A continuous drum beat is a reminder to protestors to be
continuously vigilant in their quest for peace.
Wednesday night's march from Scotia to Schenectady marks the
63rd anniversary of the United States detonating the world's
first atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima.
Trisha Roser of Glenville tells us she grew up in Japan.
One year ago, she was visiting the site of the atomic bombing.
She explains, "I was a little hesitant about going there,
thinking it would be a very sorrowful and sad place but,
actually, it's a city full of hope and this, to me, is a sign
that Schenectady also has hope."
Many in the group of 25 protestors oppose the current U.S.
conflicts overseas.
Wednesday's march comes on the same day that major world powers
agreed to work toward new sanctions against Iran in the hopes of
slowing that country's development of nuclear weapons.
Some Schenectady County protestors are calling for countries to
dismantle existing weapons.
Anita Paul of Scotia says, "We're asking for the U.S. to spend
money to reduce the warheads in other countries because
reduction is what's going to make us safe...not the warheads."
Bertha Kriegler of Schenectady is 79.
She tells us she was part of protests during the Vietnam War era
and, now, she's marching for her grandsons.
"I have three children and four children - three of them boys of
draft age and I think that war is not the answer to any of the
problems that we have," Kriegler tells us.
The current mayor of Hiroshima marked this year's anniversary by
urging the next U.S. president to support a proposed ban on
nuclear weapons.
