A young pro-Bush supporter watches during a pro-Bush rally outside the Crawford Community Center in Crawford, TX. Tensions mounted in President George W. Bush's hometown, as a small army of his supporters poured in to challenge demonstrators opposed to the war in Iraq.
A Bush supporter signs a US flag to be sent to troops in Iraq during a rally in Crawford, TX. Tensions mounted in President George W. Bush's hometown, as a small army of his supporters poured in to challenge demonstrators opposed to the war in Iraq.
Sheriff deputies arrest a pro-war demonstrator at the protest camp near U.S. President George W. Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, August 27, 2005. Bush called on Saturday for Americans to brace for additional sacrifice in Iraq as his supporters and anti-war protesters converged just outside his vacation ranch.
From The Buzz
Some parents themselves have personally arrived to plant the crosses.
Crawford: From Those He Served and Lived With- 08/26
When Marine Lance Cpl. Louis Wayne Qualls was in Iraq, a member of his company had a shirt for Harley Davidson Kuwait that Qualls greatly admired. He tried to buy the shirt, but since it was rare his friend wanted to keep the shirt for himself. After Qualls was killed in Iraq, the friend mailed the shirt back to Gary Qualls signed by every member of his son’s company. Included with the shirt was a letter from the company expressing their sympathy to Mr. Qualls for his loss.
Crawford: "Lest They Be Forgotten" - 08/26
We’ve heard more than enough from Cindy Sheehan and her supporters. Can’t say I’m exactly innocent in this regard. But what about the parents of fallen soldiers who continue to support the war in Iraq? Gregg Garvey is one such American. Mr. Garvey lost his son, Sgt. Justin Wrisley Garvey in Iraq on July 20, 2003.
Not only does Garvey continue to personally support the war his son died fighting in, but he’s also heading up a project to build memorials in the hometowns of every fallen U.S. soldier from the war. Garvey runs a group called Lest They Be Forgotten that is raising money and support for his memorial effort. Their mission statement reads:
“To create, establish and help maintain hometown memorials in honor of our brave men and women who have lost their lives defending the United States of America in our War Against Terrorism.”
I asked Garvey to describe why he’s here at “Camp Qualls” supporting the president and the continued war on terror:
“I lost my oldest son in Iraq. I’ve been working on this memorial project for two years every since my son was killed. I was sitting at home in Florida watching what was going on here and had no idea what to expect. I’m not here because of politics. The election is over. The president won again, and it’s time as they say to move on again. But at the same time I was not going to sit at home and watch what was going on here, this travesty and injustice to my son and all of his fallen brothers and sisters.”
Garvey has actually been staying with Gary Qualls in his Crawford home while the two maintain a growing tribute site to fallen soldiers and supporting this president and this war:
“We’re brothers in a way we never anticipated. We have a lot of the same healing towards the desecration of our sons and daughters. This is no longer about a grieving mother over there. She referred to these terrorists as freedom fighters. The media insists on calling them insurgents. They are neither. They are terrorists. We liberated that country and now the terrorists are invading that country.”
Garvey says liberal activists like Cindy Sheehan and the mainstream media are making an already difficult war more challenging not only for those fighting it but those who want to support it:
“I would like to see the number of innocent Iraqi citizens these terrorists have murdered. If the Americans were bombarded with those numbers every day, we might not see this supposed 60 percent disapproval rating.”
