Home > UPDATES ON CINDY SHEEHAN VISIT TO CRAWFORD

UPDATES ON CINDY SHEEHAN VISIT TO CRAWFORD

by Open-Publishing - Saturday 6 August 2005
25 comments

Demos-Actions Wars and conflicts USA

The Lone Star Iconoclast is covering Saturday’s journey to Crawford by several groups, including Veterans For Peace, Military Family Speak Out, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Code Pink, Crawford Peace House, and others.

Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a soldier killed in Iraq last year, is seeking a meeting with President Bush, who is vacationing in Crawford, to have some of her questions answered about the war. Several busloads of interested individuals are expected in Crawford to support her cause. Sheehan has said that she is willing to camp out in Crawford until she gets to meet with the President.

Iconoclast reporter Nathan Diebenow is on the scene and will be dispatching reports during the day. As they come in they will be reported here:

11:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 6

Hirosima survivor Dr. Satoru Konishi spoke at the Crawford Peace House this morning, along with Paul Ritthaler, a retired United States marine captured in World War II by the Japanese and interred at a prison camp about 75 miles from Hiroshima. Ritthaler was there when the bomb was dropped near the end of World War II.

About a dozen people were on hand to hear the talks.

Konishi said he wants the government of Japan to give money to the Japanese victims of the bombing because for a long time the Japanese government did not acknowledge that the radiation had an effect on the people of the areas of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. He expressed no ill will toward the people of the United States. He said he wants the ban of all nuclear weapons.

The Veterans Administration admitted last year that the radiation was the cause of illnesses among those interred there, said Ritthaler..

Ritthaler said, "Our government is the worst country in the world at getting into wars. Our foreign policy stinks and we need to quit getting into wars."

His wife, Betty, said, "Let’s don’t never do that again to the human race."

It appears that Cindy Sheehan’s entourage has just arrived in Crawford (11:35 a.m.). More later.

12:40 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6

When Cindy Sheehan got off her bus in Crawford around 11:40 a.m., she was greeted with applause and swarmed by reporters. Some of the meda covering the event, along with The Iconoclast, were ABC, CNN, CBS, and AFP (French form of AP).

One man carrying a sign, Allen Goodwin from South Florida, commented that he is for peace, "but Bush isn’t." His sign reads "Somebody lied."

Currently, a bus provided by Veterans for Peace is taking about a dozen members, including Cindy Sheehan, to the checkpoint in front of President Bush’s ranch. Sheriff’s Department Captain Kenneth Vanek said prior to departing to lead the caravan, "As long as y’all work with us, we’ll work with y’all."

Following the bus is a train of automobiles, numbering about 15.

Sheehan said she is prepared to go to jail if necesssary, but is expecting a peaceful confrontation.

The McLennan County Sheriff’s Department is acting as the escort to the checkpoint.

With the arrival of Sheehan’s bus, there were at least 50 people present, from Code Pink Austin, Veterans for Peace, Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Iraqi Veterans Against the War, and Gold Star Families for Peace, which is Sheehan’s group.

Among those present, rumors of pro-war, anti-protest protestors perhaps arriving later were voiced.

In all, about a dozen law enforcement officers were on the scene near the Peace House. No Secret Service personnel had been identified. More later.

1:10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6

Diebenow reporting:

We’ve got about 50-something people walking on the side of the road, in a ditch, all the way up the mile to the Bush ranch. At the first checkpoint, the police ordered them to not walk on the roadway, but in the medium-tall grass along the right side of the road where it is about 10 ft. wide in places, three feet deep. They are kind of straddling the roadway.

There appears to be another checkpoint up ahead, with another car in the middle of the road.

Now two big white dogs are coming out to great them. I don’t know what kind of dogs they are.

It’s really hot, humid, with people sweating.

Wait. Call you back in a minute.

1:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6

Diebenow reporting:

We are at the second checkpoint and the sheriff’s department has told the protestors to get off the road. They’ve been walking on the road, breaking their part of the bargain.

Some are now sitting, waiting for Bush to come out. Now more are sitting down.

One Veterans for Peace protestor asked police officers for water because it’s a hundred degrees.

Now the protestors are reciting The Lord’s Prayer in unison.

(moments later)

Now Cindy Sheehan is shouting that Bush’s mother ought to be ashamed of him. She’s proud of her child who died in Iraq.

I now see Secret Service out here.

Protestors are saying that one of their rationales for not getting off the road was that the media was on the road. A police officer said that the media was just following them, but the media is still on the road, with cameras, booms, microphones.

Some protestors are still sitting, but more are now standing.

