PEACE VIGIL — At left, some participants in a late afternoon peace/prayer vigil hold anti-war signs, while others hold candles as a symbol of their wish for those involved in the war to return in safety. In the photo above are (from left) Niki Weir, Colleen Ray, the Rev. Stephen Ray and Carol Broderson.

Local peace vigil draws about 13

In a conservative county where support for the military runs wide and deep, the March 20 gathering on the Alleghany County Courthouse lawn was the closest thing to a public anti-war protest.

Indeed, some of the 13 displayed anti-war signs. While there was some discrepancy among the group as to their reasons for participating, all those who commented expressed concern for America's troops in the Middle East.

As one of the group, Helen White, put it, "No one here is not supporting our troops. We feel our troops volunteered to defend our country, and we respect them for that commitment. We question whether it's fair for them to be over there — we're not under attack. We had not exhausted all our diplomatic avenues. Our brave troops should only be used when that is the last resort. We support our troops and want them back quickly."

The vigil gatherers observed half an hour of silence for those involved in the war between the U.S. and Iraq. The only noticeable reaction was a few horn blasts from passing cars during one of the day's busiest traffic periods. It was not clear whether the horns were sounded in support or derision.

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