Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Group Calls For Bush Impeachment

Several Plainfielders rallied outside City Hall Wednesday to show their dissatisfaction with President George W. Bush, whose approval rating nationwide has dipped to a new low.

Plainfield resident Steven Hatcher, local leader of People's Organization for Progress, held up a large sign calling for the president's impeachment, getting honks of approval from motorists and even an NJ Transit bus during the demonstration that started at 5 p.m.

City resident Colleen Fields hugged demonstrators as she passed the group.

"I thought it was very good, a just cause," she said.

Fields enumerated her beefs with Bush.

"First of all, he lied. We shouldn't even be in Iraq in the war."

In addition, she faulted his delayed reaction to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, calling it "just awful."

The POP group holds a demonstration every fourth Saturday at Park Avenue and Front Street to protest the war.

Fields said she sometimes joins another demonstration for peace and an end to the Iraq war that is held every Saturday from noon to 1 p.m. outside the Quaker Meeting House on Watchung Avenue.

Quaker Jeff Hitchcock said the peace vigil includes not only Quakers, but other concerned city residents. The Quaker meeting is pleased to welcome all participants in the vigil, he said.

In a press release, Hatcher said his group calls for all citizens "to raise a general call for George Bush's impeachment, by notifying elected representatives, writing letters and holding demonstrations to publicize concern and the need for action."


--Bernice Paglia

KEYWORDS: rally