ANTI-WAR PROTESTERS TARGET WOUNDED AT ARMY HOSPITAL

Re: VIGIL FOR THE WOUNDED

by j
(No verified email address)
02 Apr 2005

Just something to consider: this was a bear of an action to try and cover image wise. I stopped by Walter Reed about an hour before one of the vigils to scout it out, and it was about as hostile to photography as you can get: overall very dark but with glaring directional spot lights, and by a security check point (which doesn't take kindly to photography).

I'm not saying that "make it photogenic" is the main criteria for a political action--far from it--but just thought it was worth mulling over in considering future actions.

Re: VIGIL FOR THE WOUNDED
by karl roenfanz ( rosey )
k_rosey48 (at) hotmail.com (unverified)

02 Apr 2005
this set of wars have racked many firsts for the bush administration. the first war the caskets were not allowed to be viewed by the general public, the first american war that the government hid the wounded from the public. the frist war the presinent couldn't finish his own military service because he was to druggerd up to do his duty.

Re: VIGIL FOR THE WOUNDED
by FRED
(No verified email address)

02 Apr 2005
Media you know very well this is not for the troops, is just another way for you to protest the President. Why dont you be homest about it!\

Re: VIGIL FOR THE WOUNDED
by Sincere?????
(No verified email address)

03 Apr 2005
Modified: 01:03:18 AM
From a soldiers point of view I hope that all of these events by Code Pink are sincere and are being done to really honor the sacrifice of those men and women and not as something else.

If Code Pink is truly honoring them then god bless you, and I must admit I feel bad as I misjudge your organization and I'm wrong in what I have thought about Code Pink.

On the other hand if your using fellow wounded soldiers and the photos of the coffins of the men and women in uniform who have given everything as a prop to push some anti war message or some political agenda then I pray I never run into any of your protest.

I'm a soldier and proud of it and as a fair warning if these protest at Military Hospitals are done to promote some political view you need stop and think about what your doing and know even if you think what your doing is for the greater good that sometimes you can only go but so far before you push the people that it effects into acting in the only way they know how.

The simple fact is for many of us in uniform it can become real personal issue when you start f**king with our fellow wounded and those that have died as a prop.

I'm sure that this thought must be wrong cause nobody in Code Pink would be that crazy to do that?

Re: VIGIL FOR THE WOUNDED
by Dear Soldier
(No verified email address)

03 Apr 2005
Code Pink, in partnership with other "anti-war" groups operates the International Occupation Watch Center in Baghdad.

On their website, the IOWC personnel have written articles "documenting" how US snipers killed 57 innocent women in Fallujah.

Do you believe that?

On their website, the IOWC personnel have written articles "documenting" how Iraqis are afraid to leave their homes because US troops shoot people for sport.

Do you believe that?

I don't believe Code Pink because I know soldiers.

Re: VIGIL FOR THE WOUNDED
by Al
(No verified email address)

03 Apr 2005
"Honor the sacrifice", sacrifice for what, so a lying insincere Bush who wouldn't stop vacationing (Aug. 2001) to respond to the PDB entitled 'Bin Laden to Strike in USA" and wouldn't break a photo-op on 9/11 to boot-(yet flew back to DC to play politics with a the 15 year brain dead Schiavo woman), so this lying huckster could be a war president and get re-elected?

Sacrifice so that the USA can torture and murder thousands of Iraqi's in an illegal invasion, which was opposed by the late Pope, and was based on a maneur pile of transparent lies?

Sacrifice so the US can be bankrupted, morally and financially by endless war?

No I will honor the sacrifice of those service members who, on realizing the criminal and racist nature of the Iraq enterprise, have claimed CO status and refrained from particiapating in more killing in a country the US doesn't belong. We already have a wall with the names of over 50,000 Americans who died for nothing but enriching war profiteering corporations like KBR (kill, burn and loot).

Re: VIGIL FOR THE WOUNDED
by amused
(No verified email address)

03 Apr 2005
code pink....a commie by any other name. F**k you code pink and all the idiot folks who have been taken in by your lies.

Re: VIGIL FOR THE WOUNDED
by Midge Potts
maioan2001 (at) yahoo.com (verified)

04 Apr 2005
I was not at the Walter Reed vigil every night, but I did join this action on Monday and the second Friday.

It was very solemn.

I can't claim to know every other participant's motives, political or otherwise, but I do know that I was sincerely praying for healing during my time standing at the gate to Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

I am a veteran. In fact, there were several veterans there. The message was very respectful to those wounded soldiers who currently reside in that facility. The message was "Support the troops whne they come home", "Funding for wounded, not for war", and "The REAL Co$t of war"

Fred, Sincere, Dear Soldier, Amused... You have been misled... It is American President George W. Bush who does NOT support the troops. It is this Republican controlled Congress who have cut veterans benefits, raised prescription co-pays by 700%, and lenthed the time that veterans must wait to see a doctor, closed/consolidated VA hospitals, underfunded staffing needs at VA clinics across the country.
It is Presdient Bush's policies that have turned the National Guard, forces that were desigend to be state militia's for homeland security, into full-time military forces; many of these people served their communities as police, firefighters, and paramedics, nurses, and doctors.... many have been forced to serve longer tours than the active duty military personnel they are deployed with.

President Bush DOES NOT support the troops.

He supports the military-industrial complex whose theory is that "war is good for the economy".

My question for President Bush is
What Would Jesus Do?

George Bush may claim to be a "Christian", but any discerning intelligent person can see that he clearly does not follow the teachings of Jesus.

