I Posted A Picture With A Challenge To Identify The Woman Last Week - Answer Here
https://steemit.com/liberty/@fishyculture/ammon-bundy-speaks-as-a-free-man
This was my challenge: "I will reward the first person who can correctly identify that lady in the turquoise dress. Yes, her back is to you but she is an unsung hero..."
The woman is Sandra Anderson, her husband is Sean, also in the picture.
This photo is from a most unique event. Many liberty lovers know the name "Gavin Seim" quite well. According to Gavin, this was the first time he had ever had the local Sheriff attend his event. This was the same Sheriff who traveled to the Malheur Refuge to speak out in defense of two residents of his county who were under siege by Federal Agents, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson.
They are the couple that danced in the face of slaughter at the hands of their government.
The person who brought Gavin Seim, the Andersons, the local Sheriff and a room full of attendees including myself together had been killed in a car wreck a few days earlier. I did not know when I posted this. I was calling Sandy an unsung hero, and she is. I did not realize we had just lost another unsung hero.
I don't wish to be maudlin, but my post announcing the passing of this wonderful woman was done with 3 toddlers underfoot. I just wanted to take a moment to more fully pay my respects to Iva Henderson, and that picture from the other post seemed like a good excuse.
I did not know Iva "well" but I knew her soul. I met her at a political event. We needed a new Sheriff. We had found a candidate, I was tasked with teaching him how to run his first political campaign. We had an uphill battle before us. We were running an Independent against an incumbent Republican in Idaho. Furthermore the opponent was a "local boy" in the "good old boy" network.
This was not just a campaign, this was the expression of a community divided. A local rancher had been gunned down at the end of his driveway in front of his wife and nephew by Sheriff's deputies. I have discussed this before, the man's name was Jack Yantis. Please learn his story, google it. At this moment, the civil suit is underway and I will not say any more of it today other than in reference to Iva.
Our first official event to introduce our candidate to the voters was a packed house, we were really happy to see so many people there. Some were clearly plants from the opposition. Even that was a good sign, I assured Tom. "You have their attention already." It was a room filled with ranchers and homesteaders, salt of the earth people. Most of them had done chores early to be able to come meet Tom and after giving his remarks Tom, his wife and I all began to "work the crowd." That was when I first reached out and shook Iva's hand.
There with her husband and son, this woman had the set of the jaw, that firm stance... she was a rock solid human. When she offered her help I knew she meant it. They lived in the tiniest precinct in our tiny county. When we had our "meet and greet" there it was the second largest crowd we had, only that introductory event was larger. Iva got people to turn out. She had magnets made for her car, she passed out pamphlets, she made phone calls, she posted on facebook... I never knew her to do anything with less than her whole heart.
At one point our community was so tired of being told NOTHING that I decided to go to the County Commissioners (who share an office with the Sheriff) and ask them to urge the Attorney General to stop delaying. Remember, this is a tiny county and we have picked a fight with the well connected Sheriff... Two women volunteered to come with me that day, Iva Henderson and Zerry Greenwood. The facebook self-appointed defendants of the deputies called us "the three wicked witches." His father was a deputy, that gives you a bit of an idea how much we waded into the lion's den that day.
Well, look at this! There is still a video of that!
https://www.kivitv.com/news/justice-for-jack-advocates-speak-to-adams-county-commissioners
Iva got the last word on that clip, and as usual it was succinct truth.
After the election, Iva and I only stayed in touch on facebook. She was that one friend I could count on to speak out against the darkest of evils. No such thing as "taboo" when you endeavor to speak truth... As Adam Kokesh begins to make his run, I was looking forward to working with her again. I don't know if she was behind Adam, but I suspect she would have been. It is only one tiny precinct in one tiny county, but she was the lady who would have handed it to Adam, if anyone could.
Thank you for allowing me this chance to more fully pay my respects to my friend. Iva Henderson, mother, wife, Patriot, warrior woman, and Christian -and I would not describe many people that way. It was my honor to have known her.
I love the "three wicked witches" title you ladies earned. Who knew you just have to stand on principle, out of love for your neighbor, to earn super duper cool nicknames.
:) Thanks. We were rather proud of it!
I am telling your story and well I think there are anonymous heroes that you have to recognize their work as well as that woman political fighter, there are brave ladies who have more courage than a man
Thank you. Iva was adored by her husband and son, my heart breaks for them. It was a situation where the entire family was supportive of each other, and all of them dedicated to truth and justice.
Oh i believe i commented on that original post... i dont get into politics very much... but i do believe in standing up for what you believe in... and again im sorry for your loss of such a good friend
Thank you.