In commemoration of the mothers who have lost children in the Iraqi war, members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) and Military Families Speak Out (MFSO) will hand out hundreds of flowers on Mother's Day, May 9 from noon-1 p.m. at the corner of Wabash and Wacker.

"Today we are giving flowers to the public to honor the sacrifices of the mothers--from all countries -who have lost children in this unnecessary war. As veterans of Vietnam, we want to remember and express our deep sorrow for their losses. We want a peaceful world where none of us lose people we love to conflicts that should have been settled without violence," said Ray Parrish of VVAW. Since the invasion of Iraq started in March 2003, over 760 U.S. soldiers have been killed and the numbers continue to escalate.

Gaia Guirl-Stearley of MFSO commented, "My only child and her spouse are in Iraq; in effect, so is the future of my family. This Mother's Day, I share the heartache of everyone who has or will lose someone they love to war. Generations of mothers will pay for the folly of this invasion and occupation."

Barbara Porchia whose son, Spc. Jonathan Marshall Cheatham, age 19, was killed in Iraq on July 26, 2003, said, "We mustn't continue to waste and lose American and Iraqi lives. They have families, they have mothers who love them. My son was truly loved and will forever be missed. Bring our soldiers home."

Vietnam Veterans Against the War has more than 1,000 members throughout the country. The first group to organize Vietnam veterans in 1967, it was founded to voice returning service-men's and women's growing opposition to the Vietnam war and grew to include more than 30,000 members. The group started the first rap groups to deal with the war's traumatic aftereffeects on GIs, made known the health effects of chemical defoliants, and exposed Veteran's Administration attempts to cover up Agent-Orange-induced illnesses.

Military Families Speak Out is an organization of over 1,500 families across the country who are opposed to the war in Iraq and who have loved ones in the military.