Posted on 08/24/2005 2:41:48 PM PDT by HiJinx
What follows are posts from FReeper Mom of Two Soldiers, a Vacaville resident who has quite a bit of background knowledge of events of the last few years vis-a-vis the Sheehan's and Vacaville's response to 9/11.
Post #700
Gary Qualls is not the only one at odds with Sheehan.
We were present at the Vacaville caravan two days ago. From the articles in the Associated Press and in the San Francisco Chronicle, one would have thought there were two different functions.
A head count indicated over sixty individuals were present to meet the caravan.
Anxiously, while the group waited for arrival, there were two families present who were somber and anxious. One from Vallejo and one from Vacaville.
The Vallejo family was the brother of a solider hwo had fallen in Iraq. The Vacaville family was a father of a fallen Marine. On March 23, 2003, Marine Lance Cpl. Michael J. Williams, 31, was killed in action during a firefight around Nasiriyah, Iraq. The Yuma, Ariz., native was reported missing in action March 26 before the military changed his status three days later to killed in action. He was based in Camp Lejeune, N.C., and assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade. He was engaged to be married and proposed while on a ship in Kuwait, prior to going into battle.
One could tell that the mention of Sheehan brought up emotions for the family members. Hands visibly shook as the father, Joseph Wilson, put a photograph of his son and a folded flag in front of it, upon the hood of his truck.
Hugs of support were given to him and to one another from members of the group, mostly families of soldiers, former soldiers and those who have been personally touched by the War in Iraq.
By those who were in the same hometown as Cindy Sheehan and who don't agree with her statements that what our sons and daughters were risking their lives for was a "noble cause," that the U.S. get out of Palestine (echoing the sentiments of terrorists)and the partisan political statements she continues to make. "Our government is run by one party, every level," Sheehan continued, "and the mainstream media is a propaganda tool for the government." Sheehan also called the 2004 presidential election "the election, quote-unquote, that happened in November."
They didn't agree with Sheehan's support of Lynn Stewart, who was charged with aiding and abetting terrorists who have been trying to kill our U.S. citizens and our children fighting overseas.
Sheehan said she considered Lynne Stewart her Atticus Finch, the lawyer who defended an innocent Black man accused of rape in the book and film “To Kill A Mockingbird.”
“They’re not waging a War on Terror but a War of Terror,” she said. “The biggest terrorist is George W. Bush.” She claimed “it costs $66,000 to recruit one soldier, not including training, and $49,000 a year to house a prisoner, yet only $6,000 per year is spent to educate a child in California. (Recruiting costs are actually $15,000 per soldier, the cost of housing a prisoner in California for one year is $26,000.)
Sheehan continued, “9/11 was Pearl Harbor for the neo-conservatives’ agenda” and declared the U.S. government a “morally repugnant system.” Then she raged:
We have no Constitution. We’re the only country with no checks and balances. We want our country back if we have to impeach George Bush down to the person who picks up the dog sh-t in Washington! Let George Bush send his two little party animals to die in Iraq. It’s OK for Israel to have nuclear weapons but we are waging nuclear war in Iraq, we have contaminated the entire country. It’s not OK for Syria to be in Lebanon. Hypocrites! But Israel can occupy Palestine? Stop the slaughter!
Nowhere do the articles indicating media bias indicate that Casey reenlisted in the military, coming home for a period of time and encouraging many young Vacaville adults to enlist. That he was proud of what he was doing and he believed in what he was doing in Iraq.
We, in Vacaville, know the family, knew Casey and know of the difficulties the Sheehans had before and after Casey's death.
We knew of the John Kerry campaign coming out to visit them just after it occurred, as they tried to do with many other families. We knew of the referral to the Fenton Communications agency. Most of us know how she has been used.
Many of us comforted the family. Some of our troops, from Travis Air Force Base faced hostile fire to bring Casey home to his parents. Sheehan was grateful then. Now, she slams them for THEIR wishes that the way they honor their fallen be done in privacy.
Nowhere in the articles by the media on the Vacaville event, did it indicate families of other fallen soldiers were at odds with her or even existed.
Nowhere does it state that while individuals were in the parking lot, during the press conferences, vehicles drove by honking in support.
The story of Vacaville was basically ignored by the SF Chronicle and by the Associated Press, who tried to minimize what occurred.
And what occurred were the long time friends and neighbors of Cindy Sheehan standing behind her during her time of grief and standing up against her during her time of anger. Not only long time friends and neighbors, but families and parents of military members, loved ones of fallen soldiers and those who knew Casey and knew he was a hero.
Most frustrating are the times in which Casey died. In March of that year, John Kerry stood up for Al Sadr, the Muslim Cleric who called in his newspaper for the deaths of U.S. troops. Kerry stated in public radio that Al Sadr had a legitimate voice (to call for the deaths of American soldiers in Iraq) and that the military should not have shut down his newspaper. It was Al Sadr's people who killed Casey Sheehan. It was John Kerry who approached her and used her after that occurred. None of us can understand why Cindy Sheehan would embrace someone after that occurred.
