Anti-war activists visit Des Moines

Five anti-war activists who joined the camp near President Bush’s Texas ranch were in Iowa today (Friday) to protest in downtown Des Moines. Tammara Rosenleaf of Helena, Montana, spent 22 days at the “Camp Casey” in Texas that was organized around Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a dead American soldier. Rosenleaf is now on day three of a cross-country trip. “I’m here as part of the tour that’s come from Camp Casey heading for Washington, D.C.,” Rosenleaf says. “We’re touring the country, talking about our experience in Camp Casey and galvanizing people to get to Washington, D.C. on the 24th so that we can have our message heard.” Rosenleaf’s husband is a soldier at Fort Hood in Texas. He’ll be deploying to Iraq in November. Rosenleaf says the anti-war movement is “picking up steam.” “This is our country…and what we’re saying here is that we don’t want this war,” she says. Critics say folks like Sheehan and Rosenleaf are unpatriotic and undermining military morale. “Dissent is not unpatriotic,” Rosenleaf says. “I say that the founders of this country knew that we needed to guard our liberties very jealously, and that meant when we see something go wrong in our country we have to stand up and be counted.” Rosenleaf and about a dozen people in all stood on the anti-war side of the street. A group of four Drake University students stood on the other to support the war effort. Justin Funck, a student from St. Joseph, Missouri, says the vast majority of military families have the opposite view of Rosenleaf. “Almost everyone I’ve talked to who (has) a family member in the military are proud…they’re honored to have their son or daughter or father over there giving democracy to that part of the world,” Funck says. Funck says this is America, and Rosenleaf has every right to speak her mind. “That’s why we’re not chanting. That’s why we’re not yelling. They have the perfect right (to protest),” Funck says. “Her husband did sign up for the military…You don’t sign up for the military to get a check. You sign up for the miliary to defend your country. If you don’t want to defend your country, don’t sign up….He might be sad that he’s going, but I bet you he doesn’t regret it. I bet you he’s honored that he can defend his country and help spread freedom.” The two opposing sides didn’t interact, and few passersby honked or waved.”I really think it kind of reflects Iowa in a way,” Funck says. “We’re in downtown Des Moines. Everybody works…They don’t have time to drive around the country, bashing the president.”