Cindy Sheehan Appears in San Diego County
By Walter Davis
I had not expected the presentation to be so emotional. When Cindy Sheehan, Fernando
Suarez del Solar, Rev. Madison Shockley, Farouk Al-Nasser, Mazin Al Nashi, Victor
Calle and Jeeni Criscenzo neared the end of their presentations, there was not a dry eye in
the house.
Initially, I arrived at a quaint suburban home nestled in pine trees for the initial meeting
with Cindy Sheehan. She was statuesque and dressed in a classy black and white dress.
She attentively kept checking her I-phone and I learned later that her daughter was
expecting to deliver a baby at anytime.
She was very warm and she embraced me in a friendly hug as we were introduced by
former congressional candidate Jeeni Criszenzo. Cindy, now a congressional candidate
herself, is running against Nancy Pelosi, the house speaker from northern California.
The crowd gathered at this home was warm and guitar music was playing in the
background reminiscent of a 1960’s peace gathering. Many of the people in the room had
been around then.
The grief was etched across Cindy Sheehan’s face as she began her story. She talked
about her run for congress. She talked about losing her son in the Iraq War in 2004. Her
lips trembled as she discussed her loss. She began to cry. This mother was still full of
grief. She was angry as she listed the many costs of the war and how congress had not
stood up to the President in his efforts to wage war.
“I paid the price for my inaction” she stated. “Maybe if I had been protesting this war
before my son died as I am now, my son would be alive.” I felt profound sadness as my
own son had died in 1989 and now, I have a son who is of age to go to war and he is
thinking of enlisting in the military.
“They are recruiting our children in our schools”, Cindy stated.
Her comments drew applause from the crowd. After some personal photographs, we all
adjourned and drove over to Pilgrim Church in Carlsbad.
Jeeni Criscenzo did a magnificent job as MC. She was poised and well spoken. Her
passion for peace was evident.
Rev. Madison Shockley delivered some shocking facts about recent deaths in the war,
reading grisly statistics that included the deaths of young men and women killed in the war
by IUD, suicide bombers and small arms fire. “These are stories I see everyday” he stated
sadly.
Farouk Al Nasser, an Iraqi, revealed facts in a PowerPoint that few Americans are aware
of. He demonstrated that “The surge is not working”. Farouk illustrated figures that
indicated “The Green Zone was the only area under the control of the Iraqi government
and all areas outside of the Green Zone are considered the Red Zone.” He went on to
show information that revealed that high ranking soldiers had been killed in the Green
Zone by incoming fire even while on tread mills. The indicated data suggested that
American and Iraqi forces had failed to secure the areas even after years of military
operations.
It was Mazin Al Nashi who caused there to be not one dry eye in the building. The Iraqi
American described how he “felt obligated to serve” his country in this war and to “give
back to” his “adopted country by serving” in his old one.
A former defense contractor and translator for American forces in Iraq, Mazin was helped
to the stage slowly, lovingly by his dedicated wife. His dark glasses covered his eyes,
blinded by a bullet from the gun of an American soldier, friendly fire. Mazin had been
shot in the face accidently when an American soldier discharged his weapon in his
vehicle as they traveled the streets in Iraq during a firefight. The soldier ran, leaving
Mazin in the vehicle alone and blinded. Later, an American sergeant returned to the scene
and drug him from the vehicle.
American military medics refused to operate on him at the field hospital. He was left
bleeding on a cot until members of the firm he was contracted with arrived to retrieve
him. Later, he was admitted to the military hospital but subsequently discharged hours
later because the defense contractor he worked for refused to pay for his treatment.
He lost his sight as a result of delays in his treatment and he was returned to the United
States without assistance and dumped on his wife who has struggled to take care of him
ever since. The former defense contractor employer and the Bush Administration have
refused to help this family.
There was not a dry eye in the house as this courageous man described his ordeal.
Victor Calle had a translator talk about his commitment to fight for peace as he fought for
his citizenship. He used his broken English on occasion to talk about how the recruiters
targeted poor immigrants to fight the wars for the United States while denying citizenship
to their families with all the red tape and delays.
Fernando Suarez del Solar of Escondido lost his son in the war and he spoke of his battle
to seek justice. His son was one of the first five to be killed in the war. Fernando was
eloquent. His heavy Spanish accent was beautiful as he described his loss, grief and
suffering. Fernando had recently completed a walk from the border to north county where
he stopped at recruiting offices and schools to illustrate the plight of the poor and
disadvantaged who were targeted by military recruiters. “Those of us who want peace
cannot get into the schools to influence the children without resistance. The military
recruiters have offices in some schools”, he lamented.
Cindy Sheehan’s talk was well crafted. Conservative groups are targeting progressive
churches that use their platforms for political purposes. She displayed extra care not to
make political statements.
It saddens me that the religious right seems to use their religious gatherings for political
purposes without punishment while liberal churches get their non-profit status threatened.
It makes me understand that we are not truly free in this country.
Cindy reflected on her grief. This grief was evident on the many times I had seen her on
television. The depth of her pain was never so apparent. She is a warm human being who
has a message; a message of peace and tolerance.
The North County Coalition for Peace and Justice did a fine job in assembling this panel.
All of us must be reminded that we must be active in working for peace and justice in this
world that remains far too violent. We must oppose this war that has taken far too many
lives of our children and friends. It has become clear to me that this so called war against
terror has become a war against the American people; against the middle class and poor.
Black, White, Middle Eastern and Latino Americans were present at this event to drive
that point home clearly.
