On Saturday, an antiwar protest against the Iraq War called "Bodies Against The War" is planned here in Grand Rapids. The event will take place on May 24 at Calder Plaza in downtown at 12:00pm. The event announcement reads:

"Bodies Against The War 2008

Let Your Voice Be "Seen"

All you need is a white shirt (that we can write a number on) and a desire to participate in something bigger than yourself, to use your voice and body to show people what this war is all about.

WE NEED BODIES!

Sat. May 24, 2008
High Noon
@ Calder Plaza

Come join us for a silent cry against the war.

Please remember this is a peaceful protest.

We honor the lives lost and respect the truth."

The organizers further outline the goals of the protest in a post on their blog:

""We are really hoping that people decide to do it in their own towns. What we really want is for people to find a new, better way to protest that appeals to all people from all backgrounds, and this is a very cool way to do that. The protests that I have been to in the past consist of mostly young freaks (or at least that's what on lookers would classify them) who get loud in the street yelling obscenities and most definitely NOT appealing to the masses. The idea that appealed to me about this protest was that it was a way to include everyone, and that everyone there would be essentially wearing the same thing (white shirt with a number) and to make it a protest where on lookers could not label us as anything, instead, they can identify and move beyond the barrier of judgement and begin to hear/see the bigger picture.

The goal of this protest? To encourage others to vote, to see the importance of human life and to honor those who have lost their lives in this war - and most importantly, to ask ourselves and the world, WHY. Why have we not yet moved on as human beings towards peace, and WHY is "peace" written off as some hippie pipe dream? Isn't it instead the GOAL that should be above all other goals? With peace comes prosperity....and WE think "It's about time"."

The protest is inspired by a die-in that was held in San Diego, California in March of this year. A video of the San Diego protest--which Bodies Against The War organizes say is similar to what they are planning--is available online: