Sherry called this morning to brief us on what has been happening since the Arizona Trio arrived yesterday afternoon.
Sherry reports that about 150 people were there yesterday at Camp Casey to meet and greet when they arrived. She reports that the Peace House in Crawford is bursting at the seams but providing a very needed place for taking showers and doing laundry. Shuttles run between Camp Casey and the Peace House.
People from all walks of life and from all over the country are there with more streaming in at regular intervals. Off the top of her head she mentioned people she had met from Illinois, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Florida, Indiana, and Texas who are associated with Gold Star Families, Military Families, CODEPINK, Progressive Democrats of America.
She still feels that the Rosa Parks analogy for Cindy Sheehan is an appropriate one but now she also says there is a definite Field of Dreams quality to Camp Casey. "If you build it they will come." Cindy built it and they are arriving.
Sherry sounded upbeat and is quite encouraged that this action by Cindy and supported by Gold Star Families for Peace and Military Familes Against the War is "playing well in Peoria." I can confirm that. I'm in a small town in a conservative county in a long time Republican state. My mother, age 91 and a registered Democrat, reports that she is beginning to hear Bush criticized in private conversations by some long time conservative, republican, Christian friends.
Sherry also stated that she was looking forward to the press conference scheduled to happen at 10:30 this a.m. and that she had been interviewed by several members of the press corps including international journalists. Of course Will Pitt is blogging from there.
The rumor is that the authorities have finally figured out that it might not be good p.r. to arrest these folks, so far the police have been quite nice, and most of the locals are at least cordial, although a few locals in 4x4 trucks have swerved toward them more to run 'em over than once.
Arlington West -- an assemblage of crosses for those soldiers who have died in Iraq -- is being put up in Crawford. Some of the local landowners are not happy with the women camped out along the road. The roadside is muddy and they have put down tarps and placed their chairs on them to keep out of the mud and stop the chairs from sinking into the ground.
Rebecca is doing fine. Paula was away doing legal observer training.
I told Sherry that Medea had emailed me and would be arriving on Friday. She was quite happy to hear that Medea was planning on being there too.
The mood was definitely upbeat from knowing that the message of these mothers about the sacrifice of their children was finally being heard and that message to "Bring the Troops Home Now!" is ringing like a freedom bell across our nation.
These women are true patriots.
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