Re: VIGIL FOR THE WOUNDED
by Doug Nelson
douglasfoto (at) hotmail.com (unverified)

06 Apr 2005
The biggest difference I see in the Viet Nam era and now is that protest is not a mainstream thing to do, not a social event. These people who maintained the vigil at Walter Reed and others protest out of sincere conviction.

The sad truth is that not until the US institutes the draft will protest be considered socially acceptable. It's not that the TV watchers and SUV drivers don't care that somebody else's kids are being maimed and killed, but it is out of mind, as these kids are seldom their own. Sadder still is the indifference to the numbers of Iraqis killed and the grave injustices done to them.

You soldiers have no more control over where you are sent and what you do than we did in Viet Nam. Some of you were already in military service when 9-11 went down; some of you joined to go after the very people who did this to us.

In the situations in which soldiers are placed, innocent people are killed, at traffic stops, in cases of mistaken identity. We know when we screw up, and suffer for it. Anyone who reads news knows that some among our troops do what they think they can get away with. Good soldiers call them on it- on torture, beatings, wanton killing. We know that helicopter gunships strafed people, civilians among them, in the river outside Fallujah. We know that patients and doctors were roughed up and driven out of hospitals.

I don't know anyone in the peace movement who characterizes all soldiers by the behavior of a few. Many of us have been soldiers.

If it were up to me, you guys would not have been placed in the situation in which we find ourselves in Iraq. Do you think for a minute that we ourselves would not defend our country if some army came and occupied us?Do we really think that the folks we have locked up at Guantanamo are all guilty of planning 9-11?

We went to war based on lies. The issue is not the soldiers who are caught up in it, inless you think its justified to occupy another country, based on fabricated intelligence.

My father, a combat vet of WWII, begged me not to go to Viet Nam. I had to go and find out for myself that that war was based on lies. I lived with the self-perpetuating nature of war, the demand that soldiers protect one another by doing their jobs. The war becomes its own justification when we lose comrades and suffer for it. We don't want it to be in vain. Viet Nam acomplished nothing, and people of my generation just cannot accept it.

War is failure, of diplomacy, of planning, of intelligence. It is the ultimate foolishness, to send people to kill and be killed, because someone says God wills it. Lest we be accused of aiding the enemy, let it be said that sending kids to be suicide bombers is only another culture's take on the Big Lie, that God or Allah wants us to inflict suffering and to kill.

The folks treating the troops at Walter Reed care for them and, I am sure, love them. As a former Veterans Administration counselor, I can tell you that VA folks care about you. However, the budgetary resources and people have to be in place to give these soldiers the care they need. Disturbing reports are coming out that our country could be doing a lot better. Much more is known about PTSD than during the Viet Nam war. State of the art care needs to be available to these guys.

Now look around and see how many of the people who are favor of this war are speaking out for better care and benefits for these soldiers. David Chu, the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense, said that caring for these guys detracts from our defense budget. What kind of values does this represent?

Whatever your take on this, soldiers, there are good writers, poets, photographers and songwriters among you. Let your thoughts be known. Thanks for writing to indymedia. This is supposed to be what we're about.

Doug Nelson*
Veterans for Peace

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* Douglas Nelson
Vietnam Veterans Against the War

Doug Nelson is a member of VVAW from Virginia.

Doug Nelson of McLean, Va., a Vietnam war veteran,

******

What democracy are we trying to sell? Is it one in which the press is controlled by a combination of corporate wealth and government? Is it one in which congressional districts are organized as to dilute voting blocs? Is it one in which voting fraud is rampant? Is it one in which civil liberties can be put aside for those deemed \"terrorists\"? How about a democracy in which all politicians are bought by corporate interests?

Look at \"old Europe\". They offer health care to all their citizens, are committed to quality education, and encourage public transportation. Yet we don't see them parading their affluence and power, claiming to be wiser than the rest of the world, although they certainly tried their hand at just that in the last two centuries. Maybe they have learned from their mistakes.

I have to reject this idea of America as the true heir to every expression of representative government in human history. This notion strikes me as too similar to that of the Russians with Communism, or, for that matter, with the Islamic fundamentalists.

I need to see a definite rejection of America as the \"true repository of all that is good, just and noble\" before I will sign off on any statement over my name.

Douglas Nelson
Veterans for Peace

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Aug. 12, 2004

The Truth Will Set You Free?
6:30 p.m., Kay Lounge. Douglas Nelson from Veterans for Peace will speak to the Baptist Students Fellowship about the threats received by the soldier who contributed to the Abu Ghraib investigation and about his own experience in Vietnam. Contact Marinetta Cannito Hjort at marinetta@msn.com.

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Veterans for Peace set up a permanent intervention outside Sacramento's military processing center.
By Jason Probst (06-30-05)

Cindy Sheehan Address Veterans For Peace Convention, August 5, 2005

http://www.militaryproject.org/article.asp?id=646
2005-08-08 David Swanson's diary, at Meetwithcindy.org

Cindy Sheehan:

It's so great to be here.

Last year when you guys had your convention in Boston, my son had only been dead a few months, and we were really honored because the Santa Barbara chapter took my daughter's poem A Nation Rocked to Sleep, (and they did it again this year), and I remember Michael Cervantes, he brought the booklet over to our house and showed it to us, and I never dreamed in a year I'd be standing here in front of you as one of the speakers at your convention, I never dreamed I'd be doing this at all, but isn't it weird what life hands you.

I never heard about Veterans for until, I can tell you the exact day I heard about VFP, it was May 4th, 2004, and my son had been dead exactly a month, and I was watching CNN, and something came on, it was a report on Arlington West in Santa Barbara, and we lived about 6 hours north of Santa Barbara, and it was the May 4th before Mother's Day, which was May 8th, and VFP was going to put it up on Sunday, every Sunday, so I called my husband and I said, "There's only one place I want to be on Mother's Day this year, I want to be at Santa Barbara. I want to go and see Arlington West."

