Witness for the Iraqi Dead in Lexington, Kentucky

Yesterday, we held a witness for the 100,000 Iraqi dead on the corner of Triangle Park in downtown Lexington, Kentucky. At 9:40 a.m. we began to sound a Buddhist gong twice a minute until 6 p.m. to equal 1,000 rings. The gong rested on a small round table with a purple mourning tablecloth and a purple velvet runner with golden Autumn leaves. We placed signs on the lightposts which read: Mourn the Dead, Heal the Wounded, End the War and another one which explained the bell ringing witness in 100 communities across the world. We also held these signs up to motorists as they passed by. At 4 p.m. we were joined by other members of the community who were erecting a memorial in honor of the 2,000 American dead. As we continued sounding the gong, about 50 people joined in with their signs on the curbs Many motorists sounded their horns in solidarity to an end to the war. Our witness was covered by two television stations. The Peace Action Task Group of Central Kentucky helped coordinate this event.