Houston Democrats - Iraq

• I'm the misjudger, so I get to misjudge - May 21, 2006
• The Answer To The Question - May 18, 2006
• Daughter of a Soldier - Mother of a Soldier - April 13, 2006
• This is what we're up against - December 31, 2005
• President Bush Looked Desperate - December 19, 2005
• A message local vets had hoped to give to Cheney - December 8, 2005
• Sheila Jackson Lee Calls for Iraq Exit Strategy - Public Forum Monday 12/5 - December 3, 2005
• SDEC Passes Iraq Exit Resolution - November 30, 2005
• When you can't debate the facts........ - November 23, 2005
• To stop the war, start the draft. - November 21, 2005
• Local Democrats Challenge Republicans to a debate on the Iraq War - November 15, 2005
• Do You Have What It Takes? - from a Gold Star Mom - November 13, 2005
• 2000 Heroes Lost - October 25, 2005
• Anti-War Protest - a Report by Stan Merriman - September 26, 2005
• Cindy Sheehan Arrested in Washington D.C. - September 26, 2005
• Another Day at Camp Casey - August 28, 2005
• Last Night's Town Hall Meeting on Iraq - August 26, 2005
• Order us a gross of these, please - August 23, 2005
• A Trip to Camp Casey - August 22, 2005
• Houston Gold Star Mom's Crawford Update - August 15, 2005
• Scales Fall from Eyes of MSM - August 14, 2005
• Support Cindy Sheehan - New Open Thread - August 13, 2005
• Camp Casey developments - August 11, 2005
• Help Houston Indymedia Help Cindy Sheehan - August 9, 2005
• Have a Weekend Getaway, and Save the World, Too - August 5, 2005
• Iraq Vet Suicides - August 4, 2005
• Red Dots Cover Houston Area: Time to Hold Republicans Accountable - July 28, 2005
• Standing Room Only at Downing Street Minutes Teach-In - July 24, 2005
• Much Worse than Watergate: Iraq War Was a Re-Election Ploy - July 17, 2005
• HCDP Scoops Daily Kos - July 12, 2005
• Houston Area Gold Star Mother Asks for Help in Exposing Entrapment - July 12, 2005
• Congress Mandates Benchmarks - July 10, 2005
• Tenacious Dems Stay Hot on Trail of Downing Street Minutes - June 30, 2005
• Lip service - June 28, 2005
• Truth-Tellers vs. War-Sellers - June 27, 2005
• Children Are Our Future - June 23, 2005
• Normal People Don't Care About the Downing Street Memo - June 23, 2005
• DeLay Compares Houston to Iraq - June 23, 2005
• Houston Reporter Reveals Bush's Real Reason for Invading Iraq - June 21, 2005
• Downing Street Meets Mainstream Media Today - June 16, 2005
• "Freedom Fries" GOP Congressman quits on Iraq - June 12, 2005
• Newly Leaked UK Cabinet Office Briefing From July 2002 - June 12, 2005
• The Downing Street Minutes Controversy Heats Up - June 4, 2005
• Republicans Support War, Not Soldiers - May 30, 2005
• More Evidence Bush Lied Us Into War - May 29, 2005
• ACLU Releases More FOIA Documents - May 27, 2005
• Turning up the Heat on the Downing Street Memo - May 23, 2005
• Kucinich and Abercrombie call for Iraq Withdrawal - May 18, 2005
• 88 House Members Sign Letter Demanding Explanation of Iraq Memo - May 8, 2005

May 21, 2006

I'm the misjudger, so I get to misjudge

Can anyone imagine Dubya saying this in a candid moment? We will probably never find Condeleeza Rice making such a mistake.

Check out this exchange with Russert:

MR. RUSSERT: But it’s more than just seeing violence on the screen. Would you not agree—accept the notion that Americans, who only 32 percent approve of the president’s handling, have seen some misjudgments: no weapons of mass destruction, a misreading of the level, intensity of the insurrection, whether we’d be greeted as liberators, sectarian violence, cost of the war? There were a lot of misjudgments made that the American people also witnessed.

DR. RICE: Undoubtedly, Tim, there are many things that could have been done differently, and I’m certain could have been done better. But when you’re involved in an enterprise this big and this complicated, there are going to be misjudgments. The real question is, do you adjust when you see a different situation on the ground? And in numerous circumstances, we have had to make adjustments.

I think those adjustments have been in the right direction, but there are also some misjudgments that were not made. There were those who said that it would be best just to overthrow Saddam Hussein and then put in an Iraqi strongman who could govern. That would have been a disaster for the progress of the Middle East as a whole and for a democratic foundation for, for the Middle East. There were those who said, “The Iraqis will, will really never be able to, to do this. Let’s go in with a huge footprint and do—leave nothing to the Iraqis.” What we’ve done is to steadily build Iraqi political capability and competence and confidence over this period of three years. [emphasis mine]

Although Russert was sheepish and obsequious in tone, he was asking Rice if she understood that only 32% of Americans approve of the President's handling of Iraq. Yet Timmy also turned the question in a lollipop through the passive constructions, "have seen some misjudgments" and "[t]here were a lot of misjudgments made. . . ." Rice slipped only once during this response when she said, "we have had to make adjustments." Otherwise, she performed her best Texas-step in order to remain in the passive mode.

This is a case of style revealing substance. This is Rice talking about policy she defended for the past four years, both as National Security Advisor and as Secretary of State. This is Rice representing the President. Misjudgements were made? Who could have done that?

Posted by Jon Boyd at 05:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 18, 2006

The Answer To The Question

What Noble Cause?
By Amy Branham

Those three words are what motivated me to march with my friend, Cindy Sheehan, in August to Bush’s ranch. I wanted to know what the noble cause was that has caused the deaths of so many thousands of people in this world – my son included. Bush had said in a speech that our sons and daughters were dying for a “Noble Cause”.

As you all know, that so-called Noble Cause has changed over the years since the beginning of the war. Now we are being told that we must continue the fight so that the lives of our sons and daughters will not have been wasted. That just sickens me. We’ll throw more people at the so-called nonexistent Noble Cause so that all the deaths will not have been in vain? It just doesn’t make any sense.

Since the death of my son I have pondered the reasons why he was called to active duty in the Army Reserves to go serve in Iraq. As I have done so I have listened to the Decider in Chief in his speeches and listened to the spin from his administration and have found myself, more than once, irritated as hell. It’s irritating to see the man who calls himself our President joke around about himself and laugh about not finding weapons of mass destruction.

Today I’m going to take a different approach from what I usually do in my writing and write about something I haven’t touched on. In my search for the Noble Cause I have stumbled across what, for me at least, is the answer to the question.

The Noble Cause our children died for is the fight their parents would fight – they sacrificed their lives to motivate the rest of us to ask the tough questions that George Bush and his cronies do not want answered. They sacrificed their lives to motivate us, out of our sadness and mourning, to demand of them accountability and to bring out into the light of day the corruption that has led our country to this point. Our sons and our daughters sacrificed their lives so that we might lead the way, out of their blood sacrifice for their country, to bring our country back to where it should be and away from the path it has taken.

Our children loved this country and dedicated their lives to it. They swore to uphold and protect the Constitution of the United States, a document their Commander in Chief sees as nothing more than a useless piece of paper to be trampled upon. We, as their parents, must now continue their fight to defend the Constitution of the United States of America and the rights and freedoms we have all enjoyed.

This is the Noble Cause our children died for.

Amy Branham
abranham@houston.rr.com
Mother of Sgt. Jeremy R. Smith, U.S. Army Reserves (deceased)
Nov. 1981 – Feb. 2004

Posted by Amy Branham at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 13, 2006

Daughter of a Soldier - Mother of a Soldier

My earliest memories of my Dad are of a tall, handsome man who came to see me every once in a while when he was on leave from the Army. He and Mom were divorced when I was a baby. Mom packed us up and headed for home, leaving Dad alone in Germany to finish out his service in the military.

Eventually Dad ended up in Vietnam, a place where many young men his age at that time ended up. He would send me letters from that far away, strange place and from time to time, he would come home with a gift, sweep me up on his shoulders and walk across town with me high at the top of the world to go visit some relative or other. He never talked about the war and all that I really remember about that time is that my Daddy was there.

Years later, after Dad finished his two tours of duty in ‘Nam, came back to the States, remarried and settled down, I went to live with him. This was when I came to learn that my Daddy, the man I had idolized for so long, was not the perfect Daddy I had thought him to be. My Daddy was broken.

For years I lived in fear of this man who could go from smiling and kind to an angry, out of control rage in ten seconds flat for little or no reason. The man I had thought was the most perfect man in the world up until I was eight years old was a broken, angry, uncaring man. This realization broke my heart and I think, in many ways, broke me.

