While more and more soldiers and reserves are being mobilized in preparation for war against Iraq, the majority of people gathered at Christ Episcopal Church in Albert Lea Monday for a peace gathering vowed to encourage the government to seek a peaceful solution rather than use force.

&uot;We need to keep in mind what Gandhi and Martin Luther King would have said,&uot; said Paul Goodnature in a discussion after the program, where he played folk guitar. &uot;If we fight violence with violence, the world will become more violent. If we fight fascism with fascism, we’ll get more fascism. I think it’s time to really listen to those figures.&uot;

The devastation the war would inflict on the battlefield, its impact on youngsters, the use of religion as a way to promote the war and threats to democracy by a narrow definition of patriotism are among other things the participants said they worry about.

Albert Lea Human Rights Commissioner Joanna Barr, one of the organizers of the event, said she would gather voices from the community and send letters to congressmen and senators.

Sue Erickson, an American history teacher at the Area Learning Center, brought her students to the gathering.

&uot;American history is happening right now. And, I think it’s important for them to be a part of this and get out to the real world here to see what’s going on,&uot; Erickson said. &uot;It’s just such an important time … And unfortunately, the war’s going to probably affect a lot of youths in the nation.&uot;

Among the students, High School Senior Jeremy Jensen said, &uot;I think whatever actions need to be taken should be. America was the wrong county to mess with. And, I hope that peace would be resolved in a good way.&uot;

&uot;I think we shouldn’t go into the war,&uot; 11th-grader Roxy Moreno said. &uot;Because it seems to make more and more problems. We should just all get along … I don’t know if there is any reason for fighting.&uot; Moreno said she is worried that Iraqi may get more support if the war breaks out.

The keynote speaker of the gathering, the Rev. George Marin, encouraged the nation’s leaders to make a decision based on the words of Jesus Christ.

&uot;Even in a small community like in Albert Lea, there are those who have strong feelings on both sides of the issue,&uot; Marin said. &uot;Whatever side of the issue you and I stand today I guess really does not matter. What matters the most of all is the peace that only Jesus Christ can offer.&uot;

But, retired doctor Thoburn Thompson was cautious about entrusting the decision to policy makers.

&uot;We can honor our leaders, but we know from past experiences that sometimes the truth spoken by some of our leaders sometimes is spoken in a manner which is abusive and hypocritical … (that) doesn’t solve the situation,&uot; he said.