Numbers at Camp Casey: Is this the best we could do?
Two weeks ago Guy James reported thousands of Americans were in Crawford, this was on the first weekend after Cindy and DeDe began the stand. The next week saw 212 acres of prime space slip from our grasp. Now we’re stuck with one acre, hardly enough for The Revolution. This last weekend had Steve Earle, James McMurty and Joan Baez headline… yet it wasn’t advertised until it was too late. WHY???? Why are people still camping in a ditch with fire ants, others are sleeping in cars or renting hotel rooms? This situation is not encouraging more people to come.
Why did the Ukraine have money to fund a huge tent city? It was self contained and they had no need for riot cops. People without money could work in the tent city… They were peaceful and the riot cops stood down, and they got their Revolution. Why hasn’t anyone on our side come forward to rent a huge parcel?
Why can’t we set up a tent city like the Boy Scouts did just last month?
They’ve only set up 200 crosses at Camp Casey II - I’d bet that if we set up all 1869 it would be so moving that someone in Crawford would volunteer to leave it up permanently.
Why are activists spending time cooking and cleaning etc… they should be spend most of their time building (tent city, signs, more crosses), educating the media, doing something pro-active to get more numbers there. They should be doing everything imaginable to get the truth covered by the mainstream media, like making banners or flyers with things like, “The Downing Street Memo is equivalent to the Watergate Tapes” and placing them everywhere, so any mainstream newscast from Camp Casey will have something in the background. Beware of ineffective signs… misinformation agents will gladly volunteer for the task then make it illegible, or put bad slogans, etc…
Who is telling the hundreds of activists what to do? I read that Ann Wright announced that people will be leaving Aug 31st to rally support for the Sept 24th protest in DC… is this what one does to build momentum now in Crawford? (is Bush even leaving the 31st? Labor Day weekend is right after, why not stay thru Sept 5th? …. And if we had numbers, why not stay until the 15th when Lynn Woolsey has called a hearing on Iraq. If we split up for Sept 24th, then there’s no pressure on Congress for Woolsey’s hearing, but if we have thousands still protesting in Crawford, that’s some extra pressure.)
I posit that Ann Wright and many others are agents. If you haven’t been following along this comes as out of the blue, but i’ve been watching closely- and if you don’t know then you need to know- Cointelpro infiltrated anti-war groups in the 70’s and they’re doing it again today- ie- activists: stop listening and doing everything they tell you. Think for yourselves! Of course if you question their logic, they’ll tell you you’re just being divisive- just what they said when we questioned Kerry’s pro-war policies last year.
Bingo- it’s the Kerry people and DLCers like Joe Trippi that have come in and done damage control for the establishment. See Cindy’s 1 min commercial at meetwithcindy.org or gsfp.org - she says Bush lied, but there’s no proof, it comes across as just a grieving mom… I believe Ray McGovern was in Crawford when they filmed this, he coulda, shoulda been in it a bit speaking about the DSM- but that would have made the commercial too powerful.
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August 24th, 2005 at 2:58 am
Uh…me? A DLCer? Google that and see I ever come up anywhere as a DLCer. Check your facts next time.
Respectfully
Joe Trippi
August 24th, 2005 at 3:53 am
Wow, Joe Trippi is reading this blog? Since you might be reading this, why not go to Crawford and help expose the lies behind this war? There is so much evidence to present. We can’t let them get away with pretending this is all about Cindy’s life and put her on trial. You da man, help out here! I agree with the author that someone is working hard behind the scenes to keep this protest small. Didn’t you write a book called “The Revolution will not be televised” Well get down there and blog it for us. I would go if I had the money, but more people would listen to you.
August 24th, 2005 at 3:56 am
one more thing-I agree with the comment about leaving August 31st. That is right before labor day weekend. Why would anyone suggest closing up the protest then? That is one of the most traveled holiday weekends.
August 24th, 2005 at 4:11 am
I am blogging about it.
