Posted on 02/01/2006 2:08:03 AM PST by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
Since I saluted her last summer when she took a stand in Crawford, Texas, it seems only fair that I make another public gesture now that Cindy Sheehan has removed one of her "Camp Casey" hiking shoes and stuck her foot firmly in her mouth.
That gesture is to raise a hand and cover up my wincing eyes.
It's not the first time this celebrated and denigrated mother of a fallen soldier has spouted off a bit incautiously. But I cut her a break before. After all, her beloved son Casey died in Iraq while mine is alive and kicking.
Besides, she doesn't have the benefit of a platoon of speech writers and spin artists. And, even with those helpers at his ear, our president has been known to touch his toes to his tongue more than once.
But then, last weekend, Sheehan had her Jane Fonda moment -- one that, like Jane's hey ho to Hanoi, may untie the good she laced together outside Mr. Bush's ranch.
In Caracas, arm in arm with Venezuelan President and "Down with the U.S. empire!" radio show host Hugo Chavez, Sheehan said she agreed with a previous statement made on that show by singer-activist Harry Belafonte. She agreed, she said, that George W. Bush is the greatest terrorist in the world.
Far more interesting than my reaction had to be the reactions of those in Seattle who have worked so hard for so long to legitimately question Mr. Bush's invasion of Iraq and the resulting loss of both civilians and soldiers like 24-year-old Casey Sheehan.
What did they think, I wondered?
Lietta Ruger was careful and thoughtful before weighing in. A military mom and member of Military Families Speak Out, Ruger flew from the Seattle area to Crawford last summer to camp with and support Sheehan. And she says she still believes strongly in Sheehan's original message -- her insistence on an explanation for this war. "That was a question, not a statement," she said. "And we're still looking for an answer."
Ruger believes that Sheehan's stand at Camp Casey nudged much of the nation out of its oblivion over this ill-begotten venture. And she doesn't think Sheehan's radio comment takes anything away from that accomplishment. "But I'm trying to concentrate locally, on the families at Fort Lewis." Ruger said. "And I wouldn't want her (Sheehan) to go there and deliver that message. (The one calling the president the world's greatest terrorist)."
"Military culture says that, while we respect our leaders, we may also question them. But calling them terrorists moves the line," she said.
To his credit, Mike Dedrick didn't mince words where others in the peace movement demurred. A member of Veterans for Peace and a counselor with the GI Rights Hotline, he said a lot of people agree with Sheehan and Belafonte. On Web sites and blogs, lots of people think the president is spreading, not fighting terrorism and are calling for Bush's impeachment.
"Her (Sheehan) comments don't change the fact that we were lied to by George Bush," Dedrick said. "She's entitled to her opinion."
Former Green Party candidate Kara Ceriello admits she was surprised by the "pretty extreme" Belafonte comment seconded by Sheehan. She still loves and admires Sheehan for her Texas stand and believes, full-bore in free speech. But, like Ruger, she thinks better, more careful words sway more people than incendiary name-calling bombs.
"It's important to speak your mind but it's also important to effect change," she said.
Finally, former peace activist and military mom Vicky Monk said that, like me, she winced when she saw the words Sheehan used from her international platform.
Monk has separated herself from Military Families Speak Out since her son came home from Iraq. She's concentrating on his needs now.
She said she was troubled by being pressured to make more radical statements than she was comfortable with when she did travel to speak against the war to Japan and elsewhere. While her politics are conservative, "I have some criticisms about Bush and more important, questions about this war," Monk said. "When my son was there (in Iraq) I was asking the questions he had but couldn't ask. But some of the things people say really disturb me. When they talk in terms of extremes they're really losing people in that greater middle."
I don't know how many still straddle the middle when it comes to Iraq. Dedrick of Veterans for Peace says people were already about as polarized as they could get over the war long before Sheehan spoke on the radio.
But I heard a little tremor when she blasted the already overdeployed T-word at the president last weekend. It was the sound of Cindy Sheehan -- but hopefully not the cause for peace -- losing ground.
Ben Cohen, True Majority: "People are willing to listen to her and we want to do as much as we can to make her voice heard."
