Many of the names were of children under 10 years old. Organizers of the die-in say that an estimated 100 Iraqis are dying each day. Over 3,700 U.S. soldiers have lost their lives in Iraq.

Local peace activists, elected officials, and religious, labor and community leaders joined the event calling on Congress to bring U.S. troops home. The American Friends Service Committee and Peace Pledge-Chicago sponsored the event as part of a series of nationwide Iraq moratoriums which, organizers say, will continue to intensify every third Friday until the war ends.

“People everywhere should be doing anything to show public opposition to the war,” said Carl Davidson with Chicagoans Against War and Injustice. Davidson said peace activists should wear buttons or black armbands, refuse to purchase gas, hold vigils or host film screenings to voice the growing antiwar majority. Thousands of actions are taking place throughout the country, Davidson said.

“We have to be organized right at the nitty-gritty to represent popular power,” he added. “If you really want politicians to pay attention, then we need to organize independent peace groups in every neighborhood.”

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