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Judy Nichols and Jessica Coomes

The Arizona Republic
Aug. 18, 2005 12:00 AM

It is perhaps only a mother, a mother who has lost a son, who could stand vigil in Texas against the war in Iraq.

In the post-Sept. 11 era, when criticism of the war is often labeled unpatriotic, observers say it is only someone who has made the ultimate sacrifice who can speak out.

“Mothers seeing their sons die are not only a very powerful and emotional anti-war face but the one group in a position now to lead the opposition,” said Dan Carter, history professor at the University of South Carolina, who has studied the differences between anti-war movements.

The protest by Cindy Sheehan of Vacaville, Calif., has galvanized those on both sides and spurred 1,500 nationwide vigils on Wednesday evening.
Housing-wise, we’ve been renting a potentially nice place in town since the structure on our 30 acres is currently uninhabitable. Problems with the rental are: costs certainly do not justify the rent (about as energy efficient as cheesecloth), the roof leaks in several spots including the boys’ bedroom (landlord had allegedly worked on repairs this past summer- HA!!!), and it is local slumlord SOP to not give renters the legal security of a lease. Add to this that there’s not even a state clause for eminence of domain… We want out. Big time. I hope that February will be our last month in this place.

Pat and I have been working on securing a construction loan which would absorb the balance owed on our land. We had paid more than half down when we purchased our diamond in the rough. We’re close to settling on building plans for our home, barn and workshop. The construction loan (many available with zero closing costs) would require that only the interest be paid while in the 12 month construction period. Upon completion we can go with a nice, safe 30 year fixed FHA mortgage like we had on the Florida townhouse. And once we’re locked into the FHA, we’ll be eligible for the homesteading tax exemption and other cool perks and programs.

For now, though, Pat and I need to find a workable childcare situation for [Goofy #2]. Then we can bust our butts on getting the existing structure safe enough for general habitation where the boys are concerned. This will only be long enough to get the workshop, which will have a cozy two bedroom apartment on the 2nd floor, built. Then the old house gets demo-ed, and so on, and so on… Plus, I’m kind of funny in that I much prefer to pay my own sanely priced mortgage than some slumlord’s insane rental rate. Not to mention that even roughing it for a short while in the old house will at least have our crew in the location where I can get a jump on starting some seedlings for spring planting, get new pens and a coop constructed, and give the boys ample space for being the happy, active little guys they are.

May our family’s listing please be amended to something like “smooth regional services transition”, “appropriate, competent medical services”, “acceptable childcare arrangement”, and “successful housing transition”?

Thanks to all of you who continue to keep Pat, [the Goofies] and me in your positive thoughts and prayers. We truly do appreciate it.

Brightest Blessings,

Chris a/k/a fugi (fugitive247)
More than 1,000 people showed up to the five vigils in the Valley. At 24th Street and Camelback Road in Phoenix, supporters and protesters packed the intersection’s four corners and incited a steady stream of car horns.

“You stand on the sidewalk, and you get a lot of different reactions,” said Larry Noack, 64, of Phoenix. “You get people giving you the middle finger and people honking and sticking their thumbs up. It’s a microcosm for society.”

One of the Arizona mothers who just returned from protesting with Sheehan joined one of the vigils. But other moms think Sheehan is disrespecting her son and should pack up and go home.

Sheehan’s son, 24-year-old Army Spc. Casey Sheehan, was killed in Baghdad last year.

Afterward, Sheehan met with the president but said that was before information came out on faulty intelligence reports about weapons of mass destruction.