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Title: UPDATES ON CINDY SHEEHAN VISIT TO CRAWFORD
Source:
The Lone Star Iconoclast
URL Source: http://www.iconoclast-texas.com/News/2005/31-40/31news02.htm
Published: Aug 6, 2005
Author: LSO
Post Date: 2005-08-06 22:35:34 by Zipporah
Keywords: CRAWFORD, UPDATES, SHEEHAN
Views: 257
Comments: 28
The Lone Star Iconoclast is covering Saturday's journey to Crawford by several groups, including Veterans For Peace, Military Families 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 Betty Ritthaler, the wife of Paul. Ritthaler said in a written statement, "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." 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. coming from the Veterans for Peace convention in Irving (near Dallas), she was greeted with applause and swarmed by reporters. Some of the meda covering the event, along with The Iconoclast, were ABC, CNN, CBS, NBC and AFP (Agency France Press). A veteran of World War II carrying a sign, Archie 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 over 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 in some places. 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 greet them along the fence. I don't know what kind of dogs they are, but they seem to be friendly. Some ranchers' probably. 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, the police say. Some of Cindy's group 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. 2:10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6 At the first checkpoint, Sheehan told the Officer Vanek: "We don't have the quarrel with you. The quarrel we have is with the President." At the second checkpoint, she said, "I didn't come all the way from California to stand here in a ditch." An officer offered to send Bush a letter or a statement from Cindy Sheehan, but she said she didn't want to do that. Her reply was that they were making the mother of a veteran of the Iraq war walk in a ditch. Protestors are carrying signs that read "No more blood for oil," "Support our troops, bring them home now," and "Frodo failed. Bush has the ring." It is extremely hot. People are starting to get dehydrated. Sheehan is moving toward the ranch at the second checkpoint and says, "In the name of 1,828 soldiers that should be alive, I'm going to go see the President. He killed my son." An officer got in her face, stopping her. The crowd starts chanting, "W. killed her son. W. killed her son." Bush has not come out, none of those anti-protest protesters either. Hadi Jawad, a board member of the Crawford Peace House, shouts to the media: "Do your job. Ask about the Downing Street Memo." After sitting in the heat waiting to interview Cindy, most members of the press start to leave. Now protestors start to leave. One says, "I guess we ought to go." It appears that the initial protest is over. Sheehan says she is going to stay at the checkpoint. Others are bringing water to her. The idea seems to be that she intends to camp out here, but I am unsure at this point whether the authorities will allow it. The others are going back to the Peace House to regroup. Cindy Sheehan said after the media had left, "This is the beginning of the end of the occupation of Iraq." A wild round of applause followed. Currently, the Secret Service and the police are just hanging around. The area is beginning to look deserted except for Cindy and her small group. 3:10 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 6 The police are giving Cindy a hard time because they won't let her set up a tent by the side of the road. This will probably be the last dispatch for awhile. 7:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6 Iconoclast publisher W. Leon Smith visited with Cindy Sheehan just a few minutes ago. She was cooling off at The Peace House in Crawford. Sheehan said she intends to continue to attempt to gain an audience with President Bush and will go back to the checkpoint tonight, where she will camp beside the road. Sheehan commented that a brainstorm of an idea she had Wednesday has snowballed into this, with support from all over the country. "I'm filled with hope now, too, that we might be able to turn things around," she said. Earlier in the afternoon, after most of the individuals departed the second checkpoint, Sheehan says she was greeted with representatives from the Western White House who offered to take a message to President Bush. She says she told them her concerns, but that she was there to speak directly to the President. In a message through The Iconoclast to the President she said, "George Bush, if you really care about me why aren't you meeting with me?" Sheehan noted that additional support is on its way from throughout the country as she continues her efforts, which will include a candlelight vigil. Caravans from