The city of Starkville held a rally Friday to support the U.S. troops who are serving in the war with Iraq.
The event, which was held in front of the Oktibbeha County Courthouse, was well-attended with city officials, Red Cross volunteers, veterans and members of the Starkville and MSU community crowding the front of the courthouse and its surrounding area.
When asked, most of the people attending the rally came for similar reasons.
“Because I support Bush, Blair and our troops, and I believe what we are doing is right,” rally attendee Bobbie Wilcutt commented.
“Well, I have great empathy for the troops, having been a soldier myself at one time,” World War II veteran Joe Stockwell said.
“Because they’re fighting for our freedom and have given us so much,” rally attendee Barbara Davis said. “We are all Americans and need to support each other. Freedom isn’t for free.”
The rally was organized by Susan Cook, a military wife, and Jennifer Harper, an MSU student, with the purpose of showing communitywide support for the troops at war and their families. The Oktibbeha County Chapter of the Red Cross played a supporting role in organizing the rally.
The front of the courthouse was decorated with American flags and several signs reading “Support Our Troops” and “God Bless America.” The front of the speaker’s podium had a sign that read, “Dear troops, you have our love and support! Love, Starkville, MS!”
The formal and informal program lasted about 45 minutes, Cerese Teel, executive director of the Oktibbeha County Chapter of the American Red Cross, led the informal part of the program by recognizing veterans and the family members of the troops already sent to fight in the war with Iraq.
Denny Cole played “Taps” and Teel introduced Cook and Harper to begin the formal part of the program.
The formal program, led by Harper and Cook, involved an invocation led by the Rev. Scott Cappleman of Adaton Baptist Church followed by the audience’s recital of the Pledge of Allegiance led by Jack Coley. Mayor Mack Rutledge made a few comments, followed by a speech that was given by guest speaker Col. Jeffrey Donald, who made several comments regarding the importance of supporting the soldiers serving in the U.S. military.
“Why are we here today? Who are we here for?” Donald asked the crowd toward the beginning of his speech. “The father on the aircraft carrier in the Gulf, the mother in a helicopter flying search and rescue, the son or daughter driving across a distant desert, the student who had to leave school before the end of the semester–these are the people who we are here for today, not the politicians or generals. We are here for them–the sons and daughters of Starkville.”
The rally ended with Vivian Collier leading the crowd in “God Bless America.”
Several people had positive comments to make following the rally.
“I think it was well-done, well-organized and great,” David May, an ROTC graduate student at MSU who formerly served on active duty in artillery for the military, said.
“I think it was a beautiful service and that the troops need our positive thoughts going out to them,” remarked Karen Chrisman, mother of Sgt. Shem Miller, an officer serving on Patriot Missiles in the war.
According to Teel, the rally was a success.
“Based on the phone calls and comments made, the event seemed to mean so much to the community and to the families of the soldiers at war,” Teel said. “I think this event really helped to bring the community and city in joining together to honor these courageous men and women.”