Dad worked fulltime, went to school fulltime and tried to raise a family when he was home, which wasn’t often. The day-to-day care of the family was left to my stepmother who really was a Saint, when I look back on those days. There were times I would cry myself to sleep knowing that when Dad got home from work around midnight, there would be hell for me to pay for some transgression I had committed during that day. He would wake me up in the middle of the night to punish me, usually with a spanking and yelling at the top of his lungs, and then leave me alone with my wounds in the dark.

When I was ten he slapped me backhanded across the face and broke my nose. It is still crooked. Another time he backhanded my step mom as he was driving down the road and broke her nose as well.

There were many times I went to school over the years with black eyes and swollen lips. I hid the bruises on my arms and back as best I could. Many times after his beatings I was sure I had a concussion or he had broken a bone in my body. But there was no refuge, no peace for me in his home – ever. Eventually I grew to hate him.

It wasn’t until many years later that I learned about something called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and how it applied to Vietnam veterans. As I sat and read the symptoms the realization hit me that this must be exactly what my Dad had suffered from all those years. I have read stories of men like my Dad and talked to many vets who were able to tell me some small bit of the horrors my Dad must have faced and how it would have changed him into the monster he was.

War has a trickle down effect. I never went to war. I never served my country in battle. And yet, because of a war in a foreign country, I fought a battle for my own mental and physical survival nearly every single day of my young life.

Five years ago my only son and first-born child went to Army boot camp. He completed his training several months before 9/11. At that time Jeremy was in the Army Reserves and spent his one weekend a month with his unit in Huntsville, Texas and his one week a year in whatever place he was sent to. For Jeremy, it was a dream come true and a way to get a college education since his father and I would never be able to pay for it. He was so proud. I was so proud of my young, handsome soldier. His Grandpa was proud.

After 9/11 we all knew Jeremy would be going to war at some point. At that time we all thought it would be Afghanistan. Not one of us ever considered he would go to Iraq. George W. Bush took our soldiers and invaded Iraq armed with little more than a handful of lies and no plans for any kind of success. Jeremy and I watched the television coverage of the invasion in horror. Jeremy emailed me in the early days of the invasion that he was nervous and couldn’t sleep. He was sick to his stomach about this invasion.

Less than a year later my beloved son was dead.

The true cost of war in a foreign country came home once again, this time with the death of my oldest child and my only son.

My story may not be unusual, the daughter of a soldier who had PTSD who grew up to be the mother who sent her son to war, only to have him return in a wooden box to be buried. For anyone who thinks for even a second that the cost of war can only be measured in dollar signs, think again.

The real cost of war is paid by those who will fight the battles every single day for the rest of their lives.

For me, the cost of war was my relationship with my Dad. The cost of war was the life of my only son. The cost of war was and will continue to be my heart.

The real reason humanity must put an end to war and insist on peace is so other families throughout the world will not be torn apart and broken.

Oh, and Dad, I forgive you. I love you. And now, finally, I understand.

Amy Branham
Mother of Sgt. Jeremy R. Smith
Nov. 1981 - Feb. 2004
Houston, TX

Posted by Amy Branham at 09:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack

December 31, 2005

This is what we're up against

WSJ.com - Many Americans Still Believe Hussein Had Links to al Qaeda

Sizeable minorities of Americans still believe Saddam Hussein had "strong links to al Qaeda," a Harris Interactive poll shows, though the number has fallen substantially this year. About 22% of U.S. adults believe Mr. Hussein helped plan 9/11, the poll shows, and 26% believe Iraq had weapons of mass destruction when the U.S. invaded. Another 24% believe several of the 9/11 hijackers were Iraqis, according to the online poll of 1,961 adults. However, all of these beliefs have declined since February of this year, when 64% of those polled believed Mr. Hussein had strong links to al Qaeda and 46% said Mr. Hussein helped plan 9/11. At that time, more than a third said Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and 44% said several of the 9/11 hijackers were Iraqis. Currently, 56% of adults believe Iraqis are better off now than they were under Mr. Hussein, down from 76% in February. Nearly half of those polled say they believe Iraq, under Mr. Hussein, was a threat to U.S. security, down from 61% in February.

Ironically, I had a long conversation about this with an acquaintance who is in that 22% just the other day. She is a well educated pleasant woman who I have known for some time. She intitiated the conversation after recently learning that we that we disagreed, because she was genuinely interested in discussing the issues.

I was dumbfounded by her lack of understanding that Iraq was a secular nation that was as much an enemy of Osama bin Laden as the United States was. I gave her fact after fact, but she very nicely refused to accept the facts, questioning the motives of every source I cited, from the Downing Street Memo to the news that French and German intelligence warned that reports that Sadam had weapons of mass destruction were questionable at best.

The conversation went beyond Iraq. For a moment I thought we had found common ground when the subject of lobbyists came up and the damage corporate special interests are inflicting on our economy. But she is under the impression that the biggest lobbying group is the one promoting the "gay agenda".

We did agree that the exchange of ideas and expressing differences of opinion is a large part of what makes this a great country. I pointed out that there are those who believe that Democrats and Progressives are not patriotic, but they are mistaken. We love this country and want the best for it, but disagree with those who support the adminsitration as to the what is best for the country.

I'm going to keep the dialogue open. As the Abramoff, DeLay, Ohio coingate and Treasongate scandals unfold, maybe, just maybe, she will be ready to accept the truths she is trying so hard to deny.

Posted by Lyn Wall at 08:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack

December 19, 2005

President Bush Looked Desperate

"It is becoming very clear that the war in Iraq based upon false information that has killed 2100+ of our soldiers, cost $300 billion, and has no end in sight is taking a toll on the Presidents polls and his demeanor. Waving his hands is not Bush's forte. Smirking, leaning on the desk, and making caustic ill advised statements like "Being em on" is Bush's strong points and yet he did neither."

Continue reading the complete review at: http://bayareahouston.blogspot.com/

Posted by John Cobarruvias at 09:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 08, 2005

A message local vets had hoped to give to Cheney

VFP members protest the misuse of military in Iraq

PPC Chair Emeritus Stan Merriman wrote this superb op-ed published in the Houston Chronicle:

The Dec. 5 fund-raiser for DeLay, presently under indictment and faced with a continuing investigation for criminal activities, can only be seen as a gathering of the morally bankrupt to further their goals of enriching themselves and building an empire at the price of our military men and women's lives and honor. We, members of Veterans For Peace-Houston, Chapter 12, deplore the event and the conduct of its participants

more...

Thank you Stan! I'm proud to have stood with you as one of the 300 or so unpaid local protestors!

Posted by Lyn Wall at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack

December 03, 2005

Sheila Jackson Lee Calls for Iraq Exit Strategy - Public Forum Monday 12/5

12/4 - updated to reflect time and location change change. The event will be at noon at Tranquility Park (400 Rusk Street, between Bagby and Smith streets).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Dana Thompson

December 3, 2005 (202) 225-7080

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Points to New Deaths of American Troops in Iraq as Further Evidence that Comprehensive Exit Plan is Necessary  

Killing of 10 Marines near Fallujah underscores fact that Americans remain unnecessarily vulnerable and deserve responsible long-term roadmap.

Houston , TX – On Friday, December 2, 2005, 10 United States Marines were killed in a bomb attack on their foot patrol outside Fallujah. Today, 11 Iraqi soldiers died after insurgents ambushed a joint patrol of American and Iraqi forces just north of Baghdad. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security and a member of the Human Rights Caucus, will join hands with veterans from the U.S. Armed Services, family members of current and fallen soldiers, and friends to let this government know that enough deaths have amassed in the Iraq war and occupation. “We see daily that the crisis in Iraq continues to mount. Americans deserve a serious exit strategy – ‘staying the course’ has clearly failed,” stated Rep. Jackson Lee.

“I salute our brave women and men who are serving and who have served in our military, as they have been victorious. However, as many defense specialists and other scholars have suggested, their continued presence in Iraq may constitute a basis for the increase violence. We must transfer authority and oversight to a sovereign Iraqi Government. They have the support of our friends who constitute a coalition of mid-east allies. There is no success in mounting bloodshed.”

WHO: U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, U.S. military veterans, family, and friends.

WHAT: Call to action and forum where people will share their interest in a plan for the safety of our troops in Iraq.

WHEN: Monday, December 5, 2005, 12 noon, CDT

WHERE: Tranquility Park (400 Rusk Street, between Bagby and Smith streets)

CONTACT: Michael Halpin at (713) 805-4363 or Dana Thompson at (202) 225-7080.

