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Dueling Protests Square off Near Bush's Dallas Home
DALLAS - Eighth-grader Steven Rasansky had a front-row seat for a government lesson Monday.
Cindy Sheehan rallies her supporters. (Special to the Star-Telegram/Brandon Wade) Sitting at his friends' lemonade stand across the street from former President George W. Bush's new home, he watched anti-war protesters and Bush supporters square off with only a city street dividing them.
Front and center in the sweltering 90-degree heat was Cindy Sheehan, the California mother who drew national attention in recent years with her protests near Bush's Crawford ranch as she demanded to speak to him about her son's death in Baghdad.
"George Bush and his administration are mass murderers," she told the crowd, using a loudspeaker. "People say, 'Cindy, get over it.' Well, there are still two wars raging. I don't have an option of getting over it. . . . We have to keep it up so things like this don't happen again."
Anti-war protesters say they want Bush and his administration investigated and prosecuted for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Sheehan has also demonstrated against President Barack Obama because the Democrat has continued the wars.
During the more than half-hour protest, which included a nearly mile-long march to the neighborhood, protesters yelled, "Don't wait, investigate." Pro-Bush supporters chanted "USA" for the former president whom they say did a good job.
"I think this is crazy," said Rasansky, 13, whose friends had hoped to make some money selling pink lemonade and chocolate chip cookies. "I didn't think it would end up like this."
Bearing signs with slogans ranging from "No war criminals in my neighborhood" and "W = War Crimes" to "Don't Mess with Bush" and "They did not die in vain," more than a hundred people turned out on both sides of the issue.
Dozens of police officers and Secret Service agents blocked the entrance to the Bush neighborhood and patrolled the area. An officer who declined to give his name said there had been no arrests and no problems.
Erika Davis drove from Fort Worth to join the protest against Bush.
"Just because we have a new president, people say you should forget about it," said Davis, a 62-year-old counselor in Fort Worth. "I don't believe anyone is above the law."
Charlotte and Chuck Herman of Dallas turned out to support Bush, holding a sign that read "Bush saved you cowards."
"We think he made a great president and we're glad he moved back here to Dallas," said Charlotte Herman, 64. "We want him to retire in peace."
Marla Kilday, who lives near Bush in Dallas, was also there to support him.
"I think this is inappropriate," she said. "The man has given his eight years in office and we just want the neighborhood to be peaceful and quiet."
Sheehan's son, Army Spc. Casey Sheehan, died in a 2004 ambush in Baghdad. She said she can't allow Bush's "crimes" to be forgotten just because he is no longer in the White House.
"You can bet your whatever that every time I'm in Dallas, I'll be out here holding a picture of my son."
- Posted in
33 Comments so far
Show AllCindy, Thank you for your courage born of pain. I haven't always agreed with everything you've done, but I do appreciate your willingness to bear the spiritual, physical, mental and monetary costs of being a part of this nation's conscience. Please don't ever regret your risk taking, it motivates me and others to make the extra effort to better our world by holding ourselves and others accountable. Peace always.
Who was the pro-Bush supporter? Did they get his/her name? It was probably Laura in disguise.
"It was probably Laura in disguise."
I don't think so...It was most likely Barney....
I think Cindy is a brave person and deserves praise and gratitude from USans for actually doing something about the things which she feels are wrong. (which is something that I can admit I fall short of doing)
In a different article about this Dallas protest a commenter made a great point by saying... "If a criminal is on the loose, and the police aren't doing anything, you hold your protest at the police chief's house, not the criminals house!"
I agree so much with this statement. While this protest in Dallas is a great and courageous act... this energy should be used to protest at the gates of the politicians, like Pelosi and crew, who are protecting Bush by not pursuing his war crimes. I'm guessing their complicity in crimes is why the sheriffs aren't pursuing the criminal, because not only are they protecting Bush, they are continuing what he started.
Also, in my previous post about the Dallas protest I added that the leftist movements have a problem - divisiveness and narrowness of focus... something that Chomsky has talked about.
Let me give you an example of divisiveness:
This is just the divisions of the anti-war movements in America...
-101 Ways to Stop the War on Iraq
-America First Committee
-Americans Against Bombing
-American Friends Service Committee
-American League Against War and Fascism
-American Peace Mobilization
-A.N.S.W.E.R.
