Pink's the color for peace at Phoenix anti-war rally
Lindsey Collom
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 9, 2003 12:00 AM

While the national terror alert remains at "Code Yellow," some Valley residents are proclaiming a "Code Pink."

Hundreds wore pink to an anti-war demonstration at Margaret T. Hance Park on Saturday morning as a symbol of love for peace and people of all nations. More than 700 people attended the "No War! A Celebration of Life and Creativity" rally, one of several war protests around the country.

The local event featured speakers in honor of International Women's Day, which also fell on Saturday. One speaker, Grace Shen, 20, of Mesa, encouraged attendees to continue seeking peace despite the apparently imminent war with Iraq.

"We will keep coming out here as long as it takes," said Shen, the president of Voices for Choice at Arizona State University and an ACLU volunteer. "Washington can ignore us as long as they want. The world is listening."

Mary Baard, a pastor at Shepherd of the Hills United Church of Christ in Phoenix, reiterated Shen's assertion.

"I think hope is essential for people, and they hope things can change up to the last minute," said Baard, 48.

She and several members of her congregation recently sent President Bush letters filled with grains of rice, pleading with him to "feed people, not kill them."

Not all those at the park were anti-war. About 100 feet away, a handful of people silently held pro-administration signs.

Jorge Alire, 43, of Chandler, said he and his son stayed up late to make the signs Friday after he searched the Web and found only anti-war sites. None were pro-Bush, he said. His son, James Alire, 21, held a sign that read, "In 1938, peaceniks wanted to give Hitler a chance."

The elder Alire said he didn't mind being in the minority on Saturday.

"If it takes me and my son to get the word out, that's what we'll do," he said.

Near Second and Roosevelt streets, a group of protesters tried to close the road by standing in it. Phoenix police arrested six men and one woman, charged them with obstructing a public thoroughfare, and booked them into Madison Street Jail, Phoenix police Lt. Gail Kavanagh said.