 

# # #

Posted by Lyn Wall at 04:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack

November 30, 2005

SDEC Passes Iraq Exit Resolution

This very subtantive resolution was passed unanimously by the Texas State Democratic Executive Committee on Nov. 11. We should all be proud to be Texas Democrats.

Thanks to Stan Merriman Houston Chair Emeritus of the Progressive Populist Caucus of the Texas Democratic Party for alerting us to this important resolution.

RESOLUTION TO END THE U. S. OCCUPATION OF IRAQ

Whereas the very presence of 150,000 Americans in Iraq has become a rallying point for dissatisfied people in the Arab world, and has both intensified the rage of the extremist Muslim terrorists and also ignited civil hostilities in Iraq the have made United States Troops and Iraqi civilians substantially less safe;

Whereas the removal of the United States military from Iraq will help diminish one of the major causes of Iraq's growing insurgency;

Whereas the best way to truly support members of the United States Armed Forces from Iraq before the United States becomes further embroiled in an unnecessary and dangerous international conflict; Now, therefore be it

Resolved that the President should —

(1) develop and implement a plan to began the immediate withdrawal of United States Armed Forces from Iraq;

(2) develop and implement a plan for reconstructing Iraq's civil and economic infrastructure;

(3) convene an emergency meeting of Iraq's leadership, Iraq's neighbors, the United Nations, and the Arab League to create an international peacekeeping force in Iraq and to replace United States Armed Forces in Iraq with Iraqi police and Iraqi National Guard forces to ensure Iraq's security; and

(4) take all steps necessary to provide the Iraqi people with the opportunity to completely control their internal affairs.

Submitted to the Texas State Democratic Executive Committee on November 11, 2005 and passed unanimously.

Posted by Lyn Wall at 05:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack

November 23, 2005

When you can't debate the facts........

When you can't debate the facts, resort to personal attacks. --Karl Rove Playbook on Dirty Politics. The president of the Clear Lake Republicans in south Houston has responded to our challenge to accept the debate on Iraq sponsored by the Clear Lake High School Debate Club. Instead of debating the facts, Mr. Tobin has decided to resort to personal attacks.

"The Bay Area New Democrats’ organization has repeatedly proven itself to be a hateful and deceitful group. Most recently, you have been running a cartoon on your home Website (http://www.bayareanewdemocrats.org/) that compares Christians to the Ku Klux Klan. You have clearly shown that your organization is anti-Christian and seeks to attack the Christian faith. I find this depiction of Christians abhorrent and typical of the kind of repulsive behavior you choose to promote through the BAND organization."

The complete letter can be found at:
http://www.bayareanewdemocrats.org/files/response.pdf. Our original letter is at: http://www.bayareanewdemocrats.org/files/tobin.pdf

This is just so typical of the Republican party. Instead of debating the facts, or standing up and taking responsibility for your parties actions, or being willing to defend their actions, they resort to personal baseless attacks. This is just so typical of the republicans.

They have absolutely nothing to be proud of. As the President of BAND, I have found their response insulting and very typical of a party with failed ideas and leadership.

John Cobarruvias
Bay Area New Democrats

Posted by John Cobarruvias at 07:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (29) | TrackBack

November 21, 2005

To stop the war, start the draft.

Most American families have not felt the pain of the Iraq war. They haven't paid a single cent for the war, instead passing it on to their grandchildren through growing deficits and debt. Most Americans haven't lost a family member, or felt the financial and mental burden of sending a loved one to multiple tours in Iraq. And yet Congress is caught in resorting to personnel attacks on the House floor in deciding how and when the war should be stopped. If Congress was serious, they could stop this war by starting the
draft.

Our Reserve forces have dwindled. Our National Guard is struggling to meet recruitment goals. Our soldiers in Iraq are worn thin serving multiple tours. Whether this war was necessary or based upon faulty or manipulated intelligence is not the issue at this point. The brave and honorable soldiers in Iraq that Congress refers to when it is convenient to their arguments are in need of replacement and the only way to provide this relief is to start a draft

Congress should give every single red-blooded American family the opportunity to defend their country against the terrorists, serving with honor, and feel the pain of war, by immediately instituting the draft for
all able men and women. This draft should include absolutely no deferments. If an eligible American is in college, they can complete the semester, then join their fellow American Patriots to replenish our troops in Iraq and allow those who have served multiple tours to return home to their families.

With a draft and no deferments, every American regardless of wealth or social prestige would have the opportunity to contribute to the war effort. All American families will have the same opportunity to feel the financial and emotional pain the current soldiers and families are experiencing.

A draft of this type would not only provide relief to our troops in Iraq, but it would immediately stop the chest pounding and fist pumping, of the self proclaimed American patriots who have supported this disaster in Iraq without making one single sacrifice. Many of these, with the threat of sending their own sons and daughters to combat, would rethink, or better yet, would begin to think about the consequences of rushing to war.

Of course Congress would never consider a draft without protecting their own with various deferments, leaving the poor who could not hide in a college environment, to fight the war on their behalf. Congress would rather continue using our soldiers in Iraq to prop up their own flag draped patriotism on the floor of the House and Senate, instead of providing real relief so they could return home to their families after serving their country.

But if a draft was proposed, the so-called "patriotic" Americans, who support the troops by sporting a yellow ribbon on their SUV, would begin passing petitions to stop the draft, taking to the streets along side of the liberal peace protestors, and contacting their Congressman calling for an end to the war. Once they have a personal stake in this Iraq disaster, their attitudes would change and they will join those who are calling for an end to this stupidity and a beginning to a real foreign policy based upon intelligence, not simple minded one-liners like "Bring em On!".

And this is exactly how we can stop the war by starting the draft.

John Cobarruvias

Posted by John Cobarruvias at 07:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (48) | TrackBack

November 15, 2005

Local Democrats Challenge Republicans to a debate on the Iraq War

The Bay Area New Democrats, an active club in Tom DeLay's district, has challenged the local Republican club to a debate on the Iraq War. The debate has been organized by the Clear Lake High School Debate team with invitations sent to the Presidents of the local political clubs. The President of BAND (me) has already accepted the invitation, but the counter part of the local Clear Lake Republican's Club has declined.

In a letter to the President of the Republican Club the members of BAND state "As President of Bay Area New Democrats, I have already accepted the invitation from the debate club and I am ready to debate at their convenience. As President of the Clear Lake Republican Club and of the party that initiated the war in Iraq, you should also be willing to accept the invitation and eager to defend the actions of your party and this Administration."

We are awaiting his response.

Posted by John Cobarruvias at 09:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack

November 13, 2005

Do You Have What It Takes? - from a Gold Star Mom

For the last couple of weeks or so various news outlets have been reporting more and more about how we were lied to by our administration about the reasons for going to war in Iraq. Every day I hear the talking heads, with self-righteous indignation, verbally pummel the Bush administration for their lies. This began to happen right about the time that Scooter Libby was indicted by a grand jury.

While I am glad that the media has *finally* caught on and began reporting what so many of us knew long before now, I have to wonder what took them so long? The evidence was right in front of them a long time ago! The Downing Street Minutes came out and have been available for at least a couple of years now. Initially, these documents were completely ignored by the main stream media of America because they simply weren’t considered newsworthy at the time.

And what about the leaders of this country, the politicians that the American people elected to serve them? Why didn’t they pay more attention to the Downing Street Minutes and do something about it? Where were all those Congressmen and Women, where were the Senators who had heard about and read these documents? Why didn’t they step up to the plate and say something? More importantly, why didn’t they DO something? All of a sudden they are now coming out publicly in droves, tripping over one another as they rush to give interviews and state for the world to hear that they believe that the American people were lied to and that they were lied to as well.

I submit that they, too, have had this information available for the same period of time and they did absolutely nothing about it. Sure, there were a few Senators and Congressmen and women here and there that spoke up, but a vast majority remained silent.

All of this brings some pretty strong emotion to the surface within me and many other families who have lost sons and daughters, husbands, wives, fathers and mothers to this war. We are now hearing what we have known all along, that we were lied to. We are now hearing that our loved ones gave their lives for nothing more than the lies of greedy people in Washington who don’t care about them.

Let me tell you, even for those of us who have been doing our best to call attention to the lies we were told, the absolute wrongness of this war, for those of us who have known the truth from the beginning, this is a hard pill to swallow. No one ever wants to believe that someone they love died needlessly. And now, finally after all this time, the media and the political leaders of this country are validating what we have been saying for months, even years.

I have to wonder, what took the American main stream media and politicians so long? Maybe if they had acted sooner we wouldn’t have over 2060 dead American soldiers or over 15,000 wounded. Maybe the innocent civilians in Iraq, numbering on the tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, would be alive today if you had only listened to us and done your job sooner. They had the power to stop this, to call attention to this terrible injustice done to Iraq and to our country, but they didn’t do it.

