6 war protesters arrested at lawmaker's O.C. office
By Jennifer Delson
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

12:09 PM PDT, August 8, 2007

Six antiwar demonstrators were arrested at the Garden Grove office of Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Santa Ana) this morning, after camping out overnight and telling her they wouldn't leave unless she publicly promised not to approve more funding for the war in Iraq.

Most of the protesters are members of the group Military Families Speak Out. They entered the office about 7 p.m. Tuesday during an open house. They sat on the floor in the lobby and refused to leave unless the congresswoman made the statement they wanted. Sanchez refused.

The lawmaker's staff initially chose not to call police and let the group stay overnight.

Sanchez voted in 2002 against giving President Bush the authorization to invade Iraq, and more recently voted to begin pulling troops out within 90 days.

While Sanchez was attending a meeting of Orange County Latino leaders this morning, police removed the protesters, in handcuffs, from her office about 8:15. They were taken by van to the Garden Grove Police Department, where they were issued misdemeanor citations for trespassing. They were expected to be released pending a court hearing.

Sanchez said Tuesday night that she could not support the protesters because the Iraq war funding was in the same bill that provided money to build the C-17 aircraft in California.

"I never voted for this war," she said. But, she added, "I'm not going to vote against $2.1 billion for C-17 production, which is in California. That is just not going to happen."

Protesters did not accept Sanchez's argument.

"This is a war that was made up and people are dying, and there is no reason for it," said Ed Garza, who was arrested.

Garza and others talked to Sanchez during the open house. Advocates for immigration reform also attended. But the antiwar group remained after everyone left. Once seated on the lobby floor, protester Patricia Alviso began reading the names of Californians killed in Iraq.

"Jeromy D. West," she said.

"God forgive us," the others responded.

"Aaron Boyles," she said.

"God forgive us," they said again.

When they refused to leave in the morning, more than a dozen police officers surrounded the office.

Garden Grove Police Lt. Travis Whitman said the protesters "offered no resistance and cooperated fully."

Those arrested were Garza, 60, of Santa Ana; Alviso, 55, of Huntington Beach; Jarret Lovell, 34, of Costa Mesa; Abraham Ramirez, 23, of Fullerton; Tutrang Tran, 25; and Robert Dietrich, 61, Los Angeles.

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I am extremely proud of these courageous anti-war activists! This type of action proves that many of our military families and fellow citizens feel that the occupation of Iraq is wrong, and they are holding Congress accountable to to end it. Specifically, they want Congresswoman Sanchez to vote to defund this illegal occupation so that their family members who are serving there can come home. They are true & brave patriots!

I am extremely proud of these courageous anti-war activists! This type of action proves that many of our military families and fellow citizens feel that the occupation of Iraq is wrong, and they are holding Congress accountable to to end it. Specifically, they want Congresswoman Sanchez to vote to defund this illegal occupation so that their family members who are serving there can come home. They are true & brave patriots!

It breaks my heart to think of the families that worry about there sons and daughters fighting a war we shouldn't be involved in. We would like to think we are free but when you get arrested for freedom of speech??? I guess that speaks for itself. If we run the government, why are we still there. The people have spoken and the people want the war to end. It is amazing they can can say such lies with a straight face. Bring our children home!!!

You may put me into a position where I vote for Sanchez.

Were any of the protesters Green Party members? If so, they should consider running against Sanchez in next year's 2008 Congressional elections

Were any of the protesters Green Party members? If so, they should consider running against Sanchez in next year's 2008 Congressional elections

HIS UNHOLINESS (GEORGE WARMONGER BUSH) : "Sorry to Oil the Bush AL CIADA 9-11 Attacks, the Bush AL CIADA Preplanted Explosives in the WTC, the Bush AL CIADA Controlled Demolition of the WTC, the Post 9-11 Framing of Islam by the BUSH BOHEMIAN GROVE TALKING HEADS CNN NBC ABC CBS FOX, the Post 9-11 BUSH BOHEMAIN GROVE DEMONAIC IRAQ WMD CHOIR CNN NBC ABC CBS FOX, the Post 9-11 BUSH BOHEMIAN GROVE PHONEY IRAQ AL CIADA LINKS ON CNN NBC ABC CBS FOX, the Post 9-11 Bush Bohemian Grove Azores Summit, the Post 9-11 Bush Bohemian Grove Carpet Bombings of Iraqi Civilians, the Post 9-11 Bush Bohemian Grove 'Salvador Option' in Iraq, the Post 9-11 Bush AL CIADA Car Bombing in Iraq, the Post 9-11 Bush AL CIADA Mosque Bombings in Iraq, the Post 9-11 Bush AL CIADA Shrine Bombings in Iraq, the Post 9-11 Bush Bohemian Grove Flag Draped Coffins, the Post 9-11 Bush Bohemian Grove Iraq Amputees, the Post 9-11 Bush Bohemian Grove Gas Price Gouging at the Gas Pumps, and the Post 9-11 Bush Bohemian Grove Oil For Bombs, Torture, and Flag Draped Coffins Program in Iraq but Oil comes First. READY TO REVEL WITH THE DEVIL ?????????????"

I used to support President Bush HoooAAAA! But after a rotation one Spec Ops tour of 19 months and blown out knee disabling me. I now stair into the abyss of second forced tour. After I have forced knee surgery so I can be combat ready and sent away from my baby son and young wife to fight for a cause that has lost it's luster. As an Irish/Italian American Gaelic & Garlic as we say in Boston. I have a long history and pride in serving in the military during war as have the men of my family. Even in my injured state I carry a gun every day to work to protect Americans from terrorists. I must reiterate that it isnt easy for me to question my military and political leaders. But as a highly decorated combat veteran of rotation one Iraq Spec Ops. I now wonder what good will come of it.

I must reiterate my undying loyalty to my fellow soldiers and comrades in arms. There are no atheists in the foxholes. God bless America and may we have the wisdom to end this pointless war for oil.

Hooo Aaaaa US Army Spec Ops rotation 1, baby!

Thomas M Gaughan II
Department of Homeland Security
Anti terrorism specialist

Special Operations Civil Affairs Battalion
counter terror search and rescue law enforcement liasion.
Danbury Ct. Reserve Battalion combat ready!!

Who Ahhhh!

Civil Affairs first in Last OUt!! Who Aaaaahhhh!

Your first mistake is thinking you can have peace with a warmonger.

Remember, like begets like and truth comes from the Muzzle of a loaded gun or a burning city.

Never again serve and applaud when the filthy rich and their regime are attacked.

I beg allah for forgiveness for having served the USA military.

Kurt Brown-- Saint Ram Bone, a former FDIC bank examiner turned informant on government corruption who war tortured and robbed for surviving an attempt on my life. Let the United States regime in power die and unnatural death.

Mobile Audit Club

To correct the comment above, I was tortured by the federal government in 2001 and again in 2004. I was injected and knocked unconscious.

I urge you to view some of their members as not being human. Protect your children from pre-natal to grave. All contact with the regime should cease, and if they send their henchman, swing around their flanks and go after their head honchos.


Take a look at the "continuing problems" section regarding LA VA in 1999. I was injected there in 2001 and held captive. They call us insane, just like Moscow did their dissidents.

The war never ends, a quot from Tsun Tzu. Forget about peace, plan for fight or flight, war or hiding from war.

http://www.rbs2.com/humres.htm#anchor381589

Defund the war!
Troops home now!
Take care of them when they get here!