They are now chanting "No Justice, No Peace." "George Bush is a war criminal." "Downing Street memos prove it." "Billion dollars a week for war."

Chanting again, people on left saying "Had enough," people on right saying "Stop the war," going back and forth.

Police now telling media to get on the other side of the road and to not disrupt traffic.

Chanting still going on (time 1:20).

More coming.

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Forum posts

  • This is GREAT REPORTING! Keep up the GOOD WORK and FIGHT!
    Ingrid in Miami, FLORIDA

  • To the American public: it is your duty to get him! But give him a lawsuit this criminal (Bush) denied others, treating him with the power of law an rigtheousness will keep others from trying again.

    • dumping tea in the harbor worked because it hit them in the pocket book. We need to hit them where it counts.

  • Gooooo Cindy!!! Way to go! We’re with you out here. There are people all over the country who would love to know how we can support you. You’re a real patriot. Below is a quote from Theodore Roosevelt:

    "The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly as necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile. To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only UNpatriotic [emphasis added] and servile, but it is morrally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else." President Theodore Roosevelt, 1912

    That one is long, but good. Here’s another one of my favorites, just for Cindy.

    "The ultimate measure of a man [or woman] is not where he stands in moments of comfort, and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." Dr. Martin Luther King

    Wendy
    North Carolina

  • Hey, there were fire ants in that ditch! Wanna go walk it with me again buddy? Why should Veterans be forced to walk in a ditch along a county road, paid for by our own hard earned cash (tax dollars). It was all pure D baloney, and Texas lawmen flexing their muscles, like Bush the bully does on at least a daily basis. And, you can’t count...the bus was full, buses of that size hold a minimum of 50; so add that to the cars, most of which had 2 - 4 passengers apiece. Count again.
    It is obvious that you did not interview everyone there, and got the briefest of glimpses at the true composition of the crowd. I was there, a grandmother of 5 and a veteran. Did my big hat and sunglasses scare you off?This was a poor, poor report, at a time when the USA really needs reporters to go to the mat for the truth. Perhaps you can find a minute or two to meet with a reali journalist, and one of the few remaining on the planet, Helen Thomas.

    • Cindy is a true patriot, I’m a decorated vietnam veteran and have met her. My heart and my thanks goes out to her and Dennis, Bill and all the others with her. All of the media should be running continuous coverage, it just shows where we have declined to.Quote " Paramount amongst the responsibilities of the press is the duty to prevent any part of the government from deceiving the people." Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black The government continues to deceive us and the media is as quite as a church mouse. It is going to take a lot of patriots standing together to try and take this country back. The President is a public servant but he has yet to respond to a petition signed by over 560,000 people and over 100 congressmen asking about the Downing Street minutes. Lets not forget that the President works for the people if he can’t respond to Cindy he should be fired(impeached). Any other government employee would not be working long if he wouldn’t respond to any of We The People. Pat Dooley

    • "We have a lot of respect for the office of the president, and I have a new respect for him because he was sincere and he didn’t have to take the time to meet with us," Pat said.

      "I now know he’s sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis," Cindy said after their meeting. "I know he’s sorry and feels some pain for our loss. And I know he’s a man of faith."

      "That was the gift the president gave us, the gift of happiness, of being together," Cindy said.

      Vacaville Reporter, 2004
      http://www.thereporter.com/republished

    • Do your research! if you had, you would have realized that these comments were COMPLETELY taken out of context. When Ms. Sheehan said that they had the "gift of happiness, of being together", she was referring to the solidarity she felt with other military families who had lost loved ones. Stop drinking their kool-aid and think for yourself.

    • Even if the ONE quote you say is out of context, how about the other quotes.... How are those taken out of context when they directly quote Sheehan?

      "We have a lot of respect for the office of the president, and I have a new respect for him because he was sincere and he didn’t have to take the time to meet with us," Pat said.

      "I now know he’s sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis," Cindy said after their meeting. "I know he’s sorry and feels some pain for our loss. And I know he’s a man of faith."

  • Dear Cindy:

    First of all my thoughts are with you and your family for the loss of your son. As a Veteran
    of the Vietnam war I also think we are in another "Vietnam" and for what? Your son and the
    sons and daughters of many Americans did not deserve to die in this conflict. Please
    accept my condolences to you and the many other parents. I am hoping and praying that
    you continue your fight for an answer. May you be joined by many other parents as you
    folks have the power to end this folly. God Bless.
    Tom Prior
    Holiday, Fl.

