August 25, 2008
By Dawn Schuett
Rochester Post-Bulletin
WABASHA — For one group of activists, getting to St. Paul for the Republican National Convention is a slow journey and one that’s bringing them to southeast Minnesota. Every mile is an opportunity to deliver their message to passing motorists or curious bystanders. Each stop is a moment to explain their viewpoints.
“It’s a chance to meet people right in their front yard,” said Marie Kovecsi, a teacher from Winona who is participating this week in Witness Against War, a 450-mile walk from Chicago to St. Paul.
Organized by the Chicago-based Voices for Creative Nonviolence, the walk is a campaign to “challenge and nonviolently resist the war and occupation of Iraq,” said Dan Pearson, co-coordinator of the anti-war group. Voices for Creative Nonviolence supports a complete and immediate withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Iraq. It’s also calling for the full funding of the highest quality health care, housing and education for U.S. veterans and full funding by the U.S. for the reconstruction of Iraq.
The walk began July 12 and has followed a route through Wisconsin to La Crosse and north along the Mississippi River. On Aug. 10, the group was protesting at the Fort McCoy military base near Sparta, Wis., when 13 participants were arrested for trespassing. All were later released from custody. The number of walkers varies from day to day depending on how many locals join in temporarily.
The group stopped in Winona earlier this week before continuing along the river on the Wisconsin side. Nine walkers made it to Nelson, Wis., on Thursday and in the evening, participants joined the River Cities Alliance for Peace for a public discussion at Eagle’s Nest Coffee House in Wabasha. A similar program is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday at Hobgoblin Music in Red Wing.
Pearson said the group has encountered a few individuals who don’t agree with its message but “it’s very clear at this point that the tide of public opinion has turned against the war.”
Kovecsi feels so strongly about the issue that she had to walk with the group if only for a few days.
“I knew it was something I wanted to be involved with,” she said.
Dawn Schuett covers news in Goodhue and Wabasha counties. If you have news tips or story ideas, call her at 281-7487.
