War makes it five years

On the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq, members of a Pittsburgh anti-war group meant to… On the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq, members of a Pittsburgh anti-war group meant to throw the media and “right-wingers” for a loop, and they did.

“When we put the call out, it was meant to be humorous,” said Alex Bradley, a member of the Pittsburgh Organizing Group. “We never intended to wrestle grown men into activist-constructed cages.”

POG members announced on their website that the group would meet at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History last night and march to the military recruiting center on Forbes Avenue. They said they would evict the recruiters from the building and place them in cages.

Instead, they weaved through Carnegie Mellon University’s campus and at one point barricaded a door to Doherty Hall with a sign reading, “Cage the war machine.”

Police removed the sign and followed them into the building and around the rest of the campus. The protesters chanted, “One, two, three, four. We don’t want this war no more.”

“It’s really important to recognize the anniversary,” Bradley said. “And on this day, hundreds of people are speaking out. That shows there’s a universal humanity.”

Several other anti-war groups also protested in Oakland. The members of Raging Grannies and The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom gathered in front of the military recruiting center located next to the Qdoba restaurant on Forbes Avenue.

The Raging Grannies were knitting “stump socks,” covers for what is left of wounded soldiers’ amputated limbs.

“We’re knitting stump socks for the amputees,” said Edith Bell, a member of both organizations, “because we need to draw attention to the tens of thousands of people who come home damaged and have to deal with this for the rest of their lives.”

Some of the stump socks will go to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and others will go to the charity Oxfam, which will pass them on to Iraqis.

Bell said that the women’s support for the troops shouldn’t be confused with support for the war.

“I feel we’re supporting the troops,” she said. “But we want them home. They’re our grandkids. We want them to be cared for afterward.”

Several Point Park University students joined the women, saying that they, too, supported the anti-war movement.

“It’s been five years of a war that should never have happened,” said Point Park student Jacob Mays. “We all know someone who’s been affected by the war. It’s getting to that point.”

Fellow Point Park student Kevin Sprenkle said he has an uncle who has been to Iraq. Sprenkle noted that his uncle hasn’t been the same since returning from the war. He’s been quieter.

Next to the women’s anti-war groups stood pro-war demonstrators. Among them was Ann Novack, a member of the Gathering of Eagles. Novack was there partially in anticipation of the POG protests that never made it to the recruiting center.

“A lot was said that they’re going to trash [the center] and put our recruiters in cages,” Novack said before the POG march began. “We thought we should show them there are people who support our troops.”

Several veterans and their relatives also took up the cause.

Judy Beam’s husband served in the Army for 23 years before he retired. Beam said that he served in Vietnam and that the war didn’t change him much.

“As a Christian, that was where he needed to be,” she said.

Beam also emphasized that she believes that regardless of whether someone supports the war, they should still support the troops. This was enough to bring the couple out into the rain to protest.

“We don’t do this often,” she said. “But we do it when we feel something’s really right.”

Beam said that she didn’t mind the anti-war protesters and that they had a right to be there.

Caleb Payne, who was representing the anti-war group PennAction, was a little tougher on his opposition. He said he felt that they were misguided and confused.

“They want to legitimize what they’re doing and what their friends are doing,” Payne said.

City police Sgt. James LeVier said he generally allows the protests to “run their course,” provided they stay peaceful. He said that the police won’t allow violence or “too much” verbal intimidation.

Qdoba General Manager Dean Walsh declined to comment on how the protests affect his business. Doors to the recruiting center were locked during the protests and no recruitment staff was on hand.