http://www.mailtribune.com/archive/2003/0228/local/stories/01local.htm
February 28, 2003 BUSH SUPPORTERS FILL VOGEL PLAZA
By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune
More than 400 people turned out mid-day in Medford’s Vogel Plaza to show support for President Bush and American troops.
Waving flags and carrying signs reading "United we stand", "Liberate Iraq" and "I support our president our troops our Erlene," the group gathered for several hours on the corner of Main Street and Central Avenue. The gathering included KCMX-AM radio talk show hosts Rosemary and Garth Harrington.
It all began Feb. 19, when more than 100 women wore black and stood shoulder to shoulder in silence on Vogel Plaza in an appeal for peace rather than a war with Iraq. The gathering was part of a weekly vigil happening worldwide.
The following day, Erlene Thomson, 64, of Trail, bravely stood solo on the plaza, wearing a white smock, and holding a sign reading "I support our president and my grandson in the Middle East."
She thought the Women in Black vigil would be going on that day, and didn’t expect to be alone on the plaza. But she caught the attention of passersby, who honked and asked her if she was planning to be there next week because they wanted to join her. As the media got wind of her solo protest, support grew, she said.
"I don’t want war probably more than anyone," said Thomson, adding that she worries about the safety of her grandson, Jeffrey Allen, who is in the Navy. "(But) if we have to do this and we don’t have a choice, we better stand behind our president."
Thomson said she was pleased by Thursday’s turnout, and plans to show up every Thursday at the plaza as long as the Women in Black show up every Wednesday.
"We have to rally support for our troops and our president," she said.
John W. Blaney, 69, of Medford, said he supports a war.
"I wish Bush would start bombing today," said Blaney, holding a homemade sign that read "Appeasement, Immoral Cowards Crawl Before Terrorism, Shameful." He said he wants Bush to "take out Saddam".
"This is a tyrant that needs to be uprooted," he said.
Ellie Crenshaw, 17, of Medford, who was walking by the gathering, said she’s torn on the issue.
"It kind of breaks my heart because my step-brother’s in the Army," she said. "I want it all to kind of end, but I don’t want people to get hurt." Still, she said it was nice to see people gathered together. "It shows that everybody’s supporting the president," she said.
Donna Patella, spokesperson for the local group of Women in Black, said in a telephone interview that she also supports the nation’s troops. "We’re not opposed to people in the armed forces," she said. "We just don’t want anything to happen to them."
She said the Women in Black have a simple mission. "We support peace," she said. "We don’t believe that peace has been given a chance."
About 300 Women in Black turned out for this week’s rally, she said. She’s concerned about criticism the group has heard from people accusing them of not supporting American troops. They misunderstand, she said.
"We’re not opposed to our friends and family that are in the military," she said, adding that they plan to meet again on the plaza Wednesday at noon.
Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail mlanders@mailtribune.com