Friday, Apr. 15, 2005

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Local residents protest war

Get honks of support for peace, bringing home troops

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

A small group of protesters took to the streets of Peachtree City Tuesday afternoon, asking motorists to “Honk for Peace” and support measures to “Bring Home the Troops.”

The four protesters, a couple from Peachtree City and two Coweta residents, were surprised by how many horns they heard blowing. They also got a little expletive-laced input from one middle-aged male driver of a silver luxury sedan witnessed by this reporter.

Another man, driving a station wagon, came to a complete stop and asked for flyers so he could help spread the word. The protesters are organizing a pro-peace group called “Voices for Peace.”

Andy Burtt, who was joined by his wife Cindy, organized the rally along with Sharpsburg resident Janet Kuenzi, several months after they met when he inquired about Kuenzi’s war-protesting T-shirt. Newnan resident Marge Zettler was also present, saying she felt compelled to join after learning of the event through the Coweta County Democratic Party.

“My son just turned 18, so I have a stake in this peace thing,” Kuenzi said, referring to the possibility of a military draft being used to recruit reinforcements in the two-plus year Iraq war.

Cindy Burtt criticized the continuing lack of support for the military, citing a cut in Veterans Administration benefits and reports of poor armor for soldiers’ Humvee vehicles.

“You can’t even take pictures of the flag-draped coffins,” of fallen soldiers, she said. “They don’t want to show the war for what it is really costing us.”

News reports from the theater of the war are also poor from the mainstream media, Cindy Burtt added. Reports on sources such as 89.3 FM Radio Free Georgia were recommended by Kuenzi, but such “real” news is hard to come by elsewhere, she said.

“The Iraqis and businesses can rebuild their country, and then there will be peace ... but the only way that will happen is if we get out of there.”

Andy Burtt is a former member of the National Guard, and he is being actively recruited to rejoin.

“It’s not going to happen,” he said bluntly.

For more information on Voices for Peace, call Andy Burtt at 770-632-9050 or Janet Kuenzi at 770-253-5031.