CRAWFORD UPDATES HERE: We are in contact with Cindy Sheehan

[Dylan Garcia]

I will update all information I recieve from Crawford via Cindy Sheehan and other friends at the ranch.

Below are the last three updates we have posted on our blogs:

A BRIEF DISCUSSION WITH CINDY SHEEHAN

By Buddy Spell
Upbeat Defiance.com

August 4, 2005

For the last thirty-six hours or so, there has been a rumor percolating within activist circles that Cindy Sheehan, patriot warrior and co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace, was lashing together a direct action at George W. Bush’s home in Crawford, Texas this weekend. The rumor was confirmed by a post on her Daily Kos diary at http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/8/4/94551/60876 .

So, this lady, who has been called “the new face of the antiwar movement,” inspires us once again as she fights for the memory of her oldest child, Casey, who lost his life in the occupation of Iraq. She is an American hero who also fights for every mother’s child caught up in the meat grinder which is American foreign policy.

In the month of September, Cindy is scheduled to appear in Italy, Colorado, Louisiana, and Washington, DC for the September 24th mass rally. But for now, she seems content to make her stand in the Lone Star State. When we spoke this evening, she said that she has a few questions for the president and that she’s heading to Crawford to get the answers. “I am not leaving until George answers me or I am arrested. I may stay there the entire month of August.”

Two days ago, this action wasn’t even a consideration. I asked her if something in particular had happened to inspire this abrupt change in plans. “Yes the deaths of 24 soldiers already this month and the president's asinine comments about it. Bush said that we families who have fallen loved ones can rest assured that our loved ones died for a ‘Noble Cause’ I want him to explain to me what this cause is. He also AGAIN said that we need to honor the sacrifices of the fallen and their families by completing the mission. I want him to know not to abuse and exploit Casey's name and our family to continue the killing. Every member of GSFP is behind us on this.”

Not only Gold Star Families for Peace, but, according to Cindy, the action has already been endorsed by “VFP, MFSO, IVAW, Code Pink, and the Crawford Peace House.”

The direct action begins this Saturday, August 6, at 11:00 AM. It remains to be seen as to how and when it will end. Upbeat Defiance will maintain contact with our friend, Cindy Sheehan, throughout this action and will report accordingly.

Peace out.



UPDATE FROM DALLAS

REGARDING THE CRAWFORD CAMPAIGN





By Buddy Spell
Upbeat Defiance.com

LOUISIANA ACTIVIST NETWORK

August 5, 2005



I just received an update from Cindy Sheehan in Dallas where she is attending the Veterans for Peace Convention before shoving off for Crawford in the morning. We were both a bit blown away by a link I sent her to a thread running at Democratic Underground where the forum members were speculating on what it would be like if a million people showed up with her at the ranch.

(http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1989074). Her response was classic Cindy: “What did I start?”



Well, we’ll see. Cloistered in the convention events there in Dallas, Cindy seems fairly unaware of the activity out on the web relative to her carpool adventure to Crawford. I asked her how many she expected to have with her tomorrow. “I don’t know...I have heard that there are people coming in from as far away as Canton, Ohio...it’s so hard to say.”



She clearly expects to be in Crawford for the rest of August. I asked her if she would be recruiting activists to join her in Texas and she said, “I would appreciate the company if I am camping there.”



I asked her what we could do for her right now:



“Put pressure on the media to report that George won't meet with me.

Send around the petition to demand a full withdrawal of the troops.

Counter-recruitment.

Keep up the good work!!!”



I’ll be talking with her in the morning and will update you as warranted. If things go well, I’ll be reporting from Crawford by Thursday morning. Maybe I’ll see you there.



Peace out.

[Dylan Garcia]

1. CRAWFORD UPDATE - 8/6/5 - 12:00 PM (CST)

CRAWFORD UPDATE - 8/6/5 - 12:00 PM (CST)
Just spoke with Cindy 10 minutes ago.

They are still @ Crawford Peace House and are heading to the ranch at any moment now. "Lots of people and more gathering outside." She wouldn't hazzard a guess as to how many. "People keep showing up."

She will call with regular updates through this evening.

http://www.newdemocracyrising.com/lan.asp

[The Doctor.]

26. Just got off the phone with John Wolf too...

He told me they are setting up a paypal account on Monday.

He also gave me information to transfer funds to their account if anyone wants to.

If any one would like to use me, I can probably get some money to them sooner. But I won't do anything without an ok from an ADMIN.

[fooj]

2. I admire her courage. She has the heart of a lion...

Demand Accountability! We've got your back, Cindy!

Peace.:patriot:

[Pirate Smile]

3. Here is another diary on getting media coverage for Cindy.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/8/6/121145/1579

CINDY, CRAWFORD & the MEDIA...I am PISSED..
by Barbara
Sat Aug 6th, 2005 at 09:11:45 PDT
Okay,
So I was going to just update my other little diary, but then thought, everyone who has read that one probably won't go back to it, so because I am currently seeing RED, I have to post this okay, so bare with me.

Thank you.

Just got off the phone with the ABC affiliate in HOUSTON (KTRK), called the news desk...713.669.1313.

