Topic: Civic Duty
Hi Friends, I've been on the bus for 13 days now and first time I could get to a computer. Our Central Tour bus is in Philadelphia as I write this today. It looks like my dear husband, Arthur, has kept the blog going with updates I've been sharing with him.
The tour is Amazing! How so? The response from the people in the towns where we stop and visit is what is making it amazing. People have turned out now in the hundreds to thousands in the cities where we have made stops on our Central Tour route. We've learned of busses being arranged to go to Washington DC for the Sept 24 rally in every town and city we have visited. People have been gracious, hospitable, filled with questions and eager for dialogue. I like to believe for every town we have visited, we have left people there even more committed to doing the 'hard work' to end this war, bring our troops home, and take care of them when they get home. You know what? I think it's going to happen!
As lovely as people have been to us, let me tell you, we've been kept busy with back to back events, forums, rallies, and visits to Congressional aides in every stop. One day in one town or city might have 3-4 to 5-6 activities already planned for that day. Our visits are being used expeditiously to maximize exposure in several venues simultaneously. I can feel the power of the people at every stop as our journey comes closer to it's destination of Washington DC. The grassroots level feels like a prairie fire of the people's will is sweeping through our nation.
I am proud of our Central Tour, our panel speakers have formed a cohesive and intuitive bond, and what we share in common with each other is the respect and dignity of our unique voices, strengths and talents as we bring forth the military community voice and message. Our organizations of Military Families Speak Out, Gold Star Families for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War and Veterans for Peace are reflected in the harmony our group has developed precisely because we do have such high regard for our troops. And from where I'm sitting (on the bus going from town to town) it looks like so does America! Bring Em on Home America, let's get the job done and get it done right, bring our proud troops home...they've done their jobs, now let's make sure and do ours! Get on a bus and get to Washington DC on Sept 24, stand with us and in one thunderous voice all at the same time, Bring our Troops Home Now!
PS (whisper, whisper, some of us are working on a tour of the Western States; get ready, we may be coming to your town..)
regards to all who follow my blog;
Lietta Ruger,
of Camp Casey, Crawford, Texas
of the Bring Them Home Now Bus Tour, Central Route.
member Military Families Speak Out
