Badass Mama
I’ve been trying to figure out how to write about Cindy Sheehan for days. While Joe and I were out last week, we drove by a group of people participating in the vigil held in support of her. We both got teary and I honked the horn in solidarity. I was touched, but couldn’t figure out what to say that wouldn’t be cheesy, unoriginal, or slightly offensive to my red-state readers. (That last part was a joke.)
Then I read this post by my Mom. Brilliant.
August 23rd, 2005 at 2:42 pm
Cindy Sheehan posted to her blog again today and I have a few questions for her. I have posted comments to her blog asking questions but for some strange reason they never get past her censorship. As always, I will use quotes…
“Bringing our troops home from the quagmire that he has gotten us into will be weakening the United States? George: even if you pretend you didn’t know that Saddam did not have weapons of mass destruction and Iraq was not threat to the USA before you invaded, Americans know differently.”
Ms. Sheehan, whether you like, dislike or are ambivalent to an individual It is incredibly impolite to use first name only when you are not on a first named basis with an individual. I would not presume to call you “Cindy”. In fact judging by the tone of your recent blogs using the first name only of George Bush was meant to heighten your disrespect, you earn no points there, you are obviously not a well-mannered individual regardless of your feelings.
“Why don’t you channel some courage from my son and come down and face me. Face the truth. Your house of cards built on smoke and mirrors is crumbling and you know it.”
Here you call him a coward, not in those words but you know exactly what you meant. Again, not the way to get things done nor is it the way civil human beings talk to one another. You keep losing points in the etiquette category. Ms. Sheehan. I tend to listen to other views and try to keep an open mind on issues; you are doing nothing but pushing people farther away (except for those who are closed minded like the extremes of both parties).
“I didn’t go to Crawford to meet with Steven “Yellow cake uranium liar” Hadley or the other “high-ranking” official they sent out. I went to meet with George. Does he get that yet? I did meet with him 10 weeks after his insane and arrogant Iraq war policies killed Casey and 9 weeks after I buried my oldest child. George: things are different between you and I now.”
Yellow cake uranium liar???? Now you are getting completely irrational Ms Sheehan.
“I never said I did. I want one answer: What is the “noble cause” MY son died for. There are also dozens, if not hundreds of families from all over the country who want to know the same thing.”
Dozens possibly hundreds… which is it Ms. Sheehan? Dozens, hundreds or America, which is quite a bit more than either of those two figures.
“A Democratic Constitution? Is anyone else insulted that he thinks we are stupid and think that the Constitution they will form in Iraq will be democratic and ensure equal rights to all citizens? Does anyone else know what “democratic” means? It simply means majority rule. Not some high-minded, free-floating, pie in the sky ideal. It means 50 percent plus one. Up to 62% of Americans think our troops should be coming home soon. That is a majority, so why don’t we force our employee, the president, to do what we want him to do?”
Possibly because the United States of America is not a democracy but a republic. Majority does not rule in the US and never did. We elect representatives that take everything into account when making decisions. If it was majority rule 50% plus one could vote to open hunting season on any given group of people and it would become legal. That is a democracy… want one?
“Another sham election where the country is shut down for the day and no one knows what the heck they are voting for?”
Sure sounds like the USA….
“As hard as George is working riding bikes and taking naps? If he cares so much about an Iraqi Constitution, why doesn’t he take some time from his busy vacation activities and read the US Constitution. He may find out that he started an un-Constitutional war in Iraq. He may lose some sleep over it. (What am I saying?)”
Please back that one up. What exact article of the U.S. Constitution is being violated and how?
“Amen to that George. You got one thing right. Thanks to you and your lies the people of Iraq are suffering from a tragic and unnecessary war and my son was violently killed and ripped out of the heart of our family.”
And how many Iraqi families have you talked to in Iraq to form that factual statement? I have gotten the complete opposite opinion from service men that constantly hear from Iraqis that they are grateful we became involved.
“Then bring our troops home.” Then she said, “This is the biggest smokescreen from him yet. I didn’t ask him to withdraw the troops,”
These contradictory statements were within a paragraph of each other. Which is it Ms. Sheehan?
“His policies of preemptive wars of aggression for power and greed don’t bring America safety, either.”
What additional financial income has George Bush received from this war? How exactly has his net worth increased? That after all is what the “greed” part would indicate.
“How does he honor the soldiers by killing more of their buddies? People say Casey is ashamed of me and I dishonor his memory! I knew my son better than anyone on earth and I know he is appalled by the continued carnage in his name.”
If your brave son feels or felt that way why did he re-enlist?
Ms Sheehan, please answer these questions. America wants to know.
August 23rd, 2005 at 3:16 pm
I appreciate your post, and your opinions. The only reply I have is this: OF COURSE SHE’S IRRATIONAL! She lost her son to a war she doesn’t believe in.
I don’t expect Cindy Sheehan to be the most articulate, intelligent, or rational person. I don’t necessarily think she represents every one of my views. But I do think she has a right to question the president and this war. I believe in that as much as I do in your right to question her.
I believe that I am articulate, intelligent, and capable of expressing and understanding views other than my own, but I’ll tell you this: if my brother went to Iraq and didn’t come home, it would take every Marine in this country to keep me from doing exactly what she’s doing.
August 23rd, 2005 at 10:48 pm
It makes me sick that the right-wing response to a grieving mother looking for meaning in her son’s death is to discredit and belittle her.
Lots of people wonder what the Bush family has to gain from a friendly regime in Iraq and question the administration’s honesty in laying out the rationale for war (Downing Street memo anyone?) America want’s to know what his responses to these questions are. Heaven forbid we have a president brave enough to answer questions about his policies (in a closed door meeting with a grieving mother).
If GW would just put aside the cowboy routine and meet with Mrs. Sheehan, we could put an end to the smear campaigns and media circuses.
Also, I wonder if you composed your articulate, albeit ridiculous treatise specifically for Hickopolis GvdM? It seems a little long for an off the cuff response. Maybe you should save your cut and pasted boilerplate for the next eNewsletter. I appreciate your right to an opinion, but think it’s tacky for you to talk about integrity and respect as you blanket the internet with this rubbish.
Good luck with the smear campaign.
August 24th, 2005 at 8:14 pm
I know you guys say you appreciate his opinion and such but in this forum I sure don’t. That guy needs to fuck off and die. That’s the short version of my fact filled, multi-paragraph rebuttle.