Louisiana and San Diego are on the way, she said. PHOTOS FROM TODAY'S ACTIVITIES IN CRAWFORD Nathan Diebenow, photographer Hiroshima bomb survivor Dr. Satoru Konishi spoke on the 60th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing about the horrors of nuclear weapons at the Crawford Peace House... ... along with another Hiroshima bomb survivor Paul Ritthaler (from left), who was a U.S. Marine interred in a prison camp 75 miles from Hiroshima's ground zero. Ritthaler was accompanied last Saturday by his wife, Betty. Iraq Veterans Against War turned out in support of Cindy Sheehan in Crawford. Cindy Sheehan and Dr. Satoru Konishi met at the Crawford Peace House on the 60th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, Japan. Cindy Sheehan, co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace, holds two photos of her late son, Casey Sheehan, 24, of Vacaville, California. Sheehan died in Baghdad, Iraq, when his unit was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Died on April 4, 2004. http://(www.fallenheroesmemorial.com/ oif/profiles/sheehancasey.html) World War II Veteran Archie Goodwin of Coral Gables, Florida, holds up a sign at the Crawford Peace House while Cindy Sheehan, co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace, meets with reporters. Cindy Sheehan, co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace and mother of U.S. soldier who was slain in Iraq, called for President Bush on Saturday, Aug. 6, to return all troops in Iraq to the United States immediately. Although she failed to meet with Bush face-to-face at his Crawford-area ranch, Sheehan did speak with two of the president's aides. She still vowed to remain in Crawford to meet with the President. Two supporters of Cindy Sheehan display their ideas of the war in Iraq last Saturday after the Veterans for Peace convention in Irving, Texas. Reporters last Saturday follow Cindy Sheehan and her supporters to Bush's ranch after the McLennan County Sheriff's Department ordered the group to walk on the grassy shoulder, not the roadway. Cindy Sheehan and her relatives, Dede Miller and Amy Ranham, walk at the head of the group to a checkpoint near President Bush's Ranch. Four miles from Bush's Ranch, the supporters of Cindy Sheehan, co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace, stopped because the McLennan County Sherriff's Department said the group had disobeyed orders by walking on the roadway, not the grassy shoulder. Supporters included members of Veterans for Peace, Gold Star Families for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against War, Vietnam Veterans Against War, CodePink Austin, and the Crawford Peace House. Persian Gulf War Veteran Dennis Kyne (center, in camouflage jacket) led Cindy Sheehan's supporters in a chant four miles from President Bush's Prairie Chapen Ranch last Saturday. Kyne, a former battlefield medic, is author of Support The Truth, a book about his experience on the effects of depleted uranium weapons and PB Tablets >http://(www.denniskyne.com). "The media is allowed on the road, so why aren't we?" asked the supporters of Cindy Sheehan stopped four miles from the Bush Ranch, to which the McLennan County Sheriff's Department replied, "Because they were following you." "In the name of 1,828 soldiers that should be alive, I'm going to see the president," said Cindy Sheehan, co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace (center, left). "He killed my son." An hour of so later, two of Bush's aides met with her for 45 minutes; however, Sheehan vowed to stay in Crawford Saturday until she met face-to-face with the president. Poster Comment: Sorry I cant get the alignment correct for half this page it seems ?
Captain Kenneth Vanek of the McLennan County Sheriff's Deparement agreed to work with the members of Cindy Sheehan and her group of supporters last Saturday as they made their way to President Bush's Prairie Chapel ranch; however, their deal broke about four miles from the ranch when the group walked on the road, not the ditch, as they were told to do to allow for traffic flow, according to the officers. 
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#1. To: Zipporah (#0)
So many groups! Thanks for posting this!
great post! it looks perfect.
I think the tide is turning. People have been in fear of speaking out and Sheehan is a heroine IMO embolding others.
"Every good Christian ought to kick [Jerry] Falwell right in the ass." ---Barry Goldwater
In preview it kept showing up with part of the pics aligned right? Go Cindy~!
"Every good Christian ought to kick [Jerry] Falwell right in the ass." ---Barry Goldwater
these people are real patriots.
Bush's aids have more guts than Bush does. Bush is a coward and has never been responislbe for anything he has done in his entire life.
God is always good!