-Another Mother For Peace
-Anti-War Committee
-Axis of Justice
-Bushwatch
-Citizens for Legitimate Government
-Cities for Peace
-Campaign for Peace and Democracy
-Campus Antiwar Network
-Catholic Association for International Peace
-Catholic Worker Movement
-Center on Conscience & War (formerly known as NISBCO)
-Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors
-The Council for National Interest
-Code pink for peace
-DC Anti-War Network
-Direct Action to Stop the War
-Duct Tape for Peace
-Education for Peace in Iraq
-Food Not Bombs
-Fellowship of Reconciliation USA
-Friends Committee on National Legislation
-GI Rights Network
-Gold Star Families for Peace
-Harrass the Brass
-Iraq Peace Pledge
-Iraq Veterans Against the War
-Just Foreign Policy
-Long Island Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives
-Mennonite Central Committee
-Military Families Speak Out
-Michaelmoore.com
-MoveOn
-Not in Our Name
-National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee
-Peace Action
-Ploughshares Fund
-Port Militarization Resistance
-September 11th families for peaceful tomorrows
-Sojourners
-Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
-Students for a Democratic Society
-The World Can't Wait
-Troops Out Now Coalition
-TrueMajority.com
-United for Justice and Peace
-Veterans for Common Sense
-Veterans for Peace
-VoteNoWar.org
-Vote to Impeach
-War Resisters League
-Win Without War
-Who Dies for Bush Lies?
I'm sure that some of these are no longer running, but there are also many more unknown local anti-war movements... you know, "Craig, Greg and Friends of Springfield Against the War" -- which consists of 5 people on a street corner holding up signs.
Now, imagine all of the other leftist movements (anti-capitalists, gay rights, union activists, anti-bankers, anti-zionists, etc), and then think about all of their divisions and you clearly should start to see how atomized the progressive movements have become. And, we wonder why nothing gets accomplished... I mean, the powers brokers have figured out how to concentrate their power, why can't the activists movements figure this out?
Just for starters... Why can't all of these anti-war movements join as ONE?!?!? All of these movements have mailing lists, phone numbers, and emails of the people who are against the same thing. Why don't the coordinators of these movements work together to combine their members and create one gigantic movement? Would it really be that hard to accomplish something like this? I don't know the answer... but it seems plausible.
Right now seems like such a grand opportunity for the left to take advantage of the tremendous amount of discontented folks and direct that energy into a constructive manner. Where is the populist movement when we need it the most?
"Why can't all of these anti-war movements join as ONE?!?!?"
Thats a good question. I contend that modern American society has been very carefully and skillfully crafted to nurture individual "me-first" responses. The whole of American culture has been developed to encourage individualism (when in reality I can think of no-worse lemming-like culture than American consumerism), and so everyone marches to their own drum beat, even to the extent of excluding like-minded souls.
One exception is consumerism, which has been carefully built on the exchange of a single currency. No bartering here!
"Why can't all of these anti-war movements join as ONE?!?!?"
I've often wondered why sites like CD aren't used to facilitate this.
CD does very little to advertise or organize protests.
Excellent post.
Unfortunately the anti-war movement and anti-corporate power movement is divided based on how much to support green candidates for congress and nader for president.
The facts are undeniable. Corporations own most of the democrats in congress including many progressive districts.
There is no progressive agenda on the table but instead progressive items on the table, with others items up for compromise. For example if gay marriage is a must for a politician to support in their district, they will support it and in return get the support of gays who also are also anti-war but will support the elected Democrat because they don't want to lose support for gay marriage under a lesser-of-two evils doctrine. Anti-war gets thrown out the window in that district. Divide and conquer.
People don't focus on the common denominator of these anti-democratic issues and often get conflicting ideas on what the common denominator is. Is it capitalism? Is it that corporations are citizens and can be involved in politics? Is it that they give too much money? Is it that they give at all? Is it the fault of concentrated media? Is it the lack of a "fair and balanced" doctrine? etc.
People have too much hope in Obama. People also don't want to support a losing candidate to grow a long term movement with a progressive agenda.
Thanks for this post from "MakesMeWantNader". I have voted for Nader in consecutive elections and will vote for him again in 2012 (or someone like him if he does not run).
And of course we will again hear from the usual crowd about why that is a waste of a vote, and how we should vote for someone who does not believe what we believe so as to avoid electing someone else who does not believe what we believe, only to be followed after the election by all kinds of hand wringing about why the latest, greatest Democratic hope (Kennedy or Carter or Clinton or Obama) turned out not to be what we fantasized and turned out to be just a variation on the themes of -- surprise, surprise, surprise -- the moneyed ruling class interests which financed the candidate's campaign and whose lobbyists, ex-corporate officials, and perpetual government insiders and gatekeepers continue to surround the new president.
We are certainly not a free people as long as we believe in this fatalist view that we can not elect a candidate who stands for what we want (an end to war, a comprehensive health care system, an end to torture, etc) because if we vote for them, someone who does not stand for what we do will be elected. Well, my oh my oh my. That is exactly what we get by voting for "their" candidate rather than our own.
