ONE YEAR LATER Critics hit the toll of war in Iraq BY STEVEN STYCOS

Wearing a cap adorned with stars from an American flag, pipe fitter Darrel Sena of Providence stood above Interstate 95 on the Smith Street overpass to protest the American invasion of Iraq. A US Army veteran, Sena has twin sons in the military, one just back from a year in Iraq, and a second stationed in Uzbekistan. "I was always against this war," he says, adding, "I’m not against the military." Iraqis should run Iraq, not Americans. "That’s like someone coming over here," he says, "and taking over our country."

On Monday, March 15, Sena was joined by about 60 other blue-collar workers, students, and professionals who commemorated the one-year anniversary of the US invasion. They displayed banners calling for an end to the US occupation and increased spending on housing, education, and health-care.

Sena, who believes President George W. Bush’s unsubstantiated claims of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction undermined America’s global authority, hoped the rally will raise awareness about the war. Rhode Island School of Design student Jannae Knospe, attending her first anti-war demonstration, offered a similar view. There has been too much death on both sides, she says, gently waving a peace sign at passing truckers. "I don’t believe in war or violence," she explains. "Violence begets more violence."

Marcel St. Germain, a machinist and Green Party member from North Smithfield, says, "It all has to do with educating the people." And it seemed to be working, he adds, noting, "We’re not getting the middle finger. We’re getting honking and thumbs-up."

Other demonstrators stood in the cold wind due to a sense of moral obligation. "I’m just putting my body where my mouth is," explains Mary Pendergast, a Sister of Mercy from Pawtucket. Holding a flag of the Earth, she described how she writes a letter to President Bush or a Rhode Island congressman every week. "They need to know the people are not behind these acts," she explains.

"To stand by and do nothing seems irresponsible," notes Dr. Moyne Cubbage, a member of the Barrington United Church of Christ, "and [the] November [election] is a long time to wait."

Common sense motivated a graying John Gormley of Cranston to attend the demonstration, he says. His grandfather died in World War I, he explains, his cousin died in World War II, and the catcher on his youth baseball team was killed in Vietnam.

Courtney Brown and Nicole Blain came to the demonstration from Killingly, Connecticut. Holding a homemade sign, the two high school students say "war is wrong" and relate that they participated in a student walkout last year to protest the war. Local newspaper coverage, however, was upsetting, they note, because it portrayed the protest as an action by "the usual hippies" who were "clueless."

On Saturday March 20, more rallies against the war will be held in 50 countries and 200 American cities, according to the huge anti-war coalition United for Peace and Justice. Busloads of Rhode Islanders, organized by International ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and Racism), will travel to New York City for a rally. To make reservations, call (401) 724-7400. Local demonstrations will also be held Saturday at 11 a.m. in Newport’s Washington Square and from 9 a.m. to noon at the main Westerly Post Office.