Here's a story on the protest from the Lexington Herald-Leader: http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/breaking_news/12321897.htm "The group marched about a half-mile before local law enforcement officials stopped them at a bend in the road, still four to five miles from the ranch's entrance. Capt. Kenneth Vanek of the McLennan County Sheriff's Office said the group was stopped because some marchers ignored instructions to walk in the ditch beside the road, not on the road. "If they won't cooperate, we won't," Vanek said"
"Every good Christian ought to kick [Jerry] Falwell right in the ass." ---Barry Goldwater
Chavez was right!
"Every good Christian ought to kick [Jerry] Falwell right in the ass." ---Barry Goldwater
Agreed. The arm chair warriors of course would say otherwise.
"Every good Christian ought to kick [Jerry] Falwell right in the ass." ---Barry Goldwater
She lost her son to an evil regime's evil war. Right. I wonder though why other parents haven't spoken out. One reason could be that they can't come to terms that their son's or daughter's life was taken for a lie.
"Every good Christian ought to kick [Jerry] Falwell right in the ass." ---Barry Goldwater
Can you imagine how tough that must be? I can't. And then, even if you did face it, how do you channel your loss into positive action. Maybe it's what is keeping her sane.
It's illeagal to hurt the President. I guess it's illeagal to even hurt his feelings.
"You know, when you're on parole and you been on death row, it's hard to find a date." Kenneth Allen McDuff
Here is a copy of an email re Cindy Sheehan and her visit by the Secret Service. Hi Brian, I have just had a very disturbing call from Cindy- there are ten people preparing to sleep out on the side of the road, the media and police have gone, SEVERAL secret service people have stopped by to give this message "people drive very fast on this road, somebody could run over you and you could get killed" Cindy was frightened by this message and asked me to ask you to post it. If this were not the government of Karl Rove you could take it lightly. But sadly, it is. I told Cindy to have people take turns keeping watch, I hope the Vets will go back to stand guard. It is hard to believe we live in these times, hard to believe we are governed by such dangerous people, and for us at GSFP hard to comprehend why we are without our sons. Thank you to everyone for your amazing support today, plesae stay with us. Celeste Zappala co founder, Gold Star Families for Peace Mother of Sgt. Sherwood Baker, KIA 4/26/04-Baghdad Sherwood was killed protecting the Iraq Survey Group as they looked for the non-existent Weapons of Mass Destruction "Every good Christian ought to kick [Jerry] Falwell right in the ass." ---Barry Goldwater
Like this from Continental Op from over at FU: "...but Sheehan is a stupid bitch." http://www.freedomunderground.org/view.php? v=3&t=3&l=2&aid=18446#2 I can only shake my head in amazement and disgust.
Dr. Condoleezza Rice said that the “security of Israel is the key to security of the world.”
WHAT? I shouldnt be surprised though.
"Every good Christian ought to kick [Jerry] Falwell right in the ass." ---Barry Goldwater
he's a hard hearted nasty man seemingly devoid of empathy. like all the clowns,
his posts are mostly about the tearing down of other human beings.
(there's a tagline for you, con op ;)
ROFL!! He'll probably view this as some badge of honor.
"Every good Christian ought to kick [Jerry] Falwell right in the ass." ---Barry Goldwater
C'mon Zip, you know the drill, not only is she a stupid bitch, she: Is giving aid and comfort to the enemy. Yeah man, that good ol' freedom's really pouring down over at FU, but at least there's no big, bad "anti-semites" there anymore. Li'l cheesedick made sure of that.
say it, brother ;)
ROFL!! Pretty much sums it up!
"Every good Christian ought to kick [Jerry] Falwell right in the ass." ---Barry Goldwater
Yes, according to the mathematical laws of permutations,
Why so cynical?
Good point, if anything losing a child can turn some otherwise meek people into staunch advocates who become very outspoken and determined in their efforts. I expect more parents of dead soldiers to speak out and raise hell.
Some go into a deep depression for a period of time, but when they come out of it many will devote themselves to bringing home the rest of our troops. I imagine many of the parents are now in the depression stage where they feel like they have nothing to live for any longer and just want to sleep. However soon enough there will be lots more outspoken parents when this first round of grieving parents comes out of their depression.
I hope they do. We need more voices like Cindy's.