Essentially the U.S. electorate lives trapped in a hell of its own making. By being afraid to follow our beliefs and hearts into the streets and into the voting booth to vote against the ruling class, we make ourselves the fundamental source of democratic legitimacy for exactly the policies we oppose. While we stew in this hell of our own making, people around the world try to figure out what to do with the imperial U.S. beast that we can not control (and honestly barely try to control) and which stomps on their dreams, murders their children, and destroys their nations. Because we fund it to such as massive level, it does not matter whether other peoples use violent or non-violent methods in their attempt to run their own affairs. Our U.S. government (always reminds me of the announcer at a baseball game -- Ladies and gentlemen, YOUR U.S. Imperialists!) will wreck destruction and death wherever and whenever it sees fit. And we are, in fact, in our current manifestation as leftist cowards, powerless to stop it.
"Essentially the U.S. electorate lives trapped in a hell of its own making. By being afraid to follow our beliefs and hearts into the streets and into the voting booth to vote against the ruling class, we make ourselves the fundamental source of democratic legitimacy for exactly the policies we oppose."
Great post. The above quote of yours is a Profound insight! I'm gonna have to share this with others.
Thanks, MakesMeWantNader. And, thank you for adding such an excellent reply.
I am still an idealist at heart, so I like to hope that somehow all of the discontented in this country may someday find a way to unite under some sort of common denominator. Unfortunately, I am losing hope... and my jokes about expatriation during the Bush years are turning into a serious quest to find a new home.
to quote a Dutchman struggling to throw off the Spanish yoke:
"Hope is not necessary to succeed. Perseverance is."
You can sometimes be wanting for hope, but faith in justice must always be held.
MarkPaddles, something is being done. The National Assembly to End the War and Occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan is holding a conference in Pittsburgh on July 10-12 at LaRoche college. You are one google away from finding out about this and coming to Pittsburgh. Cindy Sheehan will be there too.
Incredible!! Thanks for telling me about this!
"Why can't all of these anti-war movements join as ONE?!?!?"
Because plutocracy and the political power of money outweighs all considerations of virtue, merit, the well-being of the general population, & regulatory restraint (RichM).
Read “Collateral Damage” by E. P Heidner, part I and II.
>>> www.scribd.com/people/documents/2169400-ep-heidner <<<
I read an article some time ago that addressed the fact that conservatives tend to fixate on one line of thinking and stick to it, never changing their viewpoint.
Liberals and Progressives, on the other hand, tend to think about issues all the time and we argue within ourselves, let alone each other. Because of that, we can never come to a consensus on any single issue ... hell, we can't even decide which issue to concentrate on, let alone get the whole group to focus on it.
I want the war to end NOW, but right now I am concentrating very hard on the health care issue. Insurance companies _ARE_ the problem with our health care and we MUST get Congress talking about the Single-payer option that would completely eliminate the insurance companies from controlling our health care. I'm harassing my senators every day.
So true. How long have I been urging and pleading for a new united movement for truth, Justice and peace?
If we can't end War as the main driver of the worlds economy, do we deserve anything good like a real civilized health care for all of us?
I know..... we need both.
But it takes work luck money and sweat and blood to make a revolution.
If Nader and the Cindy's and all our outsider heroes started working for a new united coalition of peace and justice voters and activists, I would not think it was a total loser... in fact it would signal we have begun the real fight.
If on the other hand, our candidates keep running against each other on the ballot and splitting progressive power at the booth, I will continue to point out the problem.
If the leaders can't unite us we must dump them and do it ourselves.
It seems this is a crucial question and is not talked about much in progressive journals and articles.
This is our thing... the posters thing. It seems we are gettin tired of the same old things that divide us more and more.
But, no matter what we have been through, we will somehow get through all this.
It is good that we are discussing ways to grow and learn about solidarity and the need for unity.
In the end only the people are too big to fail.
A corporate water carrier who refers to herself as "Ana M. Tinsley" from the disgraced propaganda rag which calls itself the "Star-Telegram" puts Bush's CRIMES in quotations when she isn't quoting Cindy Sheehan. Congratulations Ana, at least you know who peels your bananas.
For the former coward-in-chief's supporters, it reminds me of an aristocratic German woman I met in the 1970's who's family were friends of Magda and Joseph Goebbels. The lady was fond of saying how erudite Goebbels was and how he could talk at great length on a variety of subjects. (unlike Bush) She thought Joe was treated unfairly, because Germany lost the war.
It's a sad day in America when people still praise a man like GWB and the harm he has done at home and abroad.
Cindy is an inspiration, and speaks truth to power. What a courageous human being!
Lately I been thinkin, she would be our best chance to unite.... Cindy for Prez!
Keep up the pressure, Cindy. We need to hound Cheney as well. Sadly, the Dems won't do it.
Arrest BUSH for His WAR CRIMES!!!
IMPEACH Obama for the CONTINUATION of WAR CRIMES!
SAVE AN+MERICA! END ALL OCCUPATIONS!
RON PAUL for PRESIDENT 2012!