Joe Trippi
August 24th, 2005 at 4:14 am
Wow, I believe this stuff about Cointelpro, I just read about this at indybay and this is exactly what happened to my local radio station!!!!!
http://www.indybay.org/news/2005/08/1761771.php
Contel pro Agent Provocateurs Working at KPFA Need To Be Ousted
A few of the KPFA staff is intent upon destroying the station and stopping the informative shows by any means necessary. This group of bush spies have gone as far as to threaten the flashpoints program personnel and the guns and butter show host .these agents for bush have been trying to undermine KPFA for a while now The last manager, Gus Newport, resigned after nine months in the position due to difficulties in working with the bush agents that are in bedded in the staff.
August 24th, 2005 at 6:34 am
Camp Casey is being co-opted by the Democrats. This morning’s Democracy Now was filled with commentary which amounts to “Afghanistan war good, Iraq war bad”.
Ann Wright, who is running the camp in Cindy’s absence (Cindy left to visit her mom in California, her mom just had a stroke), used to work for the State Dep’t, and in fact was in charge of setting up the US embassy in the wake of the US invasion in Dec ‘01. Minnesota state senator Becky Lurie likewise distinguished Iraq from Afghanistan, where “the whole world supported us in response to 9/11″, as if 9/11 was an Afghan attack. And “former FBI agent” Coleen Rowley (famous for publicizing what she contends were massive “intelligence failures” ahead of 9/11) talked of how the Iraq war has hurt the “war on terrorism”. Left to its own, any independent initiative will indeed by co-opted by the machine, which is why good people must get involved.
August 24th, 2005 at 11:49 am
Good people ARE involved, you jerk. If you traveled there yourself instead of being an armchair quarterback, you would know. We are walking our talk, and you seem to just be talking. How many people do you think you have influenced to go there? In coming back and actively talking individually and to the Wednesday vigil in my nearest city, I have led nearly ten people to go. I would apologized for calling you a jerk, but you have insulted so many people that are there and good, and NOT Cointelpro.
August 24th, 2005 at 7:53 pm
re: Joe Trippi a DLCer
Sorry Joe, excuse me - does “pro-establishment, damage control goon” work better for you? Or do you prefer Karl’s Kreacher? I remember last year, two days before the big Wisconsin Primary - you were Dean’s campaign manager and you said, well if Dean loses Wisc then I’m going to Kerry’s camp - or something like that… wtf? Would you care to explain that one? Why didn’t you and Dean take the fight to the Convention? Ooooh, I know the answer to that one too- because you’re both posers, just like Kerry. When this house of cards falls, you posers are going down too.
btw- I looked at your blog- didn’t see anything about exposing Bush’s Lies and ending the war. You’re Mr. internet revolution- why don’t you have all the facts on your blog? ie- The Niger-Uranium Docs were CHEAP forgeries- the IAEA asked, how could US officials believe this crap? The forgeries were exposed *before* the war….. why didn’t you and Dean bring this up last year?
August 24th, 2005 at 8:15 pm
ok Joe, I apologize.
maybe i’m too cynical… maybe i’m wrong. So prove it to me. I see you’ve got ‘meetwithcindy.org’ linked and their flyer “America Stands with Cindy” with I have to say is 100x better than “Meet with Cindy”… but still nothing about the lies.. so how bout you post this pdf flyer
requesting a link to my blog is too much, esp since i just insulted you…. but why not this flyer with Bush quotes- it’s only a 59k pdf, 6 pages that can be printed 24×18 or letter size- these are all direct quotes- listen for youself here
August 24th, 2005 at 8:31 pm
Hannah- have you noticed the economy sucks- there are no decent jobs. I can barely pay the bills, let alone pay several thousand (i live *very* far away) for a trip to Crawford. So i’m doing what I can from here- giving you resources- like Bush lies ready to print on nice big flyers to display for the camera.
Is there anything in particular you guys would like- perhaps I can make it for you. It’s called working together… I can’t go but i can still contribute from here… that’s all i’m trying to do.
OF COURSE there are mostly good people there… but you *need to understand* that it is a proven fact that AGENTS infiltrated anti-war groups during the Vietnam war. It is a FACT. So why is it so hard to believe they’re doing it again today?
