Bush gets first look at anti-war protest near ranch

[righthand]

[center]Bush gets first look at anti-war protest near ranch
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N12645179.htm
Source: Reuters ...By Patricia Wilson ...12 Aug 2005 17:14:14 GMT
[/center]

CRAWFORD, Texas, Aug 12 (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush got his first look at an anti-war vigil near his ranch on Friday as his motorcade took him by the protest site lined with small white crosses representing fallen American soldiers in Iraq. When Bush's black sport utility vehicle carried him past the site to a Republican fund-raiser, the protest leader, Cindy Sheehan, whose son was one of the nearly 1,850 U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq, held up a sign that said: "Why do you make time for donors and not for me?" Other signs said: "Iraq is Arabic for Vietnam" and "Bring Them Home Now." Some protesters held up white crosses as well. The protest vigil began last Saturday and is being led by Sheehan, who has been demanding a meeting with Bush to discuss her opposition to the Iraq war.

[center]Mother of slain soldier in Crawford draws international attention
http://www.wacotrib.com/news/content...n_profile.html
WACO Tribune-Herald ...By Thaddeus DeJesus, Tribune-Herald staff writer ...August 11, 2005[/center]

CRAWFORD – From 5 a.m. to midnight over the last few days, Cindy Sheehan has donned a headset amid the Central Texas prairie to speak to reporters from New York to New Zealand. “We've got to find a way to stop them from calling,” she told an assistant after a Tuesday afternoon radio interview was interrupted by 16 calls. Sheehan later got up from her folding chair to talk to a CNN camera crew waiting nearby. They were among the countless other journalists waiting to interview the woman who has chosen to make a symbolic stand a few miles from the President Bush's ranch house. Sheehan, 48, has become an international cause celebre for demanding to meet with Bush during his month long vacation, most of which will be spent at his Crawford retreat. Specifically, Sheehan has said she wants to ask the president why her son died in Iraq in a war she believes is built on lies. She also wants to ask the president to end the occupation and bring home the troops.

Yesterday, 11:52 pm on "So, how would you stop the War?" I stated It's reported that only dozens are showing support with "Sheehan in her standoff. She declaring she would stay for the entire month that Bush plans to stay in Texas if he won't meet with her. Since then, dozens of other activists have traveled from across the country to join her, including at least three other parents who have lost children in the war." WP August 11, 2005 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...081101300.html and continued "It maybe deliberate bad reporting but if true America doesn't seemed concerned to save future deaths. Why isn't hundreds of thousand and not dozen that are supporting her. Bush uses the occasion to lecture again on his failed policy." finishing The message should be simple. Troops Out Now or Bush Out Now."

Certainly the main point of this story is this courageous woman's effort to bring meaning to the lose of her son and prevent more grieving mothers and families.

Apparent also is how the 'majors' covered the story:
WP - Bush Tells Reporters U.S. Won't Exit Iraq
[CENTER] http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...081101300.html[/CENTER]CNN - Bush: Leaving Iraq would send 'terrible signal' [CENTER]http://edition.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/08/11/bush.iraq/[/CENTER]
USA ToDay - Leaving Iraq now not wise, Bush says
[CENTER]http://www.usatoday.com/news/washing...tm?POE=NEWISVA[/CENTER]
while:
AP SanDiego - California mom's Crawford protest grows in support, opposition
[CENTER]http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/s...-peacemom.html[/CENTER]
CBC News, Canada - Soldier's mother keeps vigil outside Bush ranch
[CENTER]http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/nation...st-050812.html[/CENTER]
Daily Telegraph, Australia - Mum's war protest tears at Bush's door
[CENTER]http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/st...toryid=3599939[/CENTER]
The Age, Australia - A president hiding from parents' wrath
[CENTER]http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinio...?oneclick=true[/CENTER]

There are 984 related news stories. All but the 'majors' are synoptic to Cindy Sheehan. All foreign coverage is synoptic.

The World is watching Crawford, Texas, even if the US is not!

[brent6339]

Cindy Sheehan has every right to be upset and protest the war in Iraq. However, understand that the media is portraying this story unfairly. One who knows nothing of this story may actually believe that Bush would not meet with her. But guess what? Bush has already met with Ms. Sheehan before. In fact, Ms Sheehan not only met with Bush but had this to say after talking with him. Here is what she told a California newspaper some time ago.

