February 28, 2006
Two Views of the War in Iraq: Cindy Sheehan and Deborah Johns Speak Out

Deborah Johns and Howard Kaloogian

Cindy Sheehan answering questions from the media

On Monday, Feb. 27, the public had the rare opportunity to hear two opposing views of the war in Iraq at two separate events when prominent anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan and pro-war activist Deborah Johns appeared at TJSL here. Johns was joined by former California State Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian, who now co-chairs “Move America Forward,” a non-profit organization that supports U.S. troops’ involvement in Iraq. Sheehan was joined by Fernando Suarez del Solar, the father of a fallen Marine from San Diego.

The Johns-Kaloogian event, titled “You Don’t Speak for Me, Cindy,” was sponsored by the Jefferson Law Republicans, a student organization. Immediately following that talk, the public was also invited to attend the Sheehan-Suarez event, titled “Families of the Fallen Speak Out.” This event was sponsored by the Student Chapter of TJSL’s National Lawyers Guild and the San Diego Chapter of the NLG.

Johns, whose Marine son William will start his third Iraqi tour of duty in September, leads the “You Don’t Speak for Me, Cindy” tour across the nation as a full supporter of the war. Kaloogian has led the “Voices of Our Soldiers” tour and has declared his candidacy to replace Randy “Duke” Cunningham in San Diego’s 50th Congressional District.

Sheehan has protested the war in Iraq since the death of her 24-year-old son Casey on April 4, 2004. She was accompanied by speaker Suarez, whose 20-year-old son, Jesus, was one of the first U.S. troops killed during the initial week of war and also the first Mexican citizen to die in the war.