Maybe, just maybe, my son wouldn’t have died an early and needless death.

So now we are beginning to hear the truth from the media and from the elected leaders of this country. What are they going to do about the war? What are they going to do about the veterans coming back injured and permanently disabled? Our elected leaders cut funds to the Veterans Administration during war time. What about the innocent civilians of Iraq? We have done so much damage there, not only to their homes, but to the very infrastructure of their country. Civil unrest and anger brews, begetting new terrorists every day and making the world a much, much less safe place to be for all of us.

So, dear leaders of this great country, what are you going to do now? Where do we, as a country, go from here? Are any of you ready to step up to the plate and show some courage? Because that is exactly what this country needs right now, the courage to take charge and turn this country around. The people of America are telling you it’s time for change. We are telling you we want this war to end. We are telling you that George Bush and his administration need to be taken from their seats of power.

Do you have it what it takes?

Amy Branham
Houston, TX
Mother of Sgt. Jeremy R. Smith
Nov. 1981 – Feb. 2004

Posted by Lyn Wall at 12:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 25, 2005

2000 Heroes Lost

Guest posted by Houston Gold Star Mom Amy Branham:

There is pain in my soul this morning as I sit at this keyboard. It is an all-encompassing feeling that reverberates through my whole body. This is a pain that I cannot ignore and will not go away.

Sometime this week, maybe even today, the war in Iraq will claim the 2000th life of an American soldier killed in the line of duty. Let me repeat that last sentence in a more humanistic way: 2000 of America’s sons and daughters have died in Iraq in the war. 2000 warriors have died, have been brought home in flag-draped caskets that most of this country will never see. 2000 families have had their lives forever changed and their hearts forever broken. 2000 mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, husbands and wives either have or will bury their hearts when they bury their hero.

No matter what the politics are of each person in this country, whether we agree with George Bush, et al., or are a peacekeeper, we must recognize that these warriors gave their all for our country. Many believed they were fighting for freedom and democracy because that’s what their Commander in Chief told them. That is what their leaders told them. They gave their lives willingly for their country and we must honor their sacrifice.

In a day and a time when death and war is sanitized by the media and our government, we must press on and make them understand that death and war has a human face and a human cost. Our warriors, the sons and daughters of America, are not faceless numbers and statistics. Our heros are not expendable. Their lives have meaning, their memories are worth keeping alive. Their tragic deaths must be remembered.

Today I honor and I remember my only son, Sgt. Jeremy Russell Smith, who died at the age of 22 on February 13, 2004. Jeremy was a student at ITT when he was called to serve his country full time. By now he would have been finished with his education and would be working with his second love, computers. In my home I have two computers that Jeremy built himself from the ground up. Jeremy’s first love was the Army where he learned the meaning of the words Honor, Duty and Country. I will forever miss Jeremy’s goofy smile that he tried to hide. Never again will I hear Jeremy’s voice as he calls out “Hello, Mother!” as he walks into the room. Only in my dreams will I ever touch his face again. My son will never marry and he will never have children of his own for me to spoil rotten.

Cindy Sheehan tells me what she misses about her son, Casey, “I miss CASEY. I miss when he would call me from Ft. Hood and say “Hi, Mom”. I miss going to the movies with him. I miss his steady presence on the earth. I miss my big boy, my best friend.”

From Jane Bright whose son, Evan, died in this ugly war: “Evan was a future leader, a loving and giving son, husband, brother, nephew and grandson. He was one of the best and the brightest. He was a classical pianist, a gifted student, and one of the sweetest men I have ever known. I am blessed to have him as my son. He will always be wtih us, in our hearts, guiding us through difficult times as he did the soldiers who looked up to him. We don’t know why he had to die for Bush’s lies. As Cindy says, “for what noble cause did our children die?”

Please, do not let our heros become faceless, expendable statics in the history books. We must remember them, honor them, respect them. For those of us who loved them with every fiber of our being, do not let their sacrifice be for nothing. The citizens of our country owe them that. The leaders of our country who sent them to die in a foreign country, far away from those they loved, owe them that.

Amy Branham
Houston, TX
Mother of Sgt. Jeremy R. Smith
Nov. 1981 - Feb. 2004

Posted by Lyn Wall at 08:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 26, 2005

Anti-War Protest - a Report by Stan Merriman

A REPORT FROM THE ANTI-WAR PROTEST
FRONT LINES IN D.C. SEPT. 24

Believe it. There were a MINIMUM of 300,000 people there according to the Park Police…..more likely 500,000. And that was with all the trains from the NYC area 3 hours late due to “repairs” !

Some stunning moments: we saw a crowd of demonstrators surrounding a young marine in full dress uniform at the pre-march rally who said he was there to lend his voice. As the march formed to step out about an hour late due to the crush of people making organization difficult, leading the march were Cindy Sheehan, Jesse Jackson Jr., Julian Bond and a host of other activist leaders. In the front ranks were the Gold Star Mothers for Peace, followed by Military Families Speak Out and then my group, the Veterans for Peace. I was so proud to be in the ranks of this superb group and it was huge. Naturally, we did outstanding cadence marches and chants sure to burn the Bushites. Behind us, a Native group all the way from Alaska with their drums and ritual dancing and another group from the Lakota Nation who gave Cindy Sheenan a beautiful hand-made quilt with their Star of Bravery design at the concert later in the day. As the march progressed, snaking around Pennsylvania avenue and adjoining streets, we passed in front of the White House and rendered appropriate middle finger salutes. Yea I know, the Bushies were off directing the Rita relief effort (yea, right) but the snipers on top of the White House saw us and got the idea.

Huge crowds all along the route especially applauded our Mothers and Veterans sections of the march. Virtually every state was represented with massive numbers, 5 times more than the United For Peace and Justice leaders had hoped for.

Cops were benign and unlike our Houston Police, bent on redeeming their earlier suppression of free assembly by cutting us much slack. The signs and costumed groups as well as drumming corps were awesome and the most creative I have seen. I bought a car magnet that says: “Ok, let’s pretend everything is all right”. The size of the march was so huge we were packed in like sardines for most of the route and the snaking procession went on for hours, even after the speeches and entertainment started later in the day at the Washington monument. Counter demonstrators? Oh, maybe 50. Media, Oh, maybe none. I heard Arron Brown, CNN say “ I am getting furious email…..but people have to understand that THE story is the gulf coast” ! Yea, we know, CNN has turned into a one story pony since Turner retired. Washington Post and New York Times did give us good front page coverage and acknowledged the massive turnout of 500,000.

At the rally later in the afternoon, with a massive sound stage we heard speakers like Cindy, Jim Hightower and Jesse Jackson. And marvelous protest music from, among others Joan Baez and Steve Earle. The Merriman’s left at around dinner time, exhilarated and exhausted and so grateful to be in the company of fellow Americans who love our country enough to once again get out in front of our leaders, including fellow Democrats to end yet another unjust and immoral war waged in our name.

Stan is the Chair Emeritus of the Progressive Populist Caucus.

Posted by Lyn Wall at 08:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Cindy Sheehan Arrested in Washington D.C.

Well, the last few weeks have proven that our Republican Administration does not respond too swiftly to protect citizens from natural disasters. We can rest assured, however, that the Administration has urged law enforcement to waste no time in protecting us from those insidious war protestors. Yahoo News tells about Cindy's arrest here.

Look below the fold for a short note from our Houston area Gold Star Families for Peace member, Amy Branham, about some of those who were arrested with Cindy.

This is Amy's brief note:

I just heard from Dante Zappala. He says that along with Cindy arrested were Al and Celeste Zappala, Dede Miller, Joan (Baez I assume). Still awaiting word on the others...

We will pass along any further information that we receive from Amy later today.

Posted by at 02:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack

August 28, 2005

Another Day at Camp Casey

Yesterday was another amazing day at Camp Casey. By the time we arrived at the Peace House, the parking lot was full and the counter demonstrators had filled up the streets of Crawford. We outnumbered them by far - more than 2000 people from all over the state and country were at Camp Casey yesterday. We were diverted to the Weston Hotel who graciously allowed us to use their parking lot and facilities. A volunteer named Bridgette and her mom shuttled us to Camp Casey 2. They are former Houston residents.

The first thing I noticed was that empty boots from the Eyes Wide Open exhibit had been added to Arlington West. Jim Rine (San Jacinto Veterans Brigade), who had brought the flags of the fallen soldiers last week was there again. Later I ran into him talking quietly to an Iraq War vet and his wife who were Bush supporters. I don't think he changed their minds, but he did a great job of making them see that we really do support the troops.

