Bush supporters rally in Crawford
By Jack Douglas Jr.
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
CRAWFORD - President Bush's supporters poured into Crawford Saturday by the thousands, for the first time outnumbering war protesters led by Cindy Sheehan, who began a vigil here three weeks ago, demanding a personal meeting with the vacationing president to talk about her son's death in Iraq.
Under tight police security and intense heat, tempers flared and traffic was clogged. But by late in the afternoon only two people had been arrested for what the Secret Service described as a minor "attitude thing."
An estimated 3,000 to 4,000 people attended a pro-Bush rally in Crawford, waving flags and pledging their allegiance to U.S. troops. At times, they accused Cindy Sheehan of dishonoring the war death of her own son, Casey, who was in the Army.
Jeannine McEwin, 69, said she and her husband, Harold, made the six-hour trip from their home on Toledo Bend Lake, a mile from the Louisiana border, to help conservatives overcome the dominance anti-war demonstrators have had here since Sheehan came to town on Aug. 6.
"The left has had so much publicity, and we have sat back and done nothing," McEwin said. "We have allowed them to take over."
Harold McEwin, 70, said he came to support Bush and the reasons for the war in Iraq.
"When I was 8 years old I walked the streets of Shreveport picking up metal coat hangers to be used to build bombs and bullets" for World War II, he said, adding: "I started out my patriotism right there."
Another 800 to 1,000 war protesters were on hand Saturday, many of them shuttled from the Peace House in Crawford to encampments along Prairie Chapel Road, which leads to the entrances to Bush's ranch. The day's events, closely monitored by police on the ground and in helicopters, easily broke the record for the number of people participating in demonstrations here since Bush turned his ranch into the "Western White House."
Bill Perkins, a retired alcohol and drug counselor from Austin, said he came to Crawford to support Sheehan's claim that her son died in an unwarranted war. Referring to the president, Perkins said, "We think he lied and got us into this mess."
Bush, who was believed to have been at his ranch, was not seen by his supporters or his detractors.
Emotions ran the highest at a bend on Prairie Chapel Road, with war-protesters on one side, Bush supporters on the other side, and local police and state troopers in the middle. Sheehan's followers accused Bush of lying about his reasons for going to war in Iraq, answered by a sign held by a Bush supporter that said: "Repent you Treasons."
Police also expressed concern that several families, who lost children to the war, had planned to invade the war protest camps and pull up crosses bearing the names of their own chiildren. It was not immediately known whether any of them were successful in doing so.
"We want to so bad we can taste it," said Sandy Watson of Phoenix, whose son, Michael Williams, was killed in Iraq in 2003. "We don't want (Sheehan) to have our son's cross out there."
Instead of facing off with the anti-war crowd, Bush supporter Shawn Wroblewski, of Jefferson Township, N.J., said she asked the McLennan County Sheriff's Department to look for a cross bearing the name of her son, John Thomas, a Marine who was killed in Iraq last year. "Two weeks ago I called the Crawford sheriff and asked him to kindly remove my son's cross if it was there. He assured me that he would," Wroblewski said.
Milton Pittman of Arlington and Libby Patterson of Fort Worth said they drove to Crawford to show their support for Bush and were amazed by the large crowds. "I think it shows the freedom of speech that we have in America," said Patterson.
Pittman agreed, calling the pro-Bush crowds "very cordial, like regular people," while saying the anti-war demonstrators seemed "confused."
Sheree Kirsch of Mansfield also drove to Crawford Saturday. But her plans were to sell her barbecue sauce at the local restaurant, not realizing she would find herself in the middle of a national debate, and one of the largest war demonstrations since the Vietnam War.
"I did not know this was going to be today," said Kirsch, as she tried to keep pace with the line of people asking for her free samples of sauce and chips. She added, "Everybody I've talked to in here has been pro-Bush."
Thanks TR. For some reason my HTML tags weren't working. I couldn't get it to appear as a link, even though I've done links many times.
I guess Sheree Kirsch of Mansfield has been so busy making her barbeque sauce she hasn't turned on the radio or TV for like a month!!!!
Great article!!
I wonder how much barbeque sauce Mrs. Kirsch managed to sell in the American Sector!
kewl pictures.keep up the good work!
Whooo HOO!