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For her, the turnoot was "emotionally spectacular" especially because of the cold temperature, snow showers and the gathering of hundreds of thousands a train ride away in New York City.

The rally route led protestors down Broad Street, around City Hall to Market Street, then to the Liberty Bell and finally circling the PhiladelphiaFederal Building.

Despite the winter weather, protestors maintained energy and enthusiasm for the cause of peace. "Drums began as the march cir• cled City Hall," Dj Pietro said. "It helped keep people on their toes to continue until the end."

Di Pietro and Pallouci tried their best to stay warm. Pallouci brought the hand wanning bags that you shake, but, according to Di Pietro, they were two years expired and did not work well. The group chatted about the rallywhen they were not answering powerful chants like, "What do we want? Peace! When do we want it? Now!"

"Marching is an experiencet Di Pietro said. "The rallying chants are strong. Though it's a peaceful protest, you feel really fired up because you 're walking through red lights, listening to drums and yelling, hoping that the people in limbo start to listen up."

Di Pietro recalled watching a Saturday morning shopper running with her children through the protestors as if to protect them from unjust people. "We were confused," Di Pietro said.

Although one woman ran to keep her children from hearing the pleas for peace, other parents encouraged their children to be active.

"Fathers had kids on their shoulders, and mothers led their children around Signs with 'Kids for peace' hung on their backs," Di Pietro said. "The children danced to the music and had a good time. Jtjust showed how important this issue is to many different types of people. People brought their families and the elderly showed up just as welt They came with old signs and methods from prior protesting days."

The protestors, of all ages and backgrounds, fought the cold as their chants continued to resonate through inner city.

An African American mother led her three young children in singing, "Hey, hey, whoa, whoa, Bush and Cheney have.to go!"

"I saw a girl partially wrapped in duct tape, as if to say 'Am I safe now?"' Di Pietro said.

Other prevalent signs at the rally included phrases like, "How many lives per gaJlon'?"which is inspired by the belief that war with Iraq is fueled by greed over oil, and "Drop Bush, not bombs."

Di Pietro went to the rally for one reason - to protest the war against Iraq. She believes that, "in many years there is going to be a lot of guilt for being so na'ive in our actions."

Di Pietro admits that, at times, she has become exhausted from dealing with opposition coming from her family, friends and the government. "But," she said, "I tried."