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PROTEST OF IRAQ/AFGHANISTAN WARS DRAWS NEW,
DIFFERENT RESPONSES
Bush Hate Gone/Obama Hate Emerges/More Positive-Calmer Opposition to Wars/
News Reporting Changes
Weeki Wachee, FLORIDA, Saturday, November 28, 2009: The NatureCoast Coalition for Peace and Justice, conducted another of its antiwar demonstrations on Saturday, November 28, after a hiatus of four to six months, and discovered "new and different responses" from the passing cars and public.
The "hate for Bush was no longer there," said Jerry Cox, 52, an antiwar protestor from spring Hill, and, he added, "more people seemed to be in opposition" to the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Cox referenced the fact that two drivers stopped their cars on the side of the road, in front of the protestors, to lend their verbal support and encouragement. He felt that was "quite significant and a new change."
On the otherhand, several incidences of passersby attacking Obama and the protestors verbally occurred, with one person yelling from his truck to "Kill Obama, kill the nigger," and several others gesturing vulgarly with their middle fingers. Were they Republicans or Democrats?
The mix of reactions occurred during the one and one-half hour demonstration, by nine peace group members, at the corner of U.S. Highway 19 and State Road 50, directly across the street from the Weeki Wachee Spring Park, on a cold Saturday morning, with temperatures in the 40's.
Scap Gregory, a long-time retired WAC and military veteran, dating back to1948, and a Homosassa resident, also participated with the group and observed that "the protest seemed less interesting than before, with a more quiet opposition to both the war and to the war protestors coming from both sides." Ms. Gregory also said "our protest group was also smaller." However, Mr. Cox observed that "more Democrats and others who have remained neutral on President Obama will come out to protest more after the president's speech this coming Tuesday, (assuming Obama will report on the troop increase for Afghanistan)."
Ginger Wielk, another demonstrator, from Spring Hill, said, "Overall, the pubic responses were very positive, plus, it felt good to be out there again, and [she] looks forward to the next war protest!"
Brian Moore, Chair of the local NatureCoast Coalition for Peace and Justice, said "he was pleased overall with the public's positive response Saturday to "our side-of-the-highway" protest group, as well as the "degree of interest by peace group members to reactivate opposition to the two ongoing wars."
No press or media attended the Saturday morning event, but Moore said there was a "different response than usual" by the local press earlier in the week. He observed that the more traditional conservative-leaning Hernando Today newspaper, who seemed less public on the peace group's efforts during the Bush years, "published an informative article" on the upcoming protest Thursday. This was also followed up by WWJB local radio's news reports, on the upcoming demonstration. The local activist then added that the the more liberal-leaning St. Petersburg Times, who traditionally published notices on the peace group's events, many times with only one day notice, "did not have any report" this week, despite a four-day lead time.
Moore also observed that earlier this week the main section of the St. Petersburg Times reported "in its inside pages" about Obama increasing the troop level for Afghanistan by 34,000 new soldiers, while most papers nationwide reported it as front page news; then, the following day, the newspaper placed "a front-page" news report "on the difficulties of President Obama's decision with so many interest groups involved." Moore wondered "if the change in emphasis, by both newspapers, was coincidental or intentionally partisan."
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