August 11, 2005

Vigil This Saturday to show Solidarity with Cindy Sheehan
THIS MAY BE THE TIPPING POINT!

What We Can Do

Dear Friends, Please join us!

THIS SATURDAY AUGUST 13th, 6:00-8:30 pm, PARK STREET STATION

There will be a vigil at the Park Street Station at 6:00 pm this Saturday to support Cindy Sheehan. Most of us cannot imagine what it must feel like to lose a son. Out of respect for Cindy and the Gold Star families we will be dressed in black. After sunset we will surround the Frog Pond holding candles. The reflection of their flames will honor all those who have lost their lives or been wounded in this illegal war.

PLEASE COME! WEAR BLACK, BRING CANDLES!

Let us know if you can come, and how many people you will be bringing!

Please Spread the Word!

Cindy is the mother of Army Specialist Casey Sheehan, killed in action at Sadr City on April 4, 2004. She is a co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace. Cindy is at the gates of Bush’s ranch in Crawford Texas to demand that he explain to her -face to face- why Casey had to die. Bush is refusing to come out. Cindy says she’s staying until Bush talks to her or leaves Texas. Each day she has been joined by a growing number of people. Goldstar families (families who have lost someone in Iraq) from all over the US are on their way to Crawford.

Military Families Speak Out and United for Peace and Justice have called for vigils all around the country to demand that the president talk with Cindy and the other Gold Star parents.

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Most comple & Up-to-date Info We’ve found

Help Gold Star families get to Texas

I know there have been alot of requests for money circulating the internet, and many people are nervous about the money getting to the right place. Boston Mobilization is making a donation to Military Families Speak Out. They are an incredible local organization and are working directly with Cindy and the Gold Star Families.

From Nancy Lessin of MFSO: "We are indeed sending more Gold Star and Military Families beginning tomorrow. We have many who want to go, and are doing fundraising now to send as many as possible. Two Gold Star families are flying in tomorrow; two more on Thursday; and military families with loved ones currently in Iraq or on their way to Iraq will be coming in as well. If anyone you know is interested in helping a Gold Star or Military Family get to Crawford, she/he can donate to MFSO (tax deductible) by making a check out to: MFSO/CSPP and writing in "for Crawford event" on the memo line. pCheck can be mailed to MFSO, P.O. Box 549, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Or donate to: Gold Star Families for Peace (via Paypal), or the Peace House in Crawford Texas (via Paypal)

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Military Families Speak Out

Call President Bush!

Flood the White House with phone calls. Send a simple three-word message, "Talk to Cindy!" Let them know that people in every corner of this country support Cindy and that we want George W. Bush to go out and meet with Cindy! The number for the White House comment line is 202-456-1111

Contact Congress

Sen. George Allen (Republican, Va.) has publicly encouraged the President to meet with Cindy Sheehan. Has your Congress Member and each of your Senators done so?

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To find out who your represtntatives are:

Contact the Media

Make sure your local news outlets are covering this story. Call the editor of your paper and contact producers of radio shows to encourage their ongoing coverage of this important news. Ask the media to cover Cindy Sheehan’s request to meet with the President. And ask them to highlight the difference between the reasons given to the American people for going to war with Iraq and the reality of those claims: No WMD, No 911 link, Not safer from terrorism, No democracy in Iraq, etc

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ttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.congress.org%2Fcongressorg%2Fdbq%2Fmedia
Media Contact Guide

Go To Crawford!

The absolute best way for you to support Cindy and all of the other mothers who want answers for their sons’ deaths is to go to Crawford and help them be heard. If you can do it, you should. Cindy needs your help. The soldiers in Iraq need your help. This is the opportunity to voice our opposition in a unified and peaceful way, with Cindy and the Gold Star Mothers for Peace as our leaders. Please, go to Crawford and expose to the world that the President refuses to explain his war to those who have paid for it so dearly.

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For more info:

A letter from Cindy

Dear Friends and Supporters,

George Bush said speaking about the dreadful loss of life in Iraq in August: (08/03/05): "We have to honor the sacrifices of the fallen by completing the mission." "The families of the fallen can be assured that they died for a noble cause." In reaction to these two assinine and hurtful statements, members of Gold Star Families for Peace (GSFP) are going to George’s vacation home in Crawford, Tx this Saturday, August 6th at 11:00 am to confront him on these two statements.

1) We want our loved ones sacrifices to be honored by bringing our nation’s sons and daughters home from the travesty that is Iraq IMMEDIATELY, since this war is based on horrendous lies and deceptions. Just because our children are dead, why would we want any more families to suffer the same pain and devastation that we are.

2) We would like for him to explain this "noble cause" to us and ask him why Jenna and Barbara are not in harm’s way, if the cause is so noble.

3) If George is not ready to send the twins, then he should bring our troops home immediately. We will demand a speedy withdrawal.

GSFP will be joined by members of Veteran’s for Peace (VFP), Military Families Speak Out (MFSO), Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW), Code Pink, and Crawford Peace House. We GSFP members will not leave until we get answers from George Bush. We deserve and expect him to welcome us with answers to as why our loved ones are dead.

Every worker for peace, every worker for justice, every person who wants our country back are welcomed to join us on Saturday. Show George Bush that we mean business. Be there to support us family members who have already been through so much. We are fighting for our country, our world, especially the children. Crawford is about 2 hours from Dallas where the VFP Convention is being held this weekend. There will be car pools from the convention.

