Just back from Camp Casey and WOW

[WolverineDG]

I arrived at the Peace House about 11:00 yesterday & took a shuttle to the Camps. For a 100% volunteer operation that never knows what it's going to be dealing with on a day-to-day basis, they've got things pretty well organized. :) I parked in an open lot across from the Peace House & took a shuttle out to the camps. I ended up at Camp II only to find that my friends were STILL IN AUSTIN!! :grr: So, when the call came out for help in the kitchen (for "full benefits & 5 wks' pd vacation"--yay! ;) ), I dove in. Met folks from all over: 2 kids from Springfield, Mo who drove 13 hours straight to be in Crawford until later today, a woman who just got off a red-eye from LA, 4 loud Texans from Nederland who came armed with signs. I also ran into several DUers: Distressed American (dude you are one funny traffic cop & i think skinner should make you a permanent moderator.... :rofl: ), Lisa0825, WestHoustonDem, Derby, Brainshrub...I was told elehnnna was there but never caught up w/her. :( I heard a few other DUers were there, but never met up with them either.

When my friends finally arrived, we went to Camp I to stand with signs. My friend Irma was the one with the sign about Rumsfield & his armored Hummer. Even though Camp II was in full swing, there were still many camped out at Camp I & I think they will be staying there until the protest ends. I could not get all of Camp I into one frame....I had to take several shots (film to be developed & photos posted when they're available). The same could not be said for Camp Freeper. Poor dears, they tried soooo hard. :rofl: 2 lousy tents, a few signs (one that initially misspelled "providence" as "providense" but was corrected later....I hope some intrepid DUer got that pic because they fixed it before we got back). Some biker Freepers kept trolling by in their fancy choppers before parking illegally at Camp Freeper. Hmm, they were healthy, strapping men, looking to be about enlistment age....how come they weren't in Iraq???? :shrug: Anyhow, the very professional deputies of the McLellan Cty Sheriff's Department gave them a few minutes to move & then it was 5....4.....3....2.....1.....there goes a deputy to politely tell them to get the bikes off the road or be towed. Some discussion ensued but in the end, the pretty bikes w/all the fancy chrome ended up in the ditch...gosh I hope none of that fancy chrome got scratched or anything....Just to show that their stupidity was still on parade, one of them hoisted a sign that said "All Soldiers are Volunteers." :wtf: Does this mean this guy would be AGAINST the war if there was a draft??????? I finally got close enough to the "providense" sign to see that the person who made it was not only politically but historically confused in that they think that democracy was the tool God was using to spread the Gospel....yeah, let's go sell that to the Muslim Iraqis, why don't we?

There was a guy in an OU (oklahoma u.) cap who kept yelling things at the residents of Camp Casey...my friend Nancy said it probably had more to do with the fact that as an OU fan he was probably too close to UT for his comfort. Someone else pointed out he probably also needed to get some water....the freepers looked remarkably under-stocked & under-prepared for counter-protesting in 100-degree heat. The fact that shuttles full of protestors, food, & other supplies kept passing them by probably added to their frustrations.

More stupidity on parade: the idiots who would drive by the Peace House yelling "WAR!! ALL RIGHT!!! WOO HOOO!!! WAR!!!" I'm sorry, are we supposed to be CHEERING death & carnage? :shrug:

In the "Money can buy you everything but class" category: the shrubbie supporter in the fancy car who was brave enough to flip us off at Camp I AFTER he saw that the deputies were facing another direction.....

Also at Camp I, I walked the length of the crosses set up by the side of the road. I'm not a good judge of distances, but I'd say it was at least 1/4 mile long, 2 rows wide. :( They were in the process of moving that memorial to Camp II so maybe at one point it was longer but even so, it was still moving.

Back at Camp II, we were served dinner (donations accepted) & we listened to Barry Crimmins from AAR as well as several speakers from Gold Star Families for Peace & Military Families Speak Out. The one speaker who got to me the most was the brother of a soldier who died...turns out the soldier was adopted, having been abandoned by his birth parents when he was a few weeks' old, & went into the military to get $$ for college to make a better life for himself. Unfortunately, he was killed in Iraq. :( At sunset, they played taps at the crosses & afterwards in the silence, a lone voice began "Let there be peace on earth," & we all joined in. It was getting pretty late for me at that point & fatigue was really setting in. Since I had been up since 3 a.m. & it was now about 9, we decided to leave. It was very difficult for them to keep the shuttles going because drivers get tired, or they have to return home, so we ended up waiting 40 minutes for a ride back to the Peace House. We discussed the possibilities of renting vans & driving back to Crawford next weekend to help out so no one else has to wait this long.

I intend to be back next weekend with a van to help shuttle folks around between the Peace House & the Camps. I need to check my finances & my work calendar to see if it's feasible, but if it is, I'm going.

If you are going, be prepared to sweat. Even under the wonderful huge tent at Camp II, it is still very hot. Keep water with you. Bring water, snacks & a cooler. While food was available, since it's all donated & they never know the size of the crowd that's showing up, you shouldn't depend on the Peace House or the Camps for your food & water. If you have left-overs (like I did), you can donate them to the last Camp you're at.

Well, I'm off to take a nap & get rested up for next weekend!!!

dg