WASHINGTON, D.C. — Students from Iowa State and across the country gathered on the National Mall with mothers, fathers, grandparents and young children in support of peace this weekend.

As speakers made them think, Ramsey Tesdell, freshman in technical communication, and Matt Denner, junior in political science, did their part to do the same for the half-million people present at the rally and march. Tesdell held a nearly two-foot tall stuffed chicken on his shoulders during the rally. Denner purchased the chicken for under a dollar at Goodwill, with the intent of sending a message to political leaders. The chicken held a sign that read “Don’t be a chicken, choose nonviolence.”

“I wanted to recycle [the chicken] to encourage our legislative leaders and challenge them to choose nonviolence,” Denner said.

Omar Tesdell, junior in journalism and mass communication and Daily columnist, said there are people who are not opposed to going to war when they see a reason for it. Many of those people can’t find a reason for U.S. action against Iraq. That sentiment was obvious upon arrival in Washington.

Groups clung together under signs or behind banners. The people, the students, came from everywhere. They were supporting causes within causes, but they all stood behind an anti-war foreign policy.

Union members were represented by “Money for jobs, not for war.”

There were “Women for peace.”

Church groups asked, “What would Jesus bomb?”

Everyone wanted the message heard.

Students carried banners from Allegheny College in Meadville, Penn., Duke, Yale, and others, along with several high schools. About 20 students from the University of Northern Iowa marched in orange vests that read “Iowa for peace.”

Angela Hegarty, junior in electronic media at UNI, said she expected the march and rally to be big, because of what she’d heard about the rally in October. A busload of faculty from the University of Minnesota-Duluth traveled 24 hours for the rally.

Reid Schoffelen and Allie Hutchison, both 15-year-old sophomores at the George School in Newtown, Penn., traveled about three hours with several other students, faculty and staff.

“Being aware of what’s going on helps spread the word,” Hutchison said.

When the march from the Capitol to the Washington Navy Yard began, and the request of International Act Now to Stop War and End Racism Coalition for access to and elimination of weapons of mass destruction in the United States was only two hours away, Central Iowans “followed the chicken” as they made their way down the route. As they went, protesters chanted and sang.

“It was not just one group of people,” said Elizabeth Vogel, senior in biological/pre-medical illustration. “There were mothers pushing strollers, fathers with children on their shoulders, there were veterans marching with us.”

For many, it was a blur and a sort of surreal experience.

“It all happened so fast,” said Lindsey Fifield, sophomore in English.

But it energized everyone.

“There were so many people I couldn’t see, but I didn’t need to see anything because I felt the power and the energy,” said Jon Meier, senior in religious studies who walked more than 800 miles over 24 days from Ames to Washington for the rally. It was an experience Fifield said she will always remember. “It was an affirmation of everything I believe in and have been working for,” she said.

It was also a time for students, ISU students, to make their voices heard.

“A lot more people than we think feel the same way we do,” said Ramsey Tesdell in response to the crowd. “We’re from Iowa. Usually I’m not too proud to yell that.”