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Statement from Cindy Sheehan on events at Travis AFB on Sunday

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proud2BlibKansan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-01-09 08:02 AM
Original message
Statement from Cindy Sheehan on events at Travis AFB on Sunday
"Killing is right and proper" (What happened at Travis AFB on Saturday)

"The Killing is Right and Proper"

Cindy Sheehan

On Saturday, Bay Area CODEPINK and I, started our caravan to Creech AFB in Nevada with a morning peace rally at Travis AFB in Fairfield, CA.

After we got there we were informed that we had to move off the base and were shown by MPs where we could protest. As good warriors for free speech and peace, we groused about it and we were moving forward to where we were supposed to go, when a very angry older man pulled up and started yelling at us to: "Don't go, I want to counter protest you." I told him, first of all, he shouldn't be drinking so early in the morning, and secondly not to worry, that we were going anywhere, we were just moving about 100 yards away.

We decided to just stop and take a picture by the Travis AFB sign and then we were going to get back in our cars to caravan down to Lemoore NAS because it was extremely windy and we were running a little late anyway.

I was giving a little speech denouncing the drone-bombing program and the upcoming 50 percent troop escalation to Afghanistan, when the angry old man, now dressed in a military uniform, charged around the corner and got right into my bullhorn-I told him to get out of my face and he very violently slaps the bullhorn away from me.

Everything happened so quickly: I was so shocked that I was actually physically assaulted that I just turned away from him and that's when my colleague, Suzanne immediately jumped to my aid and got between the man and me. He swore profusely and pushed her-and then a mini-melee ensued. The numerous MPs and POs that were there finally intervened after I asked them to stop the man from assaulting my friends. I touched no one even though I was within my rights to defend myself. The video clearly shows that the aggressor and the person who brought unreasoning anger and violence to the rally was Sgt. Phil Ward

After the mini-melee, a Fairfield Police Officer, told Suzanne and I that we couldn't press charges against the man who physically assaulted us because it was a "he-said, she-said" situation, when at least one dozen law enforcement officers were standing around and witnessing the events AND if we did press charges, then Suzanne and I would also have to go to jail until things got sorted out! Complete bullshit.

After all that, when we were leaving, like we were asked to, I got about 2 feet out of the parking lot and I noticed one of the CODEPINK women was not in the van, so I pulled over to the side of the road to wait for her and as soon I we got rolling again, to add insult to injury, I WAS PULLED OVER and detained for about one-half hour and kept isolated in my car from the others until I was presented with a ticket for "impeding traffic!"

We dropped my daughter's car off and I hopped in the van with a group of desperadoes, (with me being the third youngest, at 52, and six out of eleven in the van being over 70), and we headed down to Lemoore NAS and a National Guard post in Fresno. After another three- hour drive from Fresno, we landed at a cheap motel in Mojave California and I was shocked to open my email and see that I had received numerous emails attacking me for essentially "bullying" a poor, old military veteran.

I watched the news videos to confirm my recollection, which was 100 percent correct. I got to watch an interview that Phil Ward did after his attack on us and he says that the killing in the wars is "right and proper" and was exceedingly upset with Obama because he is only sending 34,000 more troops to Afghanistan when the generals asked for 40,000 more. During an interview with me, I am clearly shaken, but I say, "no matter how much violence they bring to us, we will bring them more peace."

A thing to think about in this whole episode, is that at least one area newspaper posted that we were going to be at Travis AFB, and it only drew ONE person out to protest us who was unreasonably aggressive and almost comically out of control? Hmm-it makes one wonder what Phil Ward was up to. He charged out of his car at us from the second he got there and felt it was okay to be physically aggressive towards me and the other protestors and he did get away with it with impunity?

We will bring them more peace, but we will also bring them justice, too, as we are planning on pressing charges against Phil Ward as soon as we return from Creech AFB.

There's scum that attack and more scum that protect those attackers.

There's scum that take away our rights to peaceably assemble and to freedom of speech, and more scum that protect those who try to steal those rights.