The guy I spoke to is an ill-informed IDIOT.

He "has heard of Cindy Sheehan"...
He "didn't have a clue what a Gold Star Family was"...
He "had never heard of the DOWNING STREET MEMO"...

He said that no matter HOW MUCH protesting is done, that we need to "stay the course in Iraq and get the job done".

So I took a DEEP cleansing breath and tried politely to ask him "What course is it and to what end?"

HE could not respond, he said that is what our PRESIDENT tells us and we need to listen to him. Then he tried to qualify saying that he doesn't necessarily agree with the war, but that we must stay until THE END or ALL THE DEATHS WOULD BE IN VAIN...

Okay, folks...we need to call him, fax him (you'll have to ask him for his fax number) and EDUCATE this idiot.

When he knew that he was "losing"...he thank'd me for calling. I said, "perhaps I need to come there and help you do your job since you seem ill informed on ANYTHING"...oops, probably being a tad BI**Y on my part do ya think?

As I see it, that is 3 stations I have contacted and spoken to their supposed newsdesks and NO ONE has a clue.

Let's give them one, please...for Cindy and Casey, for all of our men and women fighting this insane war, for the soldiers that have been killed and maimed for life...we owe this to them..

THANK YOU for listening to my ramblings...I am still seeing red, I am sooooo pissed off. ____________ JUST called ABC in New York and was asked to go to their NEWSDESK IN D.C....spoke with Bara! Okay, so she was awesome, I was calm, cool and collected and expected to be shot down, but lo and behold, they have a reporter IN CRAWFORD TALKING WITH CINDY AND CREW!!!! See my post over at the other Cindy Sheehan diary....call ABC in NEW YORK 212.456.7777 and ask for the DC NEWSDESK...hopefully Bara will answer. She now knows about DAILYKOS.com and is passing it on to their reporter in Crawford letting him know we ALL want to see HEADLINES here!!! She is passing on to him my email and phone number. I told her I'd love to talk to him. Let's keep this momentum up okay? For CINDY and ALL of our SOLDIERS and their loved ones. The old adage "SQUEEKY WHEEL"...let's keep it going folks!!!

[fooj]

5. Should call back that idiot in Houston and tell him

that ABC (NYC) is there to cover the story. At least his boss knows what the hell is going on!

Peace.

[yorkiemommie1]

7. i bet he knows

what a Gold Star family is and I bet he knows about the DSM. He's trying to fake people out by implying that those issues are not important enough for him to notice.

[CoffeeCat]

11. self delete

[CoffeeCat]

12. self delete again!

[CoffeeCat]

13. I'm flabergasted by that Houston reporter's remarks...

The remarks of that Houston reporter were so sickening.

It's his job to report the news, not perpetuate a war. Cuz that's exactly what he's doing. Why doesn't he go work for the White House in the public relations department? He's not doing his job! Reporters cover FACTS...they don't propagate the agenda of the government.

MY FRICKING STARS!!!!! The nerve of that reporter. He can have his opinion, but that should not affect what he covers and what stories get lost down the drain.

I suppose many reporters in Texas are in the back pocket of BushCo and RoveCo--is that correct? I imagine that BushCo loyalty is a prerequisite for many Texas media jobs. The family has tons of connections, and I'm sure they could make major waves if a Texas media member stepped out of line.

If a Texas media member spews out BushCo propaganda, I say--call the national office or call back and ask to speak with someone else (an assignment editor or a senior editor)

Great work and gold stars to everyone who is making all of this happen.

[In Truth We Trust]

4. God Speed Cindy Sheehan-Kick for a heroine

[fooj]

6. Cindy honors her son Casey by honoring TRUTH!

Peace.

[electron_blue]

9. I'm lighting a candle for her travels

every day til she's back home.

[fooj]

14. Good idea. I think I'll join you.

Peace.

[ClayZ]

24. Lighting Candles on the Left Coast for Cindy!

[WebeBlue]

8. Tx and another DU thread on Cindy updates

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1990029

If you are in direct contact, would be good to pull the so far 3 DU threads together in one, and useful to get at least one of the threads voted to front page.

[BrklynLiberal]

10. Real-time Lone-Star Iconclast diary of Cindy Sheehan march

http://www.iconoclast-texas.com/News/2005/31-40/31news02.htm

[fooj]

15. Wow! Good for her!

I wish I could get those poor folks some water...

Peace.

[katinmn]

16. That's a great site!

Almost like being there.

I wonder if * will come outside.

[jean]

17. Now Cindy Sheehan is shouting that Bush's mother ought to be ashamed ===

"Now Cindy Sheehan is shouting that Bush's mother ought to be ashamed of him. She's proud of her child who died in Iraq."

Wow. Just wow. ABC Worldnews tonight: do you have the journalistic cojones to report what Cindy says?

[senseandsensibility]

20. I would guess tha ABC does not

But I would be happy to be wrong. Go Cindy!

[fooj]

18. Just checked Raw Story and nothing about this on front page.

Nothing about March in Atlanta, either. I wonder why? I love reading Raw Story. You'd think they'd have this on the front page.

Peace.

