David Lowe, an activist with United for Peace and Justice in San Jose and the South Bay Mobilization, spoke to Indybay at the outset of the demonstration, at San Carlos and Second in San Jose, near the Federal office building. He said there are small actions there every Friday from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. This larger demonstration included a march to Cesar Chavez Park, then on to several churches around Downtown, including St. Joseph’s Cathedral and the Unitarian Church.

“I think it is important,” Lowe said,” that everybody opposed to the Bush Agenda be out in the streets on these important days like the Inauguration, to show their opposition.”

“There’s a lot of people,” Lowe continued, “who are sitting back thinking that they’re opposed to what’s going on, but it’s important to put those thoughts into action and be public about it.”

Kathy Eder, a schoolteacher in the South Bay, said: “All the lavish spending that’s going on in Washington D.C. right now—I think it’s a huge disgrace … I am angry, and I am depressed.”

Eder went on, “I hope that this demonstration lets people know that they can join us in our voice for peace. I hope somehow this message gets to the soldiers, that we’re here fighting for them; I hope this message gets to the Iraqi people, that we’re out here, that this is our way of non-violently fighting for them. I hope people understand. I hope the media is willing to put the information out … that we stand in solidarity with those that are oppressed.”

On the march, Jonathan Apodaca, a San Jose State University student, said he voted last November for the first time: “I was so excited about voting, I made sure to do it first thing in the morning. The first thing I did was went and voted. I was just so disappointed by the way it turned out. I can’t believe that people actually feel that Bush is good for America. It was just shocking to me that he won.”