Posted on 08/20/2005 7:50:19 PM PDT by FairOpinion
CRAWFORD, Texas - A patriotic camp with a "God Bless Our President!" banner sprung up downtown Saturday, countering the anti-war demonstration started by a fallen soldier's mother two weeks ago near President Bush's ranch.
The camp is named "Fort Qualls," in memory of Marine Lance Cpl. Louis Wayne Qualls, 20, who died in Iraq last fall.
"If I have to sacrifice my whole family for the sake of our country and world, other countries that want freedom, I'll do that," said the soldier's father, Gary Qualls, a friend of the local business owner who started the pro-Bush camp. He said his 16-year-old son now wants to enlist, and he supports that decision.
Qualls' frustration with the anti-war demonstrators erupted last week when he removed a cross bearing his son's name that was among hundreds the group had put up along the road to Bush's ranch.
Qualls called the protesters' views disrespectful to soldiers, and said he had to yank out two more crosses after protesters kept replacing them.
Cindy Sheehan, whose 24-year-old son, Army Spc. Casey Sheehan, died last year in Iraq, started the anti-war demonstration along the roadside on Aug. 6. "Camp Casey" has since grown to about 100 core participants, and hundreds more from across the nation have visited.
Sheehan vowed to remain there until Bush agreed to meet with her or until his monthlong vacation ended, but she flew to Los Angeles last week after her 74-year-old mother had a stroke. Her mother has some paralysis but is in good spirits, and if she improves, Sheehan may return to Texas in a few days, some demonstrators said.
In her absence, the rest of the group will keep camping out for the unlikely chance to question the president about the war that has claimed the lives of about 1,850 U.S. soldiers.
Bush has said he sympathizes with Sheehan but won't change his schedule to meet with her. She and other families met with Bush about two months after Casey Sheehan died, before she became a vocal opponent of the war.
Large counter-protests were held in a ditch near Sheehan's site a week after she arrived, and since then, a few Bush supporters have stood in the sun holding signs for several hours each day.
Bill Johnson, a local gift shop owner who created "Fort Qualls," said he wanted to offer a larger, more convenient place for Bush supporters to gather.
He and others at "Fort Qualls" have asked for a debate with those at the Crawford Peace House, which is helping Sheehan.
It's unclear if that will happen. But a member of Gold Star Families for Peace, co-founded by Sheehan and comprised of relatives of fallen soldiers, said her group would not participate.
"We're asking for a meeting with the president, period," said Michelle DeFord, whose 37-year-old son, Sgt. David W. Johnson, was in the Army National Guard from Oregon when he was killed in Iraq last fall. "We don't want to debate with people who don't understand our point of view."
somewhere, in the Nixon Library I would think, are millions of checks written to President Nixon with "all my support" written on the payline. This happened in 1969 in response to the antiwar crowd which by that time was getting whipped up by the likes of Tom Hayden, fonda, etc.
One of those checks bears my signature.
bttt
I dont deny that,,,,, Ill be the first to tell you that I dont even begin to understand the way they think or why they think it. How people can puruse doing the wrong and self destructive with such energy is a mystery. How they embrace Marxism and call it freedom is a complete Mystery. So you say I dont understand how there people operate? Well, I wont argue with you over that, moonbat hippies are a mystery to me.
The only problem I have with Camp Qualls is that it appears to give Sheehan some legitimacy for using her son's name and makes it harder to argue that Sheehan is exploiting her son. Just a thought.
I forgot to add....we also have the whole "Camp Qualls vs. Camp Casey" issue. Battle of the dead soldiers??? Just seems disrespectful. I doubt either soldier would have wanted their names used like this...especially since it sounds like soldier against soldier. They were together in the war...and now we have divided them in death. Shame on us. :(
Well then go get 'em fellows. Whatever the most effective method is I support. I am not a pacifist, and support confronting enemies "foreign and domestic". I make a living as a Police Officer, I understand the importance of making a stand and confronting evil. Just never been involved with activism.
Where my concerns are is not wanting to feed kook fringe with attention. But you did make some good points about ignoring them and what history shows with that. I just want those freaks off my TV and out of my State.
Somehow, the "FReepers in the Ditch" just doesn't have the same 'ring' to it. LOL.
God Bless the Qualls family and ALL of the TRUE Americans up in Crawford.
"We don't want to debate with people who don't understand our point of view."
Lovely....how American.....
leftonazis
Why don't we call these people
"the force against tyranny?"
The honest lefty reminds me of the two anti-war protesters I passed by on the street this afternoon. They were handing out fliers. When they offered me a flyer, I told them calmly that I disagreed with them completely on the issue. One of the protesters started ranting at me with "if it's not a war of aggression, what is it?" "no blood for oil" and the ever-popular "the money is going to Bush's cronies". What's the use of even trying to debate with those people? And they think OUR opinions are set in stone!
"We don't want t odebate with people who don't understand our point of view"
We understand you, you lefty puke. We understand you just fine.
America bad, terrorist pigs good.
Sheehan herself has said she really doesn't want to speak with Bush. Doing so would take the wind out of their sails. The demand to meet with Bush was a smokescreen for leftist agitation all along.
I appreciate your honest and forthright comments. From post #23:
moonbat hippies are a mystery to me.
Thank you for the grin. They are a mystery to me also, Grego, and I deal with them every week.
I am not a pacifist, and support confronting enemies "foreign and domestic".
Trust me when I say, these communist, anti-war, "peace-nik" frauds are indeed a domestic enemy.
I make a living as a Police Officer
Yikes! Being a LEO in this day and age is rough. Thank you for your service.
Just never been involved with activism.
;*) Nor have I. March 19, 2005 was my first ever. Now I confront them every week. This week I was honored to show support for our troops twice, demonstrating against those that want to destroy my heroes.
I understand your wanting them off your TV and out of your state! I hardly turn TV on any more. When I do, I barely last 5 minutes. If it was December-February, I would be in Texas. As it is I can't deal with the heat here.
I was still in high school, in a very rural community during the hay day of the protesters. My senior year classmates and recent grads, friends and boyfriends of friends, were being drafted. We couldn't even vote, but were very vocal about our support of President Nixon.
The above is your tag line. That is why we must protest the likes of Ms. Sheehan and the leftist.
"Now I confront them every week. This week I was honored to show support for our troops twice, demonstrating against those that want to destroy my heroes." -Justanobody
OK fellows, I'm on board. Can't argue with good logic. Time to make a stand. If its done with dignity yet determination. If an example of Patriotism and traditional values can be set, Im there. But secretly I do wish we could do this "Old School Texas Style"
Take that you America Hating Hippie!
Thanks for the pictures!!!
excellent point,and thank you for your service!
I'm definitely with you on that one!
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