Hub protesters stand with Sheehan

By O’Ryan Johnson
Sunday, August 14, 2005 - Updated: 10:27 AM EST
Boston Herald

We're here for Cindy.

That was the message yesterday as about 150 protesters gathered on the Boston Common in a show of solidarity with Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a dead Marine. Sheehan is camped outside of President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, waiting for the commander-in-chief to explain to her in person why her son was killed.

``Mr. Bush can't hide forever,'' said Rose Gonzalez, whose own mother is serving with a National Guard unit north of Baghdad.

Protesters wore stickers that featured a picture of Sheehan over the words, ``I support Cindy.''

``Why did you make this war?'' asked Paul Brailsford, 89, of Ipswich, a World War II veteran of the Merchant Marines. ``Did you make it for oil? Let's get one big cheer for Cindy.''

Former Navy officer Bruce Macdonald, 58, of Billerica, a member of Veterans for Peace, just returned from Texas where he joined Sheehan.

Sheehan, 48, of Vacaville, Calif., set up camp last weekend on the dusty road a few miles from Bush's ranch, and the group with her has now grown to more than 100.

Macdonald described her as ``one courageous mother, one committed woman.''

The sign he held called on the Massachusetts congressional delegation to also meet with Sheehan.

``I think if she is entitled to get answers from President Bush, she is entitled to get answers from the legislators as to why they voted in favor of a war that sent her son off to Iraq to be killed,'' Macdonald said.