There was live music and I could hardly believe my ears. That just had to be Joan Baez singing! And it was. She has been at Camp Casey every day since Monday. I couldn't help wishing that more prominent folks - politicians and celebrities alike had been willing to stand with Cindy.

When Cindy spoke, everyone stopped and listened. She was as eloquent as ever and spoke of her new love for the great state of Texas. For the critics reading this, when you see her and hear her speak, it is apparent that she is not some puppet of the extreme left, but a mom, who's heart has been broken and who wants to do everything she can to prevent other moms from sharing her pain. That's all. This is about bringing our young people home from a no-win situation - as soon and as safely as possible.

Several of our Democratic Underground friends from around the state had already settled in at a table. The tent was so full of people it was hard to move around. My daughter went off in search of buttons and souveniers. She was especially drawn to the Veterans for Peace table where we all picked up t-shirts with photos of Arlington West on the front and this quote by Margaret Mead on the back:

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

Joan led the group singing "We Shall Overcome". Someone I'd never met before grabbed my hand. Everyone was holding hands and singing in a peaceful resolve that the Bush administration will have to reckon with sooner or later.

Mackenzie (my daughter), PDiddie and the Mrs. were disappointed not to have had a chance to see the Peace House. They were able to catch a ride there with Kelly who was driving a shuttle and had stopped by Camp Casey 2 for a lunch break. While they were gone, I found my friend Nan, who had driven up by herself because our car was full. She had gotten the last parking space at the Peace House and pitched her tent in the last available space at Camp Casey 2. She already was wearing a Stand with Cindy t-shirt and was settle in. Like everyone else, she was just thrilled to be there.

Some of the counter protestors decided to drive by while we stood by the road with a couple of huge banners (apologies for the crudeness of the composite photo)

Joan Baez came on again and sang "Joe Hill" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down". I managed to get within a few feet of the stage. Awesome.

I found Houston's Amy Branham. She was talking to another Gold Star Mom who had gotten an email from a man that has been camped out in London protesting the war since it began and was trying to get the message to Cindy. I also ran into Nadia McCaffery and Jeff Norman of US Tour of Duty who had spoken at Thursday's town hall meeting. I thanked them both. They both told me how surprised and pleased they were with the warmth and support they had received Thursday and marveled that one of the policewomen working the event had held a candle during the prayer. Jeff wanted to know if US Tour of Duty should make a return appearance in Houston this fall. Of course I was thrilled and offered to facilitate any way I can.

Ruth and I started talking to Cole Miller, who founded NoMoreVictims.Org, who is truly doing God's work:

NMV was founded in September 2002. We work to find medical sponsorships for war- injured Iraqi children and to forge ties between the children, their families and communities in the United States. We believe one of the most effective means of combating militarism is to focus on direct relief to its victims. We are committed to developing information and strategies that empower local communities to engage in direct aid and advocacy.

Please visit Cole's site and support his efforts to both put faces to the tragic results of the Iraq invasion and improve the lives of those affected.

We were all looking forward to seeing Air America Radio's Randi Rhodes, but had to leave before she arrived. I learned later that she'd been at the Peace House later in the day but don't know if she made it out to Camp Casey. I hope she did.

I ran into HCDP volunteer Beth Zeffert who had her granddaughter with her but wanted to volunteer to wash dishes so I too Christine while her husband Steve got something to eat and had a chance to wander around and take some pictures.

William, a 14 year-old who had been adopted by our Austin friends had brought a T-shirt we all signed. He was able to present it to Cindy.

I got a chance to give Cindy a hug. I promised her a huge crowd for her stop in Houston on Friday. Help keep me honest. I will post details of Friday's events as soon as I get them.

See more excellent photos by Ruth here.

Posted by Lyn Wall at 12:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack

August 26, 2005

Last Night's Town Hall Meeting on Iraq

I'm so proud of Houston! Sheila Jackson Lee hosted an amazing Town Hall Meeting last night, followed by a candle light vigil and prayer. My estimate is that there were about 300 people there.

First she introduced Jeff Norman of US Tour of Duty. Please visit their web site and support them. After reminding us that Camp Casey isn't about Cindy Sheehan, it's about a lot of families and veterans who have questions, he showed a video of Dolores Kesterson describing her unsatisfactory meeting with President Bush. You can watch the video online at http://www.ustourofduty.org/ as well as the next video of Gold Star dad Bill Mitchell and Veterans For Peace's Tim Goodrich attempting to confront Tommy Franks following his appearance at an elementary school in California.

Then Cindy called. She told us that the vigil at Camp Casey will help "bring our troops home way faster than they would have if we didn't come here August 6."

Mel Goodman, a former CIA agent who left the government after 42 years of service spoke and showed a portion of the DVD "Uncovered - The Whole Truth About the Iraq War." The turning point for his was the October 2002 when the intelligence community gave up the good fight. National Intelligence Estimate provided to the Senate. According to Mel, the justification it provided for war against Iraq was a total fabrication. He lamented the corruption of Colin Powell and pointed out that every assertion in the basis for war was false. Regime change has always made bad situations worse (1953 Iran, 1973 Chile and of course Vietnam).

Then Joan Baez called. She sang Let Nobody Turn Me Around while Sheila's staff passed out comment forms for her to take back to Congress. Then we all joined Joan to sing America the Beautiful.

Amy Alison a veteran who achieved Conscientious Objector status spoke next. She advises other military personnel seeking CO status and told us of a soldier she is advising who's contract was almost up until it was extended for 30 years.

Next was Dr. Sanders Anderson, an associate professor at the Mickey Leland - Barbara Jordan School of Pubic Affairs and Vietnam veteran.

Gold Star Mom Nadia McCaffery followed. She is a native of France who has been actively opposing the war since she lost her son. She has traveled to Jordan and met with relatives of Iraq's fallen and was in Fallujah during the American attack. She's featured in the film Fallujah - Caught in the Crossfire.

Chas Davis, a conscientious objector spoke and reminded us about the tragic impact of depleted uranium used in weapons on both Iraqi's and US personnel. He described basic training as a sort of brainwashing that dehumanizes the way the troops think of Iraqi citizens - reducing them to the status of a piece of paper that needs to be destroyed.

Next was our own local Gold Star mom - Amy Branham. She spoke eloquently about the loss of her son, and the lies of the Bush Administration. Amy has honored us with comments on this blog and I hope she continues to do so. I told her how much we appreciate her input and her courage standing up against this illegal war.

After a question and answer period, we all went outside for a candlelight prayer. We stood on the sidewalk singing Singing for Our Lives.

See you in Crawford tomorrow.

Update: Here is an excellent summary from Devon Greene who captured many of the details I missed.

I just left a meeting organized by the group. Sheila Jackson Lee was the main speaker but there were several others including two military moms (who lost their sons in Iraq), a former CIA official, two veterans one of whom was in combat. They had a lot of interesting things to say and there were three good videos. One video was composed of edited/spliced shots of the usual suspects starting out saying there were WMD in Iraq and we had to get them - evolving to the usual suspects then denying knowledge of said weapons and not knowing where they were, etc. The other, more effective video was of yet another military mom talking about her meeting with Bush when her son died. Her son used the expression "Life is good." a lot. When she said that to Bush his reply was, "How can you know his life would have been good?" What sensitivity!

The former CIA official told us that although the US gov't has lied to us to get us involved in some wars before it has never gone on to the extreme it has this time or by so many of our elected leaders and for so long. He quit his job after 42 years of service with approx. 20 in the CIA. He was an analyst. He said that October of 2002 was the turning point when, after years of fighting the lies sold by the administration, Tenet finally gave in and started going along with them. He just gave up. Powell's speech to the UN, the low point of Powell's career, was written by intelligence people, not Powell, and every point in it was a lie. I just wonder how they forced Powell to give this speech.

One veteran, a woman, told us that she basically was one of six kids, from working class family and joined the military to get an education. She finally changed her mind when the war started and tried to get an honorable discharge as a C.O. but it took 2 1/2 yrs. She said virtually 90% of those cases are dismissed. There was also a video showing a demonstration at an elementary school against Tommy Franks who went there to speak to thechildren about joining the military, etc, without notifying the parents of his coming. Some showed up anyway and were blocking his car as he was trying to leave but the limo kept moving slowly even tho 2 or 3 people were standing right in front of it leaning on the hood of the vehicle. Does this show a complete disregard of life from the pro-life party? Are they trying to hook kids as young as elem age into the military life? Oh . . . and guess what, the school was in a low income, immigrant section of Los Angeles. Why didn't they go to Beverly Hills High?

