BRINGIN’ IT HOME: ANTI-INAUGURATION DAY

by Kate Tarasenko

[Originally published in the Rocky Mountain Bullhorn (Fort Collins, Colo.),

week of Jan. 27 - Feb. 2, 2005, pg. 11]

"I have been weeping for my country, literally," said Christine Csernica-Haas, a 52-year-old retired bookkeeper who was one of about 25 people
dressed all in black and holding signs on the corner of College and Mulberry on Inauguration Day.

"After the election, I couldn’t even leave the house for a couple of days," she said.

As a longtime political activist who protested the Vietnam War, Csernica-Haas knows that the only antidote to depression is action. That’s why she
and hundreds of others took to the streets of Fort Collins last Thursday as part of the "Don’t Agonize – Organize!" anti-inaugural events co-sponsored
by the Center for Justice, Peace and the Environment.

Brett Pavel, a real estate broker who stood out among the protesters in his suit and tie, held one of several signs declaring, "Bush Lies, Thousands
Die" and "Just Say ‘No’ to Fascism." As affable as he was well-dressed, Pavel struggled to be heard over the din of passing drivers honking their
horns in support, saying he was there on his lunch break, and admitting that he was late getting back to his office.

"I haven’t really been that politically active," said Pavel – not since 1972 when he was arrested for refusing his induction into the Marine Corps. But
he was compelled to do something "a little loving and pro-active" to register his opposition to the war in Iraq.

"I’m here to affirm, basically, that you don’t kill people in order to change their minds," said Pavel.

The day’s events were kicked off by a Critical Mass Bike Ride, dubbed the "People’s Unmotorcade," in which approximately 150 cyclers rode around
Old Town and through the CSU campus. Mareye Bullock, a 50-something massage therapist and one of the riders, said, "I’m hoping to release some
of my own frustration and let people know that we’re not all celebrating Bush’s inauguration with happy hearts."

Brian Depew, a 23-year old graduate student at CSU, said, "The Unmotorcade successfully achieved the joint goal of camaraderie and visibility."
But he said they were harassed by the Fort Collins Police who, at first, allowed the riders to proceed unfettered for a short time before flashing their
lights to try to disperse them, and threatening them with arrest for "blocking traffic."

"We were the traffic," claims Depew. "Isn’t that the whole point of being a critical mass ride?"

While the number of cyclers continued to dwindle during the hour-long ride, a police officer on motorcycle followed the remaining dozen riders
through campus, which Depew found "very aggressive, and clearly an attempt to intimidate us. I never knew that 12 bikers were such a threat," he
said.

The day’s activities culminated with an Organizing Fair held at the Bean Cycle on College Avenue where about 200 people were able to network and
gather information on activist groups and upcoming events.

"Now, more than ever, we have to fight against this unjust war, and fight to preserve the civil rights that our country is so proud of," said
Csernica-Haas.

Another Critical Mass Bike Ride is planned for March 20 to mark the two-year anniversary of the United States’ invasion of Iraq.

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