See important update below.
This diary is copied (with permission) from Oklahoma City Peace House.
GWBush will be in OKC Friday 9/12 for a morning McCain-Palin Fundraiser at the northeast Okla. City mansion/acreage of a local Bush-McCain supporter.
Gold Star Parents will Head an Anti-War Demonstration as near the gate entrance of the 40-acre estate as possible.
Nonviolent demonstrators are invited to participate at the location of the Bush/McCain fundraiser: Demonstration 9am to 11am. Gather at Sooner Road and East Britton Road. Recommend parking at or north of Britton & Sooner and walking south on Sooner toward the main gate. Acreage main gate is south of Britton on Sooner. Acreage secondary gate is east of Sooner on Britton. The Secret Service and local police will be evident, and will control where demonstrators may stand. Attorney Rex Friend has informed local police of our plans for a nonviolent demonstration taking place. BRING SIGNS. SIGNS WILL ALSO BE THERE.
News release after the jump.
Gold Star Families Protest Bush - McCain Event in Oklahoma City, Friday, Sept. 12.
Three Gold Star parents will protest President George W. Bush's visit to Oklahoma City on Friday, September 12. The event is being held to raise money for Republican candidate John McCain and the Republican National Committee.
Warren Henthorn, of Choctaw, Kay Henthorn, of Oklahoma City and John Scripsick of Wayne, OK. consider it their patriotic responsibility to show up to ask questions of President Bush about his mishandling of the war that cost their son's lives. In desperate economic times, many people, who do not have family members or friends serving in Iraq or Afghanistan, are paying little attention to the killing and suffering that is taking place on a daily basis so far across the world.
The fundraiser, being held on the northeast side of Oklahoma City at a private home, will give those attending the opportunity to donate $5,000 to have their photograph taken to memorialize their support of George Bush.
These Gold Star families will not be donating or attending, but will be speaking out against the war which they say is both illegal and immoral and should be brought to an end. Their concern is for the other troops serving, those who will be deployed in the future and those returning, who are seeking medical care, along with the families that also undergo the hardships of war.
Henthorn and Scripsick have sought the advice of legal council to make sure their first amendment rights are secure and observed in demonstrating that morning at the event which takes place at 9200 N. Sooner Road, near Britton Road. They plan on arriving at 9:00 am as the doors open at 10:00 am and will close at 11:00 am.
"I’m sure standing on a corner this Friday, outside the fundraiser, will not get my questions answered. But maybe the right person will hear the message. I do know that doing nothing will produce nothing." Scripsick stated.
John Scripsick recently observed the one year memorial of his son’s death on September 6, 2007.
[image is of John Scripsick at antiwar rally in Oklahoma City, taken in October 2007, barely one month after his son's death in Iraq.]
Update:
Spread the word on this follow-up NEWS:
We've received information that BRITTON ROAD WILL BE CLOSED because "Bush's motorcade is arriving on Britton Road."
Therefore, demonstrators should gather at Wilshire and Sooner Road, at 9 am. The "mansion acreage" (where GWBush and $1000 donors to McCain-Palin are partying) is on Sooner Road, a quarter mile south of Britton.
GWBush will be in OKC Friday 9/12 for a 10 am to Noon McCain-Palin Fundraiser at the northeast Okla.City mansion/acreage of a local Bush-McCain supporter. Gold Star Parents will Head an Anti-War Demonstration as near the gate entrance of the 40-acre estate as possible. Nonviolent demonstrators are invited to participate Demonstration 9am to 11am. Acreage main gate is south of Britton on Sooner. Acreage secondary gate is east of Sooner on Britton.
The Secret Service and local police will be evident, and will control where demonstrators may stand. Attorney Rex Friend is in touch w/ local police on our plans for a nonviolent demonstration taking place.
BRING SIGNS. SIGNS WILL ALSO BE THERE.
Nathaniel Batchelder, Peace House 405-524-5577