Peace rally draws diverse crowd Dorota Zak holds a candle while participating in a peace demonstration at Baird Place Park in Green Bay Thursday (photo by H. Marc Larson). Though their reasons for attending varied, the hopes for peace were shared By Leigh Ann Wagner Kroening News-Chronicle Until Thursday night, Kathleen Bahler never attended any type of protest, much less participated in one. But the war in Iraq left Bahler with such feelings of sadness and helplessness she said she was spurred into action. Bahler was one of roughly 40 people who attended a peace vigil Thursday at Baird Park. The event was one of several in Northeast Wisconsin organized by the Northeast Wisconsin Peace Network in response to President George W. Bush's declaration of war against Iraq. Bahler held a sign that said "Working for peace is patriotic," and the honks of support she received by passing motorists left her feeling empowered. "I've never done anything like this, but I just feel really strongly that war is not the way to ensure peace," she said. Bahler said she fears for the innocent Iraqi people and believes there will be ramifications felt in the United States. "I feel today is the beginning of the unsafest time in our country," she said. "It will never be the same again. We just ensured there will be more terrorist attacks." Brett Buerger, a former member of the Air Force and a peace activist, said the United States needs more soldiers of peace, not of war. He brought with him a flag from World War II, a war in which he lost an uncle. "I believe Saddam Hussein is bad, but there are millions of bad people," Buerger said. "We can't just keep beating up on people we think are bad." Buerger said he would like to see the billions of dollars being spent on the war in Iraq dedicated to improving conditions in the United States. "I'm unemployed, and there are other people here at home who don't have jobs, are homeless or need our government's help in other ways," he said. "I think we should take care of our own backyard." Autumn Simons, an 18-year-old who was one of many young people at the rally, said she attended the event to garner support for a peaceful resolution to the problems with Iraq. "More young people should be involved because it's our generation that is most directly affected," she said. "If the draft is reinstated, it will be my brother and my boyfriend who will be going to war. It's my hope that if more people communicate their desire for peace, the war will end." Paul King, who has been attending NEW Peace Network's weekly rallies at Baird Park, said he was "sickened" to learn the United States finally declared war. He held a sign that said "Not in our name" to show he doesn't agree with the decision. "Bush is making war in the name of the U.S.," King said. "It's an unjust war, and I want people to know he doesn't represent all of us, because a lot of people don't agree with it." Dorota Zak, who came to the United States from Poland in 1985, said the situation is digging up old memories of her war-torn homeland. "What we are seeing now makes us feel like we are living the same nightmare," Zak said. "People are not telling the truth about the situation, and we don't believe in our government, and we certainly don't believe in this war." Activist Tim Torrez has been attending peace rallies since Sept. 11. He said there are better ways to negotiate problems than with war. "I'm against this war because I don't think war is right in any circumstance," he said. "By being here tonight, I hope to say this is my stance and to let the general community know there is another viewpoint." FYI Another candlelight vigil for peace will take place 7-8 p.m. Sunday at Baird Park, located at the corner of Webster Avenue and Mason Street. The event will feature a sing-along led by musician Merritt Bussiere with a silent candlelight procession to follow.