Posted on 08/13/2006 4:24:49 AM PDT by Hadean
War protesters extended the olive branch to their new neighbors in President Bush's adopted hometown by hosting a barbecue Saturday - and a few even showed up.
"You can have a dialogue, but you'll never agree," said Valerie Duty, a staunch Bush supporter who wore a "This is Bush country, by George!" T-shirt. "Both sides do agree about bringing the troops home safely. The difference is the way we go about that."
Locals have been angry since a man bought five acres last month on behalf of peace activist Cindy Sheehan, who said no one in the area would have sold her any property.
Anti-war demonstrator Jim Goodnow said he was glad some area residents - roughly half a dozen - visited the new protest site.
"If we can get away from the name calling and see each other as Americans, that will be how we can heal this nation," Goodnow said.
Sheehan first came to Crawford a year ago, refusing to leave until Bush talked to her about the war that claimed her soldier son Casey's life in 2004. Her 26-day vigil during Bush's August 2005 ranch vacation attracted more than 10,000 demonstrators.
On Saturday, a week into the group's summer protest, nearly 150 people attended the barbecue under a large tent filled with banners that read "A mother's loss, a nation's pain."
But Sheehan was absent. She was to spend a second night in a hospital in nearby Waco after a minor gynecological procedure and treatment for dehydration.
Sheehan was listed in stable condition Saturday at Providence Health Center in Waco. She said her spirits were lifted upon hearing news that those at the camp, even some locals who dropped by, signed a card for her.
"That makes me feel really good," Sheehan, 49, told The Associated Press on Saturday. "Physically I don't feel better than I did yesterday, but at least I'm here and resting."
Sheehan bought the property near downtown Crawford, about seven miles from Bush's ranch, so the group would have a place to protest when the president was at his ranch. The group can no longer camp in ditches since county leaders banned roadside parking and camping last fall.
The anti-war protest is to continue through Sept. 3, though Bush's 10-day ranch vacation is to end Sunday.
Big deal. In my office, we sent get well and birthday cards to people we don't even like, much less know.
This idiot might want to tell his heroine, Sheehan, to stop calling our President a murderer then.
Gimme a break with this "heal this nation" crap. If the definition of the nation being "healed" is that we're all nice to each other, we've never been "whole" or "without wounds" or whatever New Agey bs someone wants to use.
At best we can express our hope that we all use civility in our exchanges and use it ourselves, but that idea is long gone with Cindy "Bush is the REAL terrorist" Sheehan and her gang.
She's only nine years older than me? She looks old enough to be my mom, and my mom at 72 looks only a little older than Cindy!
BTW, where'd she get the cash to buy five acres to use once a year or so?
I missed the word 'and' in my first reading. Boy, does that change the visual...
Casey's Military Insurance.
She's "resting"? From what? Protesting hardly equals gainful employment.
Who gives a damn. I sure don't.
When I first heard Cindy had a "minor gynecological procedure", my first thought was, maybe shes hade an abortion?
Give me a break about "heal the nation". When Cindy Sheehan has the nerve to tell "President Bush to quit occupying New Orleans and pull the troops out of occupied New Orleans" during the biggest Coast Guard rescue mission in its history. 36,000 rescued. She is not interested in healing our nation. She is only insterested in promoting her self serving political agenda on the dole of the likes of moveon.org and George Soros and Michael Moore.
I bet Casey is rolling over in his grave over some of the crazy things his mother is doing in his name.
I will say this one thing, I hope she dosn't die over her fasting "hunger strike" liquid diet. Her followers will blame Bush for it you know.
The article never mentions that Bush did meet Sheehan after Casey's death, and that Sheehan had nothing negative to say then, nor does it mention that she bought the land with money from Casey's insurance policy. Bad reporting.
I still have sympathy for her, as I do for any mother of a son killed before his time, but that's certainly no excuse for her traitorous and simply stupid behavior.
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