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March 16, 2003Anti-war march winds through TCOrganizers say many new faces spottedByRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - Protesters against a possible war with Iraq took their case to the Traverse City streets Saturday during a peace march held downtown. The anti-war rally has been a weekly occurrence for several months, but Saturday marchers walked to the beat of war drums pounding ever-so-more loudly. "I know we are all feeling a sense of immediacy and urgency with the war, especially this week," Sally VanVleck said. "As long as this war hasn't started there is still hope." Marchers are well-aware that time might be running out for a peaceful resolution to the Iraqi conflict. Today President Bush is meeting with leaders of Britain and Spain in the Azores Islands to talk about waging war without approval from the United Nations. "Why did Bush and Blair meet in the Azores?" asked Mark Thompson, a Traverse City resident. "It's far away from protesters." More than 100 people joined the downtown march, which snaked several blocks down Front Street. Organizers say it is one of the largest turnouts they've had yet. "This is a good-sized group, with lots of new faces," Jim Porter said. Porter said many of the regular attendants car-pooled to Lansing for a protest also held Saturday at the Capitol Building. Similar rallies were held across the world. The weekend of protesting continues today with a Global Vigil for Peace, a silent and candle-lit observance, at 7 p.m. tonight at the Open Space in Traverse City. At the march, not all sign-carrying protesters thought time was necessarily against those calling for peace. "There are lots and lots of people beginning to ask more and more questions," Don Mead said. "As time goes on there are more skeptics."
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