War Is A Crime .org

I am writing you today not only as a member of Gold Star Families for Peace who was in Crawford this weekend with Cindy, knocking on your door, but also as a proud Texan. As a Texan, I have a couple of words to say to you.

Whatever happened to that good old fashioned Texas hospitality and friendliness people talk so much about? When someone comes knocking at your door, especially a grieving mother who has walked hours out in the hot Texas sun especially to come see you, you really should let her in! Cindy wasn’t a threat to you Saturday and she is not a threat to you now.

Apparently Cindy is your neighbor now, at least for the month of August. Most Texans I know would invite their new neighbor over for a chat and a nice glass of iced tea at the kitchen table or, at the very least, on the patio where the three of you could have a nice little chat about the war and Casey and the rest of the 1,840 soldiers who have given their lives for your little war.

Republicans for Humility
By William Frey, M. D.

The willingness of far too Americans to patiently accept the rationale of Administration talking points through every twist and turn, through every flip-flop, through the every Presidential renunciation of previously sacred American civic principles, may at long last be coming to an end.

29 months after the invasion of Iraq in March, 2003, the pretext given to the American people and to Congress for invading Iraq has yet to be substantiated.

Nonetheless, intelligence we now know to be less than accurate was utilized both to obtain public support and Congressional authorization for the use of military force, a decision that only Congress has the legal authority to make.

By Anna Varela
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/12/05

Mary Ann MacCombie didn't protest Vietnam. She was in her early 20s and wasn't sure she understood that war well enough to take a stand.

And she didn't know anybody who died there.
When the United States invaded Iraq in March 2003, she was "cautiously supportive." And when her son's Army unit joined the fight, she thought it would be like the Gulf War in 1991 — few casualties, "in and out."

In April 2004, MacCombie's son was killed in Iraq. Suddenly the war became personal.

On Thursday, two years after the invasion of Iraq, MacCombie spoke out at an anti-war demonstration for the first time. It took her more than a year to trust herself to talk about her son without breaking down, a year spent in a state of shock and coping with the bureaucratic details that follow death in a faraway place.

T r u t h o u t Editor Scott Galindez films William Rivers Pitt interviewing Jodie Evans of Code Pink at Camp Casey in Crawford, Texas.
http://truthout.org/cindy.shtml

Byron York is the leading "hit man" of the right-wing Republican establishment. A His most recent book is The Vast Left Wing Conspiracy, which argues that everyone to the left of Ann Coulter is a paid lackey of atheist communist fifth-columnist George Soros and belongs in Gitmo or before a firing squad.For today's "hit," York went after Cindy Sheehan and, through the old McCarthyite trick of guilt-by-association, the bloggers (including Joe Trippi and myself) who participated in BlogCall9 on Wednesday.

By David Sirota

Permit me to engage in a bit of shameless self-promotion, but I thought folks would be interested in the debate I just had with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) on National Public Radio over America's Iraq policy. Also appearing in the roundtable was pollster John Zogby; Dante Zappalla, the brother of a National Guardsmen killed in Iraq; and Andrew McCarthy, an archconservative from the so-called Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (a group set up to advocate for war in Iraq). Go to www.kcrw.com and listen to the debate at:

http://kcrw.com/cgi-bin/ram_wrap.cgi?/tp/tp050811The_War_in_Iraq_and_

National Review's Annoying Byron York Writes:

Without Internet, U.S. Would Be a "Fascist State"

Cindy Sheehan, the woman whose soldier son was killed in Iraq and who is
now camping by a road in Crawford, Texas demanding a meeting with
President Bush, on Wednesday thanked a group of antiwar bloggers for
supporting her, saying that without the Internet, America would be a
"fascist state."

"This is something that can't be ignored," Sheehan said during a
conference call with bloggers representing sites like democrats.com,
codepink4peace.org, and crooksandliars.com. "They can't ignore us, and

While our fearless leader hides in his spider-hole (aka Crawford Ranch), Cindy Sheehan is, we are told, presenting a threat to our National Security. She is peaceable, she is unarmed, and she has made no threats. Her only request is a simple one: give me a few minutes of your time, sir.
By Nancy Greggs
Democratic Underground

We were only a matter of days into the debacle that has become the war in Iraq when our esteemed leader, George W. Bush, had a meeting with Kofi Annan at the White House. A few reporters were herded in to ask their questions (no more than three and, for God's sake, keep 'em simple), and one reporter asked Bush why it was necessary to invade Iraq at this point.

