In spite of the down-pouring rain, hundreds of San Diegans lined Highway 101 in North County today in a silent vigil to protest sending more troops to Iraq. KPBS reporter Alison St John has more.
With a backdrop of pounding surf and dark clouds letting down curtains of rain, a long line of people dressed in black stood silently along the coast highway, facing the morning traffic. Each wore a white sheet of paper pinned to their chest. On each paper was the name, age and home town of a soldier or Marine who’s died in Iraq.
For Trip Mickitch whose black cap dripped with rain, the act of standing in silent testimony was a powerful experience.
Mickitch: It gives people time to stop all the business and see what’s happening right now. You can feel the real sorrow and loss of the names of the people that we’re wearing today. This person was FJ Steven who was 20 years old .. died this October.
Taylor: I am here because I am anti-surge.
Donna Taylor, 72, also stood for more than an hour in silence.
Taylor: Other than being freezing and cold and wet, I think everyone is feeling desperate of getting our message across. I am anti-surge, I am anti-escalation, I am pro-gradual. - Bringing the troops home gradually bringing them home and ending this war.
As the vigil came to an end the sound of taps blended with the traffic. No counter demonstrations gathered in response to this anti-war protest. The vigil honored the troops in its prayer for peace. The only signs along the road as the morning traffic sped by read “Bring Their Buddies Home.”
Alison St John KPBS News.
(Photo: Alison St. John/KPBS)
