Small band of protesters take the stand

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UNCOIL members, Summer Mondeau and John Stephens, protest President Bush's visit to the Napa Valley with crosses in a field, that honors the people killed from war, at the intersection of Hwy 29 and Hwy 121, on Thursday, July 17, 2008. Lianne Milton/Register | Buy photos
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UNCOIL members, Summer Mondeau and John Stephens, protest President Bush's visit to the Napa Valley with crosses in a field, that honors the people killed from war, at the intersection of Hwy 29 and Hwy 121, on Thursday, July 17, 2008. Lianne Milton/Register | Buy photos
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John Stephens places crosses in a field to protest President Bush's visit to the Napa Valley at the intersection of Hwy 29 and Hwy 221, on Thursday, July 17, 2008. Lianne Milton/Register | Buy photos
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UNCOIL members, Summer Mondeau and John Stephens, protest President Bush's visit to the Napa Valley in a field at the intersection of Hwy 29 and Hwy 121, on Thursday, July 17, 2008. The demonstration topped off with 10 protestors. Lianne Milton/Register | Buy photos

Friday, July 18, 2008

Comment

By NATALIE HOFFMAN
Register Staff Writer

The Bush visit blog

Locals and tourists turn out to eye the president

Napan greets the president

Bush drops in

As the presidential motorcade snaked its way down Highway 29 late Thursday, protesters kicked off an anti-war demonstration at the intersection of highways 29 and 221. Taking advantage of a bustling audience in the form of rush-hour traffic, members of a local anti-war group — United Napans Concerned Over the Iraq Lunacy — drove dozens of white crosses into the parched hillside.

The so-called “Crosses4Peace” are part of a project spearheaded by UNCOIL members and symbolize the rising death toll in Iraq, said Joanne Gifford, UNCOIL’s chairwoman.

“They stand as testimony that people continue to die. ... I think people forget that we are at war,” said Gifford, adding that the crosses have no religious significance.

Summer Mondeau, an UNCOIL member, said she helped organize a similar demonstration on Memorial Day to honor veterans. “If they can do three tours in Iraq, I can do three hours out on the hill,” she said.

Near the sightless gaze of the Grapecrusher statue overlooking Meritage Resort, Mondeau wielded an American flag atop a rise flanking Highway 29. She drew honks and cheers from passersby as an American flag, stationed atop a roadside vehicle, flew at half-mast.

“I wonder how (Bush) reconciles a pro-life and a pro-war position,” Mondeau said. “We are not going to let people forget that there is a cost for this war, and it’s not just American lives.”

After his work shift ended, Paul Schapiro, a Napa resident and UNCOIL member, rode his bicycle from the Napa Corporate Park complex to join fellow protesters.

“This war was wrong from the start,” said Schapiro, who also sits on the Napa Central Democratic Committee. “The objectives have never been clear and a lot of people have made sacrifices that are apparently without a purpose,” he said.

Napa Police Sgt. Debbie Peecook said there were no reports of protests within Napa city limits Thursday.

10 comment(s)

hudds5 wrote on Jul 18, 2008 10:38 AM:

" Have you ever wondered why the President has never visited San Francisco? Maybe the size of the anti-Bush protesters would be too much for his ego to handle. However, in Napa, the size of the protesters was laughable and he went to his multi-million dollar fund raiser without a hitch. "

GoMommyGo wrote on Jul 18, 2008 11:33 AM:

" Don't you think it's sad that he has to hide from the people he's supposed to lead? "

antipc wrote on Jul 18, 2008 11:51 AM:

" What I think is sad, is that these folks are running around on our steets unsupervised. Apparantly there is no cure for their condition. "

winghunter wrote on Jul 18, 2008 12:30 PM:

" I think it is funny there was only two protesters out there! Well... three once the guy got off work and rode his bike up there before riding back to his room in the basement of his mom's house. "

urte wrote on Jul 18, 2008 2:10 PM:

" Two protesters...? Wow...and that is called a "small band" of protestors...? What would you have called three ...? A "large band"...? Who writes this stuff...? "

freeport56 wrote on Jul 18, 2008 3:58 PM:

" I am proud to have the President visit Napa. While many of you vocalize your hatred of him, he is still the President.

I saw him drive by last night on 29 and Zinfandel. "

Bauhausfan wrote on Jul 18, 2008 8:18 PM:

" I am curious about people posting comments here and have a question. What policies has the Bush administration enacted that make you such avid supporters of him?

As for the amount of protesters, I would have been there to voice my negative opinion of him, his administration and the extreme right wing political ideology he represents but had to work. As I think many other people did also.

Do you really think if he had come here on Saturday that there wouldn't be many hundred of people protesting like the last time?

If you do believe that, then perhaps some professional care is needed. Most citizens of this country DESPISE what he has done to it, our institutions and the constitution.

Any common sense and non hypocritical assessment of him draws only one conclusion. He should be tried for impeachment. "

jfz wrote on Jul 18, 2008 10:43 PM:

" Bauhausfan: I'm not a fan of any politician, including the Bushes. Could you be specific on what sections of the Constitution you would base your impeachment? Many are clamoring for impeachment, but few ever state exact points of law. Thanks in advance. "

justnana wrote on Jul 19, 2008 12:28 AM:

" Perhaps the inconvenience of taking a few hours off work is not worth the value of your convictions. Talk without action is how we keep inept leaders in office. I know people who took off work to go up valley in hopes of a glimpse of their President. "

bloodagar wrote on Jul 19, 2008 10:46 AM:

" Not a word of the verbal jabs between Martin Bennett (pro bush) and Hughes Ryan (con bush). Entertaining footage of Mr. Ryan yelling "War Criminal" on HWY 29. "

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