We the People need to be the ones to vigorously defend our rights and defend peace on earth from everyone from Sgt. Phil Ward to President Obama who think that killing is "right and proper."

Video of Phil Ward attacking our protest:

http://cbs13.com/video/?id=64185@kovr.dayport.com

We will be pressing charges against Phil Ward and Officer Glasshoff from Fairfied, CA and I will be fighting the ticket that I received that day
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Octafish Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-01-09 08:09 AM
Response to Original message
1. Raising a hand against a Gold Star mother...
What is it about peacemakers that drives some people crazy?
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proud2BlibKansan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-01-09 08:12 AM
Response to Reply #1
2. That guy has some obvious issues
I would suspect there is more going on with him that a mere disagreement about the war.
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Bitwit1234 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-01-09 10:24 AM
Response to Reply #2
10. Sheehan said he had been drinking -
that's probably what gave him nerve. A lot of nuts have to have a push to their so called courage.
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rfranklin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-01-09 08:13 AM
Response to Reply #1
3. It takes a lot of mental gymnastics to justify most wars...
and the tiniest movement will make them unbalanced.
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Cid_B Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-01-09 08:38 AM
Response to Reply #1
4. I specifically wrote in my...
... in case of death in combat letter that my mom should not go all "Cindy Sheehan" as I would return and haunt her. Ugh...
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Name removed Donating Member (0 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-01-09 09:00 AM
Response to Reply #4
5. Deleted message
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Tejas Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-01-09 09:25 AM
Response to Reply #5
7. I hope my mother
never decides to make an ass of herself with a bullhorn.
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proud2BlibKansan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-01-09 11:02 AM
Response to Reply #7
11. And I would be proud of my mom
I know Cindy and I have met her kids. They are sure Casey is smiling down on his mom and very proud of her.
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Name removed Donating Member (0 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-03-09 12:20 PM
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Name removed Donating Member (0 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-01-09 11:32 AM
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Name removed Donating Member (0 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-03-09 10:21 AM
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Vickers Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-01-09 09:10 AM
Response to Reply #4
6. Yeah, right.
:eyes:
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rhett o rick Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-01-09 09:47 AM
Response to Reply #1
9. These types of people are cowards. They are usually frustrated because they cant win
their wars so they blame the people that want peace. Right wing authoritarians.
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lonestarnot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-01-09 09:32 AM
Response to Original message
8. That dudie was in uniform and displayed conduct unbecoming by pushing women! He needs busting.
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Echo In Light Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-01-09 11:34 AM
Response to Original message
13. K&R
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chowder66 Donating Member (597 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-01-09 12:24 PM
Response to Original message
14. Go ahead and tear me a new one......
but.....I saw this yesterday and my first reaction was that I saw Cindy put that bullhorn on his face. I went back to review the video several times. I must be seeing a different video because I see the man walking up with both of his arms behind his back, a vulnerable non-threatening stance. Yes, he's yelling but so is Cindy (with a bullhorn to boot). He is getting close to her and she does not really back away, as she moves her bullhorn at his face he steps to the side to avoid it and she then literally puts it up then directly on to his face. I find this deeply disrespectful. If it was someone else, all I can say is that they just might not have been as nice as he was by smacking the bullhorn away. Someone else might have smacked the end of it into Cindy's face if angry enough...causing damage. I then looked for him assaulting Cindy but all I saw was him pushing the other woman. While this isn't good or right by any means, this man was now angrier than when he just wanted to debate/protest the protester. Please look at the video again. Turn the tables.

I in no way think him pushing that woman was right or even merited but I also do not think that the video supports Cindy's full version either.

I almost just typed I'm sorry...but I'm not. I support Cindy's efforts but in this case, I am not seeing it the way she does.

From the article above; "The video clearly shows that the aggressor and the person who brought unreasoning anger and violence to the rally was (..........?)"

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Vidar Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-01-09 01:08 PM
Response to Original message
15. K&R
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