GILROY
– Gilroyans can show their support for U.S. troops in Iraq – and
for their commander-in-chief, President Bush – Friday afternoon at
a rally on Sixth Street in front of Wheeler Auditorium.
GILROY – Gilroyans can show their support for U.S. troops in Iraq – and for their commander-in-chief, President Bush – Friday afternoon at a rally on Sixth Street in front of Wheeler Auditorium.
The 4 p.m. event is being organized by Mark Zappa, a Gilroy resident and small-business owner who has a lot of family background with the military and several friends and acquaintances who have served or have children serving in the armed forces.
“For the last couple of months I kept asking myself ‘gosh, someone needs to do a rally,’ ” Zappa said Friday. “Then it dawned on me that maybe I’m the ‘someone’ to get it going.”
Zappa, a member of the county’s Republican Central Committee, served a stint in the U.S. Air Force. His father served in the Navy during World War II and the Korean conflict.
Two of Zappa’s nephews are currently stationed at geopolitical hot spots: one is serving in South Korea with the Army, and another is in Turkey. Zappa also knows Gilroyans with children serving in Iraq.
“I have friends who have kids who are actually in Iraq,” he said. “There are a lot of Gilroyans whose kids are involved in this conflict.”
Twenty-eight military personnel with California ties have been killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom to date, according to the Associated Press. They include 31-year-old former Gilroy resident and Saint Mary’s Catholic School student Capt. Aaron Contreras. Contreras was killed in late March when his Marine helicopter crashed in Iraq.
Zappa said the rally should help show support for the families of service members and provide them an outlet for their feelings. Zappa believes that most Americans do support Bush’s action in Iraq, but he feels that so far overall media coverage has been lopsided toward anti-war protests.
“I think the great majority of people do support the president in this effort … ” Zappa said. “But most citizens don’t get too wrapped up in protesting, so the (protesting) minority gets all of the media attention.”
Dennis Nichols, a pastor with South Valley Community Church, has been invited to speak at the event. The Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion and Gilroy City Council have also been extended invitations, among others.
Attendees at Friday’s event can show signs, wave flags and take part in renditions of patriotic songs.
“I think we’ll have a nice little group out there,” Zappa said.
There have been some peace protests in Gilroy as well. A group called the Women In Black have held silent protests and peace vigils in front of locations such as Saint Mary Church and the Gilroy Public Library.
About 300 Gilroy High School students walked out of class on March 21 to protest the onset of Operation Iraqi Freedom, although there were no organized demonstrations such as speeches or picketing.
Anti-war groups have promised a fresh burst of civil disobedience at a series of demonstrations this week throughout major Northern California cities.
For more information on Friday’s rally, call Zappa at 847-1280.
