On Saturday - the second anniversary of the beginning of the war in Iraq - students, area residents and activists gathered at the state Capitol to protest the war, saying the costs continue to grow.
The group of about 150 gathered in the snow and rain, held signs, chanted, beat drums and heard speeches by anti-war activists Adam Shapiro and Huwaida Arraf, both members of the International Solidarity Movement.
The event was part of a world day of protest and Lansing was one of 319 U.S. cities involved, said Sayrah Namaste, a member of Michigan Peace Team, which helped coordinate the event.
Supporters of the war also expressed their opinions on Saturday. Some drove around campus, their cars adorned with signs that read "Support our troops."
And MSU's Army ROTC program leaders said the two-year anniversary should be a time to think about the work troops abroad continue to do.
Shapiro, Arraf and other area activists stood on the steps of the Capitol and read off the names of Iraqi citizens and members of the military who have died in the war, chanting, "We remember those who have lost their lives."
Some of the speeches and discussions surrounded the American troops serving in Iraq.
"I have no anger towards the troops, except for the soldiers who did nothing (to stop abuse) in Abu Ghraib," Shapiro said of the prison where reports of abuse and torture of Iraqi prisoners have surfaced. "I wonder, though, when those soldiers come back to America, what else will they be blind to?"
Some students, such as history sophomore Matt Cowan, said they were unsure of whether the United States should have entered the war. Cowan did not participate in any events Saturday.
"We need to make sure we finish the job right and not just get up and leave," Cowan said.
For members of the MSU Army ROTC, which has lost two graduates in recent weeks, the two-year anniversary of the start of the war was a time of reflection, as well as looking forward. Lt. Adam Malson, a 2003 graduate, and Army Capt. Sean Grimes, a 1997 graduate, were both killed while serving in Iraq.
"I reflected about what we lost, but I also reflected on the cadets who have stepped forward and want to serve their country and make a difference," said Lt. Col. David Taylor, director of MSU's Army ROTC program. "These people want to serve their country and rid the world of terrorism."
Taylor said he understands how the deaths of military members can make it hard to support the war, but those fighting in Iraq are needed.
"You don't want to bring soldiers home yet, because in the bigger picture there's a lot of terrorists and bad people flocking to Iraq," Taylor said. "As soldiers, we report to our civilian leaders, the president and the secretary of defense, and when they say the war is over, all the soldiers will come home."
The protesters at the Capitol said they want the conflict to end and the troops to come home more quickly.
Frank Dennis, a member of the Greater Lansing Network Against War & Injustice and a professor emeritus in horticulture, said the United States invaded Iraq for the wrong reasons.
"It was sold as needed to protect Americans, but we've become a target for the Middle East, and did a service to al Qaida," Dennis said.
Action was not limited to the Capitol, as protesters in about 50 cars and 13 bikes made their way down Michigan Avenue to Wells Hall to hold a rally and watch Shapiro's movie, "About Baghdad."
Students for Peace and Justice member George Moyer, who also is an interdisciplinary humanities sophomore, met the group at Wells Hall and said he wanted to be part of the activities because he believes the war was unjust.
"When we see injustice, it's our job to fight it and speak out," Moyer said.
Rebecca McNulty can be reached at mcnult13@msu.edu.