Dailykos
by hopesprings [Subscribe]
Thu Aug 11th, 2005 at 22:16:34 PDT
Again, they are very conservative-leaning.

Here's the latest poll stats:

Do you think President Bush should meet with Cindy Sheehan?
Yes 58%
No 42%
Do you agree with Sheehan?
Yes 53%
No 47%
How effective do you think her protest will be?
Not at all 50%
Somewhat 31%
Very 19%

hopesprings's diary :: ::
I don't understand why, if 58% think Bush should meet with Sheehan, and 53% agree with her, that only 19% think her protest will be very effective.

Keeping in mind that AOL is a very conservative audience, what does this say about Americans?

Dailykos
by JoOnTheLake [Subscribe]
Fri Aug 12th, 2005 at 04:34:18 PDT

Where are they? Why are they not in the trenches with Cindy Sheehan? They are as guilty as Bush for ignoring her grief.

Why aren't they listening to her questions? Most of them supported the war and voted to send our children to Iraq. If the President of the United States will not hear Cindy Sheehan, the Democrats who voted to support this war should get themselves to Crawford and listen to her. They should be camping out with her. Where are they?

They are going to have to answer for their decisions to support this war. They need to stop marching, no, make that goose-stepping with the Republicans in support of this war.

By Barb Ickes
Quad-City Times

A couple of books on tape, a cell phone and some junk food are the only things keeping Caryn Unsicker company on the long road.

The Silvis, Ill., woman set out Wednesday morning on a 1,000-mile pilgrimage from her home to President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas. She probably won't get but a few miles from the entrance to the sprawling retreat.

But she has to go.

Unsicker won't know until she gets there today how many other mothers from across the country have made the same trek to Crawford. Chances are good there will be dozens — driven to cross the countryside like so many firefighters were driven to reach New York City after 9/11.

Dailykos
by j sundman [Subscribe]
Fri Aug 12th, 2005 at 05:43:05 PDT

Sorry for short diary, and apologies if this has already been diaried.

Cindy Sheehan has written a wonderful essay called "George Bush's Accountability Moment" that's been picked up by Yahoo News.

This is George Bush's accountability moment. That's why I'm here. The mainstream media aren't holding him accountable. Neither is Congress. So I'm not leaving Crawford until he's held accountable.

As of a few moments ago, only 134 people had voted. Might I suggest you mosey on over, read it, and vote it up.

Dailykos
by SusanHu [Subscribe]
Thu Aug 11th, 2005 at 19:05:19 PDT
Front-paged at BoomanTribune.com.

From today's Time magazine story (sub.) -- "A Bereaved Mother's Crawford Vigil" -- a featured interview with our BoomanTribune core member, Military Tracy, who drove from Alabama and joined up with Brinnaine, Janet, and Rick in Austin.

I just spoke with Tracy who told me that she met Time reporter Hilary Hylton today at the Peace House in Crawford. Ms. Hylton was lost, and asked Tracy's help in finding Cindy's gathering area. Tracy led her out to the "Love Camp." While Tracy didn't pour out her story to Ms. Hylton, someone else suggested that Tracy had a story to tell. And she did:

Dailykos
by outragemeter [Subscribe]
Thu Aug 11th, 2005 at 22:44:37 PDT

There was a meeting this evening at the Peace House to discuss the serious problem of too many cars. I cannot stress enough how much time dealing with this issue is taking from the volunteers time needed for other things. If you come, please, please car pool.

After checking in at Peace House and getting oriented, move your car to the football field parking lot a short distance away. It will be monitored by volunteers. Take one of the "shuttles" to the camp site, there is simply no place there left to park.

We will be adding to the Crawford Peace House site tomorrow to allow folks to request/offer rides from their locales to Crawford. We'll also have a map and directions.

Dailykos
by CindySheehan

Day 6 of the Peaceful Occupation of Iraq began early this morning when people in cars drove by our camp a few times and blasted on their horns. I just assume they were blaring their approval of us.

