From: CODEPINK <codepink@democracyinaction.org>

August 19, 2005

We continue to be part of the vigil at Crawford, Texas, even as Cindy Sheehan had to leave to be with her mother, who suffered a stroke. We pray for her mother’s recovery and for Cindy’s return. On Thursday, we had a wonderful “mother’s day” at the camp where all day long, women at the vigil and around the country wrote letters to Laura Bush asking her to intercede with her husband on Cindy’s behalf. In just 24 hours after putting out the call, we received over 500 letters to the First Lady from the women of America—one more poignant than the next. We’ll include a sample on our website, and if you’d like to add your own, email it to laurabush@codepinkalert.org.

In the afternoon, we had a women’s circle where woman after woman—many of them military moms—told heart-wrenching stories about how this war has affected them. Women who had been to Iraq as humanitarian workers talked about the devastating impact of the war on Iraqis, especially Iraqi women. Then about 100 of us gathered the letters, lined up along the road, and singing and chanting, marched down the 2-mile road in the blistering heat to the entrance of George Bush’s ranch. There we were stopped by the secret service, who refused to take our letters. But on our insistence—and to our great surprise—a White House staffer appeared, took our baskets of letters, and promised to deliver them to the First Lady!

Today, Friday, we had a lovely interfaith healing circle, and the first meal in our new camp. Instead of being crammed along the side of the road, we now have a lovely one-acre plot smack in front of Bush’s ranch, where the Secret Service is located. It’s quite a miracle that just at the time when our old campsite was becoming untenable due to congestion and safety concerns, a wonderful neighbor of Bush’s appeared to offer his land (actually a cousin of the gun-wielding neighbor from earlier this week). But then again, here in Crawford, miracles happen every day.

We can’t tell you how inspiring it has been to be by Cindy’s side and see this movement blossom. CODEPINK will be here until Cindy gets her meeting with Bush, or leaves at the end of August. Meanwhile, we’re planning for the big march and events in Washington DC on September 23-26. Please mark your calendars and commit to joining Cindy and us in Washington as we continue to show George Bush that the people of this nation—especially the women—demand an end to this bloody war.

With love and optimism, Alicia, Dana, Farida, Gael, Jodie, Medea, Tiffany and Whitney

PS- If you haven't already, please visit http://www.onemillionreasons.org/article.php?list=type&type=69 and give us YOUR reason to end the war. We will deliver them to the White House on September 26th.


Informant: Martin Greenhut



Cindy Sheehan
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Sheehan