When we went, the first time we went, there was a little over 700 crosses, now there's over 1,800 crosses.

And I'm glad to hear everybody else's words, because somebody's gotta stop those lying bastards. Somebody has to stop them.

I got an email yesterday - - If you guys heard I just had a story published that talks about - - it's called Where Do I Live?, it talks about an Iranian-American who got the shaft because a recruiter liked him, and the recruiter falsified his paperwork, so he ended up in prison.

He's been in prison since November without due process.

Another mother whose son was found dead in Iraq, they told her that he died from a drug overdose. Three months later, they got the toxicology report; no drugs. She was devastated, she said, "I know my son, he did not do drugs." She was told that her son's wife and his battle buddies said in a report that yes, her son abused drugs in Iraq. But when she got that report it said categorically that no, he did not abuse drugs. So how did her son die?

And then there's Kevin and Monica Benderman. Kevin did exactly the right thing and got 15 months in prison. Whereas like Dahr said, the war criminals in Washington, D.C., they don't even lose a night's sleep.

Then we have this lying bastard, George Bush, taking a 5-week vacation in a time of war. You know what? I'm never going to get to enjoy another vacation, because of him.

My vacation probably - -this is really sad because I have a really cute dress I was going to wear to the banquet tomorrow night, but I'm either gonna be in jail or in a tent in Crawford, waiting until that jerk comes out and tells me why my son died.

Anyway, I got an email, I kinda got off track, a man emailed me yesterday, I get contacted by all kinds of people with their stories, and he said Cindy, I read everything you write, I read it on LewRockwell.com, he said, "I get tears in my eyes, but today I cried real tears, and I screamed, because my dear sweet nineteen ear-old cousin was killed in Iraq."

And he said, "Cindy, why didn't I save him? Why didn't I knock him out, why didn't I take him to Canada?" and I wrote him back and I said, "You know what? We all think that."

I said to my son not to go. I said, you know it's wrong, you know you're going over there. You know your unit might have to kill innocent people, you know you might die. And he says, "My buddies are going, I have to go." He said, "If I don't go someone's going to have to do my job, and my buddies will be in danger."

So what really gets me is these chickenhawks, who sent our kids to die, without ever serving in a war themselves. They don't know what it's all about.

30 of our bravest young men have already died this month, and it's only the 5th of August. And the tragedy of the marines in Ohio is awful.

But do you guys remember back in March when we were having our 2nd year anniversary of the invasion of Iraq which was pre-empted by Terry Schiavo, so that's all that was on the news, not 5,000 of us in Fayetteville, Wolf Blitzer said it was insignificant, but they put Terry Schiavo on, and I wrote something then called The Amazing Hypocrites and I asked why does she deserve life more than my son, and the Iraqi people? And more than the other people that this war has killed.

But do you think George Bush will interrupt his vacation and go visit the families of those 20 marines that have died in Ohio this week? No, because he doesn't care, he doesn't have a heart. That's not enough to stop his little playing cowboy' game in Crawford for 5 weeks.

So, as you can imagine, the grieving parents who lost - - lost, I don't like to use that word, whose child was murdered, it's extremely difficult, you can't even get a small scab on our wound, because every day it rips open. Every day, I don't know why I do it because I already know that war is ugly, I already know that war is hard. But I open up the DOD site to see, who became an angel, while I was sleeping.

And that rips my heart open, because I know there is another mother whose life is going to be ruined that day. So we can't even begin to heal.

So anyway that filth-spewer and warmonger, George Bush was speaking after the tragedy of the marines in Ohio, he said a couple things that outraged me.

Seriously outraged me.

And I know I don't look like I'm outraged, I'm always so calm and everything, that's because if I started hitting something, I wouldn't stop til it was dead. So I can't even start, cause I know how dangerous that would be, but George Bush was talking, and he never mentioned the terrible incident of those marines, but he did say, that the families of the ones who have been killed can rest assured that their loved ones died for a noble cause.

And, he also said, he says this often, and this really drives me crazy, he said that we have to stay in Iraq and complete the mission, to honor the sacrifices of the ones who have fallen.

And I say, why should I want one more mother to go through what I've gone through, because my son is dead. You know what, the only way he can honor my son's sacrifice is to bring the rest of the troops home. To make my son's death count for peace and love, and not war and hatred like he stands for.

I don't want him using my son's death or my family's sacrifice to continue the killing. I don't want him to exploit the honor of my son and others to continue the killing. They sent these honorable people to die, and are so dishonorable themselves.

So, as many of you have heard, and I didn't mean to cause any problems with the convention, but I was writing an email to everybody, and I was so mad, like I said, and I just had this brainstorm, I'm going to Dallas, I don't know where Crawford is. I've been in Texas, Casey was stationed at Fort Hood. I drove from northern California to Fort Hood one time, it took like, 30 hours. And I thought, I could be driving for days to get from Dallas to Crawford!

But I don't care, I'm goin'. And I'm gonna tell them, "You get that evil maniac out here, cuz a Gold Star Mother, somebody who's blood is on his hands, has some questions for him."

And I'm gonna say, "OK, listen here, George. #1, you quit, and I demand, every time you get out there and say you're going to continue the killing in Iraq to honor the fallen heroes by continuing the mission; you say, except Casey Sheehan.'"

"And you say except for all the members of Goldstar Families for Peace' cuz we think not one drop of blood should be spilled in our families' names. You quit doing that. You don't have my permission."

