NORTH BEND – Janell Diel and her friend Eric Phetteplace drove all the way to North Bend from Yakima last week to stand in the rain and stand up for what they believe in.

They drove there to take part in one of the many demonstrations set for Jan. 20, the day George Bush was sworn in for his second term as president. After looking online at the different protests taking place, the friends decided to make the haul to North Bend.

“This was the closest one [protest],” Diel said. “It’s pretty sad.”

The pair were two of about a dozen demonstrators who stood at the corner of Bendigo Boulevard and North Bend Way to protest war, Bush and the current state of affairs in the world today. Niki Hoyt said she was compelled to speak up since everything about Bush is against every one of her personal principles.

“I have a daughter and the world I see her inheriting is insane on every front,” she said.

The North Bend protest was organized by J.M. Moshay, who said she got the idea last November on Election Day. Before any of the results came in, Moshay said she felt the need to stand up for peace. Many of the signs at the demonstration had messages for peace and Moshay passed out white arm bands to all who showed up.

“I would have been out here regardless of who won the election,” said Moshay, who had a “Visualize World Peace” sign.

Although there were some signs that clearly took issue with the president, Moshay said the gathering wasn’t so much an anti-Bush protest as it was a peace demonstration.

“Some woman came by and said, ‘Boo [in disapproval],'” Moshay said. “I said to her, ‘Don’t you support peace?'”

Just as the president was finishing up his inauguration speech that day, Moshay was out on the corner, holding her signs. Although she started out by herself, more people joined her throughout the morning, taking up the northeast corner of the intersection. Though only a handful may have turned out to stand, the demonstrators were not alone. While there was the occasional snicker from an onlooker, some passing cars honked their horns and waved. Most cars slowed down just to get a glimpse of what the commotion was about.

Last year’s election may be over, but those who attended the demonstration still had deep passions about politics and still feel the need for change. Showing up for a small demonstration in North Bend may seem like a minor incident in national politics, but it was the least many of those who attended felt they could do.

“We had to do something,” Phetteplace said.

As for just accepting the outcome of the world and getting on with life, Hoyt said she would have none of it. While watching John Kerry’s concession speech in which he said it was a time for healing, Hoyt said she got angry. There is no time for healing yet, she said, likening the election to a rape where the victim is told to get on with their life even though the rapist got away.

“Speaking up is patriotic,” Hoyt said. “It’s why it is the first one [amendments].”