The truth about the Iconoclast:

"it was a chance for the national media to tout that even in Crawford, Texas, the citizens were turning against George Bush. The reality of the situation is a little bit different. As someone who has worked for the paper for a while, I know a little bit more about the story than most. While I will not reveal inside information (I believe it's unethical), here's the real scoop on what has happened.

Most of the editorial board on the Iconoclast is liberal. Leon Smith started the paper after George Bush was elected in 2000. He also runs the Clifton paper, and started up a paper in Valley Mills, which quickly folded. Don Fisher asked me to take sports photographs beginning in 2002. The Iconoclast is run completely out of Clifton. It has no offices in Crawford, nor do any of the principal figures operating the paper live in Crawford.

Shortly after the Democrats began their drive to unseat George Bush, a group came to town and bought an old house. They called it the Crawford Peace House. The house serves as a meeting place for people who want to have demonstrations and parades against the President. None of the people associated with the Peace House are residents of Crawford, and all they really bring to the area are headaches. From my perspective, they're the same bunch of sixties radicals who now use bandanas to cover up bald spots and haven't done anything since 1967 except look for things to protest and a camera to photograph them doing it. The Iconoclast started giving gushing coverage to the Peace House. There were almost weekly stories. The founder was called "a visionary." Most people I talk to hate the Peace House. But to read the Iconoclast, you'd think the Peace House was the only going concern in town. Other events started to crowd the pages of the Iconoclast. When a group of Nader supporters came to town, the paper gave it more coverage than they had the previous year's football playoff games. One photo showed a man with long hair and a beard holding up a Viet Nam Veterans Against the War sign. Another showed a float of a grinning George Bush holding a missile."
http://homepage.mac.com/stephenacook/Random/report.html

Peace House Mission Statement:
"The Crawford Peace House offers a culturally diverse environment for spiritual growth and intellectual understanding that gives hope to humanity by providing peaceful alternatives to war.

An oasis across the railroad tracks from downtown Crawford, Tx. (population 705 when the president is away) beckons visitors with a beautiful stone labyrinth in the courtyard. The lovely garden was planted and is cared for by Peace House volunteers. The Crawford Peace House provides a place where individuals and organizations can gather for seminars, meetings, or workshops dedicated to peace."
http://www.crawfordpeacehouse.org/

"How to Protest"
All rallies and parades require a permit: minimum 7 days in advance $25.00
contact Chief Tiddmore of Crawford P.D.

Alternatively, you can download the form in PDF file format or as a Microsoft Word file.
Lodging - There are no motels in Crawford, however, there is a Bed & Breakfast and Campgrounds. Many Motels can be found in Waco the nearest larger city."
http://www.crawfordpeacehouse.org/protest.html

Old Guy