Camp Casey by CindySheehan Sun Aug 7th, 2005 at 14:13:38 PDT Camp Casey Peaceful Occupation of Crawford, Texas Day One The first day of the beginning of the end of the occupation of Iraq. Today we went into the belly of the beast in Crawford, Texas...and lived to tell about it. On Wednesday, August 3rd, 2005, I had a brainstorm. I was so furious about the horrible loss of life, especially from the Marine National Guard unit from Ohio. I was also so heartbroken for the families who have been wrongfully left behind. Then to top off the indignity and profanity of the needless deaths, George Bush spoke out after the deaths and said 2 things that enraged me further: CindySheehan's diary :: :: "The families of the fallen can rest assured that your loved ones died for a noble cause." And "We have to honor the sacrifices of the fallen by completing the mission." The first statement is so blatantly false that it angered me for a couple of reasons. First of all, what is the noble cause? The cause changes at will when the previous cause has been proven a lie. Secondly, because many people in America, when they hear such drivel, allow themselves to be "assured." A lot of people heard that falsehood and said: "Whew, 14 Marines in one incident, that's bad, but the President said they died for a noble cause. We can get on with our consumering now" George Bush has spewed the second filth many times and each time it upsets me more. As a mother, why would I want any other mother (American or Iraqi) to go through the same pain as I am suffering through? My son, Casey was an honorable man filled with an integrity rarely seen these days. I am sure that he would be appalled that George uses his death to justify continued killing. I am appalled that George exploits the senseless sacrifice of my family to justify his murderous policies in the Middle East. Also, does it bother anyone else that this man can take a 5 week vacation when our soldiers are suffering, dying and being maimed in Iraq? When innocent Iraqi people are being murdered everyday? When I will never be able to fully enjoy another vacation for the rest of my life? So, I was so full of rage and feeling so helpless and like such a failure after all the work for peace that I have done. I was typing an email venting my rage when I had a brainstorm: I am going to Dallas for the Veterans for Peace convention, why don't I travel up to Crawford and confront George Bush? Why don't I go and demand answers to my questions. I deserve answers to my questions, it is Geroge's moral obligation as the man who is responsible for my son's death to see me. Please, no emails telling me that he has no morals. I know that). What did Casey and over 100,000 other wonderful human beings die for? What exactly is, George, the "noble cause?" And: I demand that you stop using my son's name and my family's sacrifice to continue your illegal and immoral occupation of Iraq. After I wrote this piece of inspired and impassioned prose, I put my contacts into the email address line and pressed send. That's how the peaceful occupation of Crawford, Tx. began. We convoyed up to Crawford from the VFP convention Saturday morning. We had the Impeachment Tour Bus filled with 12 people. We had representatives on the bus from VFP (Veterans for Peace), IVAW (Iraq Veterans Against the War, VVAW (Vietnam Veterans against the War), and GSFP (Gold Star Families for Peace). By the time we got out near Bush's vacation home, we had about 40 cars following us. The details of what we went through when we got to Crawford have been well-blogged. From having to walk in a ditch, to being blocked by the county sheriff's department for walking on the road, to the Deputy Chief of Staff and George's personal National Security advisor coming out to try and b.s. us into submission, to the Secret Service continuously warning our overnight group that we were going to get run over and killed during the night. After the initial action of trying to walk up to the ranch, we all went down to a shady place to set up our camp. We were trying to think of a name for our temporary home, when one of the men in IVAW suggested Camp Casey. So in honor of our fallen heroes, we dedicated the camp to the brave men and women who have had their lives ripped away from them by the greedy and power hungry people who rule our country. The dozens of people who came out to support GSFP and the dozen or so who spent the night with me last night would like to tell America a few things: We are not giving up until George talks to us. We are humbled and grateful for the support and love we are getting from all over the world. The beginning of the end of the occupation of Iraq was on August 6, 2005, and in of all places, Crawford, Tx http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/8/7/171338/7578
For some reasons I don't support camping outside the President's private home. If they want to hold anti-war rally, there are plenty of places they can do it. On the hand, Bush brought this on his own. He could have dissolved the situation long ago by meeting candidly with the the dead soldiers' parents to ease their frustration and anger.
God! I would love to see about a 100,000 people show up with her this weekend in Crawford! What are they gonna do? arrest all of them?
This is not his private home, he "works" there. If this was just a normal vacation, I doubt anything would have amounted.
