Parents, Spouses and Relatives of Troops Who Have Fallen In Iraq Address the Reality of War at Exhibition; More Than 1700 Pairs of Combat Boots Representing U.S. Soldiers Who Died in Iraq, 'Wall' Listing Thousands of Iraqi Civilian Deaths on Display

Contact: Janis D. Shields of the American Friends Service Committee, 215-241-7060 or 302-545-6569

News Advisory:

Families from across the country who have lost loved ones in Iraq address the realities of the Iraq war during the Philadelphia opening of Eyes Wide Open: The Human Cost of War, Friday, July 1, on Independence Mall, 6th and Market Streets at noon. Eyes Wide Open is a traveling exhibition that calls attention to the more than 1700 U.S. soldiers and 10,000 civilians who have died in the war. The parents will then place their loved one's boots alongside more than 1700 pairs of combat boots -- representing every U.S. military casualty -- that will be lined up on Independence Mall over the July 4 weekend.

The event comes on the heels of President Bush's address to the nation Tuesday evening, where he declared that the daily sacrifice of American lives in Iraq "is vital to the future security of our country."

Cindy Sheehan is co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace -- an organization made up of families who have lost members to the Iraq war. Her son, Casey, born on Memorial Day, 1979, was killed in Iraq on Palm Sunday, April 4, 2004.

"Our children were needlessly slain," she states. "They were lied to by our President. And they were lied to by their recruiters, who will tell young people anything to get them to enlist, then deliver nothing. No one -- Iraqi or American -- should have died, and not one more drop of blood should be shed for lies and deception."

Speaking Tuesday night on Larry King Live, Sheehan emphasized: "They told us Saddam had weapons of mass destruction. He didn't have any weapons of mass destruction. (Bush) said that there was a link between September 11th and Saddam. There was no link."

Why are we making the innocent Iraqi people pay for our battles? We are bringing terrorism to their country, and their country is being destroyed? Innocent Iraqi people are being killed. Our own soldiers are being killed. And why is that OK?"

Sheehan will be joined by ten other moms, dads and relatives from across the country. One of them, Fernando Suarez del Solar, of San Diego, whose only son -- a 20-year old Marine named Jesus, was killed last year by a U.S. cluster bomb on March 27, 2003 in Southern Iraq, created a foundation in his son's name to teach young people about the harsh reality of military service and helped set up a group to provide psychological counseling for Hispanic families impacted by the Iraq war.

Eyes Wide Open first opened in January 2004 at Chicago's Federal Plaza with 504 pairs of boots. It will continue growing as the death toll continues to rise. In addition to the more than 1700 pairs of combat boots representing U.S. military casualties, the exhibit includes a "wall" of names and incidents of Iraqi civilian deaths and shoes memorializing a small fraction of the Iraqi civilians who have been killed in the conflict.

WHAT: Eyes Wide Open: the Human Cost of War in Iraq

Press Conference and Opening Event, July 1, at noon at Philadelphia's Independence Mall

Spokespeople Available (Abbreviated List):

CALIFORNIA

-- Cindy, Pat, Carly, Andy and Janey Sheehan, Vacaville, parents and younger siblings of

-- Army Spc. Casey A. Sheehan (KIA on April 4, 2004)

-- Bill Mitchell, father of Army Sgt. Michael Mitchell (KIA on April 4, 2004)

-- Nadia McCaffrey, mother of Sgt. Patrick Mc Caffrey (KIA on June 22, 2004)

-- Vicky Castro, mother of Army Spc. Jonathan Castro (KIA on December 21, 2004)

-- Fernando Suarez Del Solar, San Diego, father of Lance Corporal USMC Jesus Alberto Suarez del Solar Navarro (KIA on March 27, 2003)

NEW JERSEY

-- Sue Niederer, Hopewell, mother of Lt. Seth J. Dvorin (KIA on Feb. 3, 2004)

NEW YORK

-- Karen Meredith, Buffalo, mother of Army 1st Lt. Kenneth Ballard (KIA on May 30, 2004)

MARYLAND

-- Tia Steele, Baltimore (Govans), stepmother of David M. Branning (KIA on Nov. 12, 2004)

PENNSYLVANIA

-- Al, Celeste, Raphael and Dante Zappala, Philadelphia (Mt. Airy) parents and younger brothers of Army Sgt. Sherwood Baker (KIA on April 26, 2004)

TEXAS

-- Amy Branham, Houston, mother of Sgt. Jeremy R. Smith (killed in a car accident in February 2004, just before deployment)

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The American Friends Service Committee is a Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace and humanitarian service. Its work is based on the belief in the worth of every person and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice.

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Parents, Spouses and Relatives of Troops Who Have Fallen In Iraq Address the Reality of War at Exhibition; More Than 1700 Pairs of Combat Boots Representing U.S. Soldiers Who Died in Iraq, 'Wall' Listing Thousands of Iraqi Civilian Deaths on Display