Crawford, Texas (August 20, 2005)

At high noon yesterday, a dozen interfaith clergy walked the line of nearly 2,000 wooden crosses planted in the ditch along Prairie Chapel Road leading up to Camp Casey, and the long drive way to the Bush vacation ranch a mile beyond. Along with the clergy, about a hundred folks attended the service under a scorching Texas sun. Many of the brief sermons spoke to the fact that this war has gone on to long in silence, and Cindy Sheehan has helped the country face up to it’s collective loss.

As most everyone knows by now, Cindy flew to California Thursday afternoon in order to be with her mother who suffered a stroke. To hold her place in the infamous ditch until her return, nearly a dozen mothers, fathers, and siblings of service persons killed in Iraq and Afghanistan have taken up vigil – and more continue to arrive daily.

A contingent of these family members were joined by the clergy in an attempt to deliver a letter to the Bush ranch. The day before, a White House representative accepted a basket of such messages. Today, however, the letter was rejected and left to fall to the pavement.

In preparation for the expected influx of supporters this weekend a massive tent has been erected for the planned events. Tonight musician, songwriter Steve Earl is scheduled to perform while a small contingent of anti-Cindy protesters are forming near Camp Casey at the urging of right wing talk radio stations in the area. The message here from Central Texas continues to be “come to Crawford!”