carolyn.kaster@heraldtribune.com Author Stephen King, a resident of Casey Key in Sarasota, waits to join in the Bradenton peace march. He was there with his wife, Tabitha
Posted on 03/16/2003 8:14:36 AM PST by fight_truth_decay
MANATEE COUNTY -- As the United States inched closer to declaring war on Iraq, more than 450 protesters marched here Saturday, urging peace but fearing it may be too late.
"I'm afraid it is (too late)," said Virginia Bright, 60, of the Venice Peace Coalition, one of the walk's sponsors. "I figure the slight delay (for President Bush's meeting today with allies) has given us a second to chance to make our point."
The 1 p.m. march, one of several across the state and nation, came exactly a month after more than 2,200 people gathered and spoke against war at Bayfront Park in Sarasota.
A crowd of about 300 peace protesters also gathered in Tampa on Saturday, part of a series of anti-war rallies across the state.
Events in Orlando and Miami also saw deflated crowds that may indicate flattened enthusiasm, or resignation.
As they crossed the milelong Green Bridge that connects Bradenton to Palmetto and spans the Manatee River, the sweating marchers elicited honks as they waved signs declaring "Patriot for Peace" and "Inspections Work, War Won't."
Non-marchers who support U.S. involvement in Iraq wave at cars along Ninth Street West south of the bridge on Saturday.
The peace walk here drew several well-known figures, including author Stephen King and his wife, Tabitha. Several area politicians, including Jan Schneider, Wayne Genthner and his dog, Percy, who all ran against and lost to Katherine Harris for a seat in Congress, also walked as temperatures spiked into the uncomfortable range at midday.
"It's important to stand up and be counted," said King, 55, who lives on Casey Key. "I haven't been out on one of these things since 1970."
Tabitha King's T-shirt expressed her view: It bore an image of President George W. Bush's face with "International Terrorist" written over it.
On the south side of the bridge, about 50 war supporters offered a counterpoint to the anti-war walk. Waving signs that boasted "100% Bush" and urged "Liberate Iraq now," they, too, drew honks from passing motorists.
"There are a lot of peace rallies," said Renee Scarberry, 43, of Parrish, who helped organize the pro-war group. "I haven't seen too many 'support our troops' rallies. We all have our own opinions. We believe if there's going to be a war, we gotta support our troops."
Despite strong emotions on both sides, exchanges between the two groups were few. Before the march, three supporters kept a respectful distance from the protesters and voiced opposition to the peace rally. Police reported no arrests, though they did get a few complains about bongo drums.
It was a similarly peaceful demonstration outside MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, where opposing sides were staked out on opposite sides of the highway.
As many as 100 pro-military demonstrators countered the Tampa peace protesters.
Police, for the most part, kept the two sides from mingling. A man with a sign, "Bomb Iraq and France," crossed the street to the peace rally, but was ordered back. Tampa police reported no arrests.
One Tampa demonstrator, Omali Yeshitela, chairman of the African People's Socialist Party, said he wanted to "stop the son of the Bush before he destroys the world."
But issues such as human rights, the death penalty and discrimination against American Indians got as much attention as a possible war in Iraq.
Back in Bradenton, the peace walk drew those like 16- year-old Alex Shaffer of Bradenton, even though he thinks a boycott that would "threaten the country's economy" would be more effective.
"I don't think it (the march) is going to do anything," he said.
Others, like Marge Bonaker of Bradenton, maintain hope. "You got to say there's always hope," said Bonaker, 53. "We want to get rid of (Saddam) Hussein. I don't want to bomb a bunch of people for it. We should be beyond that now."
Staff writer Carolyn Kaster and Tampa Tribune writer Kathy Steele contributed to this report.
carolyn.kaster@heraldtribune.com Author Stephen King, a resident of Casey Key in Sarasota, waits to join in the Bradenton peace march. He was there with his wife, Tabitha
M-O-O-N spells ignorant moron.
THOMAS: It has to freak you out that movies based on your books might not be faithful to the original stories.
KING: Well, the only reason I'm doing these interviews is 'cause I liked ['Dreamcatcher']. I never would have done the interviews [otherwise]. My mother used to say, 'If you can't say something nice, don't say nothin'." And that's a pretty good rule to follow. But this movie is amazingly faithful to the book. I haven't seen it in the theater yet. When they were working on the end, they sent me a videocassette. It wasn't even a DVD. It was a work print. I looked at it, and when I finished it, I looked at my wife and I said, "I don't know how they did this, but it's my book to the corners."
King visioned the Walkin' Dude, but in real life, he doesn't know the Devil when he sees him.
Betcha he's a xlintonphile.
The weak and lame endings to most of his books have been an indicator of the short circuits in his thinking, this is the proof.
Whatta dink.
I don't have a problem with anyone voicing their opinion; however, Tabitha King's T-shirt expressing her view by graphically displaying an image of President George W. Bush's face with "International Terrorist" written over it, is over the top for me.
Every day, I can hardly believe that I'm still alive because I was really, really close to just steppin' out altogether
I had also viewed him walking the same stretch of road . Traffic moves pretty fast on that major roadway (at least for Maine anyway).
Question to you: Did the driver eventually commit suicide?
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