Anti-war protest to tour US
2005-08-30 14:41
Crawford - War protesters camping out near President George W Bush's ranch were preparing for a three-week bus tour to spread their anti-war message to people and lawmakers in 25 United States states.
Three buses were to depart on Wednesday from the makeshift camp started by Cindy Sheehan along the main road leading to Bush's ranch, protesters said on Monday. Sheehan arrived on August 6, soon after Bush's Texas vacation began, and vowed to stay until month's end unless he talked to her about the war in Iraq that claimed her 24-year-old son Casey's life.
Since then, several thousand people have visited "Camp Casey" for a few hours, days or weeks.
"We had no idea the ditch in Crawford had such phenomenal acoustics," said Nancy Lessin, co-founder of Military Families Speak Out, one of four organisations sponsoring the Bring Them Home Now Tour.
Momentum building
"There's a momentum building across the country and we intend for every member of Congress to hear our messages from Camp Casey loud and clear," she said.
The tour will end with the three buses meeting in Washington, DC, for a September 24 anti-war march organised by United for Peace and Justice and the Answer Coalition.
FreeRepublic.com and other conservative groups are planning counter events in the nation's capital that weekend, said Kristinn Taylor, co-leader of the group's Washington, DC, chapter. FreeRepublic.com was part of a large pro-Bush rally in Crawford on Saturday.
Making their voices heard
Taylor said many Bush supporters want to make sure their voice also is heard, "especially military families who have been serving silently with their relatives. They realise it's important for them to speak out now."
Pro-Bush rallies also are expected in cities along the bus tour, which will follow northern, central and southern routes. In some cases, protesters may walk into the offices of a Congress member, Lessin said.
Sheehan will be on the southern route, with its first stop in Austin, Texas, for a Wednesday afternoon rally. Its next event will be on Friday in Houston, the district of Tom DeLay, the Majority Leader of the US House of Representatives.
Sheehan will leave the tour after that for other events, but other relatives of fallen US troops and families of soldiers still serving in Iraq will be on each bus.
Bush said he sympathises with Sheehan, but his aides said there are no plans to change his schedule to meet with her. His vacation is to end on Friday.
- AP