And I'm gonna say, "And you tell me, what the noble cause is that my son died for." And if he even starts to say freedom and democracy' I'm gonna say, bullshit.

You tell me the truth. You tell me that my son died for oil. You tell me that my son died to make your friends rich. You tell me my son died to spread the cancer of Pax Americana, imperialism in the Middle East. You tell me that, you don't tell me my son died for freedom and democracy.'

Cuz, we're not freer. You're taking away our freedoms. The Iraqi people aren't freer, they're much worse off than before you meddled in their country.

You get America out of Iraq, you get Israel out of Palestine

(massive round of applause)

And if you think I won't say bullshit to the President, I say move on, cuz I'll say what's on my mind.

So, what's gonna happen? I started this, I thought it was gonna be just me and my sister driving to Crawford, but it kind of mushroomed and people from as far away as Dayton, Ohio are coming, to help us, to stand behind us, because I travel all over the country, I speak, I write, I get feedback on my writing, and just in the little over a year that I've been doing this, I've seen a major turnaround in this country.

People don't just want to hear it, they want to know, what can we do?

What can we do to get him out of power? And I'm gonna say the I' word. Impeach. And we have to have everybody impeached that lied to the American public, and that's the executive branch, and any people in congress, and we gotta go all the way down and we might have to go all the way down to the person who picks up the dogshit in Washington because

We can't let somebody rise to the top who will pardon these war criminals. Because they need to go to prison for what they've done in this world. We can't have a pardon. They need to pay for what they've done.

So anyway, I'm gonna go to Crawford tomorrow, and I'm gonna say I want to talk to him, and they say, he's not coming out, I'm gonna set up my tent there until he comes out to talk to me.

And I have the whole month of August off, just like him. It's just the way it worked out, I was supposed to go to England tomorrow to do some Downing Street things, but Conyers cancelled, so hey, I have a lot of free time on my hands, and I'm gonna stay until he comes out and talks to me. And if he quits his vacation and goes to D.C., I'll pull my tent up, I'll go to D.C., and put it on the White House lawn, and I'll be waiting for you guys when you get there September 24th.

Another thing that I'm doing is - - my son was killed in 2004, so I'm not paying my taxes for 2004. If I get a letter from the IRS, I'm gonna say, you know what, this war is illegal; this is why this war is illegal. This war is immoral; this is why this war is immoral. You killed my son for this. I don't owe you anything. And if I live to be a million, I won't owe you a penny.

And I want them to come after me, because unlike what you've been doing with the war resistance, I want to put this frickin' war on trial. And I want to say, "You give me my son, and I'll pay your taxes."

I live in Vacaville, come and get me if you can find me there and put me on trial, because like Camilo (Mejia), Camilo knew what was right. And he went to prison for that. And Henry David Thoreau he went to prison, he refused to pay his poll tax, and Emerson, I call them HT and RW, and RW came to visit HT and said what are you doing here, buddy? And HT said, why aren't you here? This is the only place for a moral person in an immoral world.

It's up to us, the people, to break immoral laws, and resist. As soon as the leaders of a country lie to you, they have no authority over you. These maniacs have no authority over us. And they might be able to put our bodies in prison, but they can't put our spirits in prison. And I know that Camilo came out a much stronger person, he's one of my heroes, it's great a row of heroes in front of me here.

And everyone gave such great testimony this evening, I have to wonder, why do we keep doing this to each other? Why do we let this continue time and time again, why do let it happen? And it's because our country, is so good at demonizing people, I still have relatives from WWII that still call Japanese people Japs'. And we demonize the Iraqi people, where, most of this country doesn't even think we're killing innocent people.

Because, "Oh Cindy, don't you remember what happened on September 11th?"

"Yeah, but, were any of those people in Iraq? And the people who flew those planes into the Trade Center, where they from Iraq?"

When I was growing up, it was Communists'. Now it's Terrorists'. So you always have to have somebody to fight and be afraid of, so the war machine can build more bombs, guns, and bullets and everything.

But I do see hope. I see hope in this country. 58% of the American public are with us. We're preaching to the choir, but the choir's not singing, if all of the 58% started singing, this war would end.

I got an email the other day and it said, "Cindy, if you didn't use so much profanity there's people on the fence' that get offended"

And you know what I said? "You know what? You know what, god-damn-it? How, in the world is anybody still sitting on that fence'?"

"If you fall on the side that is pro-George, and pro-war, you get your ass over to Iraq, and take the place of somebody who wants to come home. And if you fall on the side that is against this war and against George Bush, stand up and speak out."

But whatever side you fall on, quit being on the fence.

The opposite of good is not evil, it's apathy. And we have to get this country off their butts, and we have to get the choir singing.

We need to say, bring our troops home now.

We can't depend on the people in charge bringing our troops home.

Because you don't plan on bringing the troops home when you drop so much of the reconstruction money into building permanent bases.

I was hoping to come to the banquet tomorrow night, but unless George comes out and talks to me, I'll be camping at Crawford.

Thank you.

******

Saturday, September 24

Massive March
Rally & Anti-war Festival
Gather 11 AM at the Washington Monument
(Veterans Assembly Point TBA)
March steps off at 12:30 PM

Friday 23, Veterans and Military Families Vigil
more info when available

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Please join the Louisiana Activist Network and Cindy Sheehan of Gold Star Families for Peace
for an antiwar rally and demonstration
in Covington, LA on the eve of the departure of the PEACE TRAIN to Washington DC

Wednesday, Sep 21 2005
5:30PM until 7:00PM
St. John's Coffeehouse
535 East Boston Street
Covington, LA 70433

Join the Louisiana Activist Network as we take the struggle to the heart of the war machine, Washington, D.C. Network, socialize, and celebrate with others committed to the movement as we roll towards the mass rally set for Saturday, September 24th. We are planning to provide social activities, forums and workshops during the trip.