HONOR OUR LOVED ONE’S SACRIFICES: BRING OUR TROOPS HOME NOW!!!!

Bring water and hats…we plan on staying until we are arrested or satisfied with the answers. (I am betting on jail).

Please pass this email on to your friends, lists, and media.

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Gold Star Families for Peace

Press Release From Military Families Speak Out

Gold Star and Military Families Arrive in Crawford, Texas Call on President Bush to Meet with Cindy Sheehan and All of the Families, And to Bring The Troops Home Now!

CRAWFORD, TX – Members of Gold Star Families for Peace and Military Families Speak Out are beginning to arrive in Crawford, Texas to add their voices to Cindy Sheehan‚s, calling for a meeting with President Bush and for troops to be brought home now.

The following Gold Star and Military Families Speak Out members are available for interview:

Celeste, Dante and Raphael Zappala of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Celeste and her son Dante arrived in Crawford on Tuesday August 9; son Raphael will arrive Friday night August 12. Celeste’s son Sgt. Sherwood Baker (Dante and Raphael‚s brother) was the first Pennsylvania National Guardsman to die in combat since World War II. He was killed in action in Baghdad on April 26, 2004 while searching for non-existent WMD’s. Celeste is a co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace.

Tammara Rosenleaf of Belton, Texas arrived in Crawford on Tuesday, August 9th. Tammara’s husband serves in the Army, stationed at Ft. Hood, and will be deploying to Iraq this fall.

Lietta Ruger of Bay Center, Washington will be arriving in Crawford Wednesday morning, August 10th. Lietta’s son-in-law and nephew serve in the 1st Armored Division of the U.S. Army and are currently in Germany. They have both served extended 15-month tours of duty in Iraq; they are both under stop-loss orders and due to re-deploy to Iraq this fall.

Linda and Phil Waste of Hinesville, Georgia will arrive in Crawford Wednesday morning August 10th. Linda and Phil have 3 sons and 2 grandchildren (a grandson and a granddaughter) who are active-duty military. Together, they have already spent a total of over 57 months on tours of duty in Iraq. Several of these children/grandchildren are currently serving in Iraq, and have served extended and multiple deployments.

Jean Prewitt of Birmingham, Alabama will arrive in Crawford on Wednesday morning, August 10th. Jean‚s son Private Kelly Prewitt was killed in action during the first few weeks of the war in Iraq, on April 6, 2003.

Valarie Fletcher of Seymour, Missouri is driving to Crawford and arriving Wednesday evening, August 10. Valarie’s son serves in the Marines and will be deploying to Iraq at the end of this month.

-MORE- Sherry Bohlen of Scottsdale, Arizona is driving to Crawford and arriving on Wednesday evening, August 10. Sherry‚s son serves in the Army and deployed to Iraq on June 10, 2005.

Rebecca Bahr of Scottsdale, Arizona is driving to Crawford and arriving on Wednesday evening August 10. Rebecca’s daughter serves in the Marines and is currently stateside.

Caryn Unsicker of Silvis, Illinois is driving to Crawford and arriving Wednesday evening, August 10. Caryn’s son serves in the Marines, currently stateside.

Anne Sapp and her daughters Lydia (age 17) and Mary (age 8) of Billerica, Massachusetts will be arriving in Crawford on Thursday morning, August 11th. Anne’s husband/Lydia and Mary’s father is a Staff Sergeant in the Massachusetts National Guard and currently serving in Iraq.

Barbara Porchia of Camden, Arkansas will be arriving in Crawford on Thursday morning August 11th. Barbara’s son, Army Reservist Private 1st Class Jonathan Cheatham, was killed in action in Baghdad two years ago, on July 26, 2003.

Sue Niederer of Pennington, New Jersey will be arriving in Crawford on Thursday morning August 11th. Sue’s son, 1st Lieutenant Seth Dvorin, was killed in action near Iskandariyah, Iraq on February 3, 2004. Sue is a co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace.

Kristin Williams and Matthew Williams of Dallas, Texas will be arriving in Crawford this weekend (August 13-14). Matthew Williams is an Iraq War Veteran who served as a combat medic for one year in Iraq (2003-2004). He was honorably discharged from the Army. Kristin is his sister.

Bill Mitchell of Atascadero, California will be arriving in Crawford in the next several days. Bill’s son Sgt. Michael Mitchell was killed in action in Sadr City, Iraq on April 4, 2004, along with Cindy Sheehan’s son Spc. Casey Sheehan. Bill is a co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace.

Mimi Evans of Hyannis, Massachusetts will be arriving in Crawford on Tuesday, August 16th. Mimi’s son serves in the Marines; he will be deployed to Fallujah, Iraq in the next two weeks.

Eric Blickenstaff of Portland, Oregon will be arriving in Crawford early next week. Eric’s brother Spc. Joseph Blickenstaff served in the Army and was killed when his Stryker vehicle rolled into a ditch on December 8, 2003 in Balad, Iraq.

For more information: Military Families Speak Out: http://www.mfso.org, Gold Star Families for Peace: http://www.gsfp.org

Quick Links

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bab.1327&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mfso.org
Military Families Speak Out
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Gold Star Families for Peace
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Click for complete info
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Daily updates from Crawford Newspaper
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The Cindy Sheehan Website
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The Crawford House of Peace
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FOR QUESTIONS OR INFO:

eve.lyman@bostonmobilization.org
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