Before we get to the less than negative things that are happening out at Camp Casey and in the world at large today, over 700 people showed up at the Camp today. There were more people, flowers, cards, mail, interviews, laughter, heartache, comraderie, excitement, and just sheer work.

We had the first birthday party tonight at our little event. Alicia from Austin turned 17 today and they came to Crawford to celebrate with a cake. Alicia said that she wanted to be out here for her birthday. So many great people from so many parts of the country and our world are here.

Dailykos
By ilona

No man is an island, entire of itself...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. -- John Donne

No woman is an island either. Even if she's a powerhouse of a woman named Cindy Sheehan. This diary is a collection of news clippings to celebrate some of those who've heard the bell toll, and are now answering its call by descending on Camp Casey.

First, a good introduction:

The Chattanoogan [TN] Bart Whiteman:
Bush Backs Down from Encounter with Mrs. Sheehan [whole article highly recommended]

by Bart Whiteman
The Chattanoogan

Cindy Sheehan is conducting a personal vigil at the end of the driveway to George W. Bush’s sprawling 1,600-acre Texas residence. She wants an audience, and she wants it now, with George W. to ask him a few questions and to engage in a polite discussion about the cause and effect of his Iraq War. To date, George W. has been a no-show.

I am always puzzled by big tough guys who claim to want to teach all the bad guys of the world a lesson, but at the same time they shrink from a meeting with an unarmed, middle-aged woman sitting in the shade on a hot August day in a folding chair and wearing culottes. If this menace scares them so much, what would happen if they really had to go toe-to-toe with a very, very bad guy not so delicately dressed? George has avoided using the driveway since the vigil began. Fortunately, he has a personal helicopter to make trips to the drug store and to sign mega-bucks bills related to oil and transportation that are not likely to help the average consumer at all in the near future, but will put gobs of bucks in the hands of his corporate cronies in a hurry. Let’s see, is there a tie between oil and transportation? Oh, I get it.

by Nathan Diebenow, Associate Editor
The Lone Star Iconoclast

CAMP CASEY — In addition to the emotional and physical support from people around the world, Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a U.S. soldier slain in Iraq who wants to visit President Bush in person, and her backers at Camp Casey have received legal support here in Texas.

One lawyer in particular is Jim Harrington, the Director of the Texas Civil Rights Project, a statewide community-based, non-profit civil rights foundation he founded in 1990 that promotes social, racial, and economic justice and civil liberty, through the legal system and public education, for low income and poor persons.

The Lone Star Iconoclast
W. Leon Smith, publisher

Check the Lone Star Iconoclast site for continual updates (including photos) throughout the day.

[Editor's Note: Mr. Pitt is providing continual updates about Cindy Sheehan's stand in Crawford. Please check here to read the latest.]

t r u t h o u t
By William Rivers Pitt

A Nation Rocked to Sleep
By Carly Sheehan
Sister of Casey KIA 04/04/04
Sadr City, Baghdad

Have you ever heard the sound of a mother screaming for her son?
The torrential rains of a mother's weeping will never be done
They call him a hero, you should be glad that he's one, but
Have you ever heard the sound of a mother screaming for her son?

Have you ever heard the sound of a father holding back his cries?

Think Progress Audio Exclusive

The right-wing may be on the attack, but Cindy Sheehan’s voice won’t be silenced. She appeared on the Bill Press Show (with Christy Harvey) this morning to continue speaking truth to power. Here’s Cindy Sheehan, in her own words —

One of the more underhanded smears launched by the right wing came when Michelle Malkin said she didn’t think Casey Sheehan, Cindy’s son killed in Iraq, would approve of what his mom was doing. This morning Sheehan responded:

TIME reporter visits an antiwar protest outside the President's ranch
By Hilary Hylton/Crawford, Texas

Wednesday's rains are gone, now, and Cindy Sheehan, who's been ensconced outside President Bush's ranch since last weekend protesting what she calls the needless death of her son in Iraq, shades her eyes as she sits on the roadside along Prairie Chapel Ranch Road. She's doing two interviews simultaneously, one on her cell phone and another with a reporter on the scene. Sheehan is surrounded by some 60 supporters and a small roadside field of white crosses. Signs saying "Jesus Wept," "Bush: Meet with Cindy" and "Iraq = Arabic for Vietnam" line the country road, along with bongo drums and small lean-tos for shade.

