Casey Chronicles Wednesday 8/24/05
Hands sweaty and dripping over my keyboard, we begin another day of active activism.
Camp Casey II is a large tent donated by a Dallas catering company on land that was donated for the month by the cousin of the cowboy who shot his gun into the air some days ago. Called by the newspaper "a party tent" -- this is no party. These folks are somber and serious. Many have children in Iraq, or, as one couple from Wisconsin told me yesterday, one son, a National Guard member, is already in Iraq, the other on his way.
Tables are reserved for military families, for Gold Star moms, for Veterans for Peace, for Iraq Veterans Against the War. All are represented. All are mobilized.
Several folks are bloggin live from voice stream in the center of the tent. A huge replica of a casket painted with American Flag towers beside the enourmous banner painted in the likeness of Casey Sheehan.
But this is not about one person. This isn't just about Casey, nor about Cindy, his mom. This is about truth, and lies. About a country that trusted, and has been betrayed.
As elders walk around in this 101 degree, 100 percent humidity, we all know that this is bigger than one person's story.
And it is clear that the Bush crowd is also aware. They only come and go by helicopter now, abandoning the roads that travel through the Camp Casey encampments.
The tide has turned. When the women say "no more," things shift. History bears that out. Lysistrata informs us. It is happening here.
And there is no doubt that the women are running this operation. Men are vital, and are all involved, but the women "man" the cell phones, plan the events, make the grocery lists, create the rather creative menus, and prepare the food, creative since we have no refrigeration and depend on whatever is available in town that arrives each morning. The actual meals flow from whatever is hauled in every morning as the boxes of produce, meat, etc. arrive -- some donated and the rest purchased from donated funds.
Yes, the women have said, "no more." And the women have gathered.
The tent is not full at the moment, because all of the veterans have gone to Waco to demonstrate at the VA hospital. They will return this afternoon.
Also arriving will be Cindy Sheehan, returning from her mother's bedside, and a truckload of 2000 sets of boots, from the feet of the fallen military in Iraq.
There will, sadly, be no sandals of the Iraqi's. No blankets that wrapped the babies, no scarves that covered the Iraqi mothers' heads, nor handkerchiefs that wiped their tears.
But we have not forgotten them.
ECS
Camp Casey II is a large tent donated by a Dallas catering company on land that was donated for the month by the cousin of the cowboy who shot his gun into the air some days ago. Called by the newspaper "a party tent" -- this is no party. These folks are somber and serious. Many have children in Iraq, or, as one couple from Wisconsin told me yesterday, one son, a National Guard member, is already in Iraq, the other on his way.
Tables are reserved for military families, for Gold Star moms, for Veterans for Peace, for Iraq Veterans Against the War. All are represented. All are mobilized.
Several folks are bloggin live from voice stream in the center of the tent. A huge replica of a casket painted with American Flag towers beside the enourmous banner painted in the likeness of Casey Sheehan.
But this is not about one person. This isn't just about Casey, nor about Cindy, his mom. This is about truth, and lies. About a country that trusted, and has been betrayed.
As elders walk around in this 101 degree, 100 percent humidity, we all know that this is bigger than one person's story.
And it is clear that the Bush crowd is also aware. They only come and go by helicopter now, abandoning the roads that travel through the Camp Casey encampments.
The tide has turned. When the women say "no more," things shift. History bears that out. Lysistrata informs us. It is happening here.
And there is no doubt that the women are running this operation. Men are vital, and are all involved, but the women "man" the cell phones, plan the events, make the grocery lists, create the rather creative menus, and prepare the food, creative since we have no refrigeration and depend on whatever is available in town that arrives each morning. The actual meals flow from whatever is hauled in every morning as the boxes of produce, meat, etc. arrive -- some donated and the rest purchased from donated funds.
Yes, the women have said, "no more." And the women have gathered.
The tent is not full at the moment, because all of the veterans have gone to Waco to demonstrate at the VA hospital. They will return this afternoon.
Also arriving will be Cindy Sheehan, returning from her mother's bedside, and a truckload of 2000 sets of boots, from the feet of the fallen military in Iraq.
There will, sadly, be no sandals of the Iraqi's. No blankets that wrapped the babies, no scarves that covered the Iraqi mothers' heads, nor handkerchiefs that wiped their tears.
But we have not forgotten them.
ECS
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