Vigil marks ‘grim benchmark'

Warwick - Tanner Wilcox, aged 17, stood with a dozen or so peace activists on Main Street in downtown Warwick on Friday, June 16, to mark the occasion of the 2,500th U.S. military death in Iraq. “Any death toll at all is too many,” he said about the rising toll of military and civilian deaths in Iraq. The vigilers held signs which gave figures for the costs of the war not only in terms of U.S. military deaths and serious injuries and Iraqi civilian deaths but also in monetary terms. “The White House referred to this as a ‘grim benchmark,’ said Emily Boardman, one of the Women in Black who organized the vigil, “but I think it is a tragic waste of life - 2,500 young people have been unnecessarily sacrificed for a lie. The weapons of mass destruction the President told us were in Iraq were not there. We had no business invading the country in the first place, and now we should withdraw. “Our presence there only complicates things for the Iraqi people,” she added. “But I feel very heartened that young people are voicing their opposition to the war.” One of those young people, 17-year-old Christalea Panzironi said: “People think that because I oppose the war I don’t support the troops. That is an unfortunate misconception. It’s because I support the troops that I’m against the war. They shouldn’t be there.” Passing motorists generally gave the thumbs up sign to the vigilers who stood in the late evening sunshine, and a couple of passers by stopped to ask questions about the figures on the signs. “I may not agree with them exactly,” one passerby said, “but I admire them for standing up for what they believe in.” This story was provided by Patricia DeBruhl.