Marching to the beat of unified drums, hundreds demanded peace during the weekend.
Signs painted with slogans such as "Drop Bush Not Bombs" were held high as protesters chanted "Peace in Iraq" while gathering for an anti-war demonstration beginning at the Beaumont Tower on Saturday.
Standing in the cold near the campus landmark, MSU Students for Peace and Justice co-founder Michael Perez attempted to inspire marchers, who would make their way to the Capitol steps in Lansing.
"The war in Iraq is an extension of racist and exploitative foreign policy," the anthropology graduate student said. "The mission accepted by those protesting war is much larger. We should be aimed at striking the hearts of foreign policy at this stage."
The Lansing-area Statewide Peace March was one of hundreds of gatherings worldwide Saturday to condemn military action against Iraq. The Greater Lansing Network Against War in Iraq organized the demonstration as part of Saturday's International Stop the War Day.
But the political action Saturday was not all anti-war.
About 30 rallied on Michigan Avenue near the Brody Complex to "support America" and war on Iraq.
"We just felt that the majority of the country does support the war in Iraq and the silent majority needed to be heard," said Matt Thome, MSU College Republicans co-chairperson of communications.
"The minority is more vocal on the issue and that skews the public's opinions."
The political theory and constitutional democracy junior said the group showed up in an effort to show its support for the president.
More than 1,000 anti-war protesters marched down Michigan Avenue to the capitol. During the course of the 2-hour walk, more participants joined the group.
"It's important to show people across the country that we oppose the war," said Lori Baralt, a co-founder of Students for Peace and Justice. The sociology graduate student said about 40 people from the campus group marched for peace.
The Direct Action Faction, which met at Ranney Skate Park in Lansing, held a breakaway march of about 100 people during the same time as the peace march. Wanting to protest more directly, the group broke away at Marshall Street and walked down Saginaw Highway, knocking on doors, shouting and putting up posters along their route.
The police didn't anticipate the breakaway march and were forced to close down those streets.
"We thought that since war is such an extreme act we wanted to do something extreme as well," member Katie Morrissett said. "We wanted to disrupt business and express ourselves a little more freely. The other march didn't really let us do that."
The psychology sophomore said their march was "a little rowdier and louder."
People from all over the state came to take part in the march. A group of 25 from the Kalamazoo Non-Violent Opponents of War marched carrying a "Voices in the Wilderness" sign used at vigils and rallies during the past four years.
The group began a weekly vigil a few years ago in front of the Kalamazoo federal building with about 30 people attending. Last week's vigil had about 300 in attendance, Kalamazoo resident Jean Gump said.
"My husband and I went to Iraq in 1996. We saw lots of horrors and watched children die," Gump said. "I realized then that we had to do something."
Peter Ruark, his wife and two young daughters made a large sign to hold while marching. The sign said "Let's not be ugly Americans. Say no to imperialism and greed."
Ruark, a Lansing resident, who's aided peace efforts for 20 years, said, "I'm always involved in this kind of thing. My daughters are still young, so I usually don't bring my family but they decided to join me today."
