Walk for Peace held in Mason City (photos and video)

About 35 folks completed all or part of a an hour-long walk from the Southport Shopping Center to the North End ball diamonds Monday evening to mark World Peace Day.

One of the main organizers, Deoshea Leaman of Mason City, greeted the walkers who arrived at 6 PM in the parking lot near Sears. Ms. Leaman said violence is no laughing matter. She said she is ashamed to have committed some acts of violence herself, and said enough is enough, those acts cannot continue.

“It’s not funny anymore,” Ms. Leaman said. “I know I’m not perfect… it’s taken a toll on me.”

The impetus for the walk was the death of a young man, William Whipple, who passed away in August. He suffered a beating days before he died and was hospitalized with serious injuries. Police aren’t yet attributing his death to the beating, nor the man who allegedly committed the act. But the violence he went through left an obvious mark on those who participated in Monday’s Peace Walk. Other random acts of violence and crime that seem to plague Mason City (other communities are not immune to this issue) from time to time finally was enough to set this event in motion.

At about 6:15, the walkers marched forth, heading north on Federal Avenue, covering several miles of broken and weedy sidewalks. Some wore home made t-shirts. The group stuck together and waved at some people driving by who honked in support. An rest was taken on the steps of the Music Man Square, where others joined the walk. Republican Jeb Bush was inside, ironically, campaigning.

The walkers began again after about a 5-minute stop, and all was quiet until they reached the corner of 9th and North Federal – an ironic location, where a man was once shot dead in an argument.

Four men in a gold SUV pulled up to the stop light there as walkers approached. Hurling profanities and aggressive language, they had some not-so-friendly words for walkers as they made their way through the intersection. F*** the White Man! and F*** the news! were yelled by the men, who some said were from out of town. They turned and headed north, passing by the peace walkers, mocking them.

Finally, the weary group of about 35 turned west on 16th Street NW. They made it to the ball diamonds; mission accomplished. There weren’t many words spoken there, except “this is for the kids”.