As President George W. Bush prepared to address the nation tonight about Iraq, as many as 15,000 anti-war demononstrators filled Central Park's East Meadow yesterday to stage a four-hour rally.
"I don't like the idea of killing people," said Rick Jones, 41, of Highlands, N.J. "I suppose there are some instances when war is necessary, but in this instance I don't see the logic."
The rally, staged by the organization Not In Our Name, attracted people from across the metropolitan area, who waved hand-made signs, banners and artwork about Bush and his cabinet.
The signs ranged from simple ones stating "Marymount College Wants Peace," to a satire: "The Emperor Has No Brain," referring to Bush.
Among the notable speakers were actors Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon, who are among several celebrities already on record as opposing the Bush administration's post-Sept. 11 foreign policy.
As he listened to activists, actors, poets and clerics criticizing White House plans for attacking Iraq, Chip Kyle rested an American flag on his right shoulder yesterday.
It was the same flag the Harlem resident carried through the streets of Detroit in 1970 when, as a high school student, he joined a march to oppose the Vietnam War, he said.
The flag is still red, white and blue, except that the 50 stars were replaced with a peace symbol.
"It's a war for oil, it's an unjust war, it's politically motivated war for oil," said Kyle, 46, an attorney.
In her remarks, Sarandon encouraged the crowd to call or e-mail their congressional representatives about the planned attack and read out loud the telephone numbers of the switchboard on Capitol Hill.
"Leave a message for your congressmen and tell them you do not support a presidential blank check," Sarandon said.
She also read out a list of senators who have raised questions about Bush's push for military action and encouraged the crowd to call them to show support.
The thousands who showed up included families with children and college students from around the region.
Rick Feist accompanied his wife, Mechtild Schmidt, and their two children to the protest to show their opposition.
The couple's 5-year-old daughter, Sophia, sat on her mother's shoulder holding up a sign that said "No War."
"She didn't paint it but she wrote the copy," said Feist, a Manhattan video editor.
His wife said she teaches her children to oppose war.
"We don't want war to spread, it might cause a world war," said Schmidt, a German immigrant. "The whole [Middle East] region is volatile."
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