Pasadena Cosmopolitan Peaceful Warriors Invade Southland Young war protestors, led by activists Ron Kovic and Mike Farrel By Terry Miller Youth & Student ANSWER joined with many other organizations to make March 19 a day of resistance against the war. The main Los Angeles action was a protest at the Hollywood military recruitment center on the corner of Hollywood Blvd. and La Brea. People of all ages attended. Student Campaign to Stop the war initiated by Youth & Student ANSWER were two of the organizing groups. Participating campuses included Archer School for Girls, Azusa Pacific University, Birmingham High School, Burroughs High School, Burbank High School, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State Long Beach, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Los Angeles, Cal State Northridge, Cerritos Community College, Chaminade High School, Chino High School, El Camino College, El Camino College/Compton Center, Holmes Middle School, Long Beach City College, Los Angeles City College, Loyola Marymount University, Mt. Sac, Mt. St. Mary's College, Moorpark High School, Orange Coast College, Polytechnic High School, Saddleback Community College, San Pedro High School, UCLA, UC Riverside, USC, Valley Alternative Magnet School, Ventura College and at least 30 other schools. At the 5th anniversary of the US led attack on Iraq in Pasadena, the protests were significantly smaller. A group of about 20 people from American Friends Service Committee stood outside Congressman Adam Schiff’s office in Old Pasadena and was initially hoping to demonstrate in front of Parsons Corporation, a building contractor whose Iraq reconstruction contracts rival those of famed Halliburton, but the protest failed to maintain its cohesion long enough to reach the building. On the corner of Hill and Orange Grove, more activists led the demand for immediate troop withdrawal to the tune of howling car horns from supporters as they drove home from work. For more information on the organization: www.answerla.org Thousands of young protesters, including scores of students from Pasadena City College and area high schools attended the March 15 mass anti war march in Los Angeles where students and young working people demanded an end to the War. Led by activist actor Mike Farrell (M.A.S.H.), and Vietnam Veteran and author Ron Kovic, the students walked from Hollywood and Vine and ended at the CNN building where the speakers sent a crystal clear message to corporate America about the war in Iraq. Attempting to end the criminal war of aggression against the Iraqi people, students also “ want to stop predatory military recruiters from using the economic draft to push working- class youth into the U.S. military.” according to ANSWER’s web site . According to the most recent numbers 4,000 Americans have died as a result of this military action since the start of the war 5 years ago. Heading the rally along with Mike Farrell was Ron Kovic(born July 4, 1946) an activist who was paralyzed in Vietnam. He is perhaps best known as the author of the memoir "Born on the Fourth of July," which was made into an Academy Award–winning film directed by Oliver Stone, starring Tom Cruise portraying Kovic.. Academy Award winning actress Jane Fonda has stated that Ron Kovic's story was the inspiration for her film "Coming Home." People carrying every conceivable sign denouncing President Bush and his supporters helped to carry their anti war message. One lone counter protestor opted to carry a sign along side the anti war students as they marched toward the CNN building on Sunset Blvd. His message read “So Many Hippies, Not Enough Grenades.” .