A former Sacramento State professor labeled CSUS a conformist campus at a peace rally in Old Sacramento Saturday.

The Sacramento-Yolo Peace Action sponsored rally, entitled “Power to the Peaceful,” drew several hundred people in a celebration of humanity that combined poetry, music, dance, and spoken word.

Sacramento State Professor Emeritus, Jeanie Keltner, the spokeswoman for the event, urged the crowd to wade through biased media and face the truth.

“We are presented with a jaded perspective on the events leading up to this war,” said Keltner. “Life is so much more interesting when you have real information.”

Accccording to Keltner, an invasion of Iraq would violate international law, kill tens of thousands of Iraqis, and further the violent aggression of the United States’ attempt to control two-thirds of the world’s oil resources.

“Besides the horrendous anguish that would be inflicted on the Iraqi people, war would have detrimental effects to our economy,” said Keltner. “War costs taxpayers over $1 billion dollars per day, and $11 million per second.”

Vietnam veteran, Pat Driscoll, believes that warfare is essential in situations that warrant defense, but says that economic wars have no place in the world.

“Terrorism as a justification for this war is just an attempt to hide the real intentions of gaining access to more oil,” said Driscoll. “I have served in Vietnam, a war that was purely economical, and I have seen what war really does. I have seen blood flowing from tankers and the imprints of bodies on buildings.”

Reverend Tim Malone said the American people must declare peace to curtail any senseless slaughtering.

“We need to write letters, march, hold rallies, organize, and vote,” said Malone. “We are not into killing. We are into healing.”

Derrill Bodley, a Sacramento City College music teacher, is doing just that after his 20-year-old daughter, Deora Bodley, was killed Sept. 11 when the hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania.

“I don’t want revenge on the terrorists,” Bodley said. “I don’t want more innocent bloodshed.”

Americans, and students in particular, need to realize that we are on the brink of a catastrophic war and the party could be over soon, said Bodley.

The lives of young adults could change drastically as a reinstatement of the draft is being considered, said Keltner.”We need a student movement in Sacramento, particularly Sac State where their conformist nature has been customary,” said Keltner. “This war is going to pave their future, and right now it looks bleak.”

Sac State student Barbara Mason agreed with Keltner’s sentiments, saying she wishes the school would host events like these.

“There was nothing on campus about this rally,” said Mason. “I want to support peace.”

Another Sac State student, Rachel Kanarowski, tried to encourage anti-war convictions on campus by posting a flier that pictures Osama bin Laden and the phrase, “I Want You to Invade Iraq.”

The flier, which is sponsored by the Sac State group Aii Nation, has appeared in the New York Times and Rolling Stone, and it highlights the possible outcomes of an assault on Iraq.

“Our current administration is not providing reasons,” said Kanarowski. “People need to question, because if we go to Iraq, it will come home to us.”

The Davis Peace Coalition provided an opportunity for people to voice their concern in an open letter to the United Nations Security Council. Member Patricia Daugherty said that actions and events like this have been effective in getting people informed and involved.

“In Davis two women decided to stage an unannounced anti-war march, and as the day progressed, 200 people joined,” said Daugherty. “All it takes is one person.”

There were a small number of people who took offense to the rally.

Shouts of, “Bomb Iraq” and “Hippies” could be heard, and one man aimlessly shouted “I love America” redundantly.The event was one in a string of rallies that encourages peaceful resolutions.

The next major gathering will take place Oct. 26 in San Francisco and in Washington D.C.

Students can hear ex-marine Jeff Patterson speak today at noon in the Hinde Auditorium in the University Union. Patterson was a resister to service in the gulf war.

Jeanie Keltner hopes that students from Sac State will make the effort or seek other channels of media for information.

Daugherty agreed with Keltner’s statement.

“The Internet is the best source for alternative media,” said Daugherty. “The next step is to turn off your television. Did you know that you get smarter if you watch the television when it’s off?”