http://www.conyersblog.us/Blogged by JC on 08.09.05 @ 03:41 PM ET
Tuesday, August 9th, 2005
Support Cindy
I know you all agree with me that what Cindy Sheehan is doing in Crawford, Texas is heroic and important. I met Cindy a couple of months ago when she testified at the hearing I called on the Downing Street Minutes. Later that day, she helped me deliver your signatures to the White House demanding answers from the President about his pre-war deceptions. I want to share with you what struck me about that day, and is even more relevant now. I also want to ask you for your help.
It is not that hard for an elected official to take his time and energy and try to demand accountability from a President. It is what I was elected to do and it is my job. For a mother who recently lost her son in a war based on lies to turn her grief and anger into action and courage is a heroic act.
It is also important. The President’s defenders want to turn the debate over the war, over life and death, into a typical partisan skirmish. By doing so, they hope the country will divide neatly into a 50/50 split between Democrats and Republicans and the stalemate will continue. What Cindy is doing is taking this out of the realm of partisanship to where it belongs: cold and hard reality.
The reality of a war that didn’t have to happen. The reality of the loss of nearly 2,000 American lives in that unnecessary war. The reality of the countless Iraqis who have died because of a lie. The reality of the men and women in uniform who have come back from Iraq with severe injuries and who will never be the same again. The reality of the families that have to pick up the pieces of the lost and shattered lives of those who have died and have been injured. The reality of a President that is so stubborn and unyielding that he does not appear to care about the grief of a mother. The reality of a policy that is so out of touch with reality itself.
Together with a number of my Congressional colleagues (including the Co-Chair of the Out of Iraq Caucus, Maxine Waters; Cindy’s representative
George Miller; Dennis Kucinich; Jim McDermott; Zoe Lofgren; Bernie Sanders; Barbara Lee; John Lewis; Jim Oberstar; Bob Filner; Jim McGovern; Carolyn Maloney; and Corrine Brown), I am writing the President asking him to honor Cindy’s simple and humble request for a meeting to discuss a policy that has claimed the life of her son. Rawstory has the letter at
http://rawstory.com/news/2005/16_Democrats_call_on_Bush_to_meet_mother_of_fallen_soldi_0809.html. We have no illusions that the intercession of Members of Congress will change the President’s mind more than Cindy can, but we think it is important for all of us to show our support for Cindy – and for all of the Gold Star Families – in whatever way we can.
I just spoke with Cindy (you can listen to a tape of the phone call here) While listening to the call is probably better than my recollection, I let her know how much I support her and that I think what she is doing is so enormously beneficial to the country. To me, what she is doing in Texas has the power to change Washington.
I also told her that I am making a $500 donation today to the Gold Star Families organization. I want to urge you to donate at www.meetwithcindy.com if you can. If you are financially unable to donate, there are many other ways to help, many are described on the website. In addition to what they suggest, I think it is important that as you take vacations this August or talk with friends and family, you
spread the word about Cindy and the Gold Star Families. Most importantly, keep them in your thoughts and prayers. The letter:
http://rawstory.com/news/2005/16_Democrats_call_on_Bush_to_meet_mother_of_fallen_soldi_0809.htmlThe following letter, circulating around the Hill, was acquired by RAW STORY Tuesday afternoon. Sixteen Democratic House members are calling on President Bush to meet Cindy Sheehan, whose son was killed in Iraq and is protesting outside Bush's Crawford ranch.
Dear Mr. President:
We write to respectfully urge you to meet with Cindy Sheehan and other relatives of fallen soldiers who request a meeting to discuss their deep concerns about the war in Iraq. We also request that you help ensure that Ms. Sheehan and her colleagues are not arrested as long as they continue to wait for a meeting with you at their location in the peaceable and legal manner that they have maintained thus far.
Since the loss of her son, Ms. Sheehan and other families have been committed to helping family members of other soldiers who have been lost in Iraq. Ms. Sheehan, in fact, founded Gold Star Families for Peace, a support organization for families of fallen soldiers. For several days now, she has been waiting outside your ranch, hoping to meet with you about the loss of her son and the failure to discover weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Ms. Sheehan has indicated that she is planning to continue her vigil for the entirety of your vacation at your Crawford complex if necessary.
Given the recent tragic loss of American lives in Iraq, and the many deaths and injuries American troops have sustained since the beginning of the war, we hope that you can appreciate why the family members believe it so important that they exercise their rights as citizens to petition their government. We believe it would send an unfortunate message to other relatives and soldiers if grieving parents were arrested while exercising their constitutional rights.
Thank you very much for you assistance with this matter. We hope that you will be able to make time to meet with Ms. Sheehan and her colleagues and also ensure they are treated fairly while awaiting this important appointment.
Sincerely,
Reps. John Conyers; George Miller; Maxine Waters; Corrine Brown; Dennis Kucinich; Carolyn Maloney; Jim McDermott; Jim McGovern; Barbara Lee; Zoe Lofgren; Peter Oberstar; John Lewis; Bernie Sanders; Bob Filner; Micheal Honda; Raul Grijalva
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