I scan the news daily, often hourly for updates… what news is there about Bush’s Lies, the Downing Street Memo, the missing $9 billion etc coming out of Crawford? Hannah, there is no news coming out of Crawford on these subjects- why?
let’s list the official sites: meetwithcindy.org, crawfordpeacehouse.org, the iconoclast, truthout’s blog, True Majority’s makeover of Cindy’s gsfp.org, crawfordpeacehouse_forum, crawford update blogspot…. none of these sites has any facts or evidence that can be used to wake up bush believers. why? Are they all clueless, or has the message been co-opted?
August 24th, 2005 at 10:21 pm
Ben, that comment was really directed to “Jeff” about the good people. And yes I know all to well about the economy. Our income from selling our handcrafted stone jewelry is down below 50% of what it was pre b%$& in 2000, and it isn’t because of 9/11. We borrowed money to go from someone we have never met, because I put it out there that we couldn’t afford it. We will pay it back when we can, and I hope our donor will be able to go soon. We are also losing income as my husband is committed, with my support, to helping out down there. Not to mention the seperation which we are not used to. There are sacrifices to be made. I have to pay my mortgage still from August and it is nearly September. Don’t give me any crap about how far. Where there is a will, there is a way. There was a car of 4 who took shifts driving from Ithaca NY. There was a 75 yo woman sleeping in a tent on ensolite, who took a great financial risk coming out. There are disabled vets who are coming long distances. I am unapologetic about this. When you get there you will know why. This is big, on beyond all the rumors that abound on this site. My husband is right in the middle, and is what the above mention woman calls a ’silent warrior.’ Thanks for letting me vent. I personally will be relieved when the vigil ends, and I get my husband back, and we can make plans to get to DC somehow. It’s happening, guys, do what you will! peace, hannah
August 24th, 2005 at 10:45 pm
About the news coming from camp. Cindy herself testified about the memos at John Conyers invitation. The NEWS from camp casey is reported but there is not a radio station there. There are alot of people talking about every lie this administration has told. I am starting to feel like you are just baiting me to keep me from other important work, such as getting people there! How do you know exactly what signs are there. And what do you mean “WE” when you talk about the “PRIME” space. Really if you are not there you cannot talk about it like that. I am a conduit for my husband whom I talk with once or twice daily. I always ask about how things are functioning on a practical level, and he says, considering the diversity of peoplem the heat, the antivigilists, the neighbors, it is great. And tonight the Veterans For Peace Impeachment Bus returns with 25 vets who brought Cindy there!
peace and asta luego!
August 24th, 2005 at 11:36 pm
I do enjoy reading what you folks think. I continue to be sorry for Mrs. Sheehan’s loss, but many of us have felt the same loss. I do hope for each of you to continue to learn, grow, and do the duty that you believe you must. Even if I disagree with you.
August 26th, 2005 at 12:33 am
Ben was actually the first one I saw encouraging people to go on the net with two articles “Get thy ass to Crawford” and “Woodstock 2005 Bands needed” like right after Cindy started. I have seen people actively tying to discourage people from going to Crawford all over the internet, so there is something going on here. I also noticed that they would not advertise musicians who would bring in the crowds Cindy requested and said it was because of parking. I feel they should find a better option for parking and bring everyone together so we can see how many people are there and no one spends all their time going from place to place.
Also a debate with Camp Qualls would be a really great idea! A good way to Bring up the DSM.
May 24th, 2007 at 7:41 am
I have never seen a website filled with more paranoia! The fear that one’s own government is out to get them is overwhelming. I must ask, and this is a serious question, really it is, which country would you hold up as the ideal nation? Is there one that you can point to and say, “That is the way all countries should be!” Now, when you name that country, I want to know why. What makes that country better than the rest. The next step is what would it take, what is a real, doable plan as to what it would take to make other countries like the one you named? You can’t just say for the people to stand up to “the man” or “the machine” or to “bring down big government and big business.” Sorry those are invalid answers. Send your reply to fpcennis@sbcglobal.net. I enjoy a spirited debate. Conversation is good when everyone has their “ears on.”
Craig