We're fighting in Iraq to give them freedom - so as long as the folks at 'Camp Casey' stay peaceful why can't people head down to Crawford? It would indeed be very cool if a couple hundred thousand people showed up there -or- a couple a thousand -or- a couple hundred. They have a month to amass a crowd so who knows how many will show up...
Yes. It is appalling. Why the hell is taking 5-weeks during wartime and a time when oil prices are at a record high? Absolutely disgusting.
It's hard work... http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050811..._5MIsGs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--
No, they just won't let them assemble such a large crowd near the President, it would be a matter of security, since if a large number of people decide to 'mob' the President, a few hundred secret service people won't be able to hold them back. It could get ugly, so such a large number won't be allowed to assemble IMO, unless the President's security men carry weapons and let it be know to the crowd that force would be used if they show any hostile intentions towards the President and his men.
There was another thread about this already. Bush did meet with this woman and she was very lauditory about his affect on her from that meeting. Now she has changed her tune and says that he has no morals. I don't care if she sits there or not, but it is a lie to say that Bush could have "dissolved the situation long ago" by meeting with her. She has already gotten more access than is necessary, and Bush should let her camp out there for the rest of her life if she so chooses.
thegary - you should think about scanning the existing threads before starting new ones, especially with 4 day old material... http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=100182
Hmm... let's see how Bush handled it. In the previous meeting, Bush, who was in a party mood, didn't even know Ms. Sheehan's son's name, and disrespectfully called her "mom". Oh he didn't miss the photo op by taking pics with some victims' families, but that was pretty much it. BTW, did Matt Drudge ever finish that "developing ..." story?
Bush really is between Iraq and a hard place. Either he meets with her, thereby opening up a bunch of other people wanting questions answered. Or he doesn't and looks like an ogre. -- Bill Maher
[Looks like Cam[p Casey is getting bigger and bigger. Hopefully things don't get out of control.] http://www.mfso.org/main_f.html AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW Contact: Ryan Fletcher 202-641-0277 Dante Zappala 215-520-7040 August 10, 2005 Gold Star and Military Families Arrive in Crawford, Texas Call on President Bush to Meet with Cindy Sheehan and All of the Families, and Bring The Troops Home Now! Members of Gold Star Families for Peace and Military Families Speak Out are beginning to arrive in Crawford, Texas to add their voices to Cindy Sheehan’s, calling for a meeting with President Bush and for troops to be brought home now. The following Gold Star and Military Families Speak Out members are available for interview: Celeste, Dante and Raphael Zappala of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Celeste and her son Dante arrived in Crawford on Tuesday August 9; son Raphael will arrive Friday night August 12. Celeste's son Sgt. Sherwood Baker (Dante and Raphael’s brother) was the first Pennsylvania National Guardsman to die in combat since World War II. He was killed in action in Baghdad on April 26, 2004 while searching for non-existent WMD's. Celeste is a co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace. Tammara Rosenleaf of Belton, Texas arrived in Crawford on Tuesday, August 9th. Tammara's husband serves in the Army, stationed at Ft. Hood, and will be deploying to Iraq this fall. Lietta Ruger of Bay Center, Washington will be arriving in Crawford Wednesday morning, August 10th. Lietta's son-in-law and nephew serve in the 1st Armored Division of the U.S. Army and are currently in Germany. They have both served extended 15-month tours of duty in Iraq; they are both under stop-loss orders and due to re-deploy to Iraq this fall. Linda and Phil Waste of Hinesville, Georgia will arrive in Crawford Wednesday morning August 10th. Linda and Phil have 3 sons and 2 grandchildren (a grandson and a granddaughter) who are active-duty military. Together, they have already spent a total of over 57 months on tours of duty in Iraq. Several of these children/grandchildren are currently serving in Iraq, and have served extended and multiple deployments. Jean Prewitt of Birmingham, Alabama will arrive in Crawford on Wednesday morning, August 10th. Jean’s son Private Kelly Prewitt was killed in action during the first few weeks of the war in Iraq, on April 6, 2003. Valarie Fletcher of Seymour, Missouri is driving to Crawford and arriving Wednesday evening, August 10. Valarie's son serves in the Marines and will be deploying to Iraq at the end of this month. Sherry Bohlen of Scottsdale, Arizona is driving to Crawford and arriving on Wednesday evening, August 10. Sherry’s son serves in the Army and deployed to Iraq on June 10, 2005. Rebecca Bahr of Scottsdale, Arizona is driving to Crawford and arriving on Wednesday evening August 10. Rebecca's daughter serves in the Marines and is currently stateside. Caryn