Women in Black continue peace vigil

By Matt Batcheldor | The Olympian • Published March 20, 2008

OLYMPIA – Five years after the Iraq War began, some members of protest group Women in Black said they never expected to have to keep up their peace vigils this long.

"Not in my wildest dreams," said Rosemary Barnhart, who has taken part in the group's peace vigils every Friday next to the Heritage Park Fountain in downtown Olympia since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq on March 19, 2003. "I just couldn't believe it."

The peace movement has evolved as the years have passed, with young and old participants now involved, said Glen Anderson, an activist who is part of Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation. He was part of the movement during the Vietnam War.

Modern organizing

Organizing has turned to the Internet and e-mail lists, said Dennis W. Mills of the Olympia chapter of Veterans For Peace.

Members of the veterans group have joined the Friday protests and participated in others when the U.S. death toll in Iraq passed 1,000, then 2,000, then 3,000. As of Wednesday night, the number was nearly 4,000.

Passers-by react

Reactions to the Women in Black range from horn honks of support to yells of disgust, members say. But from 5 to 6 p.m. every Friday, the women do not respond. They do not talk. They say they stand in silent solidarity for more than just ending the Iraq War — for peace and justice everywhere.

As many as 75 women have participated in a single vigil, Barnhart said.

The worldwide group was founded by Israeli women in 1988 to protest Israeli tactics in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to its Web site, www. womeninblack.org. Any woman who wants to stand with its Olympia participants is welcome.

"All I want to do is make people think," said the Rev. Carolyn Peterson of First United Methodist Church in Olympia.

Protesters are united in their opinions against the war, but not about how long it will continue.

"I do have hope that there will be movement (to end the war) after November," Barnhart said.

Women in Black member Karin Craft said she doesn't think it will make a difference whether a Republican or a Democrat is elected.

"The people who are going to be elected have already voted for the war," she said.

Anderson said public sentiment against the war continues to grow.

"There are more people all the time who have said, 'I've just had enough of this,' " he said.