The September 11th attack
Waikiki march conveys U.S. pride
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By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Staff Writer
Waving at least a thousand American flags, between 2,000 and 3,000 participants walked down Kalakaua Avenue as part of a "Stand Up for America" march through Waikiki.
Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser
A rally at the Waikiki Shell followed the march. Similar events were held on the Neighbor Islands yesterday.
Australian sisters Zara, left, and Marisa Lyttle, and Vanessa Pedersen of New Zealand, show their support yesterday at the "Stand Up for America" rally at the Waikiki Shell. The rally followed a march through Waikiki.
Although the march included 60 groups and organizations such as veterans, the Boy Scouts and high school JROTC units, yesterday's event ended up primarily as a people's parade made up of ordinary citizens who wanted to show their patriotic spirit.
Don Persons and Sharrn Pennau decided to drive their antique 1922 Ford Model T down Kalakaua.
"We're American, and the car is American; we just wanted to show our support today for our country," Persons said.
On O'ahu, the march went from Magic Island to the Waikiki Shell.
"Mothers with baby strollers kept coming up and asking if we could be a part of it, and I said, 'Go ahead.' " said Mike Gabbard, statewide chairman for yesterday's event, who also heads the Hawai'i Alliance for Traditional Marriage and Values. "We put together this event only 13 days ago, so it was fabulous how many people came out today."
Laura Brough, daughter of Georgine Corrigan, who died aboard one of the four hijacked planes that crashed Sept. 11, walked down Kalakaua with her two sons, Dylan and Evan.
"They invited us to be a part of today's event, and I felt a need to be here," Brough said.
Tourist Virginia Kuvinka of Pittsburgh came down from her hotel room at the Hilton Hawaiian Village when she heard one of the bands marching by.
"It just brought tears to my eyes watching everyone go by," said Kuvinka, whose Hawai'i travel plans got delayed because of the Sept. 11 attack. "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise: Hawai'i is one of the friendliest places on earth."
