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,
You, Mr. Dendrite, need to calm your heart down. We're typing on a computer screen. This is NOT real life. Relax.
And you still have a cool handle.
"I tell my students to "look it up.""
Look it up? You made the phony claim, not us. You must be embarassed mr phony PHD.
We aren't your students, Sparky. GOT IT?
When someone makes an assertion on the web, he should be able to back it up with facts lest he look like a horse's ass. Which you are doing a marvelous impression of right now.
"Security Moms" vote for anyone who makes them feel all soft and warm and fuzzy via television commercials. That's the definition of a Security Mom.
They used to be called...oh hell, what was it Rush called them...anyway, they were equally taken in my Clinton who convinced them, each and every one, that he'd treat them to better sex than anyone on earth.
Television rules their lives. and there's millions of them. And that's frightening.
"You, Mr. Dendrite, need to calm your heart down. We're typing on a computer screen. This is NOT real life. Relax."
Im completely relaxed. We're simply asking you to verify a statement we believe to be false. You have yet to do so which makes things a little more curious...
OK. I agree FDR had charm, a knack for communication and leadership - even though I do not agree with the causes to which he used his skills.
W does not have that type of skill. But he is not a puppet. Those of us on FR whom you accuse of groupthink trust W because we see in him a simplicity and sincerity that we relate to; those who think of themselves as "sophisticated" (read "cynical") consider those virtues to be meaningless or worse.
W's team, and Republicans in general, are very bad at PR. I don't know why. But even if they were the BEST, it would be very hard to get their message out, because of the bias of the mainstream media who control public knowledge and even the agenda of public discussion.
You can stay on-message, you can package your story, you can stage all the great events you want - but if THEY won't cover you, you might as well not exist.
Thank God for the media that you put down so scornfully - Fox and Drudge and the blogs. Otherwise we conservatives would still be marginalized into silence.
It doesn't work anymore - we now know we are not alone.
My students ask me questions every day, and I direct them to a book or article which they're well-off reading. This is often a good springboard for their choosing a topic for their inevitable class paper.
You are a dip who's getting emotional while typing on a computer screen.
"Suzie Creamcheese," I like that.
Your point about the patience of the American public is well-taken. It's short, and reaching its end. This mess is nipping off some of that fuse length every day.
Come on it is common knowledge that FDR met with each and every Japanese American before they went into the camps. They went through the gates with smiles on their faces.
you know what that paryer moment is? a wolf in sheeps clothing waiting for W
Yeah us undeducated masses should just sit back and take the pablum spewed by our handlers.
Not.
Phd's do not mean wisdom, look around you at some of your fellow Phd's and decide if you are of the same ilk.
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.They also have some links to issues and actions against this misappropriation.
So basically what we have is the leftists using the extreme leftist National Council of Churchs, who is misappropriating the Gold Star Mother's designation to try and make the most openly christian President of the last few years appear unwilling to meet for "Prayer."
Goebbles would be proud.
I worked middle management for an International pharmaceutical company while working for my Master's and PhD. I could tell you stories about suits you wouldn't believe.
But, then again, you're full of righteous vapor and wouldn't listen, anyway.
That be them...
Oh, that's right - I forgot about them ; )
Quit bloviating and answer the question.....
blah blah blah
Do you have a life?
Do you have an answer to our question, Mr. phd?
W needs to be clever about it, somehow. A direct confrontation will only play into the hands of his enemies, who are using this poor woman.
Yes. Do you have any answers other than personal insults? Nope.
And considering the number of useless posts you're sending, who are you to be asking anyone else if they have a life, "Professor No-Answer"?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.