Vigil peaceful but determined

PROVO — They didn't riot, obstruct traffic or chant. No one marched, yelled slogans or used a high-powered megaphone.

Very few elements of Provo's anti-war protest Wednesday night resembled the chaotic protests in other parts of the country Wednesday, but Utah County participants, young and old, were clear about one thing: they wanted to make a statement.

"This isn't going to change the war," said Darren Jackson, 23, trying to keep his candle lit in the breeze. "But society forgets and needs to be reminded that this is a conflict that still needs to be resolved."

Jackson strolled up to the protest in front of the old county courthouse on Provo's University Avenue with several other BYU and UVSC students, but the assembly was largely organized by a politically zealous high school senior.

Between his schoolwork, Orem High senior Alex Peacock, 17, has started a Democrat club, campaigned for Barack Obama in Nevada and worked with moveon.org to launch the Provo protest.

"He gets out there and hustles for what he believes," Peacock's father said. "He felt his home was in the Democratic party and has been involved at a very young age."

Alex Peacock worked the crowd like a campaigning politician, shaking hands, smiling and thanking the crowd for coming.

"I didn't agree with this war from the beginning," Alex said. "But this isn't just about protesting the war, it's about honoring those who have died on both sides."

He stepped in front of the candle-lit group and softly read a statement he plans to send to several senators. Some passing drivers honked and threw peace signs out their windows but others stopped in wonder — and disgust.

"This just burns my grits," said Carma Avery, a 73-year-old outspoken grandma from Provo. "I saw that chicken sign (a black flag with a peace sign) and I had to stop. It's the footprint of the American chicken."

Avery prides herself as a longtime Utah County Democrat and Obama supporter, but clearly differs with her hawk, instead of dove, sentiment.

While some of the crowd circled and sang "We Shall Overcome," she rattled off three or four generations of military family members and kept pointing at the "hippie" flag in disgust.

Flag-waver and BYU student Steven Dunn, 22, didn't care.

"I'm here because the war started wrong and is going all wrong," he said. "People need reminding."

Others throughout the nation also protested Wednesday, marking the fifth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.