"I now know [President Bush] is sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis. I know he's sorry and feels some pain for our loss." she went on to say... "that was the gift the president gave us, the gift of happiness, of being together."

Now Ms. Sheehan is using liberals like Micheal Moore to call attention to her story. I have no problem with the fact that Ms. Sheehan is protesting in Crawford. The woman lost a son and she deserves a great deal of respect. Let's just make sure we all have the fact before pointing the finger at Bush.

[Mr.Vicchio]

YEp, not only that, her own family is calling her out for this.

She' angry and sad, that's fine, but she's also been used by the anti-war types and it's sick.

[PatrickHenry]

Quote by: Mr.Vicchio she's also been used by the anti-war types and it's sick.

Anti-war types? Those opposed to war are sick? Bubba, you need to get your head outta the sand. Sane people are the ones who don't like war. Bloodthirst is the sickness, and peace is the cure...

[jose]

i wish i knew how to post this cartoon here http://postcards.ucomics.com/get/?Ms...te_ref=ucomics

[PatrickHenry]

Like this, jose?

[brent6339]

Your are taking things out of context which anyone can do. In fact, you are guilty of doing exactly the same thing that Mr. Vicchio descibes. I believe that he said that anti-war types who use Ms. Sheehan to advance their own cause are sick for doing that (hence the words "it's sick," he did not say "they are sick." The only one who needs to get their head out of the sand is you. You should post your opinions and not try and dice up someone words, or take them to mean something entirely different. Do you actually have a point to make?

[PatrickHenry]

Quote by: brent6339 Do you actually have a point to make?

Yeah. Tweakin' your beak! Good to see it worked...

[Sonart]

Quote by: brent6339 Let's just make sure we all have the fact before pointing the finger at Bush.

Quote by: Mr.V She' angry and sad, that's fine, but she's also been used by the anti-war types and it's sick.

Yessiree! Here we are, two years into a war that was only gonna last 6 months... ooops... with Iraqis welcoming us... ooops... paid for by Iraqi oil... ooops... after we found all of Saddam's WMD... ooops... and quickly put down a few dead-enders... ooops... with close to 2,000 American dead and 10 times that many maimed and injured... ooops... while sending a clear message that would have the rest of the 'Axis of Evil', Iran and North Korea, quaking in their boots... ooops... and stabilizing the price of oil... ooops.

Maybe what's sick is how the U.S. media was uncritically cheerleading LBDubya's war. Perhaps it's finally time to put a spotlight on the PRO-war types and how we got into this mess, and if it takes a grieving mother to wake Americans up to what's been going on, then so be it.

.

[righthand]

Sorry folks, that number that I posted "There are 984 related news stories. All but the 'majors' are synoptic to Cindy Sheehan. All foreign coverage is synoptic." is wrong!

By the time I had the story put together it exceeded 1,000. Google stops counting at 1,000!

The main story was that Cindy Sheehan is being shafted by the 'majors'. I believe it would have dishonoured her further if I'd used as my lead story of those same 'majors' to further dishonour her. The main point of my slant on the story, which feel is perfectly valid and not a secret agenda. I'm certain that she would hope that the 'majors' would also cover it from her point of view.

The lead I used is RUETERS...By Patricia Wilson . They are one the "major sources (CNN, FOX NEWS, BBC News, Reuters)." The mistake I made is using Alternet from Google. It "is a politically motivated website". That I did not know. I'm hopelessly confused now. Is it not still the case that the words of a story MUST NOT BE CHANGED, so the Reuters story is the same no matter the site. Only the headline may be changed, and usually is. This may not apply to websites. I have checked Reuters story on other sites and it is the same.

So, if I'd used the REUTERS story from another website, I would not be bypassing purgatory and facing hell. I was sure that I was following the 'latest news' forum in using major sources.

My sole sole motivation in using Alternet is the image created in my mind by the headline "Bush gets first look at anti-war protest near ranch". It's the image every TV would die for. It's like Gerry Adams shaking Bill Clinton' s hand. None of the other 984 headlines grabbed it for me in the same way.

