People rally in Wisconsin to support troops By KEVIN ORLAND Associated Press MILWAUKEE (AP) - City squares and street corners across the state were alive with people rallying support for the nation's troops or protesting the war with Iraq Saturday. Police estimated a crowd of more than 2,500 turned out to rally support for America's troops in Milwaukee's Cathedral Square. People waved flags and signs reading, "No Appeasement, Victory in Iraq," "Let's Roll," and "Bye Bye Saddam." A slew of public officials including Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, state Sen. Cathy Stepp, and Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke spoke at the rally. Patriotic music blasted out of the loudspeakers, and the crowd chanted "U.S.A." between speakers. Those who took the microphone said they want the troops to know Americans support the war, no matter how many anti-war protests they hear about. "We will not allow the vocal minority of liberalism to drown out our voices and our beliefs," Stepp said. Some speakers said they don't want war, but think it's sometimes necessary to keep peace. Others blasted the anti-war protesters. "It sounds phony to say, 'I support the troops, but I don't support the war,'" Clarke said. Six Milwaukee Clear Channel radio stations sponsored the rally, which was also used to raise funds for troops' families. Leslie Klug, 23, of Racine, said she wanted to show the troops that most Americans support them. "I can just imagine being a soldier over there and feeling like you're fighting for people who are against you," Klug said. But a group of about 30 anti-war protesters at a busy intersection across town in Milwaukee said they're not against the troops and want to bring them home as soon as possible. They played drums and chanted "peace is patriotic," and "impeach Bush." At one point, a bus leaving the support-the-troops rally stopped at the intersection where the anti-war protesters were demonstrating, and the two groups tried to drown out each other's chants. In downtown Oshkosh, people gathered in the city's Opera House Square for a pro-troops rally. People with spouses or children serving in the military spoke and read letters from the front, said rally organizer Michelle Litjens. She said the group ended the rally singing "God Bless America." "I put a lot of trust in my president, and I think that those in charge know what's going on and what's the right thing to do," Litjens said." She said about 500 people attended the rally, but Oshkosh police estimated the crowd at 250. Hours later, about 100 anti-war protesters gathered at the same spot for a peace rally, which featured speeches from local peace organizers and officials with the state's Green Party. Those attending chanted, sang and held a moment of silence for the U.S. military and Iraqi civilian lives already lost in the conflict. Ruth Trujillo, of Milwaukee County's Green Party, told the crowd that it isn't un-American to push for an end to the war. "We are the true Americans because we care enough to question the motives of our government right now," she said. In Beloit on Friday, around 20 people stood along a busy street waving flags and holding signs supporting the troops. Bruce Mulder waved a flag at passing cars and said he supports President Bush. He said he'd like to see the war end without harm to the Iraqi people. "I wish they could just go in and get Saddam Hussein without touching any buildings or people," he said. "But, that's not realistic. War is never nice."