News

Grim milestone on Iraq war

What was billed as a lighted representation of America's war dead in Iraq turned into an auditory display Monday evening, thanks to the supportive honking of passing cars on El Camino Real as demonstrators read the names of 423 soldiers from California who have died in the war.

The vigil took place at El Camino and Castro Street, starting at about 7 p.m. and ending shortly before 9 p.m.

Lack of a source of electricity kept the approximately 50 demonstrators from adding to the candlelight observance with 4,000 electric lights as they had planned. But demonstrators had many small lit candles in red plastic cups, and some carried signs reading, "End the debacle. Impeach," "Peace instead," and "Out now. Bring our troops home."

"When another soldier dies, a part of me dies," said Karen Meredith, a Mountain View resident and prominent member of Mountain View Voices for Peace. Her own son, Lt. Ken Ballard, died during a firefight in Iraq nearly four years ago.

"California has had its fair share of casualties," she said of the 426 dead. A small memorial to her son was placed nearby on a grassy area.

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Paul George, director of the Peninsula Peace and Justice Center in Palo Alto, and his partner, psychologist Stephanie Reader, cited non-fatal casualty figures of about 30,000 wounded, about 3,000 of whom have severe brain injuries.

"We don't even begin to know the damage" to people's lives caused by the injuries and stress the soldiers have undergone, including damage to marriages and relationships due to post-traumatic stress disorder, Reader said.

The Rev. Archer Summers, senior pastor with the First United Methodist Church in Palo Alto, said he hopes that "in the days of Easter that we in fact will start anew."

He said many people are "clueless on what is going on in Iraq."

Participants in the vigil came from Mountain View, Los Altos, Sunnyvale and Palo Alto.

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The names of three other war dead from California were not read because they haven't yet been added to the official list and were not available.

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Grim milestone on Iraq war

by Casey Weiss / Mountain View Voice

Uploaded: Tue, Mar 25, 2008, 11:05 am

What was billed as a lighted representation of America's war dead in Iraq turned into an auditory display Monday evening, thanks to the supportive honking of passing cars on El Camino Real as demonstrators read the names of 423 soldiers from California who have died in the war.

The vigil took place at El Camino and Castro Street, starting at about 7 p.m. and ending shortly before 9 p.m.

Lack of a source of electricity kept the approximately 50 demonstrators from adding to the candlelight observance with 4,000 electric lights as they had planned. But demonstrators had many small lit candles in red plastic cups, and some carried signs reading, "End the debacle. Impeach," "Peace instead," and "Out now. Bring our troops home."

"When another soldier dies, a part of me dies," said Karen Meredith, a Mountain View resident and prominent member of Mountain View Voices for Peace. Her own son, Lt. Ken Ballard, died during a firefight in Iraq nearly four years ago.

"California has had its fair share of casualties," she said of the 426 dead. A small memorial to her son was placed nearby on a grassy area.

Paul George, director of the Peninsula Peace and Justice Center in Palo Alto, and his partner, psychologist Stephanie Reader, cited non-fatal casualty figures of about 30,000 wounded, about 3,000 of whom have severe brain injuries.

"We don't even begin to know the damage" to people's lives caused by the injuries and stress the soldiers have undergone, including damage to marriages and relationships due to post-traumatic stress disorder, Reader said.

The Rev. Archer Summers, senior pastor with the First United Methodist Church in Palo Alto, said he hopes that "in the days of Easter that we in fact will start anew."

He said many people are "clueless on what is going on in Iraq."

Participants in the vigil came from Mountain View, Los Altos, Sunnyvale and Palo Alto.

The names of three other war dead from California were not read because they haven't yet been added to the official list and were not available.

Comments

formerneocon
Old Mountain View
on Mar 30, 2008 at 3:50 am
formerneocon, Old Mountain View
on Mar 30, 2008 at 3:50 am

I used to be a neo-con, always listened to Rush, melanie, o'reilly, hannity.
Now, i am leading away from rabid conservatism.

I'm not turning into a heart bleeding liberal,mind you.
But i am more of an independent now, i choose not to take sides.
I am not fully against the war, but i am mad at Presidente.Bush for listening to DICK cheney and sending troops without full armory.

I hate DICK cheney, this is the man you must impeach, poor ole' Bush is just following advice and wants to please the neo-cons since it was his promise to do so when elected, Mr.Cheney is the mastermind.

I want to meet President.Bush before he leaves the white house.
Hopefully Obama gets elected...
For the first time ever we will have a new America.
UNITED not divided.


Proud American
Blossom Valley
on Mar 31, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Proud American, Blossom Valley
on Mar 31, 2008 at 3:10 pm

There are alot of hype going on politically. Hype about OBAMA included.

However AMERICA must be reminded to be "SMART" and not vote too hastily without carefully thinking why they should vote for a particular candidate. This coming election is NOT about popularity;

NOT about:

Race, Gender, Sexual preferences, religious beliefs, economic or "class" status, or political affiliation. This is not even about any political ideology.

This election is bigger than that.

The question WE must ask ourselves is are WE as people getting closer to the kind of WORLD we strive to BE? Are we progressing?

Are we choosing the RIGHT candidate to lead us to that direction? Do they hold VALUES, the same we as people value for our laws and principles? Do they have the same respect for our U.S. Constitution? Or are they simply going to act as though they are "ABOVE the LAW"?

The "PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES" have YET to prove this FUNDAMENTAL, prerequisites to a sovereign nation. PEOPLE should be weary and reserve their ONLY power (VOTING power)until a CANDIDATE prove worthy of being the PRESIDENT of the Most Powerful Nation in the WORLD.

AMERICA should wash their hands; clear their eyes, open their ears and think with their GOD given gift. For this is the most important election in our life that will be the defining moment for the future of our WORLD and for those children we leave behind.

Time is running out. Time will not stop. Time is irreversible unlike the electric meters linked to a solar energy.

Progressive is like time. It is coming to head with those who are oppressive. So far the only Candidate that clearly understand this are those who knows this. Ralph Nader should be given a chance. Don't let the anti-progressive destroy this opportunities like they did to Dennis Kucinich.


also proud
another community
on Mar 31, 2008 at 3:24 pm
also proud, another community
on Mar 31, 2008 at 3:24 pm

YOU might be making a GOOD POINT if you HAD any POINT.


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