The small number of President Bush impeachment supporters gathered in Glenwood Springs park may not have reflected the massive demonstrations in Washington DC on Saturday — one of the reasons made was: local media ignored the impeachment event notices except for a small listing in a local newspaper calendar.
Fighting discouragement, the two-dozen or so group planted their signs in the park, ate cupcakes decorated by peace signs and distributed impeachment petitions that will be sent to the Colorado Congressional delegation. With live protest music sung by Jimmy Ibbotson formerly of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in the background, impeachment/anti-war/pro-peace supporters discussed their discontent with current political affairs. The Roaring Fork Valley, the economic region between Aspen and Parachute with Glenwood Springs in the middle, is home to one of the more active anti-war organizations in Colorado called the Roaring Fork Peace Coalition.
Some members meet every Monday in Carbondale to raise the town hall US flag at half-mast to honor the fallen in the Iraq War. They also plan protests that mirror national events, such as the impeachment/anti-war demonstration in Washington DC on Saturday.
Sue Gray organizer of the Glenwood rally was disappointed in the turn-out, but not really surprised that the local media shied away from releasing her press releases.
“Even the local community radio said it was too political,” Gray related. “Supporting the impeachment of a president is a controversial subject,” she admitted.
Gray had never been involved with peace demonstrations until 9/11. “After Sept. 11, 2001 it changed everything in my life,” she said.
View Sue Grey’s interview, other “Impeach Bush” supporters’ views and the music from the protest in Glenwood Springs below:
Jack Green was there as a “pro-peace” supporter. A former political science and history teacher, Green said some Americans have become complacent.
“They will believe anything they are told by our country’s leaders, no matter how incredible the lie,” he said. “And some people feel hopeless because this administration has held them hostage through fear,” he opinioned.
Green noted that impeaching the president may be too hard to pull off. Yet, discussions may help stop the current political machine. However, all this negativity is counterproductive in Green’s opinion.
“Only peace will move this country forward,” Green observed.
Photos and video by Leslie Robinson
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