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Protestors unite for peace
 Media Credit: USIRAQ-DEMOS KRT PHOTOGRAPH BY CRAIG LITTEN/TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT TALLAHASSEE, Fla.-- Florida State University student Kelsey Fowler fills in the last part of her sign that reads
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 Media Credit: Stefanie Beniek �I don�t want war because war is stupid,� Samuel from St. Augusta said as he worked hard to make his peace sign stick into the snow pile at the war protest on Saturday afternoon on the corner of hwy15 and hwy 23 in St. Cloud.
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 Media Credit: USIRAQ-DEMOS KRT PHOTOGRAPH BY NICOLAS KHAYAT/ABACA PRESS NEW YORK CITY, NY� Hundreds of thousands of anti war protestors rally near United Nations headquarters in New York Saturday to oppose a threatened U.S.-led strike against Iraq. (lde) 2003
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Seven-year-old Sam Kenele-Olsen waved a crayon colored sign stating "We want peace" during a protest Saturday in St. Cloud.
When asked why he was protesting war, Kenele-Olson told the University Chronicle, "I just don't like war."
"It's just stupid."
His comment sums up the thoughts of about 140 people who joined at the corner of Hwy 23 and Hwy 15 in front of Barnes and Noble Saturday to protest war with Iraq.
Positive energy filled the sidewalks where people of all ages gathered to carry signs and chant as others played drums in the background.
Many of the signs emphasized that "Peace is Patriotic" along with other signs stating, "Drop Bush not bomb," "Saddam is confined, now confine Bush" and "Patriots for peace." Even pets were in on the action; one dog had a sign draped over his back stating, "Pups for peace."
"I think it's important to represent the people of St. Cloud," said Sarah Elmquist, a senior majoring in English at SCSU.
Protestors received mostly positive responses from people who drove past on Division Street.
"People are honking and waving," said Amy Nonn, an SCSU senior majoring in art. "It's nice to see that there are other people out there that agree with us."
Deb Brever, from Alexandria, came to protest as a part of the West Central Partners for Peace. She was surprised by the way some people reacted.
"We've gotten a lot of fingers," she said. "People are hostile, but I have the right to stand out here to put it (war) in the forefront of people's minds."
Doug Polley, a professor of management at SCSU, had protested a little bit during Vietnam. He said that protesting was different then because people considered it unpatriotic and the war had already started.
"We have the opportunity to prevent it," Polley said.
St. Cloud was just one of the many cities in which protestors lobbied against war with Iraq.
About 7,500-8,000 people protested in Minneapolis' uptown.
Millions of people from over 12 different countries rallied in opposition of a U.S. war with Iraq.
"St. Cloud is showing that we are a part of the global society," said Jane Olsen, of St. Cloud. "We're a small part of that and a lot of people don't agree with the current administration."
Many of the countries in which there were large protests are U.S. allies. There were about one million people protesting in Britain as well as Italy and two million people lobbied in Spain.
For Germany and France it was the largest rally in decades, with 300,000 people in Berlin and 100,000 people in Paris.
Millions turned out in Asia, Africa, Latin America, New Zealand and Australia, as well.
The Star Tribune and the L.A. Times contributed to this report.
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