Stephen Pearcy (activist)
Encyclopedia
Stephen Pearcy is an attorney and anti-war
activist. He and his wife, Virginia Pearcy, first made national headlines in February 2005 after displaying a stuffed American soldier's uniform hung with a noose
on their Sacramento
home in Land Park with the words, “Your Tax Dollars at Work.” After someone trespassed on the Pearcys' property and tore down that display, the Pearcys replaced it with a similar display with the words, “Bush Lied, I Died.” That display was also torn down by another vandal. Both vandalisms occurred while TV news crews were present and were captured on film, but the Sacramento District Attorney’s office declined to prosecute the vandals.
The displays were controversial and on one particular evening drew hundreds of people to the Pearcys’ home either to support or criticize them. About two hundred supporters of free speech and peace (including Cindy Sheehan
and then-husband, Pat Sheehan) stood on one side of the street to defend the Pearcys’ message, while a roughly equal number of opponents of the Pearcys’ display (including Melanie Morgan
and members of Move America Forward
) stood on the other side of the street.
Pearcy eventually won a $5,000 judgment against one of the vandals, and he received and out-of-court settlement for $3,500 from another.
In August 2005, Pearcy made national news once again when he exhibited a painting at the California Department of Justice in Sacramento showing a star-spangled map of the United States being flushed down a toilet. The painting included the words, "T'anks to Mr. Bush!" The art exhibit was controversial, and generated a protest and counterprotest event that once again included supporters of the exhibition facing off with opponents of the exhibition. Again, people from the group Move America Forward came to protest Pearcy’s protest art.
In June 2007, Pearcy brought a flag-draped coffin to a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton in Sacramento. The coffin had a sign that read, “Hillary, Stop Funding This!” The bomb squad was called after Pearcy refused a Secret Service
Agent’s request to search the coffin. The coffin was empty, but Clinton was forced to wait at the airport for two and a half hours during the search, and several hundred contributors and potential contributors were forced to wait outside of the event just as long. Many potential contributors left the fundraiser before Clinton finally arrived, and the protest action drew national media interest.
Stephen Pearcy lives in Sacramento, California. Between 2005 and 2007, the Pearcys organized over 40 anti-war events in the Sacramento area, most involving several hundred people. Pearcy arranged for Cindy Sheehan to attend several of those events to draw larger crowds.
In September 2005, Cindy Sheehan moved into the downstairs portion of the Pearcys’ second home in Berkeley
, California
just after she returned from her famous trip to Crawford
, Texas
, where she demonstrated outside of President George W. Bush
’s ranch
. Sheehan lived with the Pearcys, rent-free, for just over a year, during which time she travelled extensively to various peace events and wrote two books.
Pearcy has occasionally written articles for CounterPunch
, the Smirking Chimp, the Sacramento News & Review and Dissident Voice.
Anti-war
An anti-war movement is a social movement, usually in opposition to a particular nation's decision to start or carry on an armed conflict, unconditional of a maybe-existing just cause. The term can also refer to pacifism, which is the opposition to all use of military force during conflicts. Many...
activist. He and his wife, Virginia Pearcy, first made national headlines in February 2005 after displaying a stuffed American soldier's uniform hung with a noose
Noose
A noose is a loop at the end of a rope in which the knot slides to make the loop collapsible. Knots used for making nooses include the running bowline, the tarbuck knot, and the slip knot.-Use in hanging:...
on their Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
home in Land Park with the words, “Your Tax Dollars at Work.” After someone trespassed on the Pearcys' property and tore down that display, the Pearcys replaced it with a similar display with the words, “Bush Lied, I Died.” That display was also torn down by another vandal. Both vandalisms occurred while TV news crews were present and were captured on film, but the Sacramento District Attorney’s office declined to prosecute the vandals.
The displays were controversial and on one particular evening drew hundreds of people to the Pearcys’ home either to support or criticize them. About two hundred supporters of free speech and peace (including Cindy Sheehan
Cindy Sheehan
Cindy Lee Miller Sheehan is an American anti-war activist whose son, U.S. Army Specialist Casey Sheehan, was killed by enemy action during the Iraq War. She attracted national and international media attention in August 2005 for her extended anti-war protest at a makeshift camp outside President...
and then-husband, Pat Sheehan) stood on one side of the street to defend the Pearcys’ message, while a roughly equal number of opponents of the Pearcys’ display (including Melanie Morgan
Melanie Morgan
Melanie Morgan is an American radio personality. She was formerly a host at KSFO in San Francisco where her husband, Jack Swanson, was the General Manager. She was recently laid off due to budget cutbacks and declining ad revenue. She has also previously worked as a reporter for KGO-TV in San...
and members of Move America Forward
Move America Forward
Move America Forward is a conservative political action group based in California that grew out of the campaign to recall California Governor Gray Davis. Move America Forward seeks to advance many conservative causes by lobbying of politicians at the local, state, and federal levels, through media...
) stood on the other side of the street.
Pearcy eventually won a $5,000 judgment against one of the vandals, and he received and out-of-court settlement for $3,500 from another.
In August 2005, Pearcy made national news once again when he exhibited a painting at the California Department of Justice in Sacramento showing a star-spangled map of the United States being flushed down a toilet. The painting included the words, "T'anks to Mr. Bush!" The art exhibit was controversial, and generated a protest and counterprotest event that once again included supporters of the exhibition facing off with opponents of the exhibition. Again, people from the group Move America Forward came to protest Pearcy’s protest art.
In June 2007, Pearcy brought a flag-draped coffin to a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton in Sacramento. The coffin had a sign that read, “Hillary, Stop Funding This!” The bomb squad was called after Pearcy refused a Secret Service
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
Agent’s request to search the coffin. The coffin was empty, but Clinton was forced to wait at the airport for two and a half hours during the search, and several hundred contributors and potential contributors were forced to wait outside of the event just as long. Many potential contributors left the fundraiser before Clinton finally arrived, and the protest action drew national media interest.
Stephen Pearcy lives in Sacramento, California. Between 2005 and 2007, the Pearcys organized over 40 anti-war events in the Sacramento area, most involving several hundred people. Pearcy arranged for Cindy Sheehan to attend several of those events to draw larger crowds.
In September 2005, Cindy Sheehan moved into the downstairs portion of the Pearcys’ second home in Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
just after she returned from her famous trip to Crawford
Crawford, Texas
Crawford is a town located in western McLennan County, Texas, United States. It is best known as the home of former President of the United States George W. Bush. He currently resides at the Prairie Chapel Ranch, which is located just outside Crawford, Texas....
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, where she demonstrated outside of President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
’s ranch
Prairie Chapel Ranch
Prairie Chapel Ranch is a 1,583 acre ranch in unincorporated McLennan County, Texas, located seven miles northwest of Crawford. The property was acquired by President George W...
. Sheehan lived with the Pearcys, rent-free, for just over a year, during which time she travelled extensively to various peace events and wrote two books.
Pearcy has occasionally written articles for CounterPunch
Counterpunch
Counterpunch can refer to:* Counterpunch , a punch in boxing* CounterPunch, a bi-weekly political newsletter* Counterpunch , a type of punch used in traditional typography* Punch-Counterpunch, a Transformers character...
, the Smirking Chimp, the Sacramento News & Review and Dissident Voice.