By Walter Davis
I had not expected the presentation to be so emotional. When Cindy Sheehan, Fernando
Suarez del Solar, Rev. Madison Shockley, Farouk Al-Nasser, Mazin Al Nashi, Victor
Calle and Jeeni Criscenzo neared the end of their presentations, there was not a dry eye in
the house.
Initially, I arrived at a quaint suburban home nestled in pine trees for the initial meeting
with Cindy Sheehan. She was statuesque and dressed in a classy black and white dress.
She attentively kept checking her I-phone and I learned later that her daughter was
expecting to deliver a baby at anytime.
She was very warm and she embraced me in a friendly hug as we were introduced by
former congressional candidate Jeeni Criszenzo. Cindy, now a congressional candidate
herself, is running against Nancy Pelosi, the house speaker from northern California.
The crowd gathered at this home was warm and guitar music was playing in the
background reminiscent of a 1960’s peace gathering. Many of the people in the room had
been around then.
The grief was etched across Cindy Sheehan’s face as she began her story. She talked
about her run for congress. She talked about losing her son in the Iraq War in 2004. Her
lips trembled as she discussed her loss. She began to cry. This mother was still full of
grief. She was angry as she listed the many costs of the war and how congress had not
stood up to the President in his efforts to wage war.
“I paid the price for my inaction” she stated. “Maybe if I had been protesting this war
before my son died as I am now, my son would be alive.” I felt profound sadness as my
own son had died in 1989 and now, I have a son who is of age to go to war and he is
thinking of enlisting in the military.
“They are recruiting our children in our schools”, Cindy stated.
Her comments drew applause from the crowd. After some personal photographs, we all
adjourned and drove over to Pilgrim Church in Carlsbad.
Jeeni Criscenzo did a magnificent job as MC. She was poised and well spoken. Her
passion for peace was evident.
Rev. Madison Shockley delivered some shocking facts about recent deaths in the war,
reading grisly statistics that included the deaths of young men and women killed in the war
by IUD, suicide bombers and small arms fire. “These are stories I see everyday” he stated
sadly.
Farouk Al Nasser, an Iraqi, revealed facts in a PowerPoint that few Americans are aware
of. He demonstrated that “The surge is not working”. Farouk illustrated figures that
indicated “The Green Zone was the only area under the control of the Iraqi government
and all areas outside of the Green Zone are considered the Red Zone.” He went on to
show information that revealed that high ranking soldiers had been killed in the Green
Zone by incoming fire even while on tread mills. The indicated data suggested that
American and Iraqi forces had failed to secure the areas even after years of military
operations.
It was Mazin Al Nashi who caused there to be not one dry eye in the building. The Iraqi
American described how he “felt obligated to serve” his country in this war and to “give
back to” his “adopted country by serving” in his old one.
A former defense contractor and translator for American forces in Iraq, Mazin was helped
to the stage slowly, lovingly by his dedicated wife. His dark glasses covered his eyes,
blinded by a bullet from the gun of an American soldier, friendly fire. Mazin had been
shot in the face accidently when an American soldier discharged his weapon in his
vehicle as they traveled the streets in Iraq during a firefight. The soldier ran, leaving
Mazin in the vehicle alone and blinded. Later, an American sergeant returned to the scene
and drug him from the vehicle.
American military medics refused to operate on him at the field hospital. He was left
bleeding on a cot until members of the firm he was contracted with arrived to retrieve
him. Later, he was admitted to the military hospital but subsequently discharged hours
later because the defense contractor he worked for refused to pay for his treatment.
He lost his sight as a result of delays in his treatment and he was returned to the United
States without assistance and dumped on his wife who has struggled to take care of him
ever since. The former defense contractor employer and the Bush Administration have
refused to help this family.
There was not a dry eye in the house as this courageous man described his ordeal.
Victor Calle had a translator talk about his commitment to fight for peace as he fought for
his citizenship. He used his broken English on occasion to talk about how the recruiters
targeted poor immigrants to fight the wars for the United States while denying citizenship
to their families with all the red tape and delays.
Fernando Suarez del Solar of Escondido lost his son in the war and he spoke of his battle
to seek justice. His son was one of the first five to be killed in the war. Fernando was
eloquent. His heavy Spanish accent was beautiful as he described his loss, grief and
suffering. Fernando had recently completed a walk from the border to north county where
he stopped at recruiting offices and schools to illustrate the plight of the poor and
disadvantaged who were targeted by military recruiters. “Those of us who want peace
cannot get into the schools to influence the children without resistance. The military
recruiters have offices in some schools”, he lamented.
Cindy Sheehan’s talk was well crafted. Conservative groups are targeting progressive
churches that use their platforms for political purposes. She displayed extra care not to
make political statements.
It saddens me that the religious right seems to use their religious gatherings for political
purposes without punishment while liberal churches get their non-profit status threatened.
It makes me understand that we are not truly free in this country.
Cindy reflected on her grief. This grief was evident on the many times I had seen her on
television. The depth of her pain was never so apparent. She is a warm human being who
has a message; a message of peace and tolerance.
The North County Coalition for Peace and Justice did a fine job in assembling this panel.
All of us must be reminded that we must be active in working for peace and justice in this
world that remains far too violent. We must oppose this war that has taken far too many
lives of our children and friends. It has become clear to me that this so called war against
terror has become a war against the American people; against the middle class and poor.
Black, White, Middle Eastern and Latino Americans were present at this event to drive
that point home clearly.
Cindy Sheehan and Fernando Suarez del Solar in Carlsbad April 2008
at North County Coalition for Peace and Justice event.
at North County Coalition for Peace and Justice event.
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