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Democrats organize peace vigil in Bozeman

By WALT WILLIAMS, Chronicle Staff Writer

"Kill one person and you are a murderer," read the sign held by a peace protester. "Kill 100,000 and you are George W. Bush."


 Dozens of people gathered in front of the Gallatin County Courthouse Wednesday to silently protest the war in Iraq during a candlelight vigil co-sponsored by the Gallatin County Democrats.

The vigil was one of hundreds across the country held Wednesday in support of Cindy Sheehan, a mother whose son was killed in Iraq and is now camping outside Bush's ranch in Texas until she gets an audience with the president.

Like Sheehan, some people who took part in the Bozeman vigil had family members in Iraq. Joyce Connors of Bozeman said her 20-year-old nephew in Colorado was paralyzed while serving there and will spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

"The troops are doing a wonderful job," she said. "They just have a bad boss."

Local Democrats sponsored the vigil along with Moveon.org, a liberal organization that opposed Bush's re-election. But the party invited anyone to participate, regardless their political affiliation.

"I'm out here to support peace," Maurice Horn of Bozeman said. "I don't think any political party can claim peace."

The vigil was mostly a silent affair with protesters holding lighted candles during a moment of silence that stretched several minutes. The names of soldiers who died in Iraq were projected onto a white screen set up below the giant yellow ribbon that has become a permanent display at the courthouse.

Tracy Velázquez, vice-chair of the Montana Democratic Party, provided protesters stickers with the names of fallen troops. When asked, she said she wasn't worried the vigil would be used by the party's opponents to portray it as against the soldiers.

"We have a lot of veterans who are Democrats, many of whom have expressed concerns about not only the war, but who's going to take care of veterans when they get home from the war," she said. "We have an administration that hasn't committed a lot of funds to veterans."

Walt Williams is at wwilliams@dailychronicle.com

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