Cher phoned C-Span

How many of the 3,000 or more seriously wounded came back blind or limbless? The actress Cher phoned C-Span broadcasting to say that she had spent a day at Walter Reed hospital in Washington DC with soldiers back from the war: "As I walked in, the first person I ran into was a boy of about 19 or 20 who’d lost both his arms. Everyone had lost a limb, some two . . . if there was no reason for this war, this is the most heinous thing I’ve ever seen. I wonder why Cheney, Wolfowitz, Bremer, the president, aren’t having their pictures taken with all these guys? . . . I don’t understand why they remain so hidden."

snip

Bush’s government has betrayed the hopes of the world for peace. The United Nations was set up after 50 million people died in the second world war and its charter promised to "save succeeding generations from the scourge of war".

Americans have been betrayed because, although the cold war is over and there is no longer the threat of communism to justify the subversion of trillions of dollars to the military budget, the theft of national wealth continues at the expense of children and the old, of those who are sick, homeless or unemployed. This has destroyed the expectation that after the fall of the Soviet Union there would be a peace dividend of prosperity for all.

But the ultimate betrayal is of the young, sent to war with grandiose promises and false words about freedom and democracy, duty and patriot ism. Americans are not historically literate enough to remember that these promises and lies began far back in the past of the US. Young men - boys, for the armies of the world have always been made up of boys - were enticed into the Revolutionary army of the Founding Fathers by the grand words of the Declaration of Independence.

snip

The US government pours billions of dollars into war but has no money to take care of Vietnam veterans, homeless or in VA hospitals, suffering from mental disorders and vulnerable to suicide. Theirs is a bitter legacy.

The US government was proud that, though 100,000 Iraqis may have died in the 1991 Gulf war, there were only 148 US battle casualties. It has concealed from the public that 206,000 Gulf veterans filed claims with the VA for injuries and illnesses; 8,300 veterans have died and the VA has recognised 160,000 claims for disability.

The betrayal of military personnel continues in the war on terrorism. The promises that the US soldiers would be greeted as liberators have disintegrated; soldiers die daily in guerrilla warfare that lets them know they are not wanted in Iraq. An article in the Christian Science Monitor last year quoted an officer in the 3rd Infantry Division in Iraq: "The level of morale for most soldiers that I’ve seen has hit rock bottom."

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Re: Looking for Answers! (Score: 1)
by nomorewar on Saturday, January 22 @ 22:58:55 PST

I think I've heard some get $1,000 or so. Not much money to pay for dieing or being maimed is it? Then those who are coming back without limbs etc. to say nothing of with severe PTSD, live in a world where the
name of the game is to pay them a bit and dump them on the VA for benefits which then doesn't come out of
the Pentagon budget. The old days when the military took care of them or provided disability discharges is long since over. That became the name of the game during the hero of Culver city's reign (Reagan) and got worse during Poppy's four years. Clinton, the so-called
"draft dodger" did more for the VA than any of our
GOP heroes. The days of disability discharges are long
since gone. One need only check the VA website to find
out the truth with the various levels of waiting for care
and the attempt to make all care income qualified. They
don't even try to cover it up with the same level of
propaganda the Bush does. It will be interesting to see
how the guys who are getting care at Walter Reed, most likely the best since that is where Bush visits, when they end up trying to get it from the VA. Then there are the others who are still in the military, particularly, Guard people who are languishing here and
there waiting for promised care that never seems to
quite materialize. Wonder what a leg or arm or mind
is worth now?

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Re: Looking for Answers! (Score: 1)
by nomorewar on Sunday, January 23 @ 05:27:44 PST

Reminds me of a neighbor whose baby was delivered by
a surgeon. Where the episiotomy (spelling? you would know) usually requires a couple of little stitches to help
it heal, her's was done with loads of them like a surgeon might use to close a serious wound. I don't have much VA experience since I retired as my husband doesn't typically use services, but may in the future at some time need to as he is considered to be disabled for some problems Mother Air Force doesn't take care of like hearing as a result of 20 years around and on aircraft. He is also service connected for other problems, but to date we are just covered by Medi-Care
and Tri-Care-For-Life. Who knows what will happen
when the terrible farce of the Medi-Care bill goes into
effect on 1-06. After years of being symtomatic with
military health care, my diabetes was diagnosed by
a competent nurse practitioner. Our current MD was
in the military, got out and stayed locally. He is a great
internist, but though he's finished all of his obligations
lives in horror of being recalled. I was always amazed
at the reasons for the VA denying PTSD. I long ago
came to the conclusion that few who ever served in
country ever came home without some.
I think Bush goes to Bethesda rather than Walter Reed.
The visits at WR are just for show. What isn't with him?
No doubt we could share "war stories" about my
experiences with military health care and/or my work
doing military and VA casework. The Congressmember I worked for would most likely be amused or shocked
at some of the things I did for people using his name.
When they opened a new hospital at Travis AFB, now
a combined military and VA facility, he enjoyed taking
me with him since he had managed all the funding for it when it was opened. The commander at that time was so terrible we called him Cook the Compasionate because he wasn't. Many battles with Col. Cook, but he never got that star and I suspect I was the primary reason. It was very satisfying to be able to assist people who needed it because the Federal bureaucracies don't respond. The primary postitive experiences I had with the VA was with some of the early military AIDS cases in the 80s. The regional office was quick about granting benefits for many. I hate to think how things are now and how the will be from this hideous war. After all, it is always the old warriors that end up paying for the new war.

