Cindy Sheehan in her Natural State
Cindy Sheehan back on her Oscar-winning Performance
Posted on 08/25/2005 1:01:05 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
CRAWFORD - With singing and tears, protest mom Cindy Sheehan returned to her vigil near President Bush's ranch Wednesday, less than a week after leaving to care for her ailing mother.
Alighting with an armful of flowers from a van that brought her from the airport, Sheehan's first act on returning was to find the cross with her son's name on it amid dozens set in the ground at her new campsite.
"Does anybody know where Casey's cross is?" Sheehan said.
She placed the flowers, then joined other mothers of fallen service members for a group hug.
Rick Burnley, a New Mexico poet with bare feet and long, salt-and-pepper hair, played a Jethro Tull song on a soprano recorder while a small clutch of women sobbed and hugged Sheehan.
"This is the center of the world," Burnley said.
Asked later how it felt to be back at "Camp Casey," Sheehan gave two thumbs up. Her supporters, who have dwindled significantly in numbers during her absence, are hoping that Sheehan's return will rejuvenate their anti-war effort by bringing more attention back to Crawford.
Sheehan, whose son was killed in Iraq, is demanding a meeting with Bush so he can explain his statements that the war is a noble cause. She is vowing to remain at her encampment near the Western White House until he meets with her or returns to Washington.
In downtown Crawford, meanwhile, another grieving parent is gaining attention.
Gary Qualls, a Temple man whose son, Louis, was killed in Iraq, came to Crawford as a protest to Sheehan's protest. A soft-spoken veteran and Bush supporter, Qualls is presiding over an orderly series of tents dubbed "Fort Qualls" behind the Yellow Rose gift shop.
"I am here to bring back and keep respect for fallen heroes and for President Bush," Qualls said.
Opposition on the way
Of his counterparts at Camp Casey, Qualls said, "It's more than apparent they have come here to wage war against decent people."
This weekend, a caravan of demonstrators opposed to Sheehan's vigil are due to arrive in Crawford from San Diego. The "You Don't Speak for Us, Cindy" tour is expected to bring at least 10,000 more demonstrators to this tiny ranching community.
Gregg Garvey, whose son, Justin, was killed in Iraq, drove up to Crawford from Florida and pulled into town on Tuesday. He and Qualls have both retrieved from Sheehan's camp the memorial crosses bearing their sons' names.
"It didn't make me feel good that my son's cross was sitting in a ditch," Garvey said.
The two crosses joined those of several others whose parents also objected to Sheehan's memorial, in a small patch of dirt in front of the Fort Qualls tent.
Dueling protests
The two dueling protests have grown intensely hostile, with each side sharply criticizing how the other has chosen to grieve. Much of the back-and-forth has centered on the hundreds of small white crosses that Sheehan's camp built as part of their anti-war protest.
Qualls, who has challenged Sheehan to a debate, grows teary and emotional when describing his shock on learning his son, a Marine, was killed in Fallujah.
"The people on this side are righteous," Qualls said of his supporters and those in town to show support for Bush and the troops. "I have to stand up for what's right."
Barry Crimmins, a writer for the liberal radio network Air America, has been covering the Sheehan vigil and said he believes her efforts are serving as a "flashpoint" for a growing, national anti-war effort.
"They've turned Bush's vacation home into Baghdad airport," Crimmins said.
julie.mason@chron.com
Cindy Sheehan in her Natural State
Cindy Sheehan back on her Oscar-winning Performance
Is that a tattoo on her ankle? I am not being judgemental, I am just curious if anyone knows what the tattoo is.
Exactly the thought that I had. Considering how phony this whole thing is, it is probable.
Listen Live link on the left side navigation bar near top left side of the page.
Says it all.
Far out, dude! ;)
LOL.
Please note ... no tears on Ms. Cindy's grimacing face. Narcissists seldom shed real tears.
Many thanks for the slide show....
Do the words "eminent domain" come to mind? Don't you think Crawford needs a new hotel?
You beat me to it...
There's an article in "The Advocate" that I WILL NOT link to because it is GROSS...
You can google "Jeff Key" marine and it came up first for me...
Bet there are some REAL Marines that would like to kick his rear for wearing that teeshirt...
:-)
Totally rad dude! LOL
;-)
When I was a teen in the 60's, I was so naive that I couldn't figure out how you could put hash in brownies and no one would know it. I asked, "Wouldn't they see the potatoes?" I got laughed at.
What you have there in that photograph is Cindy Sheehan who stood up for Lynn Stewart, the accessory to the terrrist bombings in 1993, Jeff Key, the Marine who served in Iraq, enlisting under fraudulent pretenses as he was gay and leaving because he was gay (thought claims it was due to protest of war and also missing his drills while waiting to be processed out)and Joan Baez. Key writes for Adriana Huffington and did what all good patriots do, during time of war, wrote a book and is profiting from his experiences, while slamming his brothers.
Just waiting for John Kerry and Jane Fonda to show up.
LOL.
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