ACTION ALERT
Reported by The Lone Star Iconoclast

Emergency rally to support Cindy Sheehan - Troops Out of Iraq Now!

San Francisco, California
Friday, August 12 at 5 PM
Powell and Market Streets

Initiated and supported by Not in Our Name, CodePink, Global Exchange, Veterans for Peace (SF Bay Area Ch. 69), Courage to Resist, Bay Area United Against War, College Not Combat, Refuse & Resist!, ANSWER Coalition (SF Bay Area), World Can't Wait Campaign, and the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors.

San Jose, California
Friday, August 12 at 5 PM

Cindy appeared with Keith tonight.

Visit the Crooks and Liars site to download the video.

by Bob Fertik
The Huffington Post

Some have compared Cindy Sheehan to Rosa Parks, and I certainly agree. But
Cindy also powerfully reminds me of the little child in Hans Christian Andersen's famous story, The Emperor's New Suit.

We all know the emperor in the story went on parade with no clothes, yet none of his subjects would point out the obvious until a small child finally blurted it out.

But we forget how the emperor got into his self-deluded predicament.

One day two swindlers came to this city; they made people believe that they were weavers, and declared they could manufacture the finest cloth to be imagined. Their colours and patterns, they said, were not only exceptionally beautiful, but the clothes made of their material possessed the wonderful quality of being invisible to any man who was unfit for his office or unpardonably stupid.

by Andy Stern
The Huffington Post

Statistics: a suicide bomber today killed 10 and wounded 43. It is easy to be numbed by statistics, by counting, and the constant drumbeat of war. And then there is Cindy. People. Phone calls at night and knocks on doors -- relief or disaster, joy or life-changing tragedy, mothers and sons never to be together again. In a war, a war of choice.

I love this country, and honor those who like Casey serve it. They deserve much better from America. They deserve the truth. They deserved a plan to win the peace. They deserved the armor to protect themselves. They deserve to be joined by the sons and daughters of others who make the choices to send all of the Casey's into harm's way or maybe, instead, they all deserve to be kept safe at home.

by Rep. Jim McDermott
The Huffington Post

If we weren't watching this tragedy unfold in Texas with our own eyes, who would believe that a sitting President who had ordered soldiers off to war would not meet with the grieving mother of a fallen hero. Who could imagine that America could turn so cold and callous in a searing hot and dusty place?

Yet, in the heart of Texas sits a President and an Administration who show themselves to be compassionless conservatives. They remain heavily guarded behind a security fence, but so insecure in their position that they see a national security risk in the face of Cindy Sheehan, the mother of Army Spc. Casey Austin Sheehan, who was killed in action in Iraq.

by Tom Hayden
The Huffington Post

Casey Sheehan lives in his mother's being, and that's why Cindy Sheehan can't stop, won't stop. She shows us why and how to fight. She is wrecking the President's vacation and rupturing his control of the media. She is establishing the presence of an anti-war spirit among military families. What is interesting so far is that Bush, unlike Nixon, has not succeeded in generating a Gold Star Mothers for War. Is the sentiment that anti-Bush among all those families who are pondering how they lost their loved ones for a fabrication? Is that also why Rep. Walter Jones, a Republican whose district includes Camp Lejeune, has co-authored a House resolution for withdrawal? As in Vietnam, once again it appears for now that the soldiers withdraw first, with their hearts and minds, even as their bodies go through the motions. The spirits of the dead take point for the living.

by Gary Hart
The Huffington Post

If democracy only works when there is open discussion of opposing ideas and policies, and if the opposition party, in this case the Democrats, has hand-cuffed, blind-folded, gagged, and hog-tied itself to a failed invasion and occupation in the Middle East, where will the expanding majority of Americans look for a representative, a spokesperson, a voice for their anger, frustration, and distrust at being misled?

The circumstances suggest it should be a Senate or House Democratic leader, a recognized authority on foreign policy constantly seen on the Sunday talk shows, certainly one of the many "leaders"? lining up to seek the Democratic Party’s nomination for president in 2008.