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APRIL 30, 1971
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WGC Students Participate
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Join 5 00,000 Crowd
Approximately 20 West
Georgia College students were
among the estimated 500,000
demonstrators who invaded-
Washington, D. C., last Saturday
to march from the Ellipse to the
Capitol building, demanding
“peace, freedom, justice.”
At the Capitol, they listened to
remarks by Senator Vance
Hartke. Mrs. Coretta Scott King,
and the Rev. Ralph David-
Abernathy, and were entertained
by folk singer Pete Seeger and by
Peter, Paul and Mary.
The anti-war protestors had
begun arriving at the end of the
week, just as the Vietnam
veterans who had been par
ticipating in Operation: Dewey
Canyon 111, were departing. They
came by car, by train, by plane,
by bus to gather on the grounds of
the Washington Monument.
John Inman, a Freshman,
chose the cheapest way, if
possibly the most time
consuming: he “thumbed.”
Thinking of the numbers present
when he arrived and after, he
said. “The crowd was really
peaceful, considering the number
of people present.”
FIRST TRIP
Throughout the evening and on
into the early morning sunrise of
Saturday, people continued to
arrive - claiming sleeping sites,
drinking cheap wine, smoking
grass or hash, listening to music
from competing radios. This was
the first trip to the federal city for
some; they became tourists,
wandering to the public
buildings, historic sights, and
monuments.
Most memorials close at night
except during the summer
months. Those who made their
way to the Lincoln or Jefferson
Memorials -which are closest to
the area of encampment - were
confronted by a dozen riot
equipped officers of the
“Executive Security Force” and
were allowed no closer to the
marble statues than the steps.
But, as Gil Adair from Tignal
pointed out, ‘There was little
hassle from the police.”
The march was sponsored by
the National Peace Action
Coalition and by the People’s
Coalition for Peace and Justice.
It was scheduled to begin at noon,
but when twice the expected turn
out arrived, it began an hour
early to relieve congestion.
Led by active duty G.l.’s and
Vietnam veterans, the noisy,
happy crowd strolled down
Pennsylvania Avenue, pausing
occasionally to chant slogans
and make peace signs.
PEACE
“Hearing a half a million
people yelling for peace,” said
Kristy Keel, a College Park
sophomore, “is an experience
everyone should have.”
The crowd continued to wind its
way to the Capitol where the
thousands crowded together,
standing, squatting, sitting
anywhere they could. There, they
were greeted by Bella Abzug,
Greenwich Village’s outspoken
Congresswoman. ‘‘lt looks as if
everyone is here today, except
President Nixon and, he is in
retreat from the American
people,” she said. ‘‘But, he can’t
retreat forever.”
Lee Howell, a Political Science
major from Atlanta, agrees with
Representative Abzug. He says,
“I don’t have much faith in
Tricky Dicky. He is doing no
more about the war - or about any
other problem in our nation today
- than he has to do to pacify the
American people enough to in
sure his re-election. We do not
Continued On Page 6
THE WEST GEORGIAN
MAYS
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NATIONAL MOMTOHUM
immediate withdrawal from southeast asia
& in memory- kentfi jackson
One year ago, students were shot on the
campuses of Kent and Jackson State as _ , . .
I want to )oin the SMC. Enclosed is
they were protesting against the South- . ~ , .
. . , . .. one dollar for a membership card. ADDRESS
“ A “" —■ I .~l=- CO hrip ,h, SMC
em an renewing pro de-mfMBER in its Spring antiwar offensive. CITY STATE ZIP
continuation of the war. REMEMBER 7 . , ..
KENT L JACKSON! END THE WAR! ™ "forntH>n
MORATORIUM MAY 5 ! on the SMC and May 5. SCHOOL J
STUDENT MOBILIZATION COMMITTEE, 1029 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Bth Floor, Washington, D.C., 20005, (202)628-5893
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