“The Killing is Right and Proper”
By Cindy Sheehan, Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox Blog, Nov. 29, 2009
Yesterday, 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
Getting up early to stop at Edwards AFB and Nellis AFB on our way to Creech in Nevada---the other stops yesterday were uneventful and we just want to peaceably protest without any further assaults.
Response to Obama’s planned Afghanistan ‘surge’: Cindy Sheehan, CodePINK head to military bases
Cindy Sheehan, CodePINK head to military bases in California, Nevada protest escalation of the war
BERKELEY – With anti-war Mom Cindy Sheehan on board, a CodePINK “NO DRONES/NO SURGE Bus” heads to Indian Springs, Nevada Saturday – with more than a half dozen demonstrations at military bases along the way – to protest President Obama’s plan for a surge against Afghanistan and the administration’s use of assassinations by “drone warfare” that kills civilians at high rates.
A NEWS CONFERENCE will be held at the bus send-off at the Marine Recruiting Station (64 Shattuck Square) in Berkeley SATURDAY at 7-7:30 a.m.
The bus, and its cadre of demonstrators from Northern California, will hold the following actions:
SATURDAY:
8:30-9:30 a.m. - TRAVIS AFB (main gate), Fairfield.
2-3 p.m. - LEMOORE Naval Air Station (main gate), Lemoore..
4-5 p.m. - FRESNO Air National Guard (main gate, Fresno.
SUNDAY:
7:30-8:30 a.m. - EDWARDS AFB (main gate), Edwards.
11-12 Noon - Marine Corps Logistics Base (main gate), Barstow.
1-2 p.m. - Ft. Irwin Army Military Reserve (main gate), Ft. Irwin.
5-6 p.m. - Nellis AFB (main gate), North Las Vegas.
Once at Creech AFB (just out Las Vegas, NV) demonstrations are planned in conjunction with International Climate Justice Action Day to protest the environmental disaster caused by wars (e.g. 51 percent of fossil fuels in the world are consumed by the U.S. military) on MONDAY.
On TUESDAY, timed to coincide with Obama’s expected announcement to increase U.S. troops against Afghanistan, Dawn to Dusk protests will be held at the front gate at Creech AFB.
“President Obama was elected to end war. We are still occupying Iraq, drone bombing against Pakistan for the past 6 months has been more than all the drone bombing under Bush and we’re escalating against Afghanistan. We have one message for U.S. troops: RESIST, REFUSE, DON’T GO, NO SURGE; and one message for Obama: Troops Home NOW” said CodePINK in a statement.
BERKELEY – With anti-war Mom Cindy Sheehan on board, a CodePINK “NO DRONES/NO SURGE Bus” heads to Indian Springs, Nevada Saturday – with more than a half dozen demonstrations at military bases along the way – to protest President Obama’s plan for a surge against Afghanistan and the administration’s use of assassinations by “drone warfare” that kills civilians at high rates.
A NEWS CONFERENCE will be held at the bus send-off at the Marine Recruiting Station (64 Shattuck Square) in Berkeley SATURDAY at 7-7:30 a.m.
The bus, and its cadre of demonstrators from Northern California, will hold the following actions:
SATURDAY:
8:30-9:30 a.m. - TRAVIS AFB (main gate), Fairfield.
2-3 p.m. - LEMOORE Naval Air Station (main gate), Lemoore..
4-5 p.m. - FRESNO Air National Guard (main gate, Fresno.
SUNDAY:
7:30-8:30 a.m. - EDWARDS AFB (main gate), Edwards.
11-12 Noon - Marine Corps Logistics Base (main gate), Barstow.
1-2 p.m. - Ft. Irwin Army Military Reserve (main gate), Ft. Irwin.
5-6 p.m. - Nellis AFB (main gate), North Las Vegas.
Once at Creech AFB (just out Las Vegas, NV) demonstrations are planned in conjunction with International Climate Justice Action Day to protest the environmental disaster caused by wars (e.g. 51 percent of fossil fuels in the world are consumed by the U.S. military) on MONDAY.
On TUESDAY, timed to coincide with Obama’s expected announcement to increase U.S. troops against Afghanistan, Dawn to Dusk protests will be held at the front gate at Creech AFB.
“President Obama was elected to end war. We are still occupying Iraq, drone bombing against Pakistan for the past 6 months has been more than all the drone bombing under Bush and we’re escalating against Afghanistan. We have one message for U.S. troops: RESIST, REFUSE, DON’T GO, NO SURGE; and one message for Obama: Troops Home NOW” said CodePINK in a statement.
Protest Escalation of War On Mon. & Wed. in Charlotte
From CODEPINK Charlotte:
Hi Codepinkers and others. We will have a Monday action at the Square at 12 noon (Trade St & Tryon St, Charlotte, NC).
Rather than wait to react, we will pass out the White House phone number and ask people to ACT!
Our message will be: WAGE PEACE, with hand outs of the White House comment line, with why surging troops in Afghanistan is the not the way to go, and what we suggest as an alternative. Some suggestions are: MORE WAR=MORE SUFFERING FOR AFGHAN WOMEN AND CHILDREN, DOLLARS, LIVES & HUMAN NEEDS DOWN THE DRAIN! WE NEED AN EXIT STRATEGY NOT AN ESCALATION. GROUND THE DRONES, STOP THE SURGE-START RESPONSIBLE WITHDRAWAL
Then on Wed at 6pm at The Square:
We will wear black, and head coverings, and possibly death masks (whatever they are) and holding "babies" (or candles?) at an event to protest any decision to escalate the troops and violence. That will be at 6pm Wednesday at the square.
Please bring you own messages if you like. We want this to be big!
Peace,
Elaine
CODEPINK Charlotte
codepinkcharlotte@gmail.com
Hi Codepinkers and others. We will have a Monday action at the Square at 12 noon (Trade St & Tryon St, Charlotte, NC).
Rather than wait to react, we will pass out the White House phone number and ask people to ACT!
Our message will be: WAGE PEACE, with hand outs of the White House comment line, with why surging troops in Afghanistan is the not the way to go, and what we suggest as an alternative. Some suggestions are: MORE WAR=MORE SUFFERING FOR AFGHAN WOMEN AND CHILDREN, DOLLARS, LIVES & HUMAN NEEDS DOWN THE DRAIN! WE NEED AN EXIT STRATEGY NOT AN ESCALATION. GROUND THE DRONES, STOP THE SURGE-START RESPONSIBLE WITHDRAWAL
Then on Wed at 6pm at The Square:
We will wear black, and head coverings, and possibly death masks (whatever they are) and holding "babies" (or candles?) at an event to protest any decision to escalate the troops and violence. That will be at 6pm Wednesday at the square.
Please bring you own messages if you like. We want this to be big!
Peace,
Elaine
CODEPINK Charlotte
codepinkcharlotte@gmail.com
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