The Tampa Tribune
By SEAN C. LEDIG
Sept 22, 2006
TAMPA - While the lighted sign at Hillsborough Community College flashed a welcome to President Bush, dozens of demonstrators flashed signs of their own.
Signs with messages such as “Impeach Bush,” “Support our Troops, Bring Them Home,” and “Where is Bin Laden?” One large, painted banner depicted Bush as a vampire biting the Statue of Liberty on the neck.
About 100 demonstrators gathered Thursday on each side of Raymond James Stadium during the president’s visit. Bush was in Tampa to raise money for Republican Gus Bilirakis, who is campaigning to replace his father, Mike Bilirakis, as representative of District 9 in Congress. Gus Bilirakis will face Phyllis Busansky, the Democratic nominee, in November’s election.
Thursday’s demonstrators consisted of members of Military Families Speak Out, St. Pete for Peace, Code Pink, the Florida Coalition for Peace and Justice and others.
Jay Alexander, an executive committee member of Veterans for Peace who served in the Persian Gulf War and the Panama invasion, said the groups were united in their opposition to the war in Iraq.
“We want to support our troops and bring them home,” he said.
The event also was an observance of the United Nations’ Peace Day, which was Thursday, Alexander said.
Jenn Coolidge, 50, of Lakeland, said she came on behalf of her son, Staff Sgt. Ryan Thornton, who is stationed in Afghanistan. A former Russian language interrogator for the Pentagon, Coolidge said she switched her political affiliation from Republican to Independent because of the Iraq war.
“My son was caught in a backdoor draft,” she said. “He was supposed to come home six months ago, but now his stay is extended indefinitely.”
Wearing a T-shirt supporting Busansky’s candidacy, Michelle Kenoyer of Riverview said she thinks the best hope for the situation in Iraq rests in electing Democrats to Congress.
“The Democrats may disagree about how the war should be handled, but they all agree it was handled badly,” Kenoyer said. “We should never have gone into Iraq.”
Clearwater resident Joe Ricker said he thinks the resources being used in Iraq could be put to better use.
“We could feed the world and stop AIDS on what they’re spending on that war alone,” Ricker said.
Ricker said he was encouraged by honks of support from passing motorists. He also praised police for keeping things calm and looking out for the demonstrators.
“One [police] sergeant gave us his phone number and told us to call him if we needed him,” Ricker said.
A few passers-by offered the only opposition to the demonstration’s prevailing antiwar theme. They shouted or made obscene gestures while driving past the groups.
“If we gave peace a chance in World War II, Hitler would have won!” shouted one driver on Dale Mabry Highway.