Dr. Gary Lilly, a professor at Westminster College and Vietnam veteran, expressed his opinion about possible war in Iraq very simply to a crowd of anti-war demonstrators Saturday afternoon in downtown New Castle.

"I'm agin' it. How about you?"

The crowd of approximately 150 people roared approval. Dr. Lilly was one of many speakers at the Westminster College Green Party-sponsored event.

A dozen more people were on the sidelines protesting the protesters.

"I want to see the communists," said counter-demonstrator Tony Arvelo, New Castle. "We should free those people and put in a democracy there (Iraq). Then we will have some peace. Not by bending over backwards. Not by listening to those crybabies."

Locals attending the anti-war rally made it clear that they supported the country and the troops, but not the administration's reasoning for war with Iraq.

"You can be against the war and support our troops. We don't want our troops going to war," said John Liscio, 58, of Sharon. "We care about our country and the people in this world."

"I don't believe in war. And I don't think this would be a just war," said Gerri Eckert, 60, of Sharon.

"Someone has to speak out and do something. We're patriots, but I feel bad for our soldiers. They're being blackmailed into going to war. We have to be smarter than this. It's 2003," said Ruth Cavallo, 40, of New Castle.

Lauren Mann, 17, a senior at Wilmington High School, was glad to be around like-minded people who were against a war in Iraq.

"I live in a conservative town. I learned today that there are other people who actually share the same views as me," said the Lawrence County teen. "Its nice to be able to express yourself when there's not very much you can do," she said, referring to her youth.

Dr. George Garrow, 43, a physician who lives in New Wilmington, agreed. "I'm pleased that there's an opportunity for those in this area to make their voices heard. I'm particularly interested in showing my support with the voices against war," he said.

After music and about five speakers at the beginning of the rally, the war protesters took their sentiments to the street and walked about a mile circle around the downtown area.

Floyd Zehr, 73, took the walk slowly, but was determined to march with the protesters. "I think violence begets more violence. I don't think we're exactly examples to the world right now," said the New Wilmington man. "I wish there was more willingness to communicate and talk with the heads of the world's governments."

Ron Pollock, 59, of Sharon, thought that it was a question of motivation. "We don't have the proper intentions. Are we going because we want to help the Iraqi people? Are we going in for vengeance and a minimal threat," he asked.

"The best way to support our troops is to bring them home to be with their families," Pollock said.

Jim Shaw, 57, of New Castle, a former Marine, heckled the protesters using a musical megaphone that played the United States Marine Hymn.

"We're here to support the president and his troops. It's the U.S. and everyone has a right to protest. It's not about the war. It's about President Bush," he said of Saturday's demonstration. "There's not even a war yet. At least in Vietnam there was shooting."

Speaker Andrea Grove, an assistant professor at Westminster College and director of the college's Peace Studies program, said supporting the troops isn't enough. "It's about supporting our troops' rights to be led by leadership that knows what it's doing."