Peace picnic held to protest war in Iraq

By Karen Peterson

Leader Staff

It was a productive day for many peaceful war protesters at this year’s Peace Picnic, and a permanent sign promoting peace can now been seen on the west side of Highway 93, near mile marker 38, in the pasture on Bearhead Swaney’s property, as more crosses representing soldiers killed in Iraq were added to the many already standing in the field.

A picnic lunch brought people together with peace as the main dialogue Monday afternoon, as Memorial Day activities took place around the valley.

“Here, what we have is a unity and a common ground for a desire for peace,” said Harry Goldman, project contributor. “Everyone has something worthy to contribute to this project. It has been an organic development where no one is told what or how much to bring. We don’t have a designated speaker. We utilize the expertise and skills that everyone has to get this done, a collective of will for peace.”

Participants noted that the reason for the picnic had been misconstrued by many with the belief that the picnic was held in opposition to the Freedom Day events in Polson.

“This is another way to remember Memorial Day without the intent of anti anything,” participant Sharon Young said.

Goldman echoed her sentiments.

“We are not oppositional. We did this last year, too. And we hope to make it an annual event,” he said.

However, many participants are opposed to the war in Iraq, and Monday’s picnic gave them a chance to voice their concerns.

“This is a protest of the war, not a protest of what they did in Polson,” Bearhead Swaney said.

More than 300 crosses have been put in the ground over the past year to represent soldiers that have died serving in Iraq, and during the event dozens more crosses were added with the hopes of one day having one cross for every one U.S. soldier killed in Iraq.

“There have been 3,455 U.S. fatalities in Iraq, not including civilians or Iraqis,” Kim Swaney said. “Right now, each cross represents 10 soldiers. We have 18 solid white crosses for the Montana soldiers, pink crosses for the women soldiers and one red cross to represent the first Native American, Lori Piestewa of the Hopi tribe, who was killed.”

Bearhead Swaney hopes that the crosses create a constant visual reminder as people travel the highway.

“We are opposed to the war, not the troops. The best way to protect them is to bring them home. We have a lot more things at home that our troops could be working on, peaceful things. The Iraqi people have been warring for more then 10,000 years and we aren’t going to change anything by being there. What we are doing is fighting a war that we can never win. I guess we didn’t learn enough in Vietnam because this war is that all over again,” said Swaney, who served in the Air Force between 1950-1954.

Johnny Arlee designed and painted the “peace sign” that was erected during the picnic, featuring a depiction of an eagle clutching a peace sign.

“Jay Preston put the poles in the ground and he helped put up the sign with his bucket truck,” Swaney said.

“Everyone has been a great help. And the people that you have here are wanting an alternative to violence. They ar wanting peace.”