Posted on 08/16/2005 12:57:52 PM PDT by areafiftyone
New York, August 16, 2005 – The General Secretary of the National Council of Churches is urging President Bush to join with Gold Star families and religious leaders in an interfaith prayer service outside the Bush ranch at noon (CDT) Friday,
The prayer service has been called by Gold Star mother Cindy Sheehan “as an opportunity for Americans and others across the world to pray for our soldiers in Iraq, their families and in particular the mothers of our fallen.”
Sheehan, along with United Methodist laywoman Celeste Zappala and other Gold Star mothers, has been waiting outside the Bush compound to meet with the President since his five-week vacation began.
“I urge the President and the First Lady to join this brief and simple service,” said the Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, NCC General Secretary. Edgar visited the Gold Star mothers and their families outside the presidential ranch and conducted a worship service on August 12. The visit was at the invitation of his fellow United Methodist, Celeste Zappala, whose son Sherwood was killed in Iraq.
“This war, like any war, has generated terrible losses, immense pain and sharp divisions in our country,” Edgar said. “Each day we see the pain in the faces of the Gold Star mothers and their families. It’s evident that President Bush, who has faced agonizing decisions in this war, feels the pain as well.”
“Whether or not we agree with Mr. Bush’s decisions,” Edgar said, “and whether or not he agrees with us, we can agree that we’re all feeling a heavy burden of grief. Let’s suspend the rhetoric for a few minutes on Friday and join together – commander-in-chief and families of the fallen – to seek strength from the God who sustains us all.”
In an open letter to religious leaders August 15, Sheehan urged those who cannot attend to host a prayer vigil in their cities. “We ask you to join us in a simultaneous moment of silent prayer to honor all who have been affected by this war.”
The service will take place at “Camp Casey,” an impromptu encampment outside the Bush compound named for Sheehan’s son, Casey Sheehan, who was killed in Baghdad on April 4, 2004. Camp Casey, which displays white crosses named for those who have been killed in Iraq, has become a gathering place for Gold Star families and their supporters.
The full text of the Sheehan August 15 letter to religious letters follows:
Dear Religious Leader:
Family members of fallen soldiers, who have joined me in Crawford, and I invite you to attend a moment of silent prayer at 12:00 noon (Central Daylight Time) this Friday, August 19th at Camp Casey just outside the Presidents’ Ranch. We’re holding this moment of prayer as an opportunity for Americans and others across the world to pray for our soldiers in Iraq, their families and in particular the mothers of our fallen. We have also invited President Bush and the first lady to join us in praying for the troops.
Several family members of fallen soldiers have joined with me in Crawford and will take part in the moment of silent prayer. Outside the President’s ranch we have set up a temporary camp named “Camp Casey” and a memorial of crosses with names of fallen soldiers has been erected, which is where the prayer service will take place.
If you cannot attend our service in Crawford, Texas please consider hosting a prayer vigil in your city. We ask you to join us in a simultaneous moment of silent prayer to honor all who have been affected by this war. You are welcome to contact your local media and inform them of your vigil.
My son, Casey Sheehan, 24, of Vacaville, Calif., died in Baghdad, Iraq, on April 4, 2004, when his unit was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. When President Bush began his 5 week vacation, I decided to camp outside his ranch in hopes of meeting with him to ask some unanswered questions about the war and the needless loss of lives of so many. Thus far the President has refused to meet, but my resolve is strong and I will remain in Crawford until the meeting takes place or his vacation ends.
Thank you in advance for your consideration and support of this interfaith prayer service.
Respectfully,
Cindy Sheehan
Mother of Casey Sheehan
Picture courtesy of Lone Star Iconoclast.
If you plan to go to Crawford, travel logistics provided by the Sheehan support team can be found here
Contact: NCC News, Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2252,
I think it's just another point to screech about when he doesn't. Setting up another media episode for next week. Apparently that's what you have to do to keep the media spotlight -- think in terms of episodes.
Ouch!! OW! Oh ow!! Ow, ow, ow!
Can't handle dissidence, can you? Folks, that's groupthink in a nutshell.
