The Peaceful Occupation of Crawford - Day 22

In My Life I Loved You More

by Cindy Sheehan

Since I began my vigil in Crawford, an average of 2.69 per day of our nation’s brave and noble troops died in Iraq for George’s cowardly and ignoble war. 2.69 families per day have been devastated for no reason except that: we have to continue killing American soldiers because so many have been killed already. My heart and soul go out to these families who had a loved one killed so needlessly and avoidably.

How many more are we as Americans going to tolerate before we force the reckless commander in chief to bring our kids home? How much more blood are we going to allow congress to wash their hands in before we force them to force George to bring our children home?

We are doing everything at Camp Casey to build awareness of this illegal and immoral occupation of Iraq. Now we need your help. We are taking Camp Casey to Congress. We plan to hold rallies and meetings in key Congressional districts (Democrats and Republican alike), where the incumbent is weak on the war. Here is the letter I am sending to all of our Congressional representatives:

Dear [Representative],

My son Casey, just 24, was killed in Baghdad on April 4, 2004. It is devastating to me knowing that Casey died needlessly, that so many other families face this same grief, and that new families are added daily. I have been sitting outside President Bush’s ranch in Crawford since August 6th in a roadside ditch we named Camp Casey, seeking a meeting and a dialogue about an illegal and immoral war. I have been joined there by other mothers and families, many of whom have lost children in the war, some who have children now serving in the military, and still others who in one way or another have been touched by the war.

The President has not been willing to meet with me, but he must meet and listen to you. President Bush sent our sons and daughters to war in Iraq. Congress gave him the authority to do so. That’s why we are now turning to you, the elected officials who have the power to declare wars — and end wars. We come to you with grieving hearts to request that you meet with us to answer our simple questions:

President Bush has said that brave Americans like my son Casey have died for a "noble cause." What is that "noble cause "?

How many more lives are we as a country willing to sacrifice in Iraq? How many are you personally willing to sacrifice?

What are you specifically doing to bring our sons and daughters home from this needless war?

Mothers from your district — all who share my conviction that this war must come to an end — are eager to meet with you, and pose to you the questions that the President has refused to answer for me. They will be coming to meet you with a symbol from our vigil in Crawford and will seek honest, straightforward responses to our simple questions. They are your constituents, and they will be asking you my questions, their questions, and the nation’s questions. They are going to ask you, your colleagues, and the President to answer us.

As a member of Congress you have the enormous responsibility to end this tragedy and bring our sons and daughters home now. Meet with us, answer us, and show us that there need not be a Camp Casey in your district. Show us that the Crawford Camp Casey, brought on by a stonewalling leader, was all we need. Show us your compassion and leadership.

Sincerely,

Cindy Sheehan
Mother of Casey Sheehan

Please keep watching www.MeetWithCindy.org for the schedule of our bus tour and our Congressional visiting schedule. We need your support at these events.

Yesterday was extraordinary at Camp Casey. It was filled with love, passion, and compassion. We started off the day with a prayer service led by religious leaders of all faiths, topped off with a little preaching by the Rev. Al Sharpton who gave an amazing talk in support of Camp Casey and all we are doing. Right before the Rev. Sharpton arrived, Sean Hannity said that if he were truly a man of God, instead of supporting me, the Reverend would "denounce" me for speaking ill of the President. The Reverend didn’t take Hannity’s advice, and I am glad.

The next stunning event was the marriage of Peter and Genevieve at Camp Casey II. It was so beautiful. Genevieve walked down the aisle towards Peter and his two sons, while we all hummed: "Here Comes the Bride." The couple for peace then had a collection taken up for our bus tour (www.BringThemHomeNow.org) in lieu of gifts. They also made a generous donation to the tour. It was amazing, beautiful, and touching, and I am so honored, but not surprised, that they chose to begin their new lives together in such a loving place as Camp Casey. At the end of the ceremony, they played "In My Life" by the Beatles. One part of the song says: "Some are dead and some are living, in my life, I loved you more." I had about all I could handle when I heard that line and I wept for my loss, but also for my gain. Camp Casey has given me back my joy for life, and a renewed sense of hope for my future and my country’s future.

