New York State Marches for Peace

It was quite a remarkable day.

As we were getting closer to Watertown and expecting a more hostile response, I found quite the opposite. A lot, a lot of people, 95%, responded to our waves and peace signs and honking with a thumbs up, a very positive, unbelievably positive attitude. I got the sense from one woman that this area is crying out for this war to end and they are really happy a group like this came in. I think they were overwhelmingly happy. They saw support for soldiers and at the same time heard a calling for an end to the war. I think it broke through the myth that peace activists are an angry, anti-soldier group. — Jim Fulmer

We left this morning from St. Francis Farm and made our way back to Rt. 11, a bit north of Pulaski, and we completed a 14-15 mile walk today. Our walk began in real foggy weather and we had concerns for safety. The fog lifted and we had a safe day on the roads. We stopped at a great ice cream stand along the way. Lots of leaflets were handed out, with some people enthusiastically taking leaflets.

Our numbers were about 35. We had some casualties today - more blisters.
The weather cooperated, and we ended our day of walking at the Kripalu Yoga Center of Northern NY, in Adams, for dinner and a place to stay for the night.

Responses to us? I think about 95% positive. Most people could not believe we had walked as far as we had walked. It was a great experience to talk with people along the way. Most seemed to be focused on their jobs, doing daily life. And they were overwhelmingly positive toward us. — Vicki Ross

Given the positive response from the commander of Ft. Drum (the news article about the commander’s statement will be on the main page of this web site), we are inviting soldiers to meet up with us and walk with us for the last piece of the walk.

We will celebrate at the Different Drummer Cafe Friday night.

Todd Ensign, from Citizen Soldier in New York City, the organization behind the Different Drummer Cafe, will be contacting the base to see about arranging a meeting with the four — 4 ! - generations of veterans who have been on our March: vets from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq. — Kathy Castania