August 17, 2005
Anti-War Demonstration Attracts More Than 350
By Jonathan Thrope
About 350 people tonight lined both sides of the Ruth Steinkraus Memorial Bridge in downtown Westportt to hold a vigil for Cindy Sheehan, the mother who lost her son in Iraq and has camped outside of President Bush’s Crawford, Texas ranch for the past 11 days seeking a meeting with him. 
Bob McMahon, 12, of Southport, was among those participating in tonight's vigil. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
The vigil was one of 1,627 vigils organized across the nation by MoveOn.org, TrueMajority, and Democracy for America
The bridge was lined with candle-holding, sign-waving Americans from across Connecticut, all hoping to show support for Sheehan.
“I’m here to show solidarity with Cindy Sheehan and for all the mothers who have lost sons and daughters in this senseless war,” said Daryl Manning, a Westport resident, as she stood on the bridge.
Krista Bradford, one of the organizers of the Westport vigil, said that she hoped the demonstration would “raise concern and show that people everywhere are concerned and feel (Sheehan’s) loss.”
“We’re here because we disagree with what’s going on in Iraq,” said Martha Aasen, chair of the Westport Democratic Town Committee, while she stood on the bridge amongst the many candle bearers.
Many of the attendees held signs along with their candles, with messages such as “America Stands with Cindy Sheehan” and “End the War.” At times, the hymn “Give Peace a Chance” was also started up by some of those in attendance.
For one person on the bridge, the vigil was a reminder of the Vietnam years when similar demonstrations took place. “This is all shades of the 60s for me,” said Martha Williams of Bridgeport.
According to Edie Cassidy of Bridgeport, over the past few years, “We have not been able to express ourselves openly,” and tonight was her chance, as well as more than 300 others, to do just that.
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Posted August 17, 2005 09:05 PMI arrived late from NYC last evening and couldn't make the vigil on the bridge.
Having said that, I agree with those who are thankful for Cindy Sheehan's courage to remain highly visible and vulnerable in the face of strong opposition. Her family has, apparently, deserted her. Many of her fellow citizens reject her public display as tantamount to "treason." Yet, in the face of all of this opposition, she carries on. This is an important lesson for those of us (and I count myself as one also) who are miserably unhappy with the Bush Administration, with the Pentagon's mishandling of our military assets, with our alienation of our (former) European friends, and with the draining of our young soldiers and our national resources in a war that cannot be "won." We can look to Cindy's courage as motivation for our own public outcry.
The Bush Administration has definitely " flushed out" the Islamic extremist movement. But it has also "fleshed out" this movement as well. There is one sure means of defining and strengthening an enemy, and that is to give that opposition a good reason for continued resistance. Bush has done that, and in doing so, he has exposed America's weakness, not our strength.
What weapons has he left to deal with the almost certain fact of Iran's alliance with the Shi'ites in the south of Iraq?
What means does Bush have to keep the Kurds from forming an autonomous union in the north of Iraq?
The argument that Persians and Arabs cannot combine in a single purpose is merely hot air. Iran IS backing the separatist movement in the south; Shi'ite to Shi'ite.
The Kurds ARE girding for a separate state in the north.
So, as soon as this "Constitution" is patched together, and as soon as Bush can find an "honorable" means of exiting Iraq, the historic enmities between tribes, and the natural desire of people with similar beliefs and histories to draw together will surely mean that ALL the Bush designs on control of the region will become so much dust on the pile of history's failed efforts to control the middle-east by the west.
And all our young people who have died in Bush's War, all those innocent Iraqi's who have paid the supreme sacrifice in Bush's War, all the efforts by those who wish to impose order on this region - but are not from this region - will pass into the void of history.
And Bush?
He continues to grow wealthier on high oil prices, higher natural gas prices. He continues to prop up a failed oil dependence by ALL of America's industries, and at what expense? The wasting of lives and resources in what will surely become a lesson for future generations in how a nation that believes in a bad leader can be led to do terrible things. Hadn't we seen this before, those of us who remember 20th century wars?
And the world waits - and the world re-aligns itself - as America stands further and further in the wings - alienated from its best friends, isolated in its "compassionate conservatism," wasting its diminished influence and wealth on a policy borne of greed and hubris, and touted under the guise of Christian compassion.
Sincerely,
Gerry Manning
I was there and this is an accurate article so I thank you Jonathan. Yes, it was an anti-war gathering but we were gathered most of all in SUPPORT OF CINDY SHEEHAN. This support was a spontaneous outpouring of a heart connection with a courageous woman who has been standing in a ditch outside Bush's ranch waiting for him to answer the 2 questions put to him by a mother whose son was killed in a war sold to the American public based on lie after lie after lie. Cindy's two questions are: Why did my son have to die in your war, Mr. Bush and what was the noble cause for which he died? Bush won't face Cindy and answer her questions because he can't. Bush can avoid her but he can't escape her. Cindy represents truth and truth is something Bush can't face. But the American public deserves the truth from this elected official and every elected official. It is our duty as the American public to do our part in keeping our elected officials honest and answerable to our questions and our needs. We, the people, are the ones who hire these guys and we the people can fire these guys. We must act like the boss because we are. Cindy Sheehan knows that. She is a great citizen.
Rozanne Gates
Posted by: Rozanne Gates at August 18, 2005 08:54 AM