Hundreds of anti-war protesters gather in Athens to support grieving mothe

[CottonBear]

Hundreds of anti-war protesters gather in Athens to support grieving mother

By Alisa Marie DeMao


Allen Sullivan/Staff
Hundreds protest the war in Iraq at the University of Georgia Arch on Wednesday evening. The candlelight vigil, organized by the local chapter of Women in Black, was held in support of Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a soldier killed in Iraq who is holding a vigil near President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas.
*(Picture Caption*
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The roll call of the dead stretched down Broad Street Wednesday night - a white cross for every Georgia soldier killed in Iraq, from first to most recent - as more than 200 area residents gathered to protest the war and stand vigil in support of a California woman camped outside of President Bush's Crawford, Texas, ranch.

The candlelight vigil, organized by the local chapter of Women in Black, was one of more than 1,600 held across the United States on Wednesday in support of Cindy Sheehan.

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"The thing that motivated me, right now, is that one of my students was killed in Iraq," said Carol Myers, who taught Bogart resident Yahudah at Athens Technical College. "It really motivated me to get out of my living room and downtown."

Drago and Ruth Ann Tesanovich spent hours making 52 white crosses and affixing pictures of each of Georgia's war dead to them, only to be faced with the prospect of putting together four more at the last minute when four more Georgia soldiers were killed on Tuesday. The latest deaths were so recent, the couple wasn't able to find thumbnail photos from a newspaper for two of them and instead printed names, ages and hometowns, along with the date of their death, in blocky black print on the white cross. As darkness fell, protesters were answered with car horns from passing motorists and responses that varied from obscene hand gestures to peace signs and a thumbs-up.


Allen Sullivan/Staff
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http://onlineathens.com/stories/081805/new_20050818058.shtml

This was frontpage, above the fold, color picture with story in today's Athens-Banner Herald! The Women in Black have been silently protesting at the UGA Arch on Broad Street (The historic actual and symbolic entrance to the UGA campus)for well over a year now. Mr. CottonBear would see them each week on his way home from work. The Arch is on the MAIN street that divides downtown Athens fromt he UGA campus. Unfortunately, some passing motorists (probably frat boys and good old boys) made obscene gestures but I think that more people were supportive. I'm expecting to see mean-spirited freeper LTTE in tomorrow's paper. :(

[BlueEyedSon]

1. Damn, was hoping it was Greece

[CottonBear]

2. The clue to Athen's location is that the post is in the Georgia forum!

;)

[BlueEyedSon]

3. Silly me, browsing "Latest Discussion"

[CottonBear]

6. If I recall correctly, the Greeks protested against * during the Olympics.

Wasn't there a protest at the Amercian embassy? Of course the protest got very little (if any) media coverage in the USA.

[Dawgs]

4. Shit!!!

How did I miss it? I live in Lawrenceville. I could have gone with my sister-in-law who lives in Athens.

Shit, Shit, Shit!!

[CottonBear]

5. Don't feel bad. I missed it too due to an awful viral illness.

I am sick, sick, sick: uncontrollable sneezing, extremely tired and coughing up vast quantities of phlegm. Yuckity, yuck, yuck, yuck. :(
I'm sterilizing everything I touch with alcohol and Lysol and using huge amounts of Purell hand sanitizer.

We had plenty of folks there. The Women in Black silently protest each week in front of the arches on either Wednesdays or Thursdays. I can't remember which day. I want to drive over and see the crosses. I work in a county than Athens-Clarke County and my daily routine does not take me anywhere near downtown. Maybe I'll go tonight. I've been too sick to go take care of my horse after work (someone is caring for her while I'm sick) and the farm owners told me to stay away until I'm well.

edit: :hi: from Athens!