HuffPo Exclusive: Cindy Sheehan Returning to Camp Casey

[understandinglife]

Coming Back to Crawford

by Cindy Sheehan

August 24, 2005

I'm coming back to Crawford for my son. As long as the president, who sent him to die in a senseless war, is in Crawford, that is where I belong. I came here two and a half weeks ago for one reason, to try and see the president and get an answer to a very simple question: What is the noble cause that he says my son died for?

<clip>

I'm coming back to Crawford because -- now and forever -- this is my duty for my son, for my other children, for other parents, and for my country.

Link:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cindy-sheehan/coming-back-to-crawford_b_6121.html

And, Cindy Sheehan has spoken many memorable statements in the past, but this one is exceptional "The presidency is not bigger than the people's will."


Peace.

[mrfocus]

1. OUTSTANDING!

My hats off to Cindy and her determination...the nation needs hero like her.

And in the spirit of the great patriot Mr. Welch
"Let us not assassinate this lady further, Mr. President. You have done enough. Have you no sense of decency sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?"

[chelaque liberal]

17. What is the context of the quote? It's good.

BTW-
Welcome

[txindy]

25. It's a takeoff on words spoken to Senator McCarthy during his witchhunt

Someone finally spoke the magic words and shamed him before the world. His influence spiralled downward after that.

[bobbieinok]

53. I remember when he said that...my dad was a news fiend...the hearings

are what made him decide he had to get TV......it drove him crazy that he was just hearing this and not seeing it as well

'we' listened to Fulton Lewis jr and all the other radio 'news' people at supper; as kids we got a very bleak view of the world as we ate supper

.....we listened to the reports and analysis when the Soviet Union stalked out of the Security Council and the others voted to aid South Korea; BTW, the Soviets never again walked out of the Security Council

my dad 1908-1995

[wellstone dem]

56. He sounds like he was a good man

may he rest in peace.

[PinkPantherChick]

60. How utterly familiar and comforting your post is!!

My dad was a news freak too and my 2 sisters a 3 brothers were all spoon fed politics and news daily. He insisted that we pay attention and we were always encouraged to ask questions and read newspapers. I was soooo close to my dad!! When he died his nursing home room was full of newspapers, news magazines, his computer with tons of icons related to world news and just oodles of information on the world. He could hold an intelligent conversation on any subject you could mention regarding politics and situations as they happened. My youngest brother and I are the only ones who went liberal with dad and the others went repug with mom. I miss him so much it kills me sometimes to not be able to pick up the phone and talk to him. Thanks for triggering the memories. Dad was a vet and he would have hated chimpy with his whole heart, just like he hated chimpy senior.

My dad 1918-2001

[understandinglife]

48. Welcome to DU and it appears that Bush has no sense of decency ...

... and he proves it every single minute of his life.


Peace.

[NoSheep]

2. Thanks for the update. Can't believe some ofthe idiots who posted there.

I set 'em straight though. Told 'em to inlist or shut the fuck up.

[Erika]

4. I also tell the GOP to enlist or shut up

They disappear.

[Catrina]

5. Heh! heh!

I always wondered how to make a freeper disappear, now I know ~ tell him to enlist ~ :rofl:

[understandinglife]

7. I know. Some of the posts in that thread are disgusting, But, Cindy

... Sheehan is exceptional in the accuracy and poignancy of her retorts.

Just read this one:

"I think that the strategy of eternal baseless war for corporate profit and greed is