The story of her and dozen supporter caught my attention early. I mentioned it in a posting at 11:52 pm Thursday on #36 "So, how would you stop the War?" Her courage in facing the ridicule of her nation opened some emotions in me in a further posting #41. Just a part of "Today, 02:52 am #41" is

Students stopped the war. The 'made love not war' long-haired stoned males and females stopped the war and in the days when information didn't get out. ...The Iraqi adventure for cheap oil was turned western economies near belly up. So whatever the intent starting out was, the opposite is now the case. Pre-2004 election there was dollar a gallon making bush un-electable. What are prices now. It should be firing squad and not impeachment that he's facing. Is he known to have told the truth at all. ALL LIES. And he's your president. Is there no shame left in America. You virtually hounded out of office an excellent president that obviously, the US did not deserve. The rest of the world appreciated his worth. Whatever about with ONE female, who wasn't complaining, he did not do a billionth of the harm that georgie caused you and us. If bush was assassinated tomorrow I would not shed one tear, but I'd need first to be sure that Cheney was not then president. Frying pan to fire is nothing to how much worse that it would be. So, I'll be hoping that dick gets his first before that most hated man in the world gets his. I don't expect to be lucky once never mind twice. But just so that I've explained my agenda. Those pair of bollocks can destroy my world. If Iran is attacked by the US or Israel then I believe that it's the end of the American dream. With that end is the end of western trade. The Wall Street Crash will pale. Oil may crash as who will afford it. The beneficiaries will be our numerous eastern 'friends'.

This lady's actions may be the last hope. Certainly no one else is doing much to save the lives of US troops.

This story may be big, it certainly is outside the US. Some would like it to become a damp squib, insuring no other Cindy Sheehan's try to stop the war. The time is critical now. The credibility of this administration is in entire doubt.

It's also too important not to be in the latest new. Please this time could not some smart ass not draw attention to there now being a thread and someone start a new thread in latest news using a "major sources (CNN, FOX NEWS, BBC News, Reuters)." Thank you.

[righthand]

Sorry wrong again. One hour ago CNN caught up to speed with

[center]Bush motorcade passes anti-war mom's protest
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS...ush.friday.ap/
Copyright 2005 The Associated Press....Friday, August 12, 2005 Posted: 1827 GMT (0227 HKT) [/center]

CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) -- President Bush's motorcade, en route to a political fund-raiser near his ranch, passed Friday by the site of Cindy Sheehan's Iraq war protest where more than 100 people had gathered to support her. Sheehan -- whose son, Casey, was killed five days after he arrived in Iraq last year at age 24 -- held a sign that read: "Why do you make time for donors and not for me?" It's unclear whether Bush, riding in a black Suburban with tinted windows, looked at the demonstrators as his caravan passed. Sheehan met the president in June 2004 but said she deserves another visit since there have been so many revelations about faulty prewar intelligence since then.

There's a good photo with the caption "Cindy Sheehan holds up a sign as President Bush's motorcade drives by." I'd need PatrickHenry skills to post it here.

How long before the other 'majors' get up to speed. Are we becoming compliant while awaiting the 'major' to set our agenda.


Son managed to figure it out for me

[jose]

Quote by: PatrickHenry Like this, jose?

yip that´ll do nicely

[crossfire]

While I have every sympathy for the parents/wives/husbands of soldiers killed in action in Iraq there is one thing here I do not understand. Military service is voluntary - most of the time they earn a good wage without having to engage in direct conflict. Every so often a conflict occurs and low and behold the army is called in to do its job. Unfortunately there are casualties

So why the protest? Surely when they join the military they understand the potential consequences? Did the families protest when their loved ones were at base?

[Mr.Vicchio]

crossfire, it's simple. She got in with people that used her grief to thier political gain. Now she's making a fool of herself and they reap the rewards.

[crossfire]

It's a sad situation for her and I am sure she is in a lot of pain - but I agree with your assessment

[Sonart]

Quote by: Crossfire So why the protest? Surely when they join the military they understand the potential consequences? Did the families protest when their loved ones were at base?

Americans understand the dangers of military action, but they expect that the military will be placed in harms way only for good reasons. It's not the fact of being in harm's way, it's Bush's policy that placed them there that's being questioned. The majority of Americans no longer believe that going to war in Iraq was the right thing to do.

.

