TAMPA - Vicki Walker stood in the grassy median
of Bayshore Boulevard on Sunday night, a red, white and blue ``scrunchie''
in her hair and peace on her mind.
She wasn't alone. More than a hundred
people stood around her, some cradling infants, all holding candles. Some
cupped hands around the flames that flickered in the wind. Others nestled
the candles inside cups and aluminum foil.
Walker, 43, a minister at Hyde Park
United Methodist Church, asked God to grant President Bush, Saddam Hussein
and other leaders the ability to see the consequences of their decisions.
Somewhere in the crowd, a baby
fussed.
``Your children cry out to you for
guidance. ... God, as this child cries, we cry out for the children of
Baghdad, who might even be crying as well,'' Walker said.
The group at the intersection of
Bayshore and Bay to Bay Boulevard joined about 6,000 other protests
worldwide on Sunday in a global vigil for peace, according to the
grass-roots organization MoveOn.org. The Win Without War coalition and the
National Council of Churches, which includes Archbishop Desmond Tutu,
organized the vigils against a war with Iraq.
Bush and the leaders of Britain and
Spain met Sunday in the Azores and said today is the deadline to find a
diplomatic solution for disarming Iraq. |
 |
Jodi Devine, 60, a retired social worker, joined the Tampa group Sunday with
her husband, Richard, 66, and friends.
They said they supported the men and
women in the armed services but thought a pre-emptive strike against Iraq
would be wrong.
``I guess that the idea that they
MIGHT have weapons of mass destruction that they MIGHT sell to terrorists
tells me that we have plenty of time,'' Jodi Devine said.
``The U.N. is a wonderful
organization and should be allowed to do its thing,'' Richard Devine said.
``We should start bringing our troops home.''
Seeing the protesters heartened them.
``It helps to know you're not isolated in your country,'' Jodi Devine said.
Julia Keffer, 34, and her husband,
Michael Gorton, 34, brought their 4-year-old and 6-month-old sons. Their
cousin's wife, Alyssa Larson, 27, visiting from Miami, brought her 2
1/2-year-old daughter, who tried to blow out a candle.
``We sort of feel this is our last
chance,'' Keffer said. ``We believe in democracy and we believe in peace, so
we ought to show our kids.''
The gathering lasted about 40
minutes. Passing cars honked at the group, some of whom raised candles in
response. People took turns leading the group in song, including ``Let There
Be Peace On Earth,'' ``Imagine'' and ``We Shall Overcome.'' |
