Cindy Sheehan

[azskyman]

Well, I certainly recognize we don't have a political forum on S2k, and this is about as political as you can get....BUT

I rarely feel as strongly about a position as I do about the attention the press is giving grieving mother Cindy Sheehan and her right (and means) of protesting the war in Iraq.

Hundreds of thousands..millions in fact, of men and women have willingly and proudly given their best, and many times given their lives, to defend what they at the time believe was a cause worth making that sacrifice.

Cindy Sheehan's son was no different. He served in a military he chose to believe in...and commit to. And he is an honorable man for having done that of his own choice.

Those millions of our honored military did so then, and do so now....fight the battle on distant soil so that people DO have the right to protest...openly and sometimes with a heavy heavy heart. I can't begin to know of Cindy Sheehan's pain.

Still, in all that she is doing, her demand for an audience again with President Bush is now overstated a thousand times over by the press. It has become a forum for protesters and malcontents. What may have begun pure in intent, is now muddied by the press and those who are taking advantage of the standoff between a grieving mother and a determined President.

I do not, would not, and cannot deny Mrs. Sheehan the right to protest. But the answer she seeks is not one that can be found in the words of a President she now does not respect. Perhaps it could have before she became a symbol. Instead, the answer she seeks now needs to come from the mouths of those who lost children and families under the Hussein regime. The answer she seeks needs to come from a soldier's soldier. A countryman's patriot. It needs to come from those who willingly sacrifice much for a mission of war that is never fair, clean, or politically correct.

I believe in the right to protest. I believe in the right to be against this war.

But in honor of her son....and sons and daughters like hers around this country, she needs to be open to the real answers...the important answers, from those who can express it in terms she could understand.

Not just to upstage or embarrass a President....the format that now seems to be taking place.

I express this opinion as a combat veteran of Vietnam...a war that cost 50,000 lives but one in which valiant Americans still willingly sacrificed years of their lives....or their lives themselves.

Even if he never fully understood the scope of his purpose, I suspect her son would be tearful at his own mother's actions.

I realize the posts that follow will spur debate and draw lines in the sand for others to cross...but my intention here is not to divide, but to heal.

And to simply state the emotion behind my appreciation for all those who defend this country.

[Matt-hurricanewatcher]

All that needs to be said is Shameful or even treasonness.

[vbhoutex]

My feelings exactly Steve!!!! And I did and have protested and I am so PROUD nd RESPECT every person that has given and gives me the right to do so. Thank you for expressing it so eloquently, as you always do. BTW, she flew home tonight to Vacaville, Ca. becasue her mother had a stroke.

[Skywatch_NC]

And now that Mrs. Sheehan has gone to CA to be with her Mom...we can only wish that the camp near the Bush ranch will disband.

Prayers and thoughts with her and her Mom. And for other families who have lost loved ones in service to our country.

Eric

[JTD]

All that needs to be said is Shameful or even treasonness.

Treasonous? I don't understand how you can say that. She lost one of the dearest most closest people in the world to her because of the Iraq War. She has every right to protest the loss of her son and the causes.

The constitution gives her that right. Is she right? Should all the troops come home? No, it's too late for that. Iraq is the central front in the war on terror now.

However, the fact remains that it is only that because President Bush made it so.

By the way, where is the sympathy for the grieving mother? Does anyone here feel her loss!

[southerngale]

Steve, my feelings as well for the most part, except you expressed it nicer than I probably would have.

She's losing her family too. Her husband has filed for divorce and is unhappy with what she's doing. Her other kids have been begging her to come home because they need her to take care of them, and they're apparently pretty mad at her as well.

David...she's not going home after she leaves the hospital. She said she'd be back in Crawford as soon as possible.
I do hope her mom recovers from her stroke.

[vbhoutex]

All that needs to be said is Shameful or even treasonness.

Treasonous? I don't understand how you can say that. She lost one of the dearest most closest people in the world to her because of the Iraq War. She has every right to protest the loss of her son and the causes.

The constitution gives her that right. Is she right? Should all the troops come home? No, it's too late for that. Iraq is the central front in the war on terror now.

However, the fact remains that it is only that because President Bush made it so.

By the way, where is the sympathy for the grieving mother? Does anyone here feel her loss!

Of course we feel her loss and the loss of 1500+ other men and women from our shores in this war on terrorism. We also are recgnizing the fact that no one made her son join the military.

Her protesting is not treasoness or shameful. I may not agree with the way she is expressing her feelings and I may feel that she is not seeing the whole picture(which is understandable due to her grief)and thus is protesting something that I do not agree with(which her son died for my right to do)but what she is doing is not treasoness. However, it is my right to express my opinion about it whether she is grieving or not.

And Eric is right, we all need to be praying for her and her mother tonight.

[Brent]

This thread will get locked... just a prediction.

While it's open... I completely agree with Steve. I'm so sick of the story I just change the channel when her name comes up. I didn't have a problem first, but this "obsession" with wanting to meet the President has gone far enough. She's already met with him once... after her son was killed. I don't know what has happened since then to make her change her mind. We're not pulling out... even if Kerry had won the election, he says we have to stay the course, so it's a big waste of time. I believe now that she's just doing it to get attention, not to actually get anything constructive done.

