemeanor chage is scheduled for July 6 in Linn County District Associate Court. Father Frank Cordaro of Des Moines, another of the eleven, said last night he anticipates time served (an overnight in jail) with perhaps a fine and court cost.
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