Cindy Sheehan challenges Augsburg College students
Anti-war activist says she favors a “peace surge”
Cindy Sheehan, well-known peace and social justice advocate, brought a clear message to Augsburg College students on January 30: “One Person Can Make a Dif-ference.” She spoke to a full house on the campus of the Minneapolis ELCA school.
Sheehan is best known for setting up camp near President George Bush’s house in Crawford, Texas, after her son, Army Specialist Casey A. Sheehan, was killed in action in Baghdad on April 4, 2004. She was the guest speaker at the college’s Convocation series, “Many Voices, Bold Visions.”
The founder of Gold Star Families for Peace, an organization of Americans who have had loved ones killed in wars, declared, “I disagreed with the war, but I never did anything.” She said she never thought that one person alone could make a difference. But then her son was killed. Six weeks later, she decided to act.
“I’m not motivated by power. I don’t want to be famous. I just want to stop the killing.”
When asked if she supported the troops, Sheehan replied that her son was one of the troops.
“You can support the troops without supporting Bush [and the war].”
She concluded by encouraging the students to get involved in a cause, whatever they feel most passionate about — hunger, poverty, homelessness, or like her, peace.