Oh I'm quite sure they are. Losing a child is something you never quite get over. There was a close family member who was killed in Viet Nam another came back a paraplegic. He later died from Agent Orange. It's really a difficult thing to go through.
"Every good Christian ought to kick [Jerry] Falwell right in the ass." ---Barry Goldwater
Spoken like a true arm chair warrior! Cut it out Willie - this 'war' is a mess, delivered to us by a neocon inner circle. The same clique who has sold us NAFTA/GATT/CAFTA.
The Lone Star Iconoclast is covering Saturday's journey to Crawford by several groups, including Veterans For Peace, Military Families Speak Out, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Code Pink, Crawford Peace House, and others.
One if by land, two if by sea...how many if they are already here?
#2. To: Zipporah (#0)
#3. To: robin (#1)
#4. To: christine (#2)
#5. To: Zipporah (#0)
#6. To: Zipporah (#0)
"In the name of 1,828 soldiers that should be alive, I'm going to see the president," said Cindy Sheehan, co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace (center, left). "He killed my son." An hour of so later, two of Bush's aides met with her for 45 minutes; however, Sheehan vowed to stay in Crawford Saturday until she met face-to-face with the president.
#7. To: All (#0)
#8. To: RickyJ (#6)
Bush's aids have more guts than Bush does. Bush is a coward and has never been responislbe for anything he has done in his entire life.
#9. To: Red Jones (#5)
these people are real patriots.
#10. To: Zipporah (#3)
In her mind, what does she have left to lose?
One if by land, two if by sea...how many if they are already here?
#11. To: robin (#10)
She lost her son to an evil regime's evil war. In her mind, what does she have left to lose?
#12. To: Zipporah (#11)
I wonder though why other parents haven't spoken out. One reason could be that they can't come to terms that their son's or daughter's life was taken for a lie.
One if by land, two if by sea...how many if they are already here?
#13. To: Zipporah (#0)
Now Cindy Sheehan is shouting that Bush's mother ought to be ashamed of him. I now see Secret Service out here.
#14. To: Soda Pop, ALL (#13)
I guess it's illegal to even hurt his feelings.
#15. To: Zipporah, christine (#9)
The arm chair warriors of course would say otherwise.
#16. To: wbales (#15)
#17. To: wbales (#15)
#18. To: christine (#17)
there's a tagline for you, con op ;)
#19. To: Zipporah (#16)
WHAT? I shouldnt be surprised though.
Is America-hating.
Is part of the blame America first crowd.
Is a kook.
Is anti-semitic.
Is anti-American.
Is an Usamabot.
Is unAmerican.
Is guilty of treason.
Should be sent to Gitmo.
Deserves to be killed.
BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
#20. To: Esso, Jethro Tull, crack monkey, CAPPSMADNESS, Diana (#19)
Yeah man, that good ol' freedom's really pouring down over at FU, but at least there's no big, bad "anti-semites" there anymore. Li'l cheesedick made sure of that.
#21. To: Esso (#19)
Yeah man, that good ol' freedom's really pouring down over at FU, but at least there's no big, bad "anti-semites" there anymore. Li'l cheesedick made sure of that.
#22. To: robin (#1)
So many groups!
it is possible for a mere 5 protesters to form up to 60 different groups of 3.
#23. To: Willie Green (#22)
One if by land, two if by sea...how many if they are already here?
#24. To: robin (#10)
She lost her son to an evil regime's evil war. In her mind, what does she have left to lose?
#25. To: Zipporah (#11)
I wonder though why other parents haven't spoken out. One reason could be that they can't come to terms that their son's or daughter's life was taken for a lie.
#26. To: Diana (#24)
if anything losing a child can turn some otherwise meek people into staunch advocates who become very outspoken and determined in their efforts. I expect more parents of dead soldiers to speak out and raise hell.
One if by land, two if by sea...how many if they are already here?
#27. To: Diana (#25)
I imagine many of the parents are now in the depression stage where they feel like they have nothing to live for any longer and just want to sleep. However soon enough there will be lots more outspoken parents when this first round of grieving parents comes out of their depression.
#28. To: Willie Green (#22)
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