Tired of the discussions about a possible war in Iraq some UW-Eau Claire students have organized an anti-war rally to be held Saturday in Madison.

Seniors Cynthia Patterson and Trever Hagen and sophomore Nathan Kalmoe wanted to do something to announce they aren’t happy with the prospects of a war.

“We need to get the word out and let people know that not everybody supports President Bush,” Kalmoe said. “We need to let people know that it isn’t unpatriotic to disagree with the war.”

They will be among the students going to Madison to take part in a rally on the steps of the state capitol building, joining students from UW-Madison and other UW campuses.

The rally is scheduled to take place in coalition with similar events in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco, which are sponsored by national organizations A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) and Not In Our Name.

While the three Eau Claire organizers brainstormed possibilities about how to get their message across, Patterson created the idea of having a march in protest of the war.

Patterson originally thought the group could organize a march from Eau Claire to Madison but found out that would be illegal.

With possible advertising and publication, they knew police would be on to them quickly.

“We’re willing to get arrested for our beliefs,” Patterson said. “But if you get arrested two minutes into your demonstration, it wouldn’t do much good.”

Instead of marching to the state capitol, the students decided to march from the Madison campus to the Capitol. Stop the War, a Madison student organization helping with the protest, was unable to reserve the Madison Campus Mall so the group settled for a rally at the Capitol.

The rally will feature several speakers, including Matthew Rothschild from The Progressive magazine, as well as professors from Madison.

As of Wednesday night, Kalmoe said 34 people from Eau Claire signed up for the rally.

It is being held on Saturday because it will mark one year since the passing of the Patriot Act, which gave more power to domestic law enforcement and international intelligence agencies.

If students from Eau Claire are interested in going to the protest, a bus will be leaving at 8:30 a.m. Saturday from the Haas Fine Arts parking lot. The Eau Claire organizers plan to return to campus between 5:30 and 6 p.m. Saturday, Kalmoe said.

People interested in attending the event should bring a bag lunch and organizers are requesting a small donation to help with the cost of the bus, for which Kalmoe is paying.