This article quotes Laurie Pettine, president of Morris County NOW

2,001 are in their prayers on Morristown Green

Vigil commemorates Iraq war's dead

BY TEHANI SCHNEIDER, DAILY RECORD, October 27, 2005

	BOB KARP / DAILY RECORD Eileen Burnash of Bernardsville flashes a peace sign to a passing motorist during a candlelight vigil on the Morristown Green on Wednesday in memory of the 2,000 American soldiers who were killed in Iraq.
	BOB KARP / DAILY RECORD Elizabeth Bain, left, and Rita Morris, both of Morristown, take part in the candlelight vigil on the Morristown Green that honored the memory of the 2000 American soldiers who were killed in Iraq.

MORRISTOWN -- With heads bowed in prayer, nearly 60 Morris County residents lined the Green on Wednesday night for a candlelight vigil to commemorate the sacrifice of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq and to silently protest the milestone of the 2,000th U.S. military death there.

The candles illuminated the signs they carried, which said "How Many More?" on the front and "Support Our Troops, Bring Them Home" on the back.

"Our military, our National Guard, should be home with their kids right now. They shouldn't be dying on foreign soils,"said Laurie Pettine of Mendham.

The 37-year old Pettine, president of the Morris County chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW), kept her two young daughters close to her as she distributed the signs to men, women and children.

Stefanie Stevenson of Morristown, the mother of two sons, said she can identify with all of the mothers who have lost sons and daughters.

"(This) is a milestone that I was scared (the war) would come to," said Stevenson as she cupped her hands around her candle in the harsh wind.

Susan Stringfield of Vernon said she was there to recognize the members of the U.S. military who have given their lives, but also to recognize the 100,000 or more Iraqi citizens who have perished.

"They've died because of our actions," she said.  She added that she doesn't believe that the violence in Iraq toward both U.S. soldiers and Iraqi civilians will stop until the U.S. occupation ends.

"I'd like our political leaders to realize the country is fed up.  We want out of Iraq now," said Penny Pollock of Mendham.

The vigil, which was organized by Chatham resident Kate McCabe, was one of several held in the county sponsored by Moveon.org.

McCabe, 34, is the daughter of a Navy veteran and a Democratic candidate for the 26th Assembly District.

The announcement that 2,000 soldiers have died in Iraq since the war began was too important to go unrecognized, she said.

However, McCabe also believes that the members of the military were sent into battle without a "clear objective and with insufficient preparation."

McCabe's criticism of the Bush administration resounded with many others at the vigil.

Sharon Guarino of Parsippany said, "I think it's a crime what they've done ... the entire administration, Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld ... they're all corrupt," said Guarino.  She wore a white T-shirt on which was emblazoned in crude red, blue and black letters, IMPEACH REMOVE JAIL.

Steve Frankel of Bernards called President Bush's handling of the war in Iraq "abysmal."

"I think he is the worst president in U.S. history.  He has no clear understanding of the impact of his decisions," said Frankel.

Madison resident Chris Kellogg, 53, who attended the vigil with his 23-year old son, Jason, said Bush needs to "figure out a way to get some of our friends back."

"He's lost so many international allies.  He really needs to admit that he's made mistakes," said Kellogg.

In addition to the vigil on the Morristown Green, another was held at the Quaker meetinghouse at 158 Southern Blvd in Chatham.

A cross-generational banner stitched by children during the Vietnam era was unfurled as a prayer for peace, according to Kathy Thomas, clerk for the Summer Quaker Meeting of Chatham.

The banner, which had been displayed in the main room of the meeting house for many years, was passed on to a new generation of children who are part of the Quaker meeting peace group.

"The message we wanted to send is that war is obsolete," said Thomas.

Vigils also were held in Rockaway and Hackettstown.

Tehani Schneider can be reached at (973) 428-6631 or tschneider@gannett.com.