Military Families Speak Out Press Release on Bush Visit to West Sacramento Saturday

Press Release

For Immediate Release:  Contact: Laurie Loving, Military Families Speak 
Out Capital Region  530 219-5118

Peaceful Demonstration Against President Bush on April 22 in West Sacramento
 
A peaceful demonstration against President Bush and his energy and Iraq war policies will be held Saturday, April 22 at 2:00pm in West Sacramento. Protestors are to gather in front of the alternative energy company California Fuel Cell Partnership, 3300 Industrial Blvd. where Bush will be touring. Considered simply a photo opportunity for Bush on Earth Day, event sponsors encourage demonstrators to bring signs emphasizing Bush's energy policies, the control of oil resources, that have led the U.S. into war. Co-sponsor Military Families Speak Out will provide signs that say "Bring Our Troops Home Now!"
 
A coalition of veterans and military families will appear at the protest. Gold Star families including Pat and Carly Sheehan, father and sister of Casey Sheehan, killed in Iraq in April 2004 will attend. Family members from three California chapters of Mililitary Families Speak Out will be present, Capital Region, Bay-Area and Orange County.  Lt. Colonel and Chaplain Richard Beach with Iraq Veterans Against the War, and George Main with Veterans for Peace will also be present. The coalition will display combat boots and crosses to symbolize and honor the fallen in Iraq. To date there have been 2,378 American men and women killed and 17,469 wounded. Estimates of dead civilian Iraqis are 30,000-100,000.
 
Also attending will be Fadhil Al-Kazily, a 70 year old Iraqi-American of several decades. Al-Kazily's 81 year old uncle was recently killed, shot 3 times in the neck and shoulders by U.S. troops while driving through an intersection in Mosul, Iraq. Joining Al-Kazily will be Laurie Loving, co-founder of Military Families Speak Out Capital Region, whose son is currently stationed in Mosul. Both Al-Kazily and Loving are Davis residents and friends who have vowed that the Bush Administration will not make them enemies.  
 
The demonstration is also co-sponsored by Sacramento for Democracy, Sacramento Peace Action, Davis and Sacramento Code Pink, Stephen and Virginia Pearcy, and Grandmothers for Peace, Impeach Bush and ANSWER, among others.
 
Go to http://www.sacramentofordemocracy.org for a map of the streets available for parking.
From the Harbor Blvd exit the closest streets are Beacon Blvd, Halyard Dr and Starboard Dr (all west of Harbor). If those are full, you can go across Harbor and park on Del Monte St, Shore St, or the surrounding streets.

From the West Capitol exit the closest streets hip are Parkway Blvd, Parkway Pl, Seaport Blvd and Overland. There is also some street parking on the SOUTH side of Industrial Blvd, east of Overland (in front of Post Office is OK). If those are full, you can park on Enterprise Blvd (south of Industrial Blvd). Enterprise Blvd will be about a one mile walk to the FCP.
 
Laurie and Russell Loving
Military Families Speak Out Capital Region
P.O Box 520
Davis, CA 95617
mfsocap [at] dcn.org   (530) 756-7335
http://www.mfsocap.org
http://www.mfso.org (national website)