22 August 2005
Paula Rogovin
Camp CaseyThis summer was a big one for me. The mother of my first grader invited me to visit her family in rural Thailand where the student’s grandmother works in a rice paddy. Fortunately, I was able to accept the invitation and stayed with the family for one week. When the grandmother came home from the rice paddies in the late morning, she twisted bamboo leaves to make rope which she sold to a company (for practically nothing). That rope was use for making baskets. She often returned to the rice paddies later in the day. We walked to her rice paddy. After that experience, I truly appreciate the workers who grow the rice. Such hard work goes into growing every grain of rice we eat. What incredibly hard work they do, every day of the week.
I just couldn’t be in SE Asia and not go to Vietnam, so I went for a week to Vietnam. I had demonstrated against that Vietnam War for many years. I was especially interested in learning about the war and the impact of the war. I went to the Mekong Delta, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), the Cu Chi tunnels, and Lao Cai, Bac Ha, and Sapa (three areas where the government has worked with the United Nations, Oxfam, and other groups to help the ethnic minorities preserve their cultures). The people I met all over Vietnam were so very friendly and welcoming. What a wonderful and a meaningful experience.
What struck me over and over was how dedicated the people had been to liberating their country from first the French occupation and then the American occupation. What saddened me so much was that our government did not learn any lessons from that tragic war of occupation. Our government didn’t learn that you can’t win a war of occupation. You can’t take over another people’s country. You just can’t and, of course, you shouldn’t do it. And here we are occupying Iraq and our government wonders why there is so much fighting, why the “insurgency” is growing, and why we can’t just say “Mission accomplished,” and simply take control of the oil.
While in Hanoi, I heard on TV the news about Cindy Sheehan. I just had to go to Crawford. Three days after returning from Vietnam, I was in Crawford, TX, with Cindy Sheehan and hundreds of her supporters. I went as a member of MFSO (Military Families Speak Out), because one of my sons is a lieutenant in the Marine Corps. Many parents in MFSO have been long time peace activists as I have been. Others are new to the anti-war movement. I hope other families will join MFSO. (http://www.MFSO.org .) We need to support each other, and we need to speak out. Most of the MFSO members at Camp Casey have family members who have served in Iraq and some have family members who have been redeployed or will be redeployed soon. (My son is still stateside in training.)
Saturday, the day I arrived, I missed the big rally of over 600 people, but followed the long line of cars from the rally in town to Camp Casey. Camp Casey was based in the ditches along the road to President Bush’s ranch. Casey is Cindy’s son who was killed during the search for non-existent weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
I think that, like Rosa Parks, Cindy Sheehan has sparked a historic movement. Neither the bus boycott nor the anti-war movement around Cindy Sheehan was really spontaneous. The anti-war movement – with its demonstrations, forums, rallies, petitions, vigils, and more, started before this war began. Cindy had been speaking out with other Gold Star Family members for the whole year since Casey was killed. She was at the Veterans for Peace convention a few weeks ago in Dallas when she suddenly thought to herself that she was so frustrated and wanted to go directly to meet with President Bush while he was vacationing at Crawford. She told the others at the conference, and they got into vehicles and left for Crawford. The movement was there, but the act of a grieving mother taking on the President and a press corps with little to do in Crawford, just did it. Her act was the spark. Also, like Rosa Parks, Cindy is a woman with integrity, a wonderful human being, and an inspiration.
The Gold Star Families for Peace (families who lost their loved ones in Iraq), the MFSO, and the Veterans groups are at the core of Camp Casey. Of course, there are many people from labor, community, religious, and other organizations, as well as people who are not affiliated with any organizations. It’s spirited but solemn at Camp Casey. It’s about Cindy Sheehan wanting to ask President Bush three questions: What is the noble cause for which her son and others have died in Iraq? If the cause is so noble, will he send his daughters? When will he stop using the names of her son and the other fallen soldiers to justify continuing this war?
I was there when a rancher fired the shots into the air, claiming to the police later that he was just “practicing for dove season.” I watched the reporters from the major media literally run away from the Pastors for Peace prayer vigil to rush over to the “action” when the police arrived to deal with the shooter. They saw the action but missed a most moving inter-denominational prayer vigil with Gold Star family members holding each other in sorrow and tearful supporters praying, singing, holding hands and telling what they wish for the world. I guess the shooting was more exciting and made a great news story. That’s how they sell the news. Too bad.
It was amazing, though, to see so much press at Camp Casey every day. There were reporters from the major media as well as independent journalists. There were press conferences and interviews day and night. And bloggers spread the news around the world within seconds. Every time anyone tried to discredit Cindy or to harm the protesters, the support has grown. We cheered as we heard about support demonstrations and new Camp Caseys around the country.
People came to Camp Casey from all over the USA and even from other countries. They came with donations of food and water and supplies. They came with over 860 crosses that had been at “Arlington West” in Santa Monica. Those crosses then lined the road at Camp Casey. People put flowers and flags on the crosses that had the names of our fallen soldiers – soldiers killed in the government’s quest for power and oil, not for any noble cause.
Many of us volunteered to help – cook at the Crawford Peace House, do media work, shuttle people from the Peace House to Camp Casey, organize the Camp Casey kitchen which was flooded with donations of food and water, and to help in many other ways. Our tents were in the ditches between the barbed wire fences of the ranch to the street – a very small space – so we needed to be in the street to walk around. People volunteered to stand watch to warn us to get out of the street when cars were coming. At night, we had 3 shifts of people watching out for any problems, particularly with passing cars. The second night I was on patrol, someone drove his pickup truck through the crosses with a banging, clanging noise. 506 crosses went down, along with flags and flowers. Over 100 of those crosses were destroyed. We reported it right away to the police, who have been so helpful. The man was caught within the hour – with a flat tire and crosses stuck under his truck! How tragic that someone would do that to crosses of fallen soldiers.
But what happened after that was amazing. We took photos, and the word about the crosses was out within minutes. A WACO TV station had stayed after an earlier press conference so they could use Camp Crawford as the backdrop for the 10 o'clock news. They broke the news for the media. Soon other media showed up. In the morning there was still another packed press conference about the destruction of the crosses. Veterans and others were already rebuilding and replacing the crosses. A group of people had already started a few days before constructing more crosses because more than 1841 US soldiers have died. They helped replace crosses that had been destroyed.
I didn’t want to leave Camp Casey but I had promised to visit my father in Buffalo the next day. As I was leaving the Crawford Peace House, a FedEx truck pulled up and delivered 50 boxes (35 dozen) long stemmed roses donated by someone in Florida. Moveon.org and many other organizations organized over 1600 candlelight vigils. As I said, every time someone tried to attack – our movement has grown – and it will continue to grow. The momentum is here. We must stop the killing and bring the troops home now.
Former Buffalonian Paula Rogovin is a now a public school teacher in New York City. She is the daughter of the documentary photographer Milton Rogovin, who is now 95 years old. The two of them participated in the August 20 Women in Black peace vigil at Elmwood and Bidwell Parkway.
Copyright 2005 by Buffalo Report, Inc.