Unsicker of Silvis, Illinois is driving to Crawford and arriving Wednesday evening, August 10. Caryn's son serves in the Marines, currently stateside. Anne Sapp and her daughters Lydia (age 17) and Mary (age 8) of Billerica, Massachusetts will be arriving in Crawford on Thursday morning, August 11th. Anne's husband/Lydia and Mary's father is a Staff Sergeant in the Massachusetts National Guard and currently serving in Iraq. Barbara Porchia of Camden, Arkansas will be arriving in Crawford on Thursday morning August 11th. Barbara's son, Army Reservist Private 1st Class Jonathan Cheatham, was killed in action in Baghdad two years ago, on July 26, 2003. Sue Niederer of Pennington, New Jersey will be arriving in Crawford on Thursday morning August 11th. Sue's son, 1st Lieutenant Seth Dvorin, was killed in action near Iskandariyah, Iraq on February 3, 2004. Sue is a co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace. Kristin Williams and Matthew Williams of Dallas, Texas will be arriving in Crawford this weekend (August 13-14). Matthew Williams is an Iraq War Veteran who served as a combat medic for one year in Iraq (2003-2004). He was honorably discharged from the Army. Kristin is his sister. Bill Mitchell of Atascadero, California will be arriving in Crawford in the next several days. Bill's son Sgt. Michael Mitchell was killed in action in Sadr City, Iraq on April 4, 2004, along with Cindy Sheehan's son Spc. Casey Sheehan. Bill is a co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace. Mimi Evans of Hyannis, Massachusetts will be arriving in Crawford on Tuesday, August 16th. Mimi's son serves in the Marines; he will be deployed to Fallujah, Iraq in the next two weeks. Eric Blickenstaff of Portland, Oregon will be arriving in Crawford early next week. Eric's brother Spc. Joseph Blickenstaff served in the Army and was killed when his Stryker vehicle rolled into a ditch on December 8, 2003 in Balad, Iraq. For more information: www.mfso.org www.gsfp.org
"'That was the gift the president gave us, the gift of happiness, of being together,' Cindy said." It sure sounds like she felt disrespected. At the time of the meeting, she seemed to think the President handled it fine, that he was sincere and gave them the gift of happiness. Now that she is sad and angry again, suddenly the meeting was disrespectful and the President has no morals. This is a woman who never probably never supported this President or the war. Her son was killed. The President met with her and made her feel better for a little while. Now that her grief is back, she has not surprisingly gone back to being against the President and the war. That is fine, and she can sit outside his ranch all the livelong day, that is her right in a free country. Bush has done more than what is required of him by meeting with her the first time.
So, in your world, a person's thoughts and feelings aren't allowed to evolve? People aren't allowed to change their minds? I, for one, can see how a parent of a dead soldier, who once supported this war, would now be against it. I also seem to recall Bush Junior railing against "nation-building" during the 2000 election. Isn't that exactly what he is trying to do in Iraq, at the expense of the dead & wounded, as well as the American taxpayer? If that isn't a "flip-flop" of epic proportions, nothing is.
Of course further reading and research would show that she wasn't referring to the meeting with the president when she made the quote, "'That was the gift the president gave us, the gift of happiness, of being together," Even though Conservatives have tried to claim that she changed her story since the original meeting took place. The paper that published the original story disagrees. The original reporter and editor who did the original story, and would better know the context of the story than Drudge would, have verified that she has had no major shift in opinion and that she was angry about it even then. I know you didn't know that the quote you used wasn't even really about the meeting with the president. I don't hold any grudge against you for repeating what has been circulating. But now that you know the truth that is another reason to be angry at the conservatives over this. They are misleading people, and trashing the family of fallen soldier.
It is hard to believe that the side that makes a loud show of supporting the troops, and makes accusations that those that report bad news aren't supporting the troops, in their very visible show of troop support would tolerate and even defend those that have attempted to twist and change the words of a grieving mothers who's son was a soldier lost in this war. Those who shout the loudest and try and make sure that everyone else knows how patriotic they are for supporting the troops, might seem superficial and lacking in sincerity in their proclomations. It is sad and disgusting that the tone has dropped so much in our nation. Rather than being unified in our battle against terrorism, those who claim to support the troops are apparently fine with, and defend those that trash the families of those that serve in our nations military. It is also sad when the genuine concern of liberals for America's troops trashed and reduced, and even labeled as supporting the terrorists and enemies of our troops.