So, the REAL story from Vacaville...the truth that the newspapers are not telling you.
When Casey died, the army representative went to her home and it was heartbreaking. He cried as much or more than she did. As did many individuals who served with him at Fort Hood. There is a little section of Fort Hood that they call "Vacaville East."
Vacaville is a middle classed town outside of San Francisco that hosts Travis Air Force Base. Any time something is going on in the world, you know it first here, because the town is "vacant."
Most of our police officers and deputy sheriffs are reservists and have been to Iraq. A good number of the correctional officers at California Medical Facility, the largest prison in the world, are reservists. Many of the retired military live here.
After 9/11, many of our young people left college and enlisted in the military en masse. Mostly in the Army and the Marines. When they came home, they would meet at STARS Recreation Center. It was full of young men and women home on leave this last Christmas.
That was where the daughter, Carly, of the Sheehans worked. Whens she was there, many ignored her after she and her mother started speaking out against the President and the war.
She was mesmerized by the Kerry campaign and their offers to pay their expenses while they traveled across the U.S. supporting him during his campaign. Often she was asked how she could it after his statements about Al Sadr. She was conflicted and could never come up with an answer.
When Kerry made the statements, several of us called his office and asked him why he would support a terrorist. There were letters to the editor about what he did. Cindy knew it. She knew that Al Sadr was picking up on Kerry's talking points and playing on them. We ignored the Kerry requests for support and stood by the President, for whom our children had the utmost respect.
It is difficult here for the rest of the family, especially with so many friends and neighbors who have family members serving. You have to remember, Casey recruited quite a few. And I'm certain Pat (her husband) is going through a very difficult time. I know how hard it is on Joseph Williams. He was shaking during the rally....as memories of the loss of his son, came back. It takes tremendous courage for him to come forward and speak out against Cindy as he has to again relive the past and fight for the honor of his son.
The Sheehan's statement to the Press was strong. They support our troops and they support the families who have children there.
Everyone knows this is not about Casey for Cindy. They know it is all about Cindy. Cindy has always been somewhat liberal, moving here around 1993 from Los Angeles and she pretty much stayed to herself. We attend the same church and she was not all that social.
We have one parent here, Joseph Williams, who has silently grieved and another, Cindy who has made a spectacle and not only brought considerable pain to others, but continues to jeopardize the safety of our children in the military. Two different families and two totally different viewpoints.
In our area, we have lost several soldiers in both Iraq and Afghanistan. We have had them come home, seriously wounded and only wanting to go back. Cindy does not speak for the people of Vacaville. It is a town where fences in her neighborhood are painted to look like the American flag, where yellow ribbons are magnetized to vehicles and where flags hang in front of homes.
None have stood by or supported Cindy.
Post #716: (to: mystery-ak)
I don't know how to start a thread, but you are more than willing to repost them.
I was speaking with my son in law, who flies for the Air Force and, coincidentally, brought Casey home to his parents. It was difficult and emotional as most times when they brought in what they referred to, in code, as, "precious cargo."
It is heartbreaking for them to hear a mom tear down the honor of her son. We, as many others have, in town, promised to stand behind them and make sure nobody ever goes after them the way the public allowed those to do during Vietnam (to include Kerry, Cindy Sheehan's hero.)
Post #722, to BushIsTheMan:
She was not a Kerry supporter initially. She was very much behind the President.
When she returned from meeting with him, she was very much behind him as was her family. It was only AFTER meeting with the Kerry camp that things started to change.
That's why you see so many letters to the editor in the Vacaville Reporter about her "being used."
They gave her and her daughter, Carly, a lot of attention and paid all their expenses throughout the United States. The other liberal groups jumped in, offering more. Obviously, she needed a lot of attention and set herself apart from all the other military families in town with whom one would only suspect she would identify.
Anyway, this explains why Cindy had not addressed this within her own town or tried to organize here but instead associated with the Berkeley "radicals."
Thanks so much for the thread...it looks good and I'll try to keep it bumped...
Think a Canteen Ping would help?
I know this thread belongs here, but could we have it in breaking news for awhile so everyone can see it?.....please!
LOL...maybe the Mods will move it..
They may...
Wow.
Thanks for posting this.
Pinging as requested, plus a couple!
My pleasure.
These are strong words and much-needed insight into what's going on that the MSM won't tell us about.
A must read...please use your ping list..
Read this and use your ping list...
Can you add a "MUST READ" to your title? This is far too important!!
ditto. PLEASE!
Would you fine Folks mind using your ping lists here?
You da man, Jinxie...
Ping
Kerry paid her expenses???
Can this be proven?
wow
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