Barney is the only honorable one in the Bush family.
that's because he's adopted.
anna, please clarify your story. first you say the lemonade stand was set up across the street from a known war criminal's new home, and you follow that with only a city street separating the protesters. later you state that dozens of police officers and secret service goons blocked off the entrance to the bush neighborhood. while initial press reports months back state that when bush purchased his 3,001 s.f. home, for something like 6 mil, it was in a gated, repulsican community. someone is lying. and if it was in a repulsican gated community, then the little lemonade stand hawkers should be taking lessons from their neighbor across the street in how to screw your fellow americans out of their lives' savings.
and then, anna, you end this tuesday afternoon comedy hour with this gem:
Marla Kilday, who lives near Bush in Dallas, was also there to support him.
"I think this is inappropriate," she said. "The man has given his eight years in office and we just want the neighborhood to be peaceful and quiet."
gee, marla, your neighborhood is harboring one of this country's two greatest war criminals and you're making a fool of yourself by asking for a peaceful and quiet neighborhood?
I have never met a more elloquent and courageous anti-war activist than Cindy Sheehan! I have had the honor of meeting her (first at her campaign office last Nov) and she is THE REAL DEAL! A revolutionary at heart!!!
If you want to read her latest book (on PDF that you can only order from her website) it is great "Myth America: 10 Greatest Myths of the Robber Class and the Case for Revolution" !!!
Cindy for President!!!
I commend Cindy for her bravery. It sickens me to see the pro-Bush forces spew their rhetoric defending the most ignorant, corrupt president the United States has ever elected. Do these people know how to read or think for themselves? When you see the collusion between the oil industry, the Bush family, the Bin Laden family, the real reason for the Iraqi war becomes transparent. Shame, Shame on you Bush.I hope that Bush and his administration are held accountable for their atrocities.
The Hermans and Kildays of this world have always been part of the problem and not part of the solution. It's easy for them to come to support the most incompetent president in US history and to say so ingenuously "he did a good job", sure that's why the US is in such good shape today. Mrs. Sheehan's son id dead and gone forever because of this evil former president and his perverse desire for blood. What did the Herman's lose, what about Kilday? No sons, no daughters? Well then how dare they come to support the murderer of Cindy's son?
For what ExxonMobil cause?
It's time for a second American revolution in the spirit of perestroika
Mikhail Gorbachev
June 10, 2009
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/its-time-for-a-second-american-revolution-in-the-spirit-of-perestroika-20090609-c25z.html?page=-1
Either hang the bastard for war crimes or admit the U.S. is a nation of men, not law.
All Should Thank Cindy Sheehan
and all American parents
who had a son or daughter killed or maimed in the illegal war in Iraq.
Regardless of your opinion of her methods, she has more courage than 99% of we commenters.
If we had a few thousand more like her,
perhaps Bush and Cheney would have been Impeached
and a few thousand US soldiers would be alive and whole.
IF we had a few thousand more like her,
perhaps we could get Bush and Cheney and Lawyers
Indicted For Obvious Violations Of Our Federal Anti-Torture Laws
http://tinyurl.com/besdd3
Prosecute "Torturegate"
HELP Push our basically Good President
To Enforce Our Federal Anti-Torture Laws.
SIGN THE PETITION To Prosecute the Bush-Cheney Torturers
in the Republican Extremist Party
http://ANGRYVOTERS.ORG
Over 250,000 have signed, Join them and call yourself a Patriot
"No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare" James Madison
.
to mark paddles its really easy to figure it out.all of us meet in d,c. on a wednesday at like
noon just like the french do and by the millions and the govt. will once again fear its citizens
instead of its citizens fearing it! the hermans and the kildays were clearly not the brightest bulbs on the tree if you get my drift. and i have a few really nice bridges that we call sell them a really nice price.plus its wednesday so the blue light special applies and they just
got marked down again. its their lucky day and financing is available too!
i agree that's it is easy to figure out, in theory.
now for the hard part.
how do you organize this? how do you get the memo out to the rest of the country to meet on a Wednesday at noon? what will the protest be directed towards? gay rights? anti-war? anti-fed? anti-corporate? pro-choice? global warming? can the people doing the organizing find a way to take all of these progressive items mentioned and build it into a progressive agenda, like makesmewantnader wrote about? or, will this protest just end up being like the Fox sponsored tea-bag protests?
also, how do you get the discontented people to DC who live 1000's of miles away and are barely making ends meet? it's a little easier for the French to make a day trip to their capitol than it is for Americans. have you ever worked paycheck to paycheck? missing 3 or 4 days of work can mean not being able to pay rent or feed the kids, let alone being able to find the extra money for gas/bus/airfare/hotel money to spend getting to DC.
I imagine the two demonstrating groups facing each other.
The sane chant "No more war. No more war."
The insane, "Know more war. Know more war."