NEWS
National anti-war rally visits Madison
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by Carolyn Smith
Wednesday, September 7, 2005
The north leg of the “Bring Them Home Now Tour” held an anti-Iraq War rally at the Barrymore Theater Sunday, drawing a standing-room-only crowd.
The tour, which mobilized from Camp Casey, is part of the campaign to end the war in Iraq and the U.S. occupation of the country. Cindy Sheehan has been at the forefront of the anti-Iraq War movement since she stationed herself outside President George Bush’s Crawford, Texas, ranch in early August, demanding to talk to Bush. As a crowd grew outside the ranch, the area was dubbed “Camp Casey” in honor of Sheehan’s son, who was killed in the war.
Consisting of north, central and south caravan groups, the tour will visit 42 cities in 26 states en route to the nation’s capitol.
Speakers from Gold Star Families for Peace, co-founded by Sheehan, Military Families Speak Out and Iraq Veterans Against the War talked about their stances on the war during the rally.
Green Party member Ben Manski, who helped coordinate the event, said he was pleased with the turnout and estimated there were over 1,000 people in attendance.
“It wasn’t surprising that so many people came out,” Manski said. “And I think it is very telling that they came in the middle of Labor Day weekend because people not only really have a thirst for the end of the occupation, but they have a thirst for democracy.”
Karen Meredith, who, like Sheehan, lost her son in the war and is also a member of Gold Star Families for Peace, called for an end to the war and for the United States to take responsibility during the rally.
“It is shameful that this administration took the patriotism and principles that our soldiers had and sent them into an illegal war,” Meredith said.
Meredith spoke of the war’s human cost, citing the 1,886 American soldiers who have lost their lives in the war.
“No one should ever have to walk in my shoes,” she said. “I will not get to see the man my son would have grown to be and, for as long as this war continues, my healing cannot begin.”
Patrick Resta, a veteran of the Iraq War who served as a medic for the North Carolina National Guard, criticized Bush and his leadership abilities.
“He was unprepared for Sept. 11, he was unprepared for the war on Iraq and now he is unprepared for Hurricane Katrina,” Resta said. “Well, three strikes and you’re out.”
Though war supporters claim war protesters are hurting the morale of the troops serving overseas, Resta said it is the government’s lack of support that affects him.
“Nothing hurt my morale like having to go to the credit union to take out a loan to buy my own body armor,” Resta said.
The three caravan groups are slated to reconvene in Washington, D.C., Sept. 21, and will participate in a war-protest march Sept. 24.
“Despite being really tired, I am still getting energy from the people that come to see us,” Sheri Glover, the mother of an Iraq War veteran, said. “It is a synergistic thing. I feel like we are energizing them and they are energizing us. And we are all in this together and, together, we can stop this.”