  • "One of my hardest parts of my job is to console the family members who have lost their life. It is a — it is — it’s a chance to hug and weep and to console and to remind the loved ones that the sacrifice of their loved one was done in the name of security for America and freedom for the world."
    – George W. Bush April 13, 2004

  • If Cindy thinks her son died needlessly, she is about as stupid a bitch as the Democrat-controlled government has spent 40 years cultivating. She dishoners her son and embarrasses every member of the US military. If she thinks her son died needlessly, lets pull the troops out of the middle-east altogether, and invite her to take up residence in the tallest building in America. She just wants attention and money. Bitch.

    • You are a despicable person to say such a rude thing about a woman whose son was needlessly sacrificed for a war that is illegal. If you support this so much why don’t you go put your stupid ass on the line in Iraq.

    • I see you’re brainwashed by the "911 caused by Iraq" lies. You may remember that it was Osama that attacked us, and what has Bush done about it? Nothing! He told us he’d catch him and he’s "on the run" ... Another LIE! He is sitting back and laughing at the mess Bush got us into. Bush played right into his hands.

      Since you feel so strongly, why don’t you enlist and serve? Or, recuit your family members, I’m sure Bush would appreciate it.

      Cindy Sheehan is a REAL patriot, not like the chicken hawks in the White House.

      Ted - South Carolina

    • Well Ted, Bush will be getting Osama soon enough. If you think that Osama is getting a free ride by Bush then you do not know how dedicated our brave and honorable president really is. He is just waiting for the right time to get Osama and recently he said that maybe we should drop a nukular bomb on Osama’s hide outs which is a great idea. Osama needs to be taught that his ass is grass and Bush is the lawn mower.

    • Pull your head out of your butt and stop vilifying a mother who has lost a son in a war that a vast majority of Americans have finally come to understand as a major fiasco.

      Your comments do, however, reinforce one school of thought that has been going around this past week: by the end of this week, the president’s storm-troopers and the associated neos will find a way in which to turn this woman into a stark-raving insane, anti-American.

      Let the president and the other half of this dunce-duo, Dick, send their kids off to fight- Oh! I bet they, like their parents, "have other priorities". Chicken-shit and arrogance are genetic.....

    • Learn how to spell & punctuate you fool.

    • What this poster said. All true.

  • You have already had a meeting with President Bush but after being coached by the Move On crowd you now have a problem. You only stain the name and deeds of a galant son. My question is why in the world did you let him join the Army if you really felt this way then. To let the left use your sons memory as a political tool you are far worse than anything that Bush has been acused of. Go home lady and take care of what family you have left.

  • Cindy, You are inspiring mothers and fathers of children sent to a war based on lies. You are the Rosa Parks of the fight against the criminals who caused this war for the sake of one thing only: their own greed and profits. Anyone who dares call you un-american is a pathetic coward and part of the same sickness that got this immoral un-christian war started.

  • Cindy,
    be strong.. you are making a serious fool out of George W. Bush and that’s just how it should be.
    He’s hiding out from you and whole world is watching him hide.
    best,
    nancy wartenbergh

  • My wife spent the day with Cindy in Crawford - there is an account of what went on Monday as well as video at http://www.thebillboardproject.com/

    – gary

  • Italiano 9/11 :

    http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=65577&subForumID=178213&action=viewSubForum

  • “The war accelerated Hitler’s determination to establish an entirely new social order based on race and sex. with the ideal couple at its core, not a husband and a wife, but a soldier and his mother, obedient to Hitler, the patriarch uber alles.” P 392 Mothers In the Fatherland Claudia Koonz, ISBN 0-312-54933-4.

  • I see a great contrast between Cindy Sheehan’s first comments about her meeting with Bush in her interview on June 24, 2004, that was just several months after her son was killed, and the latest comments she is making about that same meeting with Bush.Cindy Sheehan first said after her meeting with Bush, that she " now knows that Bush is sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqi’s." Then she went on to say and I quote, " I know he’s sorry and feels pain for our loss." She used two descriptions to describe her impressions of Bush, after Bush’s meeting with her, "Sincere" and " He’s sorry and feels pain for our loss." Now its quite the opposite description of Bush, if you were to listen to her new interpretation of that same meeting with Bush, you would think it was two seperate meetings. Cindy Sheehan now says about that meeting with Bush that " Every time we tried to talk about Casey and how much we missed him, he would change the subject,and he acted like it was a party." That statement indicates just the opposite of what she originally said about Bush, in that she even used the word "sincere" in describing Bush’s demeanor. In her first interview with David Henson she stated that Bush felt "sorry" about the loss of her son,then Cindy Sheehan turns around and says just the opposite in her interview with Blitzer and I quote " Yes, he came in very jovial, and like we should be happy that he, our son, died." Excuse me but "sorry" and "happy" are not synonyms.