Lansing - Signs reading "Fight Greed, Not War" were held high next to signs saying "Invade Iraq Now" as anti-war demonstrators rallying for peace on Saturday were met at the Capitol by counter-protesters supporting the war in Iraq.
More than 150 people gathered in front of Steve & Barry's University Sportswear, 515 E.Grand River Ave., at 7 p.m. Sunday, lighting candles in a world-wide call for peace.
"Nobody likes war," Fran Card said at the Saturday rally. "But we need to accept it."
She said her son recently left for Iraq.
"If he has to die for his country, I will be proud of him," she said.
The pro-war Okemos resident said America needs to be protected and that's all there is to it.
"All this protesting is exciting, this is what America is all about," Card said. "They have a right to be here, even though they're wrong."
Many speakers chose to voice their opinions on why war is not the answer on the Capitol steps.
"Despite what our pro-war people are telling us, we do support the troops," Ellie Kennedy said. "We just want to bring them home."
The Gulf War veteran and Lansing resident said people who are against the war need to put their bodies where their mouths are - instead of just voicing their opinions, they need to take action and hold more rallies and marches.
Several members from the MSU College Republicans came to show their support for President Bush and a war in Iraq.
"If there was a way to stop this (situation) without war, I'd be all for it, but there isn't any other way," political theory and constitutional democracy junior Erin Trussell said. "Both sides agree that we want peace. There are just different ways of going about it."
She said the situation in the United States today is distressing, because many believe it's necessary to kill to put an end to killing.
While most people were waving signs and chanting slogans, some were observing the action and participating in their own way.
Miko Fossum and Chela, both Lansing residents, were sitting near the Capitol steps and singing while playing their guitars.
"This rally is reminiscent of the protests we went to in the '70s and it's great," Chela said. "I got here right as the march was ending and I started crying.
"It was so beautiful."
