by Anna Hampton
Daily Lobo
UNM alumna Ashley Miller said it is important for Democrats to retake Congress.
She held a sign that read, "Wilson and Bush, Saving Babies, Starving Children," at a protest Sunday.
About 30 people showed up for the second World Can't Wait demonstration on the corner of Central Avenue and University Boulevard to protest the Republican-controlled Congress and the war in Iraq.
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"The only thing we can do individually is vote and educate people about what is happening," Miller said. "People are ignorant."
Alumnus Paul Linnenbuger said the Democratic Party should take over because a change needs to be made in government, even though Democrats are not progressive enough.
"We find ourselves occupying a nation halfway across the world in a place where the people don't want us," he said. "In Bush's quest to bring justice to handfuls, he has brought injustice to millions."
Aaron Legarreta, a student who saw the protest but did not participate, said he supports the war
in Iraq.
"If you mess with us, you're going to get something in return,"
he said.
Student Kris Phillips, who saw the protest but did not participate, said he doesn't like Bush, but the United States should stay the course and continue
occupying Iraq.
"The Iraqi president said it himself that we should stay there for two more years to build up their (Iraq's) defense," he said.
Legarreta said he supports Bush's new policies to help improve the United States and also supports the soldiers in Iraq.
"I'm proud of those who've died," he said.
Linnenbuger said he plans to launch a political party in the spring called the New Wigs to get the U.S. back on track.
"We don't want to be stuck with these incompetent fools for the next two years," he said.
Paul Eichhorn, who helped organize the event, said he began organizing protests in September, because he was disgusted with the lack of action in Albuquerque.
"The students are pretty lame," he said. "If they can't get upset about someone breaking the Constitution, then the fault is theirs - silence is not cool."
Eichhorn said he set up signs along Central Avenue that stated: "Torture is evil. People who torture are evil. People who condone torture are evil. People who remain silent are cowards."
Students are lazy, which contributes to the lack of change,
he said.
"There's a lack of outrage amongst the students," Eich-
horn said.
Brian Haney, who attended the event, said he has been against the war in Iraq from the day it began.
The United States can use this election to send a message of dissatisfaction to the government,
he said.
"I never felt Iraq posed any threat. I don't support our country going on imperialistic adventures, killing our young men and women and bankrupting our country," he said. "I think we have an opportunity with this election to send the message that the people are sick and tired."
The bases will stay after the United States pulls out of Iraq to protect the oil reserves, he said.
Miller said the election will bring needed change in Congress.
"Americans are being represented by what our president is doing," she said. "She's (Heather Wilson) allowing things to be going on that shouldn't be going on because of her affiliation with the Republican Party."
Student Henry Hutchinson, who participated in the protest, said getting people to vote is the best way to bring change.
"Maybe this kind of thing will politically charge them enough to vote," he said.
Hutchinson said protesters can change national and international policies.
"There's no precedent for going there (Iraq)," he said. "People are needlessly suffering, both Americans and Iraqis, especially Iraqis. The Bush administration is cutting social programs, making life for underprivileged families more difficult than it already is. How they could possibly think that is a just thing is beyond me."