******

Actually, it was GEORGE W. BUSH who used Casey Sheehan's death, and the deaths of 1841 other servicemen and women to advance HIS POLITICAL AGENDA, which is the neo-con's Project for the New American Century. That's what I think you're not acknowledging.

Of course right wingers can be cavalier about the loss of SOMEBODY ELSE's family members. What are they sacrificing for this "war on terror?" Absolutely NOTHING.

My opinion is that there is no shortage of people in America who wouldn't take up arms to defend this nation, or to get Al Qaeda, the group RESPONSIBLE FOR ATTACKING US ON 9/11. The problem lies when you're nation building on a false premise in Iraq, painting school buildings, and acting as beat cops on the streets of Iraqi cities in 128 degrees for no reason whatsoever, with the constant threat of being blown up everytime you get into a vehicle for pay that amounts to, in many situations, less than a Walmart door greeter's salary, then hell yeah, you might begin to have serious second thoughts about re-enlisting.
If your response is that NOBODY should sign up, then I doubt your sincerity about defending this nation. My question is to the COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF who is responsible for DEPLOYING these precious volunteers, and not WASTING their lives on unwinnable, generational wars at the behest of Oil Companies and foreign lobbyists.

Like I said, I DARE any of you right winged chicken hawks to stand in Walter Reed Hospital and tell the families of double amputees they have no right to question the wisdom of this war.

--Cobra
Posted by: Cobra at August 13, 2005 02:56 PM

Aug. 25, 2005

Camp Casey, Day 18

I got up really early today to head back to Camp Casey. On the way, I had some amazing conversations with people. In one of those conversations, I was talking to Tyler who was sitting next to me on one of the planes.

We were not talking about me and what I have been doing. Randomly, he told me he had just been in Texas about an hour north of Crawford. I said: "Wow that's where I am going and that's where I have been all month." He said: "I know I own a television." I thought that was pretty cute.

I got to Camp Casey and I arrived with a mom whose son, John, was killed on January 26, 2005, and his wife and baby, who never met his dad. We arrived in Waco at about 4:30 to the local press. The White House Press Corps was still with the president.

When I arrived at Camp Casey II this afternoon I was amazed at what has changed since I was gone. Now, we have a huge tent to get out of the sun; caterers; an orientation tent; a medic tent (with medics); a chapel, etc.

The most emotional thing for me though was walking through the main tent and seeing the huge painting on canvas of Casey. Many things hit me all at once: That this huge movement began because of Casey's sacrifice; thousands, if not millions of people know about Casey and how he lived his life and the wrongful way in which he was killed; but the thing that hit me the hardest was how much I miss him. I miss him more everyday. It seems the void in my life grows as time goes on and I realize I am never going to see him again or hear his voice. In addition to all this, the portrait is so beautiful and moving and it captures Casey's spirit so well. I sobbed and sobbed. I was surrounded by photographers, I looked around until I finally found a friendly face, then the news people crushed in on me and I couldn't breathe. I didn't mean to have such a dramatic re-entrance to Camp Casey, but the huge portrait of Casey really surprised me.

I can take all of the right wing attacks on me. I have been lied about and to before. Their attacks just show how much I am getting to them and how little truth they have to tell. What really hurts me the most is when people say that I am dishonoring Casey by my protest in Crawford. By wanting our troops to come home alive and well, that I am somehow not supporting them.

So, after Joan Baez gave us a great concert tonight, I got up and I talked about Casey. About the sweet boy who grew up to be a remarkable young man. Casey was not always a brave, big soldier man. He was my sweet, sweet baby once. I told the people at the Camp named after him, that when he was about 2 years old, he would come up behind me and throw his arms around my legs, kiss me on the butt and say: "I wuv you mama." I also talked about the loving big brother and wonderful, nearly perfect son. Casey was a regular guy who wanted to get married, have a family, be an elementary school teacher, and a Deacon in the Catholic Church. He wanted to be a Chaplain's assistant in the Army, but was lied to about that also by his recruiter. The last time I talked to him when he called from Kuwait, he was on his way to mass.

For Casey to even join the Army, let alone being killed in battle was the thing that was most uncharacteristic of him. He was a gentle and kind soul who only wanted to help others. What did his untimely and unnecessary death accomplish? It accomplished reinvigorating a peace movement that was sincere, but not very active -- or if active, not well covered by the main stream media.

Joan sang the song Joe Hill In it Joe Hill says: "I never died." Well, looking out at the faces here at Camp Casey, and knowing that for everyone who is present here, there are thousands of others who support our work, I am convinced that Casey never died, and he never will. When I look into the eyes of the kind and gentle souls who have come here, I see Casey and the faces of all the others killed in George Bush's war for greed and profit. We will never forget them and we will honor them by working for peace.

Joan also sang "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." A thousand angels waiting there for me? I know Casey will be waiting for me when it is my turn, and I know when I finally get there he''s going to hug me and say: "Good job, Mom."

As a former member of the Air Force (seperated in June), I am of the opinion that you are accomplishing exactly the opposite of what you apparently set out to do. The fact that you had to be reminded that you started out doing this for your son (which I don't doubt was your original motivation, as misguided as it might have been) shows to me that you've lost sight of what it is you really want. You are helping to demoralize our men and women in the armed services when you cry that their friends, brothers, and sisters have died for nothing. You shame them when you call them pawns in a game for greed and profit. These were, are, Casey's brothers and sisters, and you're not doing them any good.

