Even in my small town there was a peace rally with a permit to march down Main Street to the Courthouse.

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   January 19, 2003
                           Marching for peace: Demonstrators hold peacful rally in
                           Bozeman

                           By KAYLEY MENDENHALL Chronicle Staff Writer

                           Stretching across Main Street and nearly the length of a Bozeman city block, demonstrators
                           marched Saturday afternoon to the music of peace.

                           They chanted peaceful messages and sang peaceful songs, while carrying signs denouncing
                           war against Iraq.

                           Small children rode on their parents backs, senior citizens kept pace with the slow-moving
                           crowd and even dogs dressed to show support. One dog sported a white T-shirt with the
                           words, "Pooch for peace," written in black marker on the side.

                           "All across America in towns just like Bozeman and
                           in big cities, people are rallying to say no to the war
                           in Iraq," said Rev. Denise Rogers as she kicked off
                           the march in the Soroptomist Park on Main Street and
                           Rouse Avenue.

                           Organizers estimated 750 people gave up skiing and
                           other weekend activities on a clear, sunny day to
                           participate in Saturday's event. Diners at MacKenzie
                           River Pizza Co. gazed out the window at the crowd
                           and Ona Meyer's customers at Charlie's restaurant
                           left their tables to watch from an outside corner.

                           "All my customers are watching," said Meyers, who pulled up a seat on the bricks outside the
                           restaurant. "I wanted to hear it instead of just seeing it."

                           Most onlookers seemed to support the message as much as those proclaiming it. Stanley
                           Anderson was shopping downtown with his family when they ran into the peace march.

                           "I think it's great," he said. "The American people have to speak their mind."

                           The rally was scheduled in conjunction with peace rallies around the world from Washington,
                           D.C. and San Francisco to Paris, Tokyo and Cairo. Many also connected the rally to the upcoming
                           Martin Luther King holiday and said the timing was appropriate.

                           "Monday is the national holiday of Dr. Martin Luther King," Rogers announced. "We commemorate
                           his life by having this rally. He would be here if he were alive today."

                           Speakers emphasized their support of ground troops while expressing disgust for an
                           "unnecessary" war. As the marchers traveled from Rouse to Grand Avenue, ending with a
                           gathering at the Gallatin County Courthouse, the crowd remained peaceful.

                           Aaron Henderson held a sign reading, "I support the military action and our troops," but he was
                           the only person present that was obviously in favor of going to war.

                           "Until we have research for alternative fuels ... we are going to have wars over oil," said
                           Henderson, 27, a former member of the U.S. Army and creator of the sign.

                           Participants in the march strongly disagreed. Several carried signs reading, "No blood for oil,"
                           and "Drop Bush, not bombs."

                           Melissa Blessing, who participated in the march with her two young daughters, said she does
                           not want to see bloodshed, body bags and suffering in Iraq for any reason, especially oil.

                           Her 6-year-old daughter Sara, echoed Blessing's sentiments.

                           "I hate war," Sara said. "Because I don't like killing."