A Response to The SwiftBoating of the CPH.
Blessings come in many forms and in the spirit of Easter, we offer our gratitude to all our wonderful volunteers and thousands of supporters.
The volunteer board members of the Crawford Peace have recently been accused in the media of malfeasance and abuse of the public trust. While we are deeply saddened and shocked by the mean spiritedness of the personal attacks levelled against our directors, we completely understand the need for transparency and accountability. We take our responsibility to bear witness to peace and justice, very seriously. We value the confidence thousands of people worldwide have placed in our work.
To our accusers we say, it would have been a lot easier if they had simply asked to see the books (which were always available at the Peace House). We request they direct their demand for accountability towards our government that has ‘misplaced’ billions of dollars and continues to squander our national treasure in Iraq.
As of Friday April 6, all relevant documents including federal tax returns and state franchise tax documents have been filed with the proper agencies. The documents can be reviewed on the CPH website.
Since its inception the Crawford Peace House has faced and survived many challenges. We have managed a ‘peace’ presence close to the Western White House in a community openly hostile. We have facilitated the right of thousands of Americans to non-violently and safely protest the actions of our government in a small rural Texas town, not equipped to handle a ten fold, and sometimes a hundred fold, increase in its population. We established a trustworthy relationship with the local Police Department and made overtures to local civic and political leaders about our desire to be ‘good neighbors’.
In the summer of 2005, we created and operated a city in the middle of nowhere. We fed thousands of hungry people, gave them water when they were thirsty and gave them a place to stay when they needed shelter. In 2005 we spent $45,000 on food and $7000 on porta potties alone.
The Crawford Peace House has called for peace over the past 4 years in response to the drums of war and the need for our presence here today is just as great. We will continue to welcome communities of peace who make the pilgrimage here to speak truth to power.
