Monday, approximately twenty-five people braved the bitter cold to stand on a corner in downtown Boone to express their opposition to the threat of a U.S. invasion of Iraq. Last week, the protest, slated to become a weekly event, hosted nearly fifty protesters, some of whom pulled their cars off the road to join those on the sidewalks.

This week’s protesters, swaddled in scarves and thick winter coats, held signs reading Honk for Peace, No Blood for Oil, and No War in Iraq. A woman moving through the intersection at the wheel of her large SUV turned to shout that such a protest “should not be tolerated.”

A large percentage of the traffic traveling through the intersection disagreed with the scolding remarks of the woman. As station wagons and sedans made their way home for the day, many honked in support. One driver held by a red light laid on her horn and, as others peppered the air with their vehicular voices, Boone was blanketed in a cacophony of protest.

Anna Sagel, a member of High Country Citizens for Peace and Justice, gestured towards the protestors and said, “This is what democracy looks like.”

Every Monday between 5 and 6, concerned citizens will be meeting at the corner of King and Depot to protest the possibility of war in Iraq. So far, the protest has drawn a large cross-section of people including college students, professors, and veterans. For more information on High Country Citizens for Peace and Justice, visit www.highcountrypeace.org or e-mail info@highcountrypeace.org

©2003 The Mountain Times

###