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Protesters Pay Tribute to Fallen Troops

by Open-Publishing - Monday 25 October 2004
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Edito Demos-Actions Wars and conflicts


WASHINGTON - A small group of war protesters paid tribute to the troops who died
in Iraq by setting up more than 1,100 flag-draped cardboard coffins in front
of the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday.

The coffins stretched halfway down each side of the reflecting pool. At 1 p.m.,
members of the Iraq War Memorial Coalition read the names of the people who were
killed and then played taps.

Pat Elder, who helped organize the event, said the 75-member coalition was formed
two weeks ago by people who belonged to the Quaker faith, Veterans for Peace
and Military Families Speak Out.

"We just wanted to get across the idea that there’s a human cost to this war," said Elder, 49, who owns a real estate title company in Bethesda, Md. "We’re not the radical ones. We are moderates, We’re not all antiwar, we’re just against this war."

Elder said the event was made possible by an anonymous donor from Texas who contributed $20,000, used to pay for cardboard coffins and flags.

It took 75 volunteers six hours to put together the coffins, Elder said.

As of Friday, at least 1,104 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. At least 844 died as a result of hostile action, according to the Defense Department as of Friday. The figures include three military civilians. (AP)

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/1024-03.htm

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