Sheehan receives support at University of Maryland

Thursday, Sept. 29, 2005

Cindy Sheehan, known nationally for staging an anti-war vigil outside of President Bush’s Texas ranch this summer, spoke at a panel discussion at the University of Maryland, College Park.

The Sept. 27 event was co-sponsored by several campus organizations including the university College Democrats, the Democracy Collective, UM Votes, Global Communities, and Peace Forum as part of an ongoing series of events, focusing on national issues facing American democracy.

University students organized by Peace Forum, an anti-war anti-occupation group at the university, staged a Camp Casey outside of McKeldin Library in honor of Sheehan’s son who was killed in Iraq while serving there with the military.

The students set up tents, candles and makeshift grave makers at the ‘‘camp.”

‘‘We’re showing solidarity with her [Sheehan],” said Derron Thweatt, a Peace Forum member.

But Lee Fang, president of the University of Maryland College Democrats, clarified that the group’s co-sponsorship and rally are not an official endorsement of all of Sheehan’s views. ‘‘We are a diverse group with many different perspectives on the war. What we do agree on, however, is that Cindy Sheehan offers a viable perspective that deserves to be heard. Even though every person may not agree with every one of her points, we all stand united in our desire to improve the current situation for our troops. We stand with Cindy and are extremely proud of our troops, but, at the same time, disappointed with the President’s handling of the situation.”

Sheehan was the featured speaker in a forum on ‘‘The Iraq War, It’s Effects at Home and Changing Politics in America” held in Memorial Chapel. Her appearance in College Park comes days after the wrap up of her ‘‘Bring Them Home Now Tour,” which originated in Crawford, Texas and ended in on Sept. 24th where Sheehan addressed the crowd of demonstrators gathering to rally in front of the White House.

E-mail Meghan Mullan mmullan@gazett.net.