"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
- Margaret Mead

* this page is a mirror of the original at: http://www.caller.com/ccct/local_news/article/0,1641,CCCT_811_1695942,00.html

Christina Burke/Caller-Times In photo: Del Mar student Jen Salinas was among 150 people who attended an anti-war meeting Thursday. RELATED LINKS Sound off on local anti-war protests

'We ... love our country'

150 gather to discuss opposition to war with Iraq

By Mike Baird, Caller-Times
January 24, 2003

More than doubling the numbers from their last meeting, about 150 people jammed into a suite on Water Street on Thursday evening to discuss opposition to the United States becoming involved in a war with Iraq.

The meeting was moved from Lotus Cup coffee shop to a larger space nearby to accommodate the group.

The Rev. David Owen, 32, of the Unitarian Universalist Church, took on a leadership role. He agreed to speak during a Feb. 15 walk for peace and spoke about the group's mission statement and specific plans organizers are making.

"As I see it, we're unified by a single issue - opposition to the war with Iraq," Owen said. "It is our patriotic duty to be an active and involved citizen."

The anti-war organizers have adopted the name "Patriots for America."

"We are people who love our country," Owen said. He passed out fliers detailing some of the reasons the group is opposed to the war, including standing "in opposition to a pre-emptive war" against a country the United Nations is working to disarm.

Some people left the 90-minute meeting for a bit because it was so crowded.

Patty Burns, 76, left her husband, Pat, inside to escape the congested space.

"It's just too hot in there," Burns said. "And I really wanted to stay. My husband is a member of the Socialist Labor Party."

The Burns are winter Texans from Cleveland, but the crowd included a mix of people of all ages.

Some wondered if the growing peace movement in the country will have any effect.

"Realistically I don't think it's going to stop the impending attack against Iraq," said Kirt Higdon, 60, who joined the group meeting for the first time. "I'm here because I think if you have objections you're obliged to have a voice."

Higdon said he is a Vietnam veteran with a son currently in Afghanistan. He said he is concerned about his son's safety.

He said he's not a pacifist and wasn't opposed to retaliation against the Sept. 11 attack.

Organizers have set the group's Corpus Christi walk for peace at 4 p.m. Feb. 15 beginning at the steps of the federal courthouse and ending at Cole Park on Ocean Drive.

Contact Mike Baird at 886-3774 or bairdm@caller.com

* this page is a mirror of the original at: http://www.caller.com/ccct/local_news/article/0,1641,CCCT_811_1695942,00.html

Write your government officials!:

President George W. Bush
email: president@whitehouse.gov
White House Opinion Line:
(202) 456-1111
Washington Office:
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, US 20500
Phone: (202) 456-1414
Fax: (202) 456-2461

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson
Washington Office:
284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-4304
Phone: (202) 224-2934
Fax: (202) 224-5220
Main District Office:
10440 N. Central Expressway, #1160
Dallas, TX 75231
Phone: (214) 361-3500
Fax: (214) 361-3502

Senator John Cornyn
Washington Office:
517 Hart Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2934
Fax: (202) 228-2856
Main District Office:
2323 Bryan St., Ste. 2150
Dallas, TX 75201
Phone: (214) 767-3000

U.S. Representative Solomon P. Ortiz
Washington Office:
2470 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-4327
Phone: (202) 225-7742
Fax: (202) 226-1134
Main District Office:
3649 Leopard, #510
Corpus Christi, TX 78408
Phone: (361) 883-5868
Fax: (361) 884-9201

Governor Rick Perry
Citizen's Opinion Hotline: 1-800-252-9600
PO Box 12428
Austin, TX 78711-2428
Phone: (512) 463-2000
Fax: (512) 463-1849
Washington Office:
122 C St., NW, Ste. 200
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 638-3927
Fax: (202) 628-1943

State Senator Juan Hinojosa
PO Box 12068
Austin, TX 78711-2068
Phone: (512) 463-0120
Fax: (512) 463-0229
Main District Office:
612 Nolana Ste, 410B
McAllen, TX 78504
Phone: (956) 972-1841
Fax: (956) 686-8462

State Rep. Jaime Capelo
E1.424 Capitol Building
Austin, TX 78768-2910
Phone: (512) 463-0462
Fax: (512) 463-9545
Main District Office:
501 S. Tancahua
Corpus Christi, TX 78401
Phone: (361) 882-2277
Fax: (361) 882-2881

City of Corpus Christi:

Mayor Neal, Loyd
email: dianag@ci.corpus-christi.tx.us
Phone: (361) 880-3100
Fax: (361) 880-3103

Kelly, Bill (District 1)
email: maryj@cctexas.com
Phone: (361) 289-1383
Fax: (361) 289-0712

Colmenero, Javier D. (District 2)
email: jcolmenr@davlin.net
Phone: (361) 880-3105
Fax: (361) 880-3113

Noyola, Jesse (District 3)
email: jnoyola@davlin.net
Phone: (361) 880-3105
Fax: (361) 880-3113

Scott, Mark (District 4)
email: mscott@sanjacintotitle.com
Phone: (361) 880-3105
Fax: (361) 880-3113

Kinnison, Rex (District 5)
email: rkcpatx@aol.com
Phone: (361) 880-3105
Office: (361) 884-6396
Fax: (361) 880-3113

Cooper, Melody (At Large)
email: joe@melodycooperlaw.com
(361) 887-8014 (wk)
(361) 850-7383 (hm)

Chesney, Brent (At Large)
email: bchesney@firstam.com
Phone: (361) 880-3105
Fax: (361) 880-3113

Garrett, Henry (At Large)
email: chiefhcg@aol.com
(361) 949-8406
cell: (361) 850-3113
fax: (361) 949-0162

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