If you want to protest the war, if you want to call Bush names and curse on television, go ahead. But stop claiming that you're doing it for the "children" overseas, and admit that you're doing it to assuage your own guilt and despair. Most of them believe in what they're doing, all of them volunteered to do it, and the best way to save them now is to let them win so that twenty years from now a new generation doesn't have to fight a new Iraqi dictator born out of America leaving a job unfinished.

Posted by: Airman on August 25, 2005 at 08:09AM

I am so sorry for your grief - but you are allowing your sorrow to mar your perspective on what the President is doing. He is protecting our nation's freedoms and the rights we have to live peaceably and not be attacked in our own homes or workplaces from those who want to harm us - have you forgotten 9/11? What a horrific experience - I will never forget. Your son has died honorably and nobly and America thanks him for his sacrifice and you too for that matter. Your sorrow and grief are real. But this media frenzy you are creating is accomplishing nothing - who is paying for the catering and tents and portraits? The people that you have become a mouthpiece for and who have an agenda beyond what you can even imagine.

Posted by: v duerstock on August 25, 2005 at 08:32AM

Cindy,

WHEN WILL YOU GET OUT OF CRAWFORD! We demand our headlines be returned to us! We want an EXACT time schedule for when you will leave Texas alone! We are NOT going to settle for your overly ambiguous "When Bush goes back to work, I'll leave Crawford" garbage! We want an exact timeframe for you pulling out of Crawford NOW!

We don't care if your "job" isn't finished, Cindy. In fact, we don't even know for sure you HAD any real reason to go to Crawford in the first place. You claim it is because Bush is insensitive and dishonest, but after you originally met with him, you said nothing of the sort. You are in Crawford because of a LIE, Cindy! When will you pull out???

**** See how silly that sounds? I hope you are entirely embarassed by your own comments about getting out of Iraq. Just because people speak a different language, pray to a different god, or wear different clothing doesn't mean they can't appreciate freedom and democracy. It was for this cause that your son died. You are making a mockery of him and his values. How do you even sleep at night knowing the dishonor you are heaping upon his grave?

Posted by: Anthony on August 25, 2005 at 08:58AM

How can enlisting in the military be uncharacteristic of your son? He did it TWICE!!! He RE-enlisted when the war started....according to your own accounts of his record.

Posted by: traci on August 25, 2005 at 09:08AM

Cindy, you spoke of wanting to know of a noble cause that your son died for, is your freedom noble enough, the freedom you enjoy so much and rightfully so? Because so many millions of other mother's sons died for YOUR right to protest. Our country is based on the foundation of freedom. Do you wish to deny Iraqi children and women and their fathers and husbands the same basic rights you enjoy? You might say that isn't our business. Well, if other nations hadn't made it their business, then our country might not have survived those first years. Believe it or not, France's sons came to fight and die for this fledgling nation so that we may have freedom today. If those French sons had not died for the infant USA then you would not have the freedom you enjoy now. Why then are you so selfish with your freedom? Did President Bush truly lie about WMD's? Can you prove it? Every nation in the world believed he had them and was goign to use them, how then would you judge President Bush if it went the other way, that he failed to act on the information he was given and Saddam gave WMD's to Osama? Well, no one truly knows what happened to Saddams weapons that he once in fact had. We only know they are not there now. But inspite of all that, we're there now and those people have a chance at a free nation, at freedoms we here take for granted, they long for and desire. You claim to be a Christian, do not the Iraqis deserve our compassion and help to free them from the tyranny? God only knows what can happen there but you would have them foresaken because you do not see them as worthy. What if God hadn't seen you as worthy enough to save? What if Jesus had not died on the cross for you?

God sacrificed His son for the whole world...

Posted by: JimC on August 25, 2005 at 09:43AM

Cindy,

Are you willing to provide permission to Moveon.org for them to open their financial records for public review, so that we the public can see how much they are paying you to be their spokesperson regarding this obvious political stunt?

What is the royalty deal you signed with Moveon.org regarding the movie Michael Moore is obviously producing regarding your blatant charade?

Charlie

Posted by: Charlie on August 25, 2005 at 10:05AM

Ms. Sheehan,

You say you are bothered, and baffled, by the opinion that some have expressed that you are dishonoring your son and the other soldiers that are risking or have given their lives in this war. Here is why some of us feel this way...My husband was a Marine during the first Gulf war and he confirmed my own suspicions. The men fighting over there are doing so voluntarily. They are fighting for our country which they love so much that they are willing to risk their very lives. They are living in hellish conditions, again, because they believe in our country and in our President. The are breaking their backs every day and maybe the only thing that keeps them going is a sense that they are accomplishing something great. That their sacrifices are bearing fruit. They can see progress firsthand which you are not there to witness. Then you come along and tell them that they serve no purpose, that their sacrifices are for naught and that their blood, sweat and tears are being shed for a worthless cause. Show these fine men a little respect, compassion and trust. They are not mindless pawns. These men have chosen their duty and I know firsthand that they are proud of their work. I am deeply sorry for your loss but you must remember that your son chose to join our military and in doing son he agreed to sacrifice his life for this country if need be. He did a great thing. Don't insult our soldiers over there by blaming everyone else for the losses our country has experienced. They are intelligent men who are perfectly capable of making their own choices. They are serving our country because they believe in her.

Posted by: H. Lord on August 25, 2005 at 10:10AM

7 days and counting until the end of the slowest news month of the year.
Catering the protest now as well.
I guess Crawford is not exactly Valley Forge now , is it?
Looking forward to your future obscurity.
Gina

Posted by: Gina on August 25, 2005 at 10:13AM

This blog is filled with people who blindly drink the liberal kool-aid.

