‘I pray for peace every night'

To the editor: Standing under the shade of a leafy tree in the blazing midday sun, a group of the Warwick Women in Black held a silent vigil for Peace on Sunday, Aug. 5. On this occasion, the Vigil paid special homage to the victims of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which occurred 62 years ago this week. While the vigilers stood by the Farmers’ Market, many passers by hailed them with thumbs -up or peace signs and several stopped to express their agreement with the signs being held. One middle-aged man approached the group asking what the sign about Hiroshima and Nagasaki meant. Alice McMechen, one of the organizers of the vigil explained, “During World War II, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan, killing at least 200,000 innocent civilians. We are standing in remembrance of the victims and in hopes that such dreadful weapons will never be used against people again.” Hearing this, the man stopped for a moment of silence, solemnly crossed himself and walked away. A short while later an elderly couple paused with their shopping bags brimming with fresh produce to share some thoughts: “I was in the Navy at the time of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,” the gentleman said. “They didn’t have to kill so many innocent people. They could have just dropped a bomb on Tokyo harbor or dropped the atomic bomb on mount Fuji where it wouldn’t have killed so many innocent people.” As they walked slowly away, the elderly lady wished the vigilers success adding, “I pray for peace every night.” The Warwick Women in Black hold regular vigils for peace throughout the year. During the rest of August there will be a summer break. The vigils will resume on Sunday, Sept. 9, at 1 p.m. at the South Street parking lot adjacent to the Farmers’ Market in downtown Warwick. Patricia DeBruhl Warwick