[txindy]

23. It's there, now, on Raw Story. I just saw it.

It's only a link to the AP story, but it's there.

[Cha]

19. Fuck bush and his

"noble cause" ..if it's so damn noble why doesn't he send his daughters over there or better yet..himself.

It's not like he wasn't awol when he had the opportunity for another "noble cause" 35 years ago.


Thank you, Cindy Sheehan, for co-founding Gold Star Families For Peace!:patriot:

And thanks to anyone who can make it to Crawford to keep Cindy, Company! :patriot:

[Dylan Garcia]

21. From Ward Reilly

Cindy Sheehan camped outside Crawford Ranch
Vows to"stay until August" to see Bush

Cindy Sheehan, whose son Casey was killed in action in Iraq after being told
"he would NEVER see combat in the Middle East" by his recruiter, and scores
of veterans and supporters have showed up outside of the Crawford ,Texas
ranch of President Dubya Bush....Sheehan says she will not leave until the
President sees her. Bush is at home on a 5 WEEK vacation, as the wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan continue to erode.

The local Sheriff told the protestors that they could "march for a mile",
but then stopped and surrounded the marchers after just a quarter mile...

Ms Sheehan is calling for supporters, as she has vowed to stay put for the
whole month of August, if necessary. She has launched a campaign to get
1,000,000 signatures to deliver to the President, and you can sign the
petition here:

http://elandslide.org/elandslide/petition.cfm?campaign=iraq1

My report came live at 2:05 pm Central time, from my good friend Dennis Kyne,
who is with Cindy and the other vets at Crawford, including vets from the
Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Ward Reilly

[Cha]

22. Thanks, Dylan Garcia and

Ward Reilly! And I signed last night..believe I was about 27,793 and climbing.:patriot:

This year in August is a little different in Crawford than when bush went there in 2001 after ignoring the August 6, 2001 memo regarding osama bin laden's determination to strike buildings with airplanes(paraphrasing)..how much more plain can you get?

Go Cindy Sheehan and all her Supporters! :toast:

[rateyes]

27. I was numer 29,278...keep it going. eom

[il_lilac]

31. done

and i'll keep signing, marching. screaming until this administration is prosecuted and punished for their crimes!

[Imagevision]

25. 29 soldiers have been killed for the month already 8/06/

[Dylan Garcia]

28. Please keep getting the word out!

This thing isn't over.

Please email media, bloggers, listserves, and friends.

Make plans to go.

We are organizing a trip from Louisiana leaving Wednesday afternoon.

ONWARD!

[madfloridian]

29. Houston Chronicle has article and picture.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3299271


Mom of soldier killed in Iraq stages Crawford protest
By DEB RIECHMANN
Associated Press
CRAWFORD — The angry mother of a fallen U.S. soldier staged a protest near President Bush's ranch today, demanding an accounting from the president of how he has conducted the war in Iraq.

Supported by more than 50 shouting demonstrators, Cindy Sheehan, 48, told reporters, "I want to ask George Bush: Why did my son die?"

Sheehan arrived in Crawford aboard a bus painted red, white and blue and emblazoned with the words, "Impeachment Tour."

[GeorgeBushytail]

30. Local action - Visit your local Republican congressperson's office

Lots of us can't make it to Crawford, but we can lend our support and make this a national action. Let's visit our local Republican Congressperson's office and deliver a copy of Cindy's message:

"1) We want our loved ones' sacrifices to be honored by bringing our nation's sons and daughters home from the travesty that is Iraq IMMEDIATELY, since this war is based on horrendous lies and deceptions. Just because our children are dead, why would we want any more families to suffer the same pain and devastation that we are?

2) We would like for him to explain this "noble cause" to us and ask him why Jenna and Barbara are not in harm's way, if the cause is so noble.

3) If George is not ready to send the twins, then he should bring our troops home immediately. We will demand a speedy withdrawal. "

Here's a site with congressional contact info:
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt?action=myreps_form

I am too disabled to make it to Crawford, but I want to support Cindy Sheehan and amplify her message.

What do you think? We can make a new thread if this generates interest.

[Dylan Garcia]

32. I just got off of the telephone with Cindy

SATURDAY NIGHT UPDATE FROM CINDY SHEEHAN

By Buddy Spell
Upbeat Defiance.com
LOUISIANA ACTIVIST NETWORK

August 6, 2005

Briefly, I just got off of the telephone with Cindy at 10:58 PM (CST).

She’s on the side of the road with six (6) other activists. They expect others to arrive from the VFP convention in Dallas to spend the night with them tonight.

Cindy says that the SS says the protesters will be killed if they stay the night. “We’re not letting them intimidate us. If we get killed out here, know that the Secret Service killed us.”

She asks that we all light candles in solidarity and looks forward to more company in the days ahead.

Folks, the time has come today!

Peace out.

[Dylan Garcia]

33. TIME HAS COME TODAY!

[senseandsensibility]

34. Great graphic

I'd like to see the protestors carrying signs like this on a huge scale. If they all had these signs it would convey the message to the public very effectively. Go, Cindy!

[Dylan Garcia]

35. Will talk to Cindy this afternoon

At around 3:00 PM (CST)