The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

Sheehan speaks on antiwar panel at UVM

In front of a packed crowd mixed with Vermonters and students who trekked through the heavy snow and fog, Cindy Sheehan denounced the war in Iraq Friday night during a panel discussion at the C.C. Theater.

The event, sponsored by Iraq Veterans Against the War, Students Against the War and the Peace and Global Justice Center, included three Iraq War veterans, a writer for The Nation, and Sheehan.

Sheehan’s rise to the top of the antiwar movement be-gan with the death of her son Casey, in Iraq.

Since her son’s death, she has traveled around the world with her antiwar message. “She is the Madonna of the war movement,” John Nichols of The Nation said.

For five weeks in the late summer of 2005, Sheehan camped outside President Bush’s vacation home in Craw-ford, TX so that she could ask him for what cause her son died.

Since then, she has spoken throughout the country and internationally in Venezuela and other South American countries.

The message Friday night was clear: “We are living under a rogue government. To ensure peace and stability in the world, we have to imprison the Bush Regime for war crimes. This is our priority,” Sheehan said.

Impeachment, then imprisonment, Sheehan said.

“The most important thing for our Republic right now is to remove the President and the Vice President from of fice for lying to us about the war in Iraq,” Nichols, another panel member, said.

Sheehan’s visit comes amidst Vermont’s Town Meeting Day.

Recently, Sheehan has traveled throughout Vermont calling on all citizens to vote in favor of the legislation calling for the impeachment of the President.

Before her appearance at UVM, Sheehan testified in front of the House and Senate in Montpelier.

“I think it’s important we separate government’s foreign policy from the actions of the troops,” The Burlington Free Press reported that Sheehan said.

In Vermont, the legislature has already passed a bill calling for withdrawal of American troops.

Drew Cameron, a member and coordinator of Iraq Veterans Against the War, outlined IVAW’s commitment to the movement by calling for immediate withdrawal, American reparations to the Iraqi people, and full benefits for all Iraq War veterans.

Quoting Martin Luther King, Jr., Cameron said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Democracy can never be forced on someone, it cannot be had through the barrel of a gun, Cameron concluded.

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Sheehan speaks on antiwar panel at UVM