Vigils in July 2023

[Brian]

Eight of the dozen participants at the Montrose Peace Vigil on June 30, 2023.

Foot and wheel traffic was even lighter at this Friday's Montrose Peace Vigil than it was last week at the start of what appears to be a de facto ten-day holiday for many people.  Perhaps the best indication:  I haven't seen a line of cars at my local In-N-Out Burger stretching up Lowell Avenue for many days now, as if it were 1976 again.  Meanwhile on our corner, we enjoyed what might be the last vigil with a temperature in the 70's for the next three months.

Only nine regulars came this week, two peaceniks shy of our average attendance in June.  Anni, Dennis and I arrived around 5:30, followed soon after by Jim, Nancy, Russell and Jeanne.  We stayed to the end of the vigil, providing a solid sign-holding contingent on the center patch of grass.  Frannie and Mary got there before quitting time, so they count too.

As a reminder, we stand on the northwest corner of Ocean View Boulevard and Honolulu Avenue near the Vietnam War memorial in Montrose, CA 91020 every Friday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. without regard to the weather or holidays -- we haven't missed a vigil since January 2006. Please stop by sometime if you can.

Since October 2011, we have printed and displayed every Defense Department news release announcing the deaths of soldiers, Marines, sailors and Airmen in our many ongoing military operations around the world.  About 2,500 troops remain in Iraq and 900 in Syria with countless more troops operating in Africa.  The Pentagon reported no uniformed U.S. casualties in the previous seven days.

[Brian]

The temperature was 94 degrees at the start of this Friday's Montrose Peace Vigil, almost 20 degrees warmer than last week.  We were fortunate -- 12 hours from right now it could be 104 and even hotter on Sunday.  Vigil turnout was strong enough to support two solid sign-holding continents, one on our usual center patch of grass and the other on the patch next to the yogurt shop, which turns to shade in July after 6 p.m.

Fourteen peaceniks took part, including our first spontaneous participant since April.  Noor stopped at the crosswalk to talk with Elaine and Mike, who inspired her to hold a sign briefly.  In order of appearance:  Anni, me, Jeanne, Roberta, Russell, Nancy, Mary, Frannie, Terry, Elaine, Mike, Bruce, Dennis and Noor.

In the previous seven days, the Department of Defense reported no military deaths in Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Syria or in any of the other named U.S. operations underway around the world.

[Brian]

The weather forecasts led me to expect the temperature at this Friday's Montrose Peace Vigil would be higher than Thursday's near 100 degree reading but it was actually three degrees cooler than at the beginning of last week's vigil.  Vehicle traffic especially was noticeably lighter though it seemed we were getting more honks, waves and peace signs per capita.

Vigil attendance was only one or two peaceniks below average with ten regulars at the corner:  Roberta, Anni, me, Nancy, Russell, Jeanne, Barb, Mike, Frannie and Jim, in order of appearance.

The Department of Defense reported no uniformed casualties in the previous seven days.

[Brian]

This is my 18th summer on the corner, so the sparse pedestrian and vehicular traffic at this Friday's Montrose Peace Vigil felt familiar.  We've always seen fewer school age kids hanging around the shopping park during summer vacation, and more people are traveling than in any year since the Covid pandemic started, including several vigil stalwarts.  It also seems to me that some folks are thankfully being more cautious about exposing themselves to the heat.  I know at least two regulars who are taking a hiatus from the vigils until the temperature and humidity drops back down.

Except for a brief visit by Frannie, Anni and I stood by ourselves for the first 35 minutes until Jeanne, Mike, Bruce, Jim and Nancy arrived almost simultaneously.  Russell and Mary weren't far behind.  We occupied two grass patches for nearly an hour.  My monthly census and summary:

• July 7 - 9
• July 14 - 14
• July 21 - 10
• July 28 - 10

This month's weekly average rounds up to 11 participants, the same as June, after averaging 12 in May, 13 in April, 12 in March, 10 in February, 12 in January, 11 in December and November, 12 in October, 9 in September, 10 in August and 11 in July 2022.

For the ninth week in a row, no U.S. casualties in operations were reported by the Pentagon.