Posted on 08/09/2005 1:00:58 PM PDT by areafiftyone
I know you all agree with me that what Cindy Sheehan is doing in Crawford, Texas is heroic and important. I met Cindy a couple of months ago when she testified at the hearing I called on the Downing Street Minutes. Later that day, she helped me deliver your signatures to the White House demanding answers from the President about his pre-war deceptions. I want to share with you what struck me about that day, and is even more relevant now. I also want to ask you for your help.
It is not that hard for an elected official to take his time and energy and try to demand accountability from a President. It is what I was elected to do and it is my job. For a mother who recently lost her son in a war based on lies to turn her grief and anger into action and courage is a heroic act.
It is also important. The Presidents defenders want to turn the debate over the war, over life and death, into a typical partisan skirmish. By doing so, they hope the country will divide neatly into a 50/50 split between Democrats and Republicans and the stalemate will continue. What Cindy is doing is taking this out of the realm of partisanship to where it belongs: cold and hard reality.
The reality of a war that didnt have to happen. The reality of the loss of nearly 2,000 American lives in that unnecessary war. The reality of the countless Iraqis who have died because of a lie. The reality of the men and women in uniform who have come back from Iraq with severe injuries and who will never be the same again. The reality of the families that have to pick up the pieces of the lost and shattered lives of those who have died and have been injured. The reality of a President that is so stubborn and unyielding that he does not appear to care about the grief of a mother. The reality of a policy that is so out of touch with reality itself.
Together with a number of my Congressional colleagues (including the Co-Chair of the Out of Iraq Caucus, Maxine Waters; Cindys representative George Miller; Dennis Kucinich; Jim McDermott; Zoe Lofgren; Bernie Sanders; Barbara Lee; John Lewis; Jim Oberstar; Bob Filner; Jim McGovern; Carolyn Maloney; and Corrine Brown), I am writing the President asking him to honor Cindys simple and humble request for a meeting to discuss a policy that has claimed the life of her son. Rawstory has the letter here. We have no illusions that the intercession of Members of Congress will change the Presidents mind more than Cindy can, but we think it is important for all of us to show our support for Cindy and for all of the Gold Star Families in whatever way we can.
I just spoke with Cindy (you can listen to a tape of the phone call here). While listening to the call is probably better than my recollection, I let her know how much I support her and that I think what she is doing is so enormously beneficial to the country. To me, what she is doing in Texas has the power to change Washington.
I also told her that I am making a $500 donation today to the Gold Star Families organization. I want to urge you to donate at www.meetwithcindy.com if you can. If you are financially unable to donate, there are many other ways to help, many are described on the website. In addition to what they suggest, I think it is important that as you take vacations this August or talk with friends and family, you spread the word about Cindy and the Gold Star Families. Most importantly, keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
Which Sheehan is Conyers talking about?
PROTESTING SOLDIER MOM CHANGED STORY ON BUSH...
The mother of a fallen U.S. soldier who is holding a roadside peace vigil near President Bush's ranch -- has dramatically changed her account about what happened when she met the commander-in-chief last summer!
Cindy Sheehan, 48, of Vacaville, Calif., who last year praised Bush for bringing her family the "gift of happiness," took to the nation's TV outlets this weekend to declare how Bush "killed an indispensable part of our family and humanity."
Conyers is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Arab League.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Big like a pickle, I'm still gettin paid. . .
ROFL ...I'm stealing that one....it goes on my homepage.
kewl!
Just saw your post....ROFLMAO!!!!
That's frightening!
Thanks for the ping! :-)
OMG. Do they not understand that this woman has changed her story? Or do they just not care? (Rhetorical question)
Just saw your post...on an interview here in the Dallas area, she said that if Bush didn't meet with her in Crawford, she would stay until he went back to Washington,
and then follow him to Washington....
I just saw your post...
When George Allen was asked that...he had no clue who Cindy Sheehan was, and also he didn't know that she HAD MET WITH President Bush already!
Ignorant a$$holes and their money are soon parted.....
Good!
Semper Fi
Thanks. I'm sure he would not have said that if he knew. Conyers is acting like its a new partnership with Allen.
I had the exact same reaction that you and others did on Sunday...
I was yelling at my TV to Sen. Allen that he should have done his homework re: Cindy Sheehan....but Wolf (who arranged the whole thing) also didn't do his homework, and I guess the White House had to let him know during the show, that President Bush did meet with her.
Very sloppy on CNNs part...and I hope that Sen. Allen learned a lesson...not to make too hasty of a remark unless he knows what is going on.
Ray McGovern, a former CIA agent (R), places a photo of the son of Cindy Sheehan, founder of Gold Star Families for American Peace(C) on the table as Ambassador Joseph Wilson looks on during an unofficial forum on the Downing Street Minutes on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC June 16, 2005. The document, created in 2002 for British Prime Minister Tony Blair said that United States President George W. Bush was intent on invading Iraq and that intelligence was being manipulated to support Bushs interests. Sheehan's son, Army Specialist Casey Sheehan was killed in Iraq. REUTERS/Chris Kleponis
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