[SteveA]

While I have every sympathy for the parents/wives/husbands of soldiers killed in action in Iraq there is one thing here I do not understand. Military service is voluntary - most of the time they earn a good wage without having to engage in direct conflict. Every so often a conflict occurs and low and behold the army is called in to do its job. Unfortunately there are casualties So why the protest? Surely when they join the military they understand the potential consequences? Did the families protest when their loved ones were at base?

No, we don't have a voluntary military. It's a full time socialized institution like most any other government position. It used to be voluntary but it hasn't been for a long time.

Would you say call public teachers were volunteers? Would you call defense contractors voluntary associates.

Taking money from one person to pay that person to go to war is not how I view voluntary. That's correctly defined as socialism. If you instead just tell them they have to go and skip even playing money games, it's communism.

I admit people have an obligation to be faithful to the commitments they make when joining the war but this is the guys mother, at home, trying to solve the problems going on.

She's patriotic in my view. Supporting our troops also means trying not to get a lot of them killed or wounded. They're battling for their lives in Iraq and need people battling for their lives here as well.

[crossfire]

I think I disagree with just about every bit of that. Military service IS voluntary. If you don't like the war in Iraq then vote accordingly but you can't pick and choose what element of military action you are involved in - either you are in the army (and accept the consequences) or you don't join.

George Bush has said he is not ruling out an attack on Iran. If anyone is joining the military at this time they should be aware of this - and their families should not complain if the worst then happens.

[Chris]

good to see the neocons toting the party line. Did you all hear this reaction from Rush Limbaugh? What is sick is that neocons make her out to be the bad person or "fool" as you will. Actually bringing in her family situation into the whole thing. The fact is that organizations like moveon, and people like Michael Moore are no different than you all. It is ALL political punditry. Why not STFU and be human for once?

[righthand]

[center]May You Prevail, Where Others Have Failed
An Open Letter to Cindy Sheehan, Crawford, Texas
http://www.mwcnews.net/index.php?opt...=997&Itemid=26
By RALPH NADER ...Friday, 12 August 2005 [/center] [center]
[/center]

Dear Ms. Sheehan, From your grief over the loss of your son, Casey, in Iraq has come the courage to spotlight nationally the cowardly character trait of a President who refuses to meet with anyone or any group critical of his illegal, fabricated, deceptive war and occupation of that ravaged country. As a messianic militarist, Mr. Bush turned aside his own father's major advisers who warned him of the terroristic, political, and diplomatic perils to the United States from an invasion of Iraq. He refused to listen. Thirteen organizations in early 2003 separately wrote their President requesting a meeting to have him hear them out as to why they opposed his drumbeating, on-the-road-to war policies. These groups represented millions of Americans. They included church leaders, veterans, business, labor, retired intelligence officials, students, women and others. They are among those Americans who are not allowed through the carefully screened public audiences that are bused to arenas around the country to hear his repetitive slogans for carrying on this draining, boomeranging war. They each wrote President Bush but he never bothered even to acknowledge their letters simply to say no to the requested meetings. Not even the courtesy of a reply came from their White House. Ever since then it has been the same-exclusion, denial, contempt and arrogance for views counter to that of Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney and the tight circle around them that composes the inner tin ear of this Administration. Why, they even refuse to listen to objections by their own government's military lawyers (JAG) over repeated violations of due process of law. When will he realize that he is supposed to be the President of all the people, not just those misled into supporting his Iraq maneuvers? Perhaps the breakthrough will begin this hot August in Crawford, Texas, with the devastating loss of a beloved child transformed into a mission for the soul of our country. This rogue regime, led by two draft-dodgers and officially counseled by similar pro-war evaders during the Vietnam War, is not "our country." Millions of Americans, including military and public servants in his Administration, and many in the retired military, diplomatic and intelligence services, opposed this war, still oppose it and do not equate George W. Bush and Dick Cheney with the United States of America. Our flag stands for "liberty and justice for all." Our flag must never be misused or defiled as a bandanna for war crimes, as a gag against the people's freedom of speech and conscience or as a fig leaf to hide the shame of charlatans in high public office, who violate our Constitution, our laws and our founding fathers' framework for accountable, responsive government.

There is a lot more, just as powerful. [center]
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Ralph Nader is a consumer advocate and former presidential candidate. DemocracyRising.US You cannot keep a good man down.