[Matt-hurricanewatcher]

Her son joined the Army to serve his country. He knew the risk of doing so in was proud. For her to do what she is doing is disrespectful to her son. We where attacked not much different then December 7th 1941 on September 11th. What would you people be doing if we did nothing after 2,000 of our own country men in women where murdered? That is in the eye of the beholder. She had a brave son that served well. But to attack our president for doing his job fighting for our freedoms is sicking. I know Bush is has done some stupid things over the last few years like open our boarders for the next attack. But he had every right to go to war against our enemys.

I do feel sorry for her lossing her son. But thats war in war is a #@$.

[azskyman]

I wish no ill will...that's not who I am...for Mrs. Sheehan or her mother and family. They are grieving and torn apart right now.

I too hope the best for all of them.

I just believe some disenchanted Americans are now focusing their frustration in a way that dishonors those who are serving in our military now...and those who have done so in the past.

If she would like...I would be more than happy to sit across the table with her and answer her question, "Why did my son die in Iraq?"

I can do so in full respect of her as a grieving mother. But so too does she need to give the full respect of her son and others who have served.

[azskyman]

Brent and admins...

I have the utmost respect for the decisions on this thread. No one owes me an open forum...but I have said what I needed to say.

[southerngale]

This thread will get locked... just a prediction.

While it's open... I completely agree with Steve. I'm so sick of the story I just change the channel when her name comes up. I didn't have a problem first, but this "obsession" with wanting to meet the President has gone far enough. She's already met with him once... after her son was killed. I don't know what has happened since then to make her change her mind. We're not pulling out... even if Kerry had won the election, he says we have to stay the course, so it's a big waste of time. I believe now that she's just doing it to get attention, not to actually get anything constructive done.

It doesn't have to get locked if things stay civil.

Brent, did she change her mind? When she met Bush the first time, she said that he was sincere. Now she says that he wasn't sincere the first time she met him. That's not changing your mind about liking him, or changing your mind about the war, or changing your mind about anything. Either she's telling the truth now or she was telling the truth then. I'm guessing she was telling the truth then and something happened, maybe within her family, or an outer source, and she saw the potential of this, what we're seeing now. JMO.

[Brent]

Brent, did she change her mind? When she met Bush the first time, she said that he was sincere. Now she says that he wasn't sincere the first time she met him. That's not changing your mind about liking him, or changing your mind about the war, or changing your mind about anything. Either she's telling the truth now or she was telling the truth then. I'm guessing she was telling the truth then and something happened, maybe within her family, or an outer source, and she saw the potential of this, what we're seeing now. JMO.

The whole mess is confusing... initially I believed she supported the war when she met the President the 1st time... I just don't understand why all this is coming out now. It's been a year and a half...

If it's a family problem, then she needs to leave the rest of America out of it. We all have our problems...

[Brent]

Brent and admins...

I have the utmost respect for the decisions on this thread. No one owes me an open forum...but I have said what I needed to say.

Oh I'm not saying your wrong for starting it... I just think it'll turn into a flame thread... hopefully not, just a feeling.

[PurdueWx80]

God bless her for being the kind of patriot she is. God bless those standing beside her, and God bless those who participated in the peace vigil last night.

[rainstorm]

turns out she was a liberal activist before her son died, she blogs on michaels moores web site, she says america is a terror nation, she says bush is the worst terrorist on earth, and it has been uncovered on fox this morning she actively supports that lawyer that represented a convicted terrorist. the lawyer is in prison for aiding the terrorists by passing messages to them. she has a right to say what she wants, but i have the right to say what i want, though i cant say it here.

[BEER980]

Matt-hurricanewatcher you seem to indicate that Iraq was responsibe for 9/11, is that correct?

For her to do what she is doing is disrespectful to her son.

Is it disrespectful for pro Bush supporters to run over the crosses that are placed at the protest site for those that have died in the war?
Brent perhaps she has changed her mind becaue she has learned that we went to war on a lie. Every day these soldiers are there in the sand they slowly die.

[Ed25]

http://www.easternuswx.com/bb/index.php ... t&p=536160

[Matt-hurricanewatcher]

There all pretty much one in the same since 1200 AD or so. Can't tore them apart. In also almost every piece of data on earth shown that he(Saddam was a threat) So it is not Bushs falt but the idiots that given him the info. After 9-11 we could not take chances. Personally I think the world is better off he's gone. Buts thats just me...Can't be having a butcher murdering hundreds of thousands of his own people can't we?

Also why doe's these people not Protest a real dictater?

[Stephanie]

Everyone has a right to an opinion, the right to protest, etc. with out being called a traitor for having an opposing opinion. That's what this country stands for and that is why we have people that join the armed forces so that they can help defend that right.

I appreciate what everyman and woman in the armed forces in the past, present and the future do for me and my country. It does not matter to me if I agree with the reasons why they were sent to war, they are making the ultimate sacrifice for all of us.

I understand Cindy Sheehan's need to talk to the President, but she does have other family that needs her as well. I'm sure that she is so overwhelmed with her grieve and anger that she can't put this behind her and move on. I just hope that she doesn't find herself totally alone in the end.

It doesn't have to get locked if things stay civil.

Great point Kelly!!!