Family members of soldiers serving in Iraq have diverse opinions about the war—both for and against it. Most of these families stay out of the spotlight, but a few get the public’s attention and have started a national discussion about war, patriotism and the fundamental right to freedom of speech.

Whether profiled in a film like A FAMILY AT WAR or via a protest that gets coverage on the evening news, here are a few families and individuals who are putting a human face on the debate.

Cindy Sheehan / Gold Star Families for Peace

When her son Casey was killed in Iraq, Cindy Sheehan started to rally against the war. She started protesting in her hometown of Vacaville, California, and eventually camped out at President Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas demanding that he speak with her. Sheehan and Camp Casey sparked a national debate serving as the catalyst for rallies across the country, both for and against the war. After the president’s vacation was cut short due to Hurricane Katrina, Sheehan continued to speak out against the war and Bush’s policies.

Deborah Johns / Move America Forward

Deborah Johns, whose son is a Marine, styled herself as the antidote to Cindy Sheehan. She and her conservative political organization, Move America Forward, produced a national television commercial to say Sheehan does not speak for military families. The group also started the “You Don’t Speak for Me, Cindy” caravan that toured parts of the country and eventually made it to Bush’s ranch in Texas to counter Sheehan’s protests there.

Tammy Pruett

Tammy Pruett has six family members serving in Iraq: her husband and five sons. Her family has been profiled on CNN, and in August, President Bush cited Pruett and her family during a speech in Idaho, as true patriots in the fight for freedom. Pruett, a strong supporter of Bush and the war effort, said, “I know that if something happens to one of the boys, they would leave this world doing what they believe, what they think is right for our country. And I guess you couldn't ask for a better way of life than giving it for something that you believe in.”

Gary Qualls

Gary Qualls came up against the Cindy Sheehan protests outside President Bush’s ranch by participating in a counter encampment outside the ranch. Named in memory of his son Louis who was killed in Iraq, Fort Qualls was started by friend and local business owner Bill Johnson. Qualls gained attention when he removed one of the hundreds of crosses in Sheehan’s camp, which beared his son’s name. When protesters kept replacing it, he took two more crosses and called the protesters disrespectful to soldiers.

Lila Lipscomb

Lila Lipscomb was once highly supportive of the war and Bush’s policies, but when her son Michael Pederson was killed in Iraq, everything changed. Her emotional journey, documented by filmmaker Michael Moore in Fahrenheit 9/11, brought Lipscomb to the nation’s consciousness making her a figurehead in the anti-war movement.

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