Misusing his memory?
I had to make this response to the Cindy Sheehan article an entirely separate post:
It's very sad that almost 2000 mothers are in the same position as Cindy Sheehan - grieving for a son or daughter who came home from Iraq in a box.
It's sad that a President (on vacation for five weeks in one of the deadliest months for American soldiers), when asked why he won't see Cindy Sheehan, says that he needs to "get on with his life."
Too bad Cindy's son Casey doesn't have a life to get on with.
If I could stomach it, I would print the garbage that right-wing chicken-hawks are tossing at Cindy, including CHASTISING HER for the fact that her husband filed for divorce!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wonder how many of her detractors are on their second or third marriages (or have mistresses on the side)?
Should we remind them that their demi-god, Ronald Reagan, was divorced?
No offense, Guadalupe, but saying that she is "misusing" the memory of her son is making a pretty big assumption about her son's personal beliefs. I can't imagine folks having the gall to claim that they know someone they have never met better than his/her mother. I don't know how I'd react if anyone tried to make the same assumption about my daughter, but I'm quite sure I would not be as graceful as Ms. Sheehan.
It's unfathomable that such an accusation should come from a group of people claiming to be devout Christians. I seem to remember a rather important man in the Bible's New Testament declaring, "Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."
It's unfathomable that such an accusation should come from a group of people claiming to be devout Christians. I seem to remember a rather important man in the Bible's New Testament declaring, "Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."
I remember 29 years ago watching a group of brave women on the news participating in the "Women's March" in Northern Ireland. There were mothers, wives, sisters and other family members of those who had died in the conflict...over 10,000 women, both Catholic and Protestant, joined together to protest the continued violence by holding hands and walking down one of the most dangerous streets in Belfast. The women proved their point by silencing the guns for that day as they turned that street into hallowed ground. I remember shedding tears as I watched. It is burned in my memory as the most powerful protest that I've ever seen.
No, Cindy Sheehan is not misusing her son's memory. Her primary message is that of a grieving mother demanding peace and justice. In this, she is honoring an ancient tradition...a sacred rite...of working to help save other mothers from the same fate.
Yes, Guadalupe, I find the situation sad.Guadalupe said...
I think you ought to put up some of the stuff from the people who disagree with her.
She is misusing the memory of her son as a tool for the anti-war, bush haters.
The whole situation is sad.
It's very sad that almost 2000 mothers are in the same position as Cindy Sheehan - grieving for a son or daughter who came home from Iraq in a box.
It's sad that a President (on vacation for five weeks in one of the deadliest months for American soldiers), when asked why he won't see Cindy Sheehan, says that he needs to "get on with his life."
Too bad Cindy's son Casey doesn't have a life to get on with.
If I could stomach it, I would print the garbage that right-wing chicken-hawks are tossing at Cindy, including CHASTISING HER for the fact that her husband filed for divorce!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wonder how many of her detractors are on their second or third marriages (or have mistresses on the side)?
Should we remind them that their demi-god, Ronald Reagan, was divorced?
No offense, Guadalupe, but saying that she is "misusing" the memory of her son is making a pretty big assumption about her son's personal beliefs. I can't imagine folks having the gall to claim that they know someone they have never met better than his/her mother. I don't know how I'd react if anyone tried to make the same assumption about my daughter, but I'm quite sure I would not be as graceful as Ms. Sheehan.
It's unfathomable that such an accusation should come from a group of people claiming to be devout Christians. I seem to remember a rather important man in the Bible's New Testament declaring, "Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."
It's unfathomable that such an accusation should come from a group of people claiming to be devout Christians. I seem to remember a rather important man in the Bible's New Testament declaring, "Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."
I remember 29 years ago watching a group of brave women on the news participating in the "Women's March" in Northern Ireland. There were mothers, wives, sisters and other family members of those who had died in the conflict...over 10,000 women, both Catholic and Protestant, joined together to protest the continued violence by holding hands and walking down one of the most dangerous streets in Belfast. The women proved their point by silencing the guns for that day as they turned that street into hallowed ground. I remember shedding tears as I watched. It is burned in my memory as the most powerful protest that I've ever seen.
No, Cindy Sheehan is not misusing her son's memory. Her primary message is that of a grieving mother demanding peace and justice. In this, she is honoring an ancient tradition...a sacred rite...of working to help save other mothers from the same fate.
posted by CelticDiva at 5:59 PM
View blog reactions
2 Comments:
I feel badly for Cindy. I do sympathize with her. I think she's doing what her heart leads her to do; just seems a bit misguided. She could throw that passion into more productive pursuits --- sending needed things to the troops, working with other families who have lost, etc. Right now she's in the center of controversy that really won't help her or the other troops that are still fighting.
Read the comments from her after her first meeting with Bush then. She had glowing praise for him then. She said basically she remembered what it was like to laugh and joke and kid around again. Now, she says he made light of her sacrifice. She changed her story. Why?
A year ago:
- The report had not yet been published from CIA special advisor and weapons inspector Charles Duelfer's admitting that Saddam had no nuclear, chemical, nor biological weapons nor could they find plans to build such weapons. The report came out, and the Administration and military admitted no WMDs would probably be found, in Oct 04.
- "The Downing Street Memo"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downing_Street_memo
and associated "smoking gun" documents had not yet come to light. These showed that the President had, as Richard Clarke and Paul O'Neill had earlier revealed, been planning an attack on Iraq all along.
- We did not yet have an interim Iraqi government which was supposed to have a Constitution finished yesterday.
- The interim Iraqi government had not yet thumbed their noses at the U.S. by signin agreements with Iran, including military exchanges.
- We were not fully aware of the details of sleazy sole-source awarded contracts to Halliburton subsidiaries...there had not yet been testimony that Halliburton was not only overcharging our troops for fuel, but were also providing substandard meals to our troops and charging the government premium price as well as charging for hundreds of meals that were never served yet the government gave them ANOTHER contract.
There is so much more, but I'll stop here due to length.
There are plenty of mothers that have lost their sons or daughters in this war who still support the idea it is being fought for. But we shall forget them or ignore them.
Do you know people that are over there? How close are you to the military?
I've worked for the Army for over 10 years. I work with the wives and husbands of active military folks and reservists who are there. I also know a number of Army civilians - my co-workers - who are over there.
We are all proud of those who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
However, many folks have become disenchanted as more and more facts of this situation have come out. They have become disenchanted each time their loved ones get called back to Iraq after only being home for a week or have been notified they will need to stay another six months only days or hours before they are supposed to go home. They have become disenchanted because, while they have been here trying to survive, Bush has been trying to cut the benefits they and their loved ones may desperately need in the months and years to come. They have been disenchanted when they must quietly ask for assistance to buy equipment for their loved ones that the government does not have or has run short of.
As is the case with many folks who listen too much to the "chicken-hawks" who manage to protect themselves and their families from any actual danger or contact with the military issues, you are unaware that YOUR attitude is the one that is now far in the minority.
What the ignorant right is trying desperately to "ignore" or "misdirect" attention from is the simple, powerful message that Cindy Sheehan brings to the forefront: Saddam is gone and Iraq has an intirim gov't. Why are we still fighting and what are we now accomplishing?
Please feel free to answer that question with information to back up your answer. George Bush can't answer it with any credibility so I seriously doubt that you can.
Post a Comment
<< Home