Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Interview with Fran Johns, Whose Son is Fighting in Iraq

Aired March 27, 2003 - 9:24   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back. Twenty-four minutes past the hour.
Fran Johns of Illinois has been demonstrating against the war since last fall. She was a proud part of the Chicago anti-war rally last Friday, too, and many more. But no one can accuse her of not supporting the troops. In fact, one in particular she cares for deeply, U.S. Marine Sergeant Robert Sera (ph) happens to be her son. And he is now on duty in Iraq.

Fran Johns wants him home. She join us now from Chicago. Thank you very much for being with us.

FRAN JOHNS, MOTHER OF SOLDIER: Good morning, Paula.

ZAHN: It is a delight to have you with us. I wanted to show a sign that you carried in this demonstration. It said "Marine mom against the war." Why do you oppose this war?

JOHNS: Paula, I really believe, as the rest of the world does, that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant who has inflicted great pain and suffering on the people of Iraq. I also believe, as Colin Powell has often said, that war should be an absolute last resort. We have a lot of very brave men and women, including my son, who have volunteered to defend this country, and I think that we should use them and risk their lives judiciously.

ZAHN: How does your son feel about your protesting against the war?

JOHNS: You know it's very interesting. We talked about this before he left. I began protesting the war before I knew that my son was going to be in Iraq.

He was scheduled to be on recruiting duty, safe home here in Chicago this year. And he and I talked about it. And his feeling is that he knows that I am protesting the war because I care about him, because I care about his friends and the other troops that are over in Iraq. And he's been very supportive of what I've been doing.

ZAHN: Were you ever worried that he might find it demoralizing at some point?

JOHNS: You know, I think the issue of demoralizing the troops is very tricky. This is a very complicated issue that we have here. He knows that I absolutely support him in his job, and it is his job right now to carry out this war. And I certainly know that he has been well trained and that he will do his job superbly, as will all of these young people.

We also support the fact and understand the fact and really sympathize with the fact that these troops are living in terrible conditions. And they need to know that, and that we love them, and we know what they are going through, and we want them home soon.

ZAHN: Ms. Johns, if wouldn't mind standing by, we are now hearing a siren sounded in downtown Baghdad once again. It was at about 7:00 Eastern Time that we heard the first reports of a series of explosions in downtown Baghdad. One report suggesting the siren had gone off near the Information Ministry.

We don't know the location of the siren. We're going to keep an eye on this picture. We've been seeing this black smoke on the horizon, as I just said, for just about two hours now.

Ms. Johns, a final question for you. When is the last time you heard from your son?

JOHNS: I had a phone call from him on February 21. And I had three letters from him last week. They were dated February 28, March 2 and March 3. So, Paula, I really have not heard from him since they've been engaged in the fighting.

ZAHN: And how are you keeping track of where he potentially could be? Are you watching much TV lately?

JOHNS: Yes. Watching CNN, of course. The television is very difficult, because you can't get way from the war, you can't escape it. And we're using -- many of us with children and family over there, are using the media to try to locate our children.

There is a reporter with the Knight Ridder Service who is attached to my son's unit. I go online in the morning and try to get her reports. Certainly watch CNN and other news reports.

ZAHN: Well, we thank you for sharing your story with us this morning. And we solute your son's courage. And, again, thanks for dropping by. We appreciate your time.

JOHNS: Thank you.

ZAHN: Straight back to Baghdad now, where you just heard -- if you were watching us -- just about 40 seconds ago we heard the sirens going off there again, after a series of explosions just about two- and-a-half hours ago rocked the city. We'll keep an eye on this and bring you information as it becomes available.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired March 27, 2003 - 9:24   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back. Twenty-four minutes past the hour.
Fran Johns of Illinois has been demonstrating against the war since last fall. She was a proud part of the Chicago anti-war rally last Friday, too, and many more. But no one can accuse her of not supporting the troops. In fact, one in particular she cares for deeply, U.S. Marine Sergeant Robert Sera (ph) happens to be her son. And he is now on duty in Iraq.

Fran Johns wants him home. She join us now from Chicago. Thank you very much for being with us.

FRAN JOHNS, MOTHER OF SOLDIER: Good morning, Paula.

ZAHN: It is a delight to have you with us. I wanted to show a sign that you carried in this demonstration. It said "Marine mom against the war." Why do you oppose this war?

JOHNS: Paula, I really believe, as the rest of the world does, that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant who has inflicted great pain and suffering on the people of Iraq. I also believe, as Colin Powell has often said, that war should be an absolute last resort. We have a lot of very brave men and women, including my son, who have volunteered to defend this country, and I think that we should use them and risk their lives judiciously.

ZAHN: How does your son feel about your protesting against the war?

JOHNS: You know it's very interesting. We talked about this before he left. I began protesting the war before I knew that my son was going to be in Iraq.

He was scheduled to be on recruiting duty, safe home here in Chicago this year. And he and I talked about it. And his feeling is that he knows that I am protesting the war because I care about him, because I care about his friends and the other troops that are over in Iraq. And he's been very supportive of what I've been doing.

ZAHN: Were you ever worried that he might find it demoralizing at some point?

JOHNS: You know, I think the issue of demoralizing the troops is very tricky. This is a very complicated issue that we have here. He knows that I absolutely support him in his job, and it is his job right now to carry out this war. And I certainly know that he has been well trained and that he will do his job superbly, as will all of these young people.

We also support the fact and understand the fact and really sympathize with the fact that these troops are living in terrible conditions. And they need to know that, and that we love them, and we know what they are going through, and we want them home soon.

ZAHN: Ms. Johns, if wouldn't mind standing by, we are now hearing a siren sounded in downtown Baghdad once again. It was at about 7:00 Eastern Time that we heard the first reports of a series of explosions in downtown Baghdad. One report suggesting the siren had gone off near the Information Ministry.

We don't know the location of the siren. We're going to keep an eye on this picture. We've been seeing this black smoke on the horizon, as I just said, for just about two hours now.

Ms. Johns, a final question for you. When is the last time you heard from your son?

JOHNS: I had a phone call from him on February 21. And I had three letters from him last week. They were dated February 28, March 2 and March 3. So, Paula, I really have not heard from him since they've been engaged in the fighting.

ZAHN: And how are you keeping track of where he potentially could be? Are you watching much TV lately?

JOHNS: Yes. Watching CNN, of course. The television is very difficult, because you can't get way from the war, you can't escape it. And we're using -- many of us with children and family over there, are using the media to try to locate our children.

There is a reporter with the Knight Ridder Service who is attached to my son's unit. I go online in the morning and try to get her reports. Certainly watch CNN and other news reports.

ZAHN: Well, we thank you for sharing your story with us this morning. And we solute your son's courage. And, again, thanks for dropping by. We appreciate your time.

JOHNS: Thank you.

ZAHN: Straight back to Baghdad now, where you just heard -- if you were watching us -- just about 40 seconds ago we heard the sirens going off there again, after a series of explosions just about two- and-a-half hours ago rocked the city. We'll keep an eye on this and bring you information as it becomes available.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com