Bring Them Home Now Tour
Encyclopedia
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
, beginning in Crawford, Texas
Crawford, Texas
Crawford is a town located in western McLennan County, Texas, United States. It is best known as the home of former President of the United States George W. Bush. He currently resides at the Prairie Chapel Ranch, which is located just outside Crawford, Texas....
, travelling three routes across the country (with rallies along the way) and culminating in a rally in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in September 2005. The tour was organized by Gold Star Families for Peace
Gold Star Families for Peace
Gold Star Families for Peace is a United States-based organization founded in January 2005 by individuals who lost family members in the Iraq War, and are thus entitled to display a Gold Star. It is considered an offshoot of Military Families Speak Out...
, Iraq Veterans Against the War
Iraq Veterans Against the War
Iraq Veterans Against the War is an advocacy group of active-duty United States military personnel, Iraq War veterans, Afghanistan War veterans, and other veterans who have served since the September 11, 2001 attacks who are opposed to the U.S. occupation of Iraq...
, Military Families Speak Out
Military Families Speak Out
Military Families Speak Out is a US based anti-Iraq war group.Military Families Speak Out was founded by two military families in November, 2002 to speak out against the planned US invasion of Iraq to try to prevent the invasion....
, and Veterans For Peace
Veterans for Peace
Veterans For Peace is a United States organization founded in 1985. Made up of male and female US military veterans of World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and other conflicts, as well as peacetime veterans, the group works to promote alternatives to war.-Foundation:The...
. It was inspired by and featured Cindy Sheehan
Cindy Sheehan
Cindy Lee Miller Sheehan is an American anti-war activist whose son, U.S. Army Specialist Casey Sheehan, was killed by enemy action during the Iraq War. She attracted national and international media attention in August 2005 for her extended anti-war protest at a makeshift camp outside President...
as a speaker at many rallies. The three tour buses were purchased with donated money.http://www.redandblack.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/09/12/4324c5275a3b2
Bus tour - Week 1
- August 31, 2005: The bus tour Starts from Crawford, headed to Washington, D.C. following three legs - north, central and south. http://www.wpri.com/Global/story.asp?S=3787700http://www.bringthemhomenowtour.org/
- August 31, 2005: During a march in AustinAustin, TexasAustin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Texas, Sheehan says "I think it's important to connect these two things[ Hurricane KatrinaHurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
and the Iraq War] . We should be focused on America right now, not what's happening in Iraq with this natural disaster. It's important to have as many of our National Guard folks back here to support that effort." http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/?ArID=144593&SecID=2 http://www.pww.org/article/articleview/7624/1/284 http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2005-09-02/pols_feature11.html - September 1, 2005: Bus tour stops at House Majority Leader Tom DeLayTom DeLayThomas Dale "Tom" DeLay is a former member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1984 until 2006. He was Republican Party House Majority Leader from 2003 to 2005, when he resigned because of criminal money laundering charges in...
's office in Stafford, TexasStafford, TexasStafford is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The city is mostly in Fort Bend County with a small portion in Harris County. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, Stafford's population was 15,681....
and Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church in Houston for an evening anti-war rally.http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/rssstory.mpl/politics/3335829 Sheehan is not able to meet with DeLay due to previous engagements. - September 3, 2005: The anti-war bus tour arrives in Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
where protesters link the Iraq War with the inability to respond to Hurricane KatrinaHurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. http://www.startribune.com/stories/587/5595571.html "People are dying in LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
and New Orleans right now" because BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, a "warmonger," is intent on "looting" oil in Iraq", said state Rep. Keith EllisonKeith Ellison (politician)Keith Maurice Ellison is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. The district centers on Minneapolis. He was re-elected in 2010. Ellison is a co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.He is the first Muslim to be elected to the...
, DFL-Minneapolis.
Bus tour - Week 2
- September 7, 2005: North bus tour stops in Chicago, Illinois and protests in front of House SpeakerSpeaker of the United States House of RepresentativesThe Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
Dennis Hastert'sDennis HastertJohn Dennis "Denny" Hastert was the 59th Speaker of the House serving from 1999 to 2007. He represented as a Republican for twenty years, 1987 to 2007.He is the longest-serving Republican Speaker in history...
office. http://www.daily-chronicle.com/articles/2005/09/08/news/news01.txthttp://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/top/AU08_SHEEHAN_S1.htm Meanwhile, the Central and South tours make stops near Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, OhioCincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
and Dothan, AlabamaDothan, AlabamaDothan is a city located in the southeastern corner of the US state of Alabama, situated approximately west of the Georgia state line and north of Florida. It is the seat of Houston County, with portions extending into nearby Dale County and Henry County...