We ended the day reciting a rosary, led by Martin Sheen. Martin said Camp Casey was "holy ground" and he met with the Iraqi veterans and with me. I called him my "dream President." I am so happy that at least I was able to meet with a President, if a TV one, who turns out to be a very nice guy on top of everything.

Just another day at Camp Casey.

Good By to Crawford, But Not to Camp Casey

The Peaceful Occupation of Crawford - Day 24
by Cindy Sheehan

While George golfed yesterday, the worst hurricane ever struck New Orleans; oil went up to over 68.00/barrel; and an American soldier was killed in the charade and cataclysmic occupation of Iraq. The soldier’s family doesn’t even know what’s going to hit them yet. The death is "Pending Notification." I continually ask myself: "How do George Bush and other death-mongers live with themselves?" While George vacations and bikes and golfs his way to the lowest poll numbers since Richard Nixon, other "patriots" are wrapping themselves in the Stars and Stripes and going along with the farce that the mission from hell, "Killing more people in Iraq, because so many have already been killed," is somehow a good thing ordained by God. I can live with myself, but trust me, sleep does not come easily to me these days.

Yesterday at Camp Casey was, again naturally, an amazing day. Dennis Means from the A.I.M. came with a group of Native American musicians and they made a presentation to me. He gave me a shawl in the tradition of Tecumseh and he pinned a brooch of 5 stars on it from "One chief to another." He also said we should all change our last names to Sheehan and he will be known as: Dennis Means Sheehan! Sheehan is Gaelic for "Peace," which I think is such a cool thing, and not a coincidence. Casey Sheehan’s sacrifice will stand for peace forever.

I missed the candlelight vigil at Camp Casey last night, but I heard that the counter-protestors came over and held vigil with us for our killed heroes. I heard it was beautiful and life-affirming. This is what Camp Casey does for us: it transforms bitter anger into righteous, productive anger. It turns hate into love. It brings people together in new love and cements mature relationships. It brings other people together who would normally not ever meet and makes them lifelong soul-friends. It heals broken hearts and mends broken souls. I know Camp Casey has healed my broken soul and heart. A veteran from the Iraq tragedy told me that he is now cured of any bad feelings he had.

Just another day at Camp Casey.

I must admit when I sat down in the ditch on August 6th, I thought to myself: "Self, what the hell did you do? Texas in August? A ditch filled with fire ants, rattle snakes, and chiggers? Pooping in a bucket? Dodging lightening bolts and heat exhaustion? But I knew I would have to suffer it through to the end. I knew that the people of Iraq and our soldiers have it far worse than we did. I thought as long as I could have plenty of water and an occasional shower at the Peace House, that I would survive.

What I never thought, however, was that I would grow to love it here: That I would be so overwhelmed by the magnitude of love and support I receive that I would be depressed to leave Camp Casey. I don’t want to leave, but I know that for the Camp Casey movement to keep growing, we have to leave Crawford and take Camp Casey to the people.

Tonight I will write to look back on the good times, less than good times and the miracles that occurred here in Crawford. But I want to thank one person for the best "vacation" and most amazing experience I have ever had: George Bush: Thank you George for not meeting with me on August 6th and thank you for being the motivation for Camp Casey. I know you don’t want Camp Casey to come to the place you reside between vacations, so I would suggest you bring our troops home immediately.

But most of all: thank you my son. Thank you for living the kind of life that inspires people to work for peace and justice. Thank you for choosing me to be your mom. Thank you for being the embodiment of love and thank you for being the inspiration for the Camp Casey movement. I promise you it won’t end until all of your buddies are brought home. And I promise I will fight for your unborn nieces and nephews and the rest of the children of the world, so they won’t be misused and abused by corrupt leadership like you and your buddies were.

I love you Casey.