One man, the Iraq Veteran against the War, said he was thrown out of a press conference for asking one question of Bush when Bush consistently ignored a woman who was trying to ask the same question. So he stepped in front of Bush and asked it and was escorted out. The question was "When are we bringing our troops home?" One young veteran said some interesting things but I think they would need to be verified. He was in Korea for 3 years and was about to be dischargedwhen he was told his contract had been extended for 30 yrs! I've heard of a couple of years extension but 30? Can they do that? He also said depleted(?) uranium was being used in Iraq (in the bullets?) and the cancer rate in Iraq had gone up 1000% and our soldiers were getting sick from it but, of course, the military and our leaders are denying it. He said the half life of dep. uran. is millions of years so that many parts of Iraq will be permanently inhabitable for a long time. However, we have built 14 military bases and several pipelines over there but nothing else. So any Americans sent over there to work on the oil pipelines will also be exposed to it. I have questions about some of his statements but can't really verify them. If anyone else has any accurate info on any of these statements please let me know. So much for rebuilding the infrastructure of Iraq.

Cong. Lee said BRAC (the group closing all the bases) may close Walter Reed Hospital - she said the nurses in the American hospitals in Germany are so overworked they're exhausted and if they close Walter Reed they don't know what they'll do. Is Bush nuts?! Shock and traumatize the country with the 9/11 event so they will give the "war president" whatever he wants, immediately try to suspend all our rights with the Patriot Act (in case we don't give him everything he wants), reward those who helped, start a war, cut the revenue, don't send enough troops, don't equip them properly, tell them it's over before it's over, cut medical benefits for them, extend their tours, close the military bases and a major hospital, then don't let the public see their flag-draped coffins in the news because it might offend the families and disturb their privacy! Are these sane decisions by a sane mind? Does anyone see a pattern here? Does anyone see a true intent here? Bankrupt the government, exhaust the military, lie to the public, take over the judiciary, ruin the schools, let the Saudis raise the price of oil so high it will virtually bankrupt a great many people and small businesses, (remember, the military runs on oil as well as food, too). When our own military is exhausted, dead, suffering from trauma, he will then have to hire mercenaries who, of course, would have no problem firing on protesting Americans because they feel nothing for us, which would effectively end all protest. The only problem I can foresee is that the whole world hates us so much I can't figure out where he'd find the mercenaries.

When asked why Bush wasn't being impeached she gave the standard but probably correct answer. The majority in both houses is Republican and they will not do it. But she did say there was talk, etc. So I guess that means there are no honest Republicans left at all in our gov't. How can they stand to let this regime represent them? There was a candle light vigil and another video on Fallujah. But although my spirit was willing the body was weak so I took it home. If you made it to this final line, you will go to Heaven if you pass this message on to 12,000,000 other people in the next 12 minutes. Thanks for reading it all the way through.

Thanks Devon!

Posted by Lyn Wall at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 23, 2005

Order us a gross of these, please

President George W. Bush said Tuesday that anti-war protesters such as Cindy Sheehan, who want U.S. troops brought home immediately, are "advocating a policy that would weaken the United States."

(That rumbling sound you hear? It's the Republican Smear Machine gearing up to spew this new slime.)

Posted by Guest Blogger PDiddie at 06:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack

August 22, 2005

A Trip to Camp Casey

I'm awestruck with the phenomenon that is Camp Casey. Lisa (who guest blogs here) and I rode up Saturday morning. Some friends were surprised to hear that I was still going even though Cindy Sheehan had to leave when her mother had a stroke. I knew it isn't about Cindy, but what she started. I knew it's about ending the war. I knew it's about citizens working together to effect change. I knew I was about to experience a watershed moment in our nation's history. It sounds trite, but it's all of that and more.

We knew we were about to experience something big, a part of history. But nothing could have prepared us for the collective spirit of the amazing people gathered in Crawford. Every second we were able to be there, from the moment we set foot in the Peace House, to our final departure yesterday was filled with meaning and purpose.

We wandered around the Peace House for a little while. There was plenty of food for everyone - catered by the awesome organization Food Not Bombs. We talked to several people who had come from all over the country. Then we took the Peace Shuttle to Camp Casey. The first day, we went straight to the new camp - Camp Casey 2. We were immediately struck by the huge tent an anonymous donor is reported to have subsidized. Coincidentally, George Bush used the same tent for his last fundraiser. The road to the ranch was blocked off with notices of a "100% ID check".

There were many banners inside the tent, perhaps the most striking was Casey's banner. There was plenty of food, ice and cold drinks for everyone. We sat down at a big table and met a mom from Spring who'd brought her young daughter. She is feeling pretty isolated in Spring so we clued her in to Spring Democrats.

Lynn Bradach, a Gold Star mom introduced herself to me and thanked me for being there. I tried to tell her how lucky I felt to be there, to be a part of this huge force for change. She was the first of many to express how they appreciate the welcome they've gotten from Texans and how pleased they were to see that there are a lot of great Texans who are fighting the good fight.

We were there about 20 minutes when Stan Merriman (Chair Emeritus of the PPC) and Jim Rine (San Jacinto Democratic Veterans Brigade) and Charisse Hines appeared. They brought the flags of the Texas fallen that were originally assembled for Memorial Day by Jim's group, along with the flags representing the unit that lost their lives with Casey Sheehan. After a while, the folks that set up Arlington West brought 800 of the crosses for Camp 2. Several Houstononians pitched in to set up the flags around the new Arlington West. In no time, the crosses and flags were positioned into an amazing memorial. We were almost finished placing the flags when there was a flutter of excitement. There was Coleen Rowley, the FBI whistle blower who is running for Representative from Minnesota and Becky Lourey, a Minnesota state senator who lost her own son in Iraq filming a documentary.

After we finished placing the flags, we had dinner and settled in to hear the evening's program. We heard heart wrenching stories from former military personnel, Gold Star families and Military Families Speak Out. These people are true heroes.

If you remember nothing else from reading this, commit this to memory. The military appreciates our efforts on their behalf! Tell everyone that!

We were treated to performances by James McMurtry and Steve Earle. In between, just as the sun was setting, we all left the tent to stand next to Arlington West while Lance Corporal Jeff Key, Iraq vet, played Taps at the edge of the crosses.

   

When Taps finished, the woman in front of me started to sing "Give Peace a Chance". She couldn't get through it, but another woman came over to help. Soon we were all singing. And crying.

The last song of the evening was Steve Earle's "The Revolution Starts Now". Most of us had parked our cars at the the Peace House. In addition to the Peace Shuttles, not one vehicle that was parked at Camp Casey 2 left with an empty seat. Everyone with room in their car gave someone a ride back to the Peace House. We didn't wait 15 minutes for our ride and we were about halfway back from the front of the line.

We spent the night at a hotel and ran into many others who were marveling at their experiences at Camp Casey that day. The desk clerk asked what brought me to Waco. He told me he was thoroughly disgusted by the man that mowed down the crosses and flags at Camp 1 the week before. I asked him what the residents of Waco thought about Camp Casey and he told me that they almost all support it.

Sunday we took the Peace Shuttle to Camp Casey 1, where it all started. We had a reunion of sorts with Buddy and Annie Spell. Buddy is an attorney from Louisiana who organized the Jazz Funeral for Democracy on January 20. That was the first of many road trips Lisa and will take together. They had been at Camp Casey since the beginning, with Buddy representing Cindy in various matters. While we were there, Kat from Minnesota, who had ridden the shuttle with us was interviewed by ABC World News Tonight. Marine 1 flew overhead. There was a map where people from all over the country signed where they had come from. The green poster board I'm holding in the picture represents Alaska. If you're counting, there were 3 counter protestors on the other side of the infamous triangle.

We returned to Camp 2 where yet another feast was being served. We talked to Preacher Tom who is 74 and organizing a fast at Camp Casey after the Gold Star families follow Bush to Washington. Our own John Cobarruvias arrived and we got a group photo with him and several other friends from Democratic Underground.

I didn't want to leave and I intend to go back.

Today, I mentioned I had been to Camp Casey on the Thom Hartmann radio show chat room. Someone suggested I call in and I did.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something, so here are links to some other accounts of Camp Casey.

Lisa's Post on Democratic Underground

crawfordupdate.blogspot.com

more photos

Pacifica Radio

Lone Star Iconoclast

Gold Star Families for Peace

Military Families Speak Out

Posted by Lyn Wall at 01:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 15, 2005

Houston Gold Star Mom's Crawford Update

Surely there is no lack of media attention on the recent events in Crawford, Texas. For an unfiltered account, including a description of efforts to reach out to a pro-Bush parent, though, look below the fold at the Crawford diary of our Houston area Gold Star Mother, Amy Branham.

