Get yourself to DC this weekend!

Bring Them Home Now Tour Arrives in DC, Delivers Questions to White House

Reuters
September 21st, 2005

Antiwar Mom Sheehan Takes Protest to White House

 WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Cindy Sheehan, whose son was killed fighting in Iraq and who camped for weeks outside U.S. President George W. Bush's Texas ranch to protest the war, brought her message to Washington on Wednesday with rallies and lobbying ahead of a larger demonstration this weekend.

Sheehan was joined by about 30 supporters in her march down Pennsylvania Avenue to deliver a letter to Bush urging him to pull the troops out of Iraq.

``We want to hold this administration accountable. Nobody's asking them the hard questions but you know what, we're willing to come here,'' said Sheehan, the California mother whose son Casey was killed in combat in Iraq.

``We're willing to spend weeks out of our lives and ask them the hard questions,'' she added after handing a poster-sized petition through the iron gates of the White House to a staff member who promised to deliver it.

Camping out during much of August while Bush was vacationing in Crawford, Texas, Sheehan's rallies drew crowds that sometimes numbered in the hundreds as she demanded a meeting with Bush. Bush, who met with Sheehan in 2004 after her son was killed, refused to meet with her a second time.

Organizers of Saturday's anti-war rally on the Ellipse behind the White House say they expect tens of thousands of people to turn out against the Iraq war.

'STILL A WAR ON'

The fledgling movement appeared to stall after the protesters left Bush's ranch, largely overshadowed by the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe. Though a second powerful hurricane now threatens the Gulf coast, the protesters said the fighting in Iraq didn't stop because of hurricanes or other bad news.

``There's still a war on,'' Sheehan said on Capitol Hill. ''Nine Americans were killed yesterday in Iraq. We will end this war. We will bring the troops home.''

Sheehan and about 30 fellow anti-Iraq war protesters left Texas on August 31 split into three groups to take their message across the country.

They regrouped on Wednesday in Washington, where they will create another ``Camp Casey'' on the National Mall, meet with members of the U.S. Congress, and take part in the protest march and rally on Saturday.

Most of the people traveling with Sheehan were either veterans themselves or relatives of young men and women in Iraq. One couple, Linda and Phil Waste of Hinesville, Georgia, have three sons and two grandchildren who are now serving or who have served in Iraq.

Sheehan said she would remain in Washington until the middle of next week.

Among those she plans to meet with is Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, whom Sheehan has said voters should reject if she fails to toughen her stance against the war.

Outside the White House, Sheehan criticized Democrats for not speaking out strongly enough against the war and said they should ``stand up for what they know is right.''

The band of protesters drove through Washington in three recreational vehicles, delayed by the tight security that restricts traffic around the Capitol building, before going to the White House. Then they were to set up their camp near the Washington Monument.

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Meet with the Mothers

Wednesday, August 31st Camp Casey expands to include not just the front door to Bush’s vacation home in Crawford Texas, but to the front doors of members of Congress and the Senate.  Three buses left Camp Casey to head North, East and South carrying Gold Star Moms, Military Families Speaking Out, Veterans for Peace and Iraq Veterans Against the War.  On the road they will visit members of Congress in the districts they pass asking for a meeting and answers to Cindy’s questions.  You can join this campaign as the buses pass through or join actions being organized in your community.  Cindy sent a letter to all the members of Congress holding them responsible for taking us into war and therefore ending this war.  We need you to create a Camp Casey outside the offices of those who are not agreeing to a meeting.  <AHREF="HTTP: modinput4.php?modin='51"' meetwiththemothers.org>Sign up here to join in, check in daily to see who is answered and who hasn’t, and support this effort to hold our leaders responsible and accountable.  We have a short window, we want to have contacted all the members by the time Cindy and the buses arrive in Washington, DC for the mass mobilization on September 24th.  We will be at the offices of those who aren’t responding on September 26th to lobby them and let them experience the pressure from citizens’ voices emboldened at Camp Casey.

  Latest Meeting Rep. Waxman
Rep: Henry Waxman Answers: "The terrible truth is that not only did the President mislead our nation into war, but he sent our troops into battle without the protective equipment they needed. In every respect, the President’s Iraq policy has failed-it has failed our troops, the American people, the Iraqi people, and the international community. There is nothing noble in that failure." read more >>

Rep. Hastert
REFUSED TO MEET!!! read more >>

Rep. DeLay
REFUSED TO MEET!!! read more >>
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American Military Deaths in Iraq  

Total In combat Since war began: 1907 1520

Since 5/1/2003: 1770 1412  

Official Estimated Total wounded: 14362 15000-42500