. http://www.wtvynews4.com/home/headlines/1821307.htmlhttp://www.wcpo.com/news/2005/local/09/07/peace_mom_update.html to discuss why the war in Iraq is wrong. - September 10, 2005: Sheehan brings her anti-war message to Stone Mountain, GeorgiaStone Mountain, GeorgiaStone Mountain is a city in eastern DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 5,802 at the 2010 census. It is an outer suburb of the Atlanta Metropolitan Area.-Geography:...
saying "I had given up on my country, but we remembered what we had forgotten after almost five years of a virtual dictatorship — that we the people have the power" http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/dekalb/0905/11sheehan.html - September 10, 2005: Southern bus tour continues to Athens, GeorgiaAthens, GeorgiaAthens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
and brings the message "to support troops, to bring them home, and to support them once they get home.”http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cindy_Sheehan&action=edit§ion=22 - September 11, 2005: Sheehan rallies with the central bus tour in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. Criticizing BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's policies in IraqIraqIraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, she says "Every time Bush talks he should be removed from office." and "None of the chicken hawks have served our country the way our children have." http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05255/569972.stm - September 11, 2005: The northern bus tour makes a stop near Detroit, MichiganDetroit, MichiganDetroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
and has a large turnout. http://www.freep.com/news/locoak/vigil12e_20050912.htm - September 12, 2005: The southern bus tour stops in Savannah, GeorgiaSavannah, GeorgiaSavannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
http://www.wsav.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSAV/MGArticle/SAV_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031785031858&path=!frontpage and in Columbia, South CarolinaColumbia, South CarolinaColumbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
where Sheehan said before a small crowd "You know we had over 12,000 Americans come to Camp Casey but we thought that we’d bring Camp Casey to America and also to Congress to start holding them accountable for the war in Iraq" http://www.wltx.com/news/news19.aspx?storyid=30522 and "This was a war that was based on lies" ... "It was wrong for us to invade Iraq. It's wrong for us to occupy Iraq and we need to bring our troops home."http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/local/12647074.htm A few protesters held signs that read "Sheehan does not speak for me" and "Support the Troops" were also at the rally.
Bus tour - Week 3
- September 15, 2005: Sheehan cancels her trip to upstate New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
so that she can have time to help Hurricane KatrinaHurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
victims. The north bus tour events will still go on as scheduled without Sheehan. http://www.wstm.com/Global/story.asp?S=3843294 - September 19, 2005: New York PoliceNew York City Police DepartmentThe New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
break up a rally in Union SquareUnion Square (New York City)Union Square is a public square in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York.It is an important and historic intersection, located where Broadway and the former Bowery Road – now Fourth Avenue – came together in the early 19th century; its name celebrates neither the...
during a speech by Cindy Sheehan for the absence of a sound permit. Organizer Paul Zulkowitz is arrested.http://nyc.indymedia.org/en/2005/09/57261.htmlhttp://www.villagevoice.com/news/0538,fergusonshee,67983,2.html
Bus tour - Week 4
- September 21, 2005: Caravan stopped by Capitol PoliceCapitol policeCapitol police in the United States are agencies charged with the provision of security police services for various state agencies, but especially State Legislatures. Capitol police may function as part of the state police or may be an independent agency...
two blocks from the United States CapitolUnited States CapitolThe United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall...
in Washington, D.C. Bomb-sniffing dogs are used to inspect vehicles, which officers stated was standard practice for large vehicles near the Capitol. http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0538,fergusonweb2,68087,2.html
Washington D.C. rally
- September 24, 2005: A crowd estimated at 100,000 to 200,000 rallies at the Ellipse, then marches around the White House and along Pennsylvania Avenue to the National Mall. http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-09-26-antiwar-protests_x.htm?csp=14 The rally, lasting all day and night, includes a music marathon, and many speeches. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/24/AR2005092400852.html Meanwhile, a comparatively very small crowd of only around 400 protests the anti-war march claiming they represent the silent majority. Organizers had hoped that as many as 20,000 people would turn out for the counter-protest. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/24/AR2005092401518.html http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9478262/ http://www.kentucky.com/mld/heraldleader/news/world/12743159.htm
- September 26, 2005: Sheehan and several dozen other protesters are arrested outside the White HouseWhite HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
after refusing to move when asked three times to do so by police. Organizers of the protest indicated prior to the incident that some participants intended to get arrested. Sheehan is the first of the protesters at the scene to be arrested.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/26/AR2005092600143.html She, and the 383 others arrested with her, are charged with demonstrating without a permit, a misdemeanorMisdemeanorA misdemeanor is a "lesser" criminal act in many common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished much less severely than felonies, but theoretically more so than administrative infractions and regulatory offences...
. http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/26/wardemonstrations.ap/index.html http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050926/ap_on_re_us/war_demonstrationshttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/26/AR2005092600831.html