Lansing - Carrying a large American flag, Lynn Meadows said she usually attends two rallies a week.
The Chelsea resident said since the Sept. 11 terror attacks, she makes it a point to publicly display her political beliefs.
And freezing temperatures didn't stop Meadows from joining the nearly 1,000 protesters gathered in front of the Capitol on Saturday for the Greater Lansing Network Against War in Iraq's "Solidarity Walk."
Many protesters made signs such as "Drop Bush, Not Bombs" and "Weapons of Mass Destruction, Who Used Them First?" to show their outrage against the conflict in Iraq.
"I came here today because I thought Lansing would get more publicity than the march in Ann Arbor," Meadows said. "I'm glad so many people came out, I even met people from Flint."
The Rev. Fred Thelen from Cristo Rey Catholic Church, 201 W. Miller Road, was amazed at the amount of people that arrived.
"It was a great turnout," he said. "It's a sign of the growing opposition to the war that so many people could come out in this weather."
The walk began at 10 a.m. in front of St. Stephen's Community Church, 1420 W. Oakland Ave. and participants marched to the east steps of the Capitol where they were addressed by various speakers.
"We are people who want peace," Thelen said. "We are going to prevent this attack on Iraq."
Mike Doyle, retired Army colonel and part of Michigan Peace Team, said he is a simple person and all he wants is peace.
"There's fear in your heart and in your minds," he said. "I don't want fear, I want love."
After the march, the group moved to the Central United Methodist Church, 215 N. Capitol Ave., for lunch and several workshops until 2 p.m.
Lansing resident Pat Madden-Roth provided music with acoustic guitar throughout the day and encouraged the crowd to join in on her rousing renditions of popular hymns while waiting for speakers to begin.
"I'll just keep singing until someone tells me to stop," she said. "Sing with me, everyone should know the words."
The entire crowd joined in her hymns.
The workshops at the teach-in were meant to inform people about Iraq and other related issues, how to become more active with local governments and how to get involved in community organizations.
Network finance chairperson Deborah Graham said the group's role is to "remind the people that having a government and citizenship means showing an active presence for our beliefs."
Democracy looks and sounds like people joining together to voice their opinions, she said.
"It's not about a protest, it's about people coming together," Graham said. "We had no idea what sort of turnout we would get. We hoped for this many people, but didn't expect it."
Young children, college students and elderly people of all different backgrounds all showed up to show their support and opposition against the conflict in Iraq.
"It's important for Lansing to have these type of activities because we are connected to the world," said the Rev. Peter Dougherty of the Catholic Diocese of Lansing. "A good democracy means citizens demanding the right to challenge the government."
