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Maxine Waters and Lynn Woolsey at "Women Say Pull Out!" Rally (Photo by Michelle Schafer)

On Saturday, my daughter and husband joined me at the “Women Say Pull Out! Convergence for DC Mobilization” rally to show support for an end to the war in Iraq. The event was sponsored by CODEPINK and other women’s organizations including the National Organization for Women, V-Day, Women's Action for New Directions, Feminist Majority, Feminist Peace Network and Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual.

People from all over the country attended. Speakers at the CodePink rally included Representatives Maxine Waters and Lynn Woolsey, Congressman Dennis Kucinich and actors Sean Penn, Jane Fonda, Rhea Pearlman and Maxine Kennedy, among others. I was so pleased to hear them speak out for an end to the war that has already taken too many lives, too many husbands and wives away from their families, and too many sons and daughters from their mothers. Especially touching was the wife of one Army infantry officer who said “bring them home…where they can be safe.”

After the rally, we walked over and joined the United for Peace and Justice rally on the national mall. Although we didn’t hear Jane Fonda speak earlier, she did speak at the main event. There was no official crowd count, but organizers say it was near 500,000.

My family has a history of military service as both my parents were reservists in the military and my grandfather served in both the Army and Navy and helped rebuild Pearl Harbor. My cousin has already served one tour in Iraq, and is scheduled to go back again in the spring. I also have girlfriends whose husbands have been sent over or are scheduled to be sent over. I have a great respect for our servicemen and women.

I haven’t had anyone I know die or loose limbs, but I hate seeing it happen to other families, mothers and wives across the country and in Iraq.

- Michelle Schafer