 |
|
|
 News from Around the Americas | August 2006 
Bush Back in DC, but "Camp Casey" Still Open
 Angela K. Brown - Associated Press
| | Peace activist Cindy Sheehan speaks to the group of activists after she arrived at 'Camp Casey,' her peace camp near Crawford, Texas, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2006. (AP/Ron Heflin) |
Crawford, TX - Anti-war demonstrators said today they hope that the end of President Bush's ranch vacation doesn't hurt attendance at their protest activities for the rest of the summer.
They urged those who oppose the war in Iraq to keep coming to their 5-acre campsite purchased last month by Cindy Sheehan, who resumed her protest a week ago.
Sheehan's first trek to the one-stoplight town last August during Bush's monthlong vacation turned into a 26-day vigil that drew more than 10,000 people and spurred counter-protests by Bush supporters.
A few hundred war opponents returned at Thanksgiving, when Bush was at his ranch, and again in April, the president's first Easter away from Crawford.
Today, only about 100 protesters were camped on their land near downtown, about 7 miles from the ranch, but they hope to increase their numbers.
"This is a victory for us that he is not here," said Kyle Johnson, 31, of Austin. "We've felt powerless to stop the war. Now we've spoken truth to power and made him run off, and I think it's going to feed the energy of this."
Bush arrived at his ranch Aug. 3 and returned to Washington today as previously scheduled, his shortest summer vacation yet amid turmoil in the Middle East and an uncertain future for his Republican party in fall elections.
White House officials didn't immediately return calls for comment. But officials have previously said that Bush's plans involving ranch visits have nothing to do with the protesters.
After protesters found out about Bush's shorter Crawford vacation, they scrambled to move up their event, initially planned for the latter half of August after the Veterans for Peace convention in Seattle.
Sheehan, 49, returned to the camp for an interfaith service today after being hospitalized for two nights for dehydration and after undergoing a minor gynecological procedure. She was greeted with hugs, cheers and shouts of "We love you, Cindy!"
"Even though George Bush isn't here, it's important still to get together and not just show him but show the world that there are Americans who want the violence in the Middle East to stop," Sheehan said.
Sheehan was to rest for the next few days at the home of Willie Nelson and his wife, who Sheehan has gotten to know the past year, said her spokeswoman, Tiffany Burns.
Sheehan said she would attend rallies at "Camp Casey" next weekend and may visit briefly before then. The protest is to continue through Sept. 3 at the camp named for her oldest son, who was killed in Iraq in 2004.
Sheehan bought the land because last fall county leaders banned roadside camping and parking, and her original campsite was in ditches off the rural road leading to the ranch. Then recently a landowner stopped allowing the group to use his 1-acre lot for protests. |
| |
|
Vallarta Weddings
Tell a Friend
Site Map
Print this Page
Email Us