This is too funny. THIS from a Freeper who has posted NOTHING but personal attacks and self lauditory verbal pap.
Talk about your GROUP think. All you have done is regurgitate the Hysterical Leftist talking points.
Groupthink is a term coined by psychologist Irving Janis in 1972 to describe a process by which a group can make bad or irrational decisions. In a groupthink situation, each member of the group attempts to conform his or her opinions to what they believe to be the consensus of the group. In a general sense this seems to be a very rationalistic way to approach the situation. However this results in a situation in which the group ultimately agrees upon an action which each member might individually consider to be unwise (the risky shift).
Mr. C, I'll say it again...
The White House doesn't have to meet with her. They have to shut her up somehow.
Now, put your knee back under your desk.
Isn't the "Gold Star" a military award which is controlled like any other military award/medal?
seems the military can very quickly say the "gold star" is not to be used as a partisan political tool.
There is nothing the president could do or say that would satisfy this woman or her followers. So why should he flip flop and grovel at the feet of one loon to appease the left. He already met with her, you know, before she realized how wrong the war was. What right does she have to waste any more of the country's time with this stunt? I'd like to sit down with the president and talk about illegal immigration. However, I'm a sane individual who understands that he can't have private one on ones with every citizen to address their concerns.
Could you please cite evidence for this?
Answer questions. Don't lecture.
You have spent this threads asserting your intelligence without demonstrating it. Yes, we understand, you claim to be a professor and you hear from hundreds of people a day, but that doesn't matter here, what matters is what's on the page. A super genius should know that merely asserting one's knowledge is worthless in what is supposed to be a substantive debate.
And really, for someone who keeps dodging and making these magnificent, original, insightful comments like "I never said meeet with her. I said shut her up. Read. Don't react." you really need to work to actually prove your mental abilities, not just tell us about them:
post 22 from warchild 9:
let's just skip the high school clichees...Most people, when they see one of those clichees ...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1464453/posts
Now, I know that you're all-knowing and all powerful, Professor Oz, and we all make typing errors, but when someone claiming to be a professor with hundreds of students spells the word "clichees" TWICE, I have to say I wouldn't trust your "knowledge" on much.
My PhD is in history. I know WWII lore.
I mention my PhD to tease people. I've met too many stupid PhD's to do anything other than joke about it.
Then they go out and buy $3 a gallon gasoline. What is the accumulated effect, do you think?
Nothing. It is clear you have no Economics background. Go look up Supply and Demand.
You are big on bets. I will bet you $1000.00 that Gas will be cheaper on Aug 15, 2006 then it is right now. I just payed $2.65 a gallon for us to use as the bench mark
Never
Never
Never
did I say MEET WITH HER.
I said SHUT HER UP.
Or suffer harm in the media circus. And it's happening.
"Ehh...who's got the PhD in this field and who learns their political science from Fox News and Rush Limbaugh. "
LMFAO...Some Phd, your phrase:"FDR's approach to dissidents was to invite them to the White House and treat them to a barrage of charm and awe"
was just proven a lie, and you have yet to address #102.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1464570/posts?page=102#102
Buzz off troll
Whatever. Spelling police are uusually insecure. I'm trying to keep up with too many posters...while doing something else entirely on the computer.
I'm talking about public perception; quit trying to attack me.
A boob who's putting $50 into a tankful of gas is not thinking kindly about the Federal Government.
Name-calling is another sign of high school groupthink.
Read my posts UNEMOTIONALLY, if you can.
And you still have a cool handle.
He also stays long after the cameras have left. Great comments, btw.
I never said you said "Meet with her" did I? I'm glad you admit, finally, that the National Security Advisor coming out to her dusty little roadside in NOT "stick-your-finger-in-your-ears-and-she'll-go-away" strategy though. There's hope for you yet.
Usurped I believe is the word you are looking for.
And from the REAL American Gold Star Mothers' home page:
Cindy Sheehan is currently in the news. She and her organization have no connection whatever with American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. We are a 501 C(3) organization and, as such, do not engage in political activities. We do support our troops. After all, they are our children. More on gold star mothers vs American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.
http://www.goldstarmoms.com/agsm/Home/index.htm
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