Here is Amy's Diary for August 15, 2005:

Camp Casey Revisited

I went back out to Crawford this week to see for myself how things are going and what it’s like there now. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was just absolutely amazing.

I left in the wee hours of the morning Saturday to get there, in a caravan with members of MFSO (Military Families Speak Out) from Houston. I think it was about 10 a.m. by the time we arrived at the Peace House. There were so many cars and people there that I had to drive to the stadium to park my car and catch a shuttle back to the Peace House. I was told there was going to be a rally at noon at the stadium and that I needed to be there.

While at the Peace House I met Juan Torres, another member of GSFP that I didn’t know about and hadn’t met before. We clicked and I made a friend for life, I think, just like with the rest of the members I’ve met. Juan and I hopped in a shuttle and went out to Camp Casey. On the way there we encountered some counter protesters parking their cars, taking out their signs and flags and walking towards Camp Casey. I thought it interesting that they had to park so far away – about a mile I think. They started walking towards Camp Casey, blocking the road, walking on the road, which made me a little irritated. I felt they should have been treated the way Cindy, me and Dede were on August 6 when we initially made the march to the ranch and had to walk in the ditches. These people were allowed to be on the road, to impede traffic. There were police and security everywhere.

When we finally got to Camp Casey I was stunned. When I left a week ago this past Sunday, there were about a dozen people there, a few folding chairs, banners and signs. It looked nothing like it does now. The place has been transformed. There were more people than I could possibly count. People had come and set up tents and chairs in the ditches to stand in solidarity for Cindy and the cause of peace. It was amazing....

When I got back to the Peace House I found Bill Mitchell, also of GSFP. We hadn’t met before but I’d seen pictures of him. He was giving an interview. I waited for him to finish up, before I introduced myself to him. We immediately hugged and laughed once he knew who I was. It was a wonderful moment for me.

Later I met Dante, Al, and Raphael Zappala, wonderful men who are dedicated to ending this war. I liked them immediately and was so happy to have met them. I also met Celeste at the rally, although she was busy doing other things so I didn’t have the chance to visit with her as I would have liked. She has also been on the frontlines to end this war for quite some time. Later I would meet Sue Neiderer, if only briefly, at the rally along with several other members of GSFP and MFSO that I had not even heard of before. I had the feeling of family, of a common bond too terrible to even think about....

Many people have reported about the rally and the details of that event so, once again, I’ll skip the details myself. To be honest, I don’t remember them. I only remember the feeling of euphoria in knowing so many had come from so far away because they knew this was something they had to support no matter what. It was absolutely amazing.

Veterans for Peace had a pretty good showing as did Iraq Veteran’s Against War. Some of those guys have been in Crawford the whole time. They are so dedicated to peace, to the peace movement and to Cindy. Again I must say that I love these men and will always have a soft place in my heart for them.

The counter protesters were at the rally, but we didn’t really have any problems with them. Some wanted to pick fights with us, but we generally didn’t engage with them.

After the rally we drove in a long caravan back to Camp Casey. Juan, Tammera from MFSO, and I were in my car, which I was driving.

On the road back to Camp Casey I was pleasantly surprised to see most of the counter protesters gone. When I initially drove up Cindy was standing at the end of the triangle, looking down the road to see all of the cars, stretched out for miles, coming to support her. I rolled my windows down to wave at her and she came running, calling out my name. I asked Tammera to park the car for me as we were holding traffic up. Juan and I jumped out to hug Cindy and Dede (who was with Cindy) and were immediately surrounded by cameras snapping our picture as the four of us hugged and cried. Cindy asked me if I could believe what this had become from what we started, her, Dede and me, a week ago.

I stayed with Cindy for a little while, talking in front of the cameras, before stepping out of the crowd. I wanted to see for myself what was going on, to wander around in the crowd and take in the energy of the place. It was amazing. I hadn’t seen the crosses except in pictures. I hadn’t seen the tents set up under the canopy or the dozens upon dozens of flowers sent by well wishers when I had gone in earlier that day. So, as I wandered up the road by myself I started to weep.

I wept for joy that so many people from all over the country and the world would join Cindy and lend their voices to her cause, to our cause. I wept with sorrow at the tremendous loss we had all suffered. I wept because I no longer felt alone in my grief and anger at the loss of my own son. At that moment I felt that Casey and Jeremy would be proud of their moms for what they were doing.

As I stood there on the side of the road, tears streaming down my face, a stranger came to me to see if I was okay. She didn’t know who I was because I didn’t have a GSFP shirt on. She comforted me, brought me Kleenex to dry my eyes and wipe the tears, made sure I had water to drink. We introduced ourselves to each other. For the rest of the day, she was pretty close by if I needed anything....

There was another rally at Camp Casey once most people arrived from the previous rally. Those who spoke and participated at that rally stood on the back of a truck parked in the ditch. The crowd got so close, especially when Cindy was speaking, that I couldn’t get anywhere near the stage, so I sat back in the shade on the road to listen. People respond to Cindy in a way that I have never seen before and it is amazing. She is their hero.

The whole time of the rally there was a Sheriff’s helicopter circling round and round above Camp Casey. At first they kept their distance and it wasn’t any big deal. When Cindy got up and began to speak, the helicopter got down closer. It seemed they were trying to drown her out. I would certainly hate to think that was why they got so close. A couple of times some of us thought they were going to land nearby, but they never did.

While Cindy was speaking the counter protesters across the street, who by now had dwindled down to less than a dozen people, tried to taunt us and Cindy. For the most part we ignored them although there was at least one or two people that I know of that did have a little discussion with them. They were quickly led away to cool off.

When Cindy asked for a moment of silence to remember America’s fallen, the counter protesters kept yelling and taunting. I couldn’t believe the disrespect they showed, but I shouldn’t have been surprised by this.

We heard about a group of Blue Star Moms that were coming from Houston to meet with Cindy. They wanted to give her a hug, or at least that was the report I had heard on the news the night before. So, a meeting time was set up for 5:00 p.m. at Camp Casey. There was to be no media and it was supposed to be private, just the Moms and members of GSFP. The Moms never showed up.

However, a man named Gary did come to meet us. Gary is from Temple, TX and he lost his son, a Marine, last November in Iraq. Gary was very broken up about his son dying, but very proud of his son who truly is a hero in every sense of the word. This big, proud father cried when he told us the story of his son, going into every detail he could remember. He came to tell us that we were wrong politically and we should support our President. All of us sat in a circle of chairs on the side of the road and shared our stories together. Later Gary was invited to join us at the Crawford House for a beer. He came out and spent several hours there, visiting with other people and doing interviews with the press.

Back at the Crawford House we had dinner and cleaned up a bit. The ladies there fussed at me because I hadn’t used sunscreen or worn a hat that day. I was overheated, sunburned and clearly needed to cool down, so they made me take a cool shower to cool my body. There was plenty of food and drink for everyone.

A bus load of Pastors for Peace drove up to meet with Cindy and offer their support. I thought that was really nice.

We heard a rumor through some media source that the President was going to talk to Cindy. It didn’t happen....

The people coming to Crawford are amazing. One lady, Lorraine, flew out from California, complete with cooking supplies, to cook for Cindy for the week. Others dropped everything when they heard what was going on, driving across the country just to hug Cindy and tell her thank you. Many times they would rest up a bit before turning right around to go back home. Still others are spending their vacation time at Camp Casey.

Cindy is amazing,too. She spent all day long with reporters, giving interviews and having her picture taken. Never once did I see her turn down a request from someone who came to see her. She hugged every man, woman and child who came to say thank you. Everyone wants something from Cindy, but I think she receives as much from her supporters as she gives to them. Cindy is absolutely, one hundred and ten percent, dedicated to her mission of ending this war and bringing our soldiers home.

Today, once again, I sit in awe of the events occurring at Camp Casey. Once again I am proud to be an American, proud to be from Texas and proud to be part of something larger than myself.

Thank you America for your support, your encouragement and your love.

By the way, a baby watch update for all those who have asked: We are still awaiting the arrival of my first grandchild, a little boy to be named Aiden Russell Smith after the uncle he will never know, Jeremy Russell Smith.

Amy Branham

Houston, TX

Mother of fallen hero Jeremy R. Smith

Nov. 1981 – Feb. 2004

Posted by at 10:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack

August 14, 2005

Scales Fall from Eyes of MSM

We can probably chalk it up to those opinion surveys: what the pollsters are writing on the wall is so huge that even the former war cheerleaders in the Mainstream Media must see it. Thus, today we have the scales falling aggressively from the eyes of the MSM on Bush's war: see two watershed pieces from The New York Times and The Washington Post.

