USA: WOMEN FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES GATHER IN WASHINGTON D.C. TO PROTEST POSSIBLE MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAQ

Record ID: 337980

  • Title: USA: WOMEN FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES GATHER IN WASHINGTON D.C. TO PROTEST POSSIBLE MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAQ
  • Date: 8th March 2003
  • Summary: (W6) WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES (MARCH 7, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. GV/SV WOMEN GATHERED IN PARK FOR ANTI WAR DEMONSTRATION (3 SHOTS) 0.19 2. SV SIGN READING 'EXILE BUSH, BRING TROOPS HOME' 0.23 3. SLV OF PROTESTERS 0.28 4. SLV SIGN READING 'WAR IS TERRORISM' 0.32 5. CU WOMEN WITH SIGN READING 'LISTEN TO THE POPE' 0.37 6. SV LARGE PUPPET FOR MARCH 0.42 7. MCU (English) ALICE WALKER, AUTHOR, SAYING: "What brought me here is that I really don't like war at all, anywhere in the world, and especially not against a country that is so much weaker than the United States. To make war on a country that is weaker than yourself is really very childlike. It's very, its just awful." 1.03 8. MCU (English) KIM GANDY, HEAD OF THE NATIONAL ORGANISATION FOR WOMEN, SAYING: "I cannot bear the thought that we will take millions of dollars that we need to save lives in this country, to rain death and destruction on a country that is fifty percent children, just to get rid of one bully, to settle one score." 1.24 9. SV COUPLE WEARING T-SHIRTS READING 'NO TERRORISM' AND PICTURES OF GEORGE W. BUSH AND IRAQI PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN 1.27 10. CU SIGN READING "WAR SHOULD NOT BE A BUSH FAMILY VALUE" 1.33 11. SV OF PROTESTERS 1.38 12. MCU (English) SUE FROM MINNESOTA, SAYING: "My husband was a Vietnam veteran and we support our troops. We support them with all our hearts and we want to bring them home. We don't want to go to another country and start another war." 1.51 13. SV/SLV OF PROTESTERS DRESSED IN PINK WITH SIGNS (2 SHOTS) 1.59 14. CU WOMAN WEARING FACE SCARF THAT SAYS 'THE ONLY BUSH I TRUST IS MY OWN" 2.02 15. SV OF MEDEA BENJAMIN, FOUNDER OF CODEPINK 2.05 16. MCU (English) MEDEA BENJAMIN, FOUNDER OF CODEPINK, SAYING, "The U.N. Security Council is basically saying that the inspections are working well, the inspectors have said that to the Security Council, most of the members of the Security Council are indicating that they want to see more time for inspections. They don't think this is the time to go to war. I think we''re going to see the voice of the world community through the Security Council saying, 'inspections not war." 2.29 17. SLV LARGE PUPPET FOR PROTEST MARCH 2.34 18. LV OF PROTEST GATHERING 2.36 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 23rd March 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: WASHINGTON, D.C. UNITED STATES
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVAERMOEXTU4GOY3X3RMYUXG1DC7
  • Story Text: Women from across the United States have gathered in
    Washington D.C. to protest possible military action against
    Iraq.

    The group of several hundred women gathered at a park
    before marching on the White House to demand that U.N. weapons
    inspectors be given more time to uncover evidence of Iraq's
    weapons program.

    Author Alice Walker was among the protesters.



    As the United Nations considers a second resolution on
    Iraq, possibly authorising a U.S.-led forced disarmament of
    Saddam Hussein's regime, women from across the United States
    rallied in Washington, D.C. on Saturday (March 8) to protest a
    looming military conflict.

    The gathering drew protesters from all walks of life
    including politicians, activists, actors, singers and writers.

    "What brought me here is that I really don't like war at
    all, anywhere in the world, and especially not against a
    country that is so much weaker than the United States. To make
    war on a country that is weaker than yourself is really very
    child-like. It's just awful," said Alice Walker, prize-winning
    novelist.

    "I cannot bear the thought that we will spend millions
    of dollars that we need in this country to rain death and
    destruction on a country that is fifty percent children just
    to get rid of one bully, to settle one score," said Kim Gandy,
    head of the National Organization for Women.

    "My husband was a Vietnam veteran and we support our
    troops. We support them with all our hearts and we want to
    bring them home," says Sue who travelled by bus from Minnesota
    to attend the march.

    "We don't want to go to another country and start another
    war."
    The sponsors of the march have gathered more than half a
    million signatures on an online petition and expect to deliver
    it to the U.N. Security Council on Monday (March 10).

    Sponsored by groups like CodePink for Peace, the National
    Organisation for Women, and the Arab-American
    Anti-Discrimination Committee, the rally called for more time
    for U.N. weapons inspectors to do their job.

    "The U.N. Security Council is basically saying that the
    inspections are working well, the inspectors have said that to
    the Security Council, most of the members of the Security
    Council are indicating that they want to see more time for
    inspections," said Medea Benjamin, a founder of CodePink.

    "They don't think this is the time to go to war. I think
    we're going to see the voice of the world community through
    the Security Council saying, 'inspections not war.'"
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