For all you “Bush should send his own daughters” nimrods, his daughters did not sign up as VOLENTEERS! Here let me say it again for you. He cannot send someone who does not VOLENTEER!

For all you “Bush Lied” wackjobs. Bush stated the FACTS as they were know at that time by everybody including Ted “I’ll have another drink” Kennedy and John “Reporting for Duty” Kerry who both by the way said there were WMD’s.

Let’s get to the real issues with all you kool-aid drinking liberals. This is all about the election and re-election of YOUR and my President George W. Bush. YOU LOST! Get past it and get on with you lives. Keep this up and you will loose again.

Posted by: tex on August 25, 2005 at 10:19AM

My guess is Casey joined to the Army to defy his mother. She's a nut, he rebelled, joined the Army. Now she's living with the guilt of driving her son away.

Posted by: David Schwartz on August 25, 2005 at 10:37AM

OK a show of hands...How many here thing teh Al Queda terrorists killing American soldiers in Iraq are freedom fighters?

Cindy Sheehan does.

Posted by: Bravo Company on August 25, 2005 at 10:38AM

Cindy, why are you so selfish? Why do you think you deserve a second meeting with the President when most of us haven't even had our first meetings with the President?

I'm sure this won't get posted because none of my other comments critical of you and your protest were posted.

Posted by: M on August 25, 2005 at 10:53AM

I did not intend to make anothe posting, but when I went to check my personal e-mail, I found ANOTHER Cindy Sheehan solicitation. This one is for ROSES. For $3, I can send a rose to Cindy to put on the cross.

I happen to think this is just a bit too outlandish, but for anyone who likes this kind of stuff, I will be offer to be the conduit this once:

ACTFORCHANGE ACTIVISM UPDATE: August 25, 2005

"You are receiving this newsletter because you have previously taken action on ActForChange in support of progressive values.

Send a Rose to Cindy Sheehan

For just $3, send a rose to Crawford, Texas to adorn one of the 1,800-plus crosses set up at Camp Casey.

Send a Rose to Cindy Sheehan

Cindy Sheehan is still waiting. While the president enjoys his five-week vacation so he can "get on with his life," Sheehan is asking that Bush meet with her and explain why her son lost his. So far, Bush has refused.

Send Cindy Sheehan a rose to be placed on the white crosses at Camp Casey.

Sheehan's heart-felt stand has inspired over 1,600 vigils around the country and mobilized over 100,000 people against the occupation of Iraq and in support of bringing the troops home -- even in "Bush country" states like Idaho and Utah.

Click here to show your support for Cindy Sheehan.

What can you do? Say it with flowers! If you can't travel to Crawford, you can still stand with Cindy and the Gold Star Families For Peace by sending a single rose for $3. Roses will be placed on the crosses erected at Camp Casey in remembrance of our fallen service men and women.

Say it with a flower by clicking here.

Please forward this newsletter to your..."

Posted by: demi on August 25, 2005 at 11:03AM

If any of the people at "camp casey" have any genuine concern for mrs. sheehan, they should be helping her find and understand what her son died for. It is inhuman for people to feed into her sorrow by reinforcing the mistaken belief that her son's death was a waste. Can you imagine walking up to a greiving widow and saying, "well, he really never accomplished anything."? Truly sad.

Posted by: mg on August 25, 2005 at 11:30AM

I support the troops fighting; not self promoters and selfish news hounds.

Go USA and allow freedom to infiltrate the entire world.

God Bless W and the warriors defending us and freeing others. The majority agrees w/ W so live with it!!

Posted by: Red American on August 25, 2005 at 11:30AM

At first I had anger towards the people that said they supported our troops but not the war. That anger bled over towards Cindy for her about face from what she said about Pres. Bush at their first meeting and what she was saying now. But I've put away the anger and now just have pity on her. If her happiness is attached to this war ending under her terms, then she will go thru the rest of her life in sorrow. I would assume we will never see her with a smile on her face or to ever laugh again. What a pitiful life that must be. I'm sorry for the lousy life you will have from now on.

Posted by: compassionate conservative on August 25, 2005 at 11:41AM

I have mixed emotions with regard to Cindy's campaign of hate against George Bush. On one hand, I am deeply saddened by the loss of her son Casey as well as all of the other veterans who have died in service to their country. On the other hand, the vitriol she directs towards the President, like most liberal thinking, is almost entirely misplaced.

The purpose is this war is to provide freedom and democracy to a country that was formerly run by a fascist dictator. "Greed and profit" have little to do with it. If this war is all about oil, why are we paying nearly $3 for a gallon of gas?

Casey's death, while tragic, was in an effort to bring freedom and stability to the Middle East. Try to put away the liberal hate-mongering long enough to recognize the noble cause for which our veterans have given their lives.

Posted by: Fascism Sucks on August 25, 2005 at 11:45AM

Cindy,
I'm sorry for your loss, your son was very brave to join the military after the start of the Iraq war. He was brave enough to volunteer to free millions from the oppression of a madman. By the time he volunteered we all knew there were no WMD's, but still he stepped up and bravely offered to fight. Casey, must have seen the news reports of the terrorists flooding into Iraq, to fight us there, and he must have known it was better for our trained military to fight them, then to wait for them to attack more civilians. He must have known as we all do, that terrorists fight like the cowards they are, suicide bombings, kidnappings, torture, yet your son was brave enough to face these dangers. He is a true Hero. For all these reasons I thank you and your brave son, and again I'm sorry for your loss..

Posted by: Rob in Phoenix on August 25, 2005 at 12:01PM

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