Cohen's group has teamed up with Berkeley based MoveOn.org, an anti-Bush group co-founded by Joan Blades.
Earlier this month, MoveOn helped organize anti-war vigils in support of Cindy Sheehan.
Current Democratic National Party Chair Howard Dean's organization Democracy for America is also involved, as is the more radical anti-war group Code Pink organized by San Francisco's Medea Benjamin.
PR Machine Behind Cindy Sheehan?
See also:
Freeper Investigation: The Truth behind Cindy Sheehan and theLeft-Wing Propaganda machine
Sheehan got a taste of "fame" and has become addicted. She has adopted the hate America stance of communists and has openly embraced them while accusing our president of being a terrorist.
Sorry lefties--the "Buyer's Remorse" clause in the contract expired some time ago. Yer stuck with this lemon for the life of the vehicle. Oh, by the way, the warranty's expired, too. Have a nice day!
"It's important to speak your mind but it's also important to effect change," she said.
And they don't know the difference between 'effect' and 'affect'...
Sorry, Eternal, but "effect" is correct usage, meaning "to bring about" or "to bring into being". On the other hand, something can "affect " change, that is, "have an impact on". This is not to say, however, that I agree with anything these fools say or write. They are "oblivious" to the threat of islam.
Indeed.
One is a noun, the other is a verb.
They are not looking for an answer, they never even started. They created their answer in some smoke filled room where talking points based on opposition research are formulated. Sheehan was elevated from grieving yet misguided ditz-mom, to a false national heroine by the same DNC party operatives. She turned out to be an antisemitic liar, too embarrassing even for far left of the party to gloss over.
The "answer" they do not seek has been in front of their noses all along, they refuse to see it. Now, additional documentary evidence of the direct connection to Saddam's genocidal regime and anti-American terrorism is coming to light in the form of thousands of authenticated documents. More and more clues and evidence to the real Syrian disposition of stockpiles of WMD's is even making the MSM. And Al Qaida honchos have to release hastily recorded tapes, risking exposure, to prove they are still alive... unlike their chief "bomb maker".
No, answers and the truth are clearly not what these people seek, and the spectacle of them running from the mounting evidence, while endless repeating totally discredited accusations against Bush, his intent, and the actual status of the war will entertain us all right up to the November election. Will they get the point after that? A good subject for speculation, but I doubt it.
I don't feel sorry for Cindy at all. She should be ashamed at what she has done to dishonor her son. Photos of her with Chavez shows just what a idiot she has become.
Cindy should be arrested. She coozies up with Chavez and calls President a terrorist. She should be hung imho!
These dippy and delusional "military moms" join in supporting this traitor (Sheehan) and now they are backing away.
This should prove to people that the liberals have no base beliefs and join on any boat floating by .. but when the boat starts taking on water - they are the first to jump ship. I not only don't want these people on my team .. I don't want them in charge of my govt.
I say this sudden lack of support for Cindy from Susan Paynter has far more to do with Cindy starting to attack fellow "progressive" Democrats than anything stupid she said about President Bush.
For the life of me, I believe that Karl Rove is finacially supporting Cindy Sheehan; I think he even posted her bail last night!
Sheehan is a Rovian Plot to destroy the democrats.
Just my 2 cents.
RD
The left is hijacked by the Sheehag's of the world. They're not going away any time soon.
She'll go away at some point in the future when the Democrats denounce her and the leftist kooks that have hijacked the entire Democrat party. So far, the Democrats seem to be cozy with the idea she's out there spewing her idiocy.
I doubt it. Karl Rove wouldn't give Sheehan the time of day.
I doubt it. Karl Rove wouldn't give Sheehan the time of day.
How does Karl Rove fit into Cindy's attacks on Senators Hillary Clinton and Dianne Feinstein?
The Democrats will only denounce her if she becomes a Republican. They won't even denounce the Rosenbergs.
And like the Fonda people a generation ago, their biggest lie is that they are anti-war. They are only opposed to American victory in war.
that really looks photoshopped...
I feel sorry for her son, Casey died thinking he was protecting his mother but as it turns out he died to promote her antiwar/america agenda!
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