BY PETER WHORISKEY, DRAEGER MARTINEZ AND EUNICE PONCE

 A rally described by organizers as pro-American drew about 2,500 demonstrators to the sidewalks
 of U.S. 1 in South Dade on Saturday afternoon, an outpouring of support for the government's
 action in the Elian Gonzalez case that took the form of enthusiastic horn honking and a mile-long
 gauntlet of people waving American flags.

 The size and duration of the demonstration, which had received almost no notice on television
 or radio, surprised police and even the organizers.

 ''They have woken a sleeping giant,'' said Joan Ponce, 35, a bookstore clerk standing in front of
 a Texaco station at Southwest 170th Avenue with her son, Marcus, who carried a sign that
 said ''God Bless America.''

 ''There have been a lot of people who have just been sitting back watching all this who decided it
 was time to unite and express another point of view.''

 A DIVERSE CROWD

 The demonstrators were a diverse crowd. There were teenagers with pierced tongues. White
 bearded motorcycle guys. Secretaries, engineers, laborers and shop owners. There were
 whites and blacks. A handful flew Confederate flags. Some held Bibles aloft. But they sounded
 two common themes:

 First, they said they were incensed to see the American flag burned and flown upside down by
 protesting Cuban Americans last week.

 Second, they were offended that Cuban immigrants and local leaders -- they frequently
 singled out Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas and Miami Mayor Joe Carollo -- were rallying behind a
 family they believe had defied the U.S. Department of Justice.

 ''I was disgusted when I saw the flag burning,'' said Lisa Snow, a bartender at the
 Red Rooster, who ran off 100 fliers announcing the rally. ''Don't they love being in
 this country?''

 Their signs broadcast a variety of responses: Proud to be American. Stop the
 Banana Republic. This is America, Speak English. America: Love it or Leave it.

 THREE MEN

 The event appears to have started with three men: James Cross, a
 Homestead-based operator of heavy construction equipment; his son, Paul, a
 cook at Ruby Tuesday's; and Rick Hartwell, who has a restaurant cleaning
 business.

 ''We were all sitting around at a friend's house playing cards -- crazy eights and
 stuff like that -- and we all thought it was so stupid what was going on,'' said
 James Cross, an Army veteran and a self-described redneck. ''We decided that
 we just had to do something about it.''

 The group called television stations to attract some publicity. For the most part,
 the stations ignored them, until Saturday, when the showing was too big not to
 notice. The Herald carried only one paragraph in advance of the demonstration.

 Cross said his group is planning a similar event for next Saturday in Goulds.

 ''I don't think anyone thought we'd have such a big turnout today,'' Cross said late
 Saturday. ''I guess it was a surprise to me, too, to see so many working people
 give up their Saturdays for this.''

 Between 50 and 100 demonstrators showed up for another counterdemonstration
 in Coconut Grove's Peacock Park on Saturday, assembled by a few citizens
 planning a petition drive to recall Carollo.

 The main event, however, unfolded in South Dade.

 FROM FRIENDS

 Denise Mackens, a math teacher who attended, said she heard about it from
 friends. She waved a sign that said, ''Thanks, Reno.''

 ''I know that whites and blacks have had their problems in the past,'' said
 Mackens, who is black. ''But I'm glad we got together today.''

 Vicky Reidenger, also of Cutler Ridge, had not heard about the rally until she
 drove by.

 ''I saw all these folks and it made me feel really good about my country. So I got
 out and became part of it. I bought my flag at a store down there.''

 There were at least a few Cuban Americans in the crowd.

 Beatriz Mendoza-Lanese, 39, a customer service representative, waved a sign
 that said, ''This Cuban American Supports Janet Reno.''

 ''What happened in the raid was violent, and I kind of choked when I saw it, but it
 was necessary,'' she said. ''I support her action.''

 KEEPING QUIET

 She said many other Cuban Americans share her feelings, although often they
 don't like to advertise them for fear of starting arguments.

 ''Put it this way,'' she said, ''I didn't tell my mother I came out here.''

 Not everyone who supported the government agreed with the rally. Joseph Adler,
 of South Miami, said he supports the decision to return the boy, but believes
 Saturday's counterprotests were a way for people to express their ill will toward
 Cuban Americans.

 ''I see anger in those people. They wave the Confederate flag and that's not the
 answer. . . . This should be a time to heal,'' Adler said.

 Police estimated the crowd at 2,500. They made two arrests late Saturday, one
 for simple battery and one for disorderly conduct.

 ''They got only limited publicity, but they got a good crowd,'' said Metro-Dade
 police spokesman Pat Brickman, about 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. ''We thought it
 would run about an hour, but it's still going on.''