Cindy Sheehan Joins 'Peace-In' Protesters at Rep. Matsui's Office
By Dan Bacher
January 28, 2007, Sacramento, AR
At an “Out of Iraq Town Forum” held in Sacramento on Jan. 7, 2006, Peace Mom Cindy Sheehan urged a crowd of 500 people to “Do a Camp Casey at Rep. Doris Matsui’s office.”
“Sit down and say you’re not going to leave until she calls for withdrawal from Iraq,” Sheehan urged.
Local activists, organized by the Sacramento Coalition to End the War, took Sheehan’s advice to heart this year with the start of new Democrat-led Congress, and have held an unprecedented “Peace-In” since this Jan. 5 at Matsui’s office at the Federal Courthouse in Sacramento. The participants are requesting that Rep. Matsui agree to vote against any new funding for the war in Iraq and meet with them in person. Sacramento for Democracy (SFD), the local chapter of PDA, has played a leadership role in the “Peace-In” and other local protests aimed at ending the Iraq occupation.
Sheehan, who lost her son, Casey to the war in Iraq in April 2004, made a personal visit to the Federal Courthouse offices of Rep. Matsui on Monday, Jan. 22, in solidarity with the Peace-In that is now in its third week. Karen Bernal of SFD, who worked closely with Sheehan at Camp Casey both in August 2005 and 2006, was instrumental in getting Sheehan to appear at the Peace-In.
“I’m here to support the local activists who are the first ones in the country to start a long-time occupation of a congressmember’s office,” Sheehan stated. “We’re here to explain to Congress that approving funds for the war in Iraq is not helping the troops, but is only serving to kill and injure our troops and people in Iraq.”
After a brief press conference, Sheehan, holding a “peace purse,” went through federal security with local activists up to Matsui’s office. Unfortunately, the media was completely barred from going to the office; their cameras were not allowed in the building.
“We had a very positive meeting with Rep. Matsui’s staff person, Chris Norem,” stated Sheehan. “I told them that the representative and her staff are lucky to have such devoted and committed constituents like those who are now holding the Peace-in. I hope that the protest and our meeting will have an impact on Rep. Matsui.”
Responding to the increasing political pressure from her constituents and the appearance of Sheehan, Rep. Matsui finally met with a roomful of anti-war advocates here via teleconference late Tuesday – nearly three weeks after they began the action at her offices.
The Coalition also noted that Rep. Matsui has co-sponsored a resolution with Rep. John Murtha (HJR 18) calling for the President to bring troops home. However, Coalition spokesman Cres Vellucci said the resolution means next to nothing because it is nonbinding, while a commitment to vote against new funding for the war is something a new, Democratic Party-led Congress can do.
Also on Wednesday, 3rd Congressional District constituents announced the expansion of local anti-war protests to the offices of Rep. Dan Lungren in Gold River. A rally and news conference were to be held at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 25, at Rep. Lungren's office, according to Peace in the Precincts.
The anti-war message is similar for both the Matsui and Lungren actions. Rep. Lungren will be asked to work with fellow lawmakers to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq and support initiatives for reconstruction and political solutions in Iraq.
Constituents will also ask Rep. Lungren to support less expensive student loans, less expensive drugs for seniors, less expensive energy policies, and more effective national security; all bills recently introduced in Congress.
Lungren voted NO on these bills and others introduced during the first 100 hours of the 110th Congress. His constituents will describe how these bills could help them.
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