Of course, the valiant efforts of Cindy Sheehan and Gold Star Families for Peace in Crawford, Texas, will most likely cause an even steeper decline in the next round of presidential approval ratings. The NYT's Frank Rich compares Bush's ratings to those of LBJ as Vietnam brought him down. In describing the current climate around Bush's war, Rich adds: "On this sinking ship, it's hard to know which rat to root for."

Posted by at 06:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 13, 2005

Support Cindy Sheehan - New Open Thread

Please play by the rules.

Posted by Lyn Wall at 05:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack

August 11, 2005

Camp Casey developments

t r u t h o u t has live blogging by Will Pitt from Crawford (their servers must be the only ones capable of handling the traffic).

Here's a few snippets:

It is after one and the concerns have passed. We are packing it in for the night, again. Cindy is telling stories and the others are slowly drifting back to their tents.

We will be here first thing in the morning for the arrival of Condi and Rummy and we will do this all over again.

Question for the night: Who will get arrested first, Cindy or Osama?

... Anyone who has been on edge over this should understand the tension. These folks are on the edge of things out here, and the cops plus the flat bed tow truck made for ominous feelings.

Good news: Cindy will be on the cover of People Magazine. Time and Vanity Fair will interview her tomorrow. How many millions of readers do those magazines have?

Lots of millions.

(David Swanson's entry:) I spoke with Ann Wright for quite a while, and she gave the following report:

It's raining for the third night. There are 70-80 people on site and another 80 out in hotels or houses. Another 50 or 60 stopped by during the day to spend some hours. ...

"There's been an incredible outpouring of donations," Ann said. People are driving for hours and staying a while and driving home, and they're bringing cases of water and other supplies. "We've got people here from Georgia, Montana, California, Alabama, New York, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Pennsylvania. The enthusiasm is amazing. People have driven 12 hours to be here. ...

Ann expressed ongoing amazement at the energy coming to the site. "People are diverting vacation trips to come here instead. People on business trips in Austin and Houston are staying an extra day to come here. Texans who have never been to Crawford and never wanted to come to Crawford are here. And the military families that are here find it so heartening to be supported by all these people."

Posted by Guest Blogger PDiddie at 05:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack

August 09, 2005

Help Houston Indymedia Help Cindy Sheehan

Let's do all we can to help Cindy in her efforts to bring worldwide attention to President Bush's cowardice and callousness. The Lonestar Iconoclast has reporters at Camp Casey, Crawford, Texas. Stay up to date by visiting http://www.iconoclast-texas.com/News/2005/31-40/32news12.htm. Read Cindy's Diary on Daily Kos

Cindy Sheehan's son, Casey was killed in the Iraq War. She is turning her tragic loss into a relentless anti-war campaign that has brought her to Crawford, Texas to occupy a space outside G.W. Bush's ranch until he agrees to speak with her. As I write this, supporters in Crawford have been harassed by the police, gone on huner strike and are in need of your support. Rumsfeld and Rice are expected to arrive at Crawford tomorrow to meet with G.W. Bush so the risk of arrest will increase as Cindy Sheehan and Diane Wilson have been warned they are a "threat" to national security. Any and all help/support is appreciated and there are numerous ways to do so...

...We have folk from Houston that are willing to offer support and deliver needed supplies but transportation is an issue. If we could have members of the community step up to raise approximately $350-450 for an 8-12 rental van that would allow for Houstonians to make it out to Crawford.( more money means more people) This is a huge moment for military families and all anti-war activists and time is of the essence- we hope to get a group out there by some time tomorrow. Please contact me at 832.641.2882 or respond to this email to donate money to send a Houston contingency to support Cindy Sheehan and military families everywhere that dare to speak out. Remember the tide started turning in Vietnam when the families and the average person said no more and joined the anti-war movement. Our friends in Crawford are in need of the following:

1. Bodies, if you can make it up there for a day, a week to observe, support or potentially be arrested. Contact me if can provide a ride or need a ride.
2. Food items (not everyone is on hunger strike) think non-perishable since they are out in the heat.
3. Water
4. Emergen-C electrolyte replacement
5. Coffee
6. Paper towels, cutlerly, bowls, wet wipes
7. Cots, blankets, pillows.
8. Money donations can be sent to Crawford Peace House, P.O. Box 710218, Dallas, Tx. 75371-0218 or contact Andrea Buffa of Global Exchange/Code Pink at 415-575-5552 to sponsor other military families that want to support Cindy but cannot afford to travel on their own. Also, if there is anyone on this list willing to sponsor a group from Houston to go via van or bus that would be most helpful in terms of getting supplies to Crawford.
9. First aid supplies
10. Batteries
11. Flashlights
12. Bug spray
13. Ice chests
14. Banner making supplies

Pick up of donated items can be arranged or they can be dropped off at 4501 Feagan, 77007. Please email maureen@riseup.net or call 832.641.2882. For other up to date information check out www.houston.indymedia.org.

Code Pink to Join Cindy in Crawford

Here's a post from CodePink members

Date: Mon, 08 Aug 2005

From: Debbie Russell

Subject: Ongoing Action in Crawford!

Cindy Sheehan's vigil outside Bush's ranch has gained international

attention and help is needed to further the action:

CodePink and the coalition running the Crawford Peace House are moblizing for financial support and people to help out with getting supplies -- national CodePinkers are flying in tonite to head to Crawford and need folksto assist.

Please read the calls from the Peace House and from CodePink:

We are in the process of mobilizing support For Cindy Sheehan's protest Monetary donations are needed and can be sent to:

Crawford Peace House

P.O. Box 710218

Dallas, Tx. 75371-0218

Call john for bank wire info pay pal to be set up on web site soon

e-mail can be sent to crawfordpeacehouse@yahoo.com

our website is http://www.crawfordpeacehouse.org /

We are located:

In the center of Crawford, Texas on Hwy185 and the railroad tracks

9142 5th Street Crawford, Tx. 76638-3037

The Vigil is on Prairie Chapel road near the entrance to Bush’s ranch

Dear CODEPINK Texans:

This weekend Diane Wilson and Cindy Sheehan bravely headed to the Bush family ranch in Crawford, TX to demand an audience from the President himself. Not surprisingly he has refused to come outside and acknowledge their presence and has retreated inside the compound far from reach. The women intend stay outside and have launched a hunger strike until Bush responds.

CODEPINK co-founder Jodie Evans is on her way to Crawford to bring some humanitarian aid to the women. If you are on the ground in the vicinity of Dallas/Austin/Crawford, WE NEED YOUR HELP!! We need people in the area that are able to pick up supplies locally and get them to the ranch. The conditions are extreme and the women need our support!!!

If you are able to help out, please contact us ASAP:

Tiffany at (310) 836-8175 or tiffany@codepinkalert.org

Whitney at (323) 595-9169 or whit@codepinkalert.org

Cindy Sheehan, whose son Casey was killed in Iraq, is holding vigil in

Crawford, Texas until she gets a meeting with George Bush. She has some simple questions to ask him: "Why did you kill my son? What did my son die for? If the cause is so noble, why don’t you send your twins?" She also has a clear demand: "Honor our sacrifices by bringing our nation's sons and daughters home from a war based on lies and deceptions."

On Saturday, as Cindy marched towards the ranch where Bush is vacationing for 33 days, she and her supporters, including CODEPINK cofounder Diane Wilson, were stopped by local sheriffs, who pushed them into a ditch with fire ants in 100 degree heat. Cindy was undeterred: "I am not leaving until I meet with George Bush and he answers my questions about the death of my son. This is the beginning of the end of the war in Iraq," she said.

Inspired by the power of Cindy’s determination Diane pledged that CODEPINK would join her in solidarity by staging a hunger strike. Diane has already begun her fast and many of us are making our way to Crawford to join her, including Ann Wright, former US Army colonel and senior diplomat who resigned after 35 years of service because of the Iraq war (Cindy, Diane and Ann all have powerful essays in our book Stop The Next War Now).

Knowing that every day lives are being lost in the war on Iraq, Cindy, Diane and Ann have taken an uncompromising position. This is a powerful moment in our struggle that cannot be overlooked by any of us who care deeply about the lives that are being wasted in this immoral war. When we are given the opportunity to witness someone else’s courage in the face of struggle, it is a gift. An even greater gift comes when we are presented with the possibility of joining boldly in that struggle.

Here are ways you can stand with them:

· Come to Crawford or donate money or miles so others can come

· Fast in solidarity from home

· Spread the word by contacting the press

This vigil and fast follows in the footsteps of all those throughout history who have taken extreme action, putting their ow