By Bill Zeeble, KERA 90.1 reporter
Dallas, TX – Bill Zeeble, KERA 90.1 reporter: A peace vigil in front of Dallas City Hall last night drew about 200 people opposed to the war in Iraq. R.J. Camelot was just observing, from his wheelchair, but said he basically agreed with the group.
R.J. Camelot, peace vigil observer: I don't see any reason to attack another country. I don't feel any safer now than I did before we attacked Afghanistan. I wouldn't feel any safer after the Iraq thing is over. In fact, I feel each one of those things is making a lot more chance that I'm going to die.
Zeeble: Tammy Petri, with her 3-year-old son Alex, was one who supports the war in Iraq.
Tammy Petri, war supporter: I believe there's a lot of injustice going on in different countries. The people there have no idea what peace really is, and happiness and having food and the basic necessities of life. I hope through this conflict we can hopefully establish that. And teach them peace.
Zeeble: The first speaker at the vigil, Hadi Jawad, came here from Pakistan more than 30 years ago. He's now the Vice President of the Dallas Peace Center .
Hadi Jiwad, Vice President, Dallas Peace Center: We heard yesterday that Mr. Ashcroft is allowing his FBI agents to start interviewing Iraqi Americans. People like me who've been living here a long, long time - who consider this to be their home, who love this land. My children were raised over here. And all of a sudden, they want to come talk to folks like us, because our patriotism is being questioned. It's really scary, and terrifying, because we know the history of this sort of thinking. We know what was done to the Chinese during the Korean War. We know what was done to the Japanese in Second World War. It's the same thinking coming out again. They are riding roughshod over the U.S. Constitution. They are riding roughshod over the Bill of Rights.
There's another peace vigil tonight at 7 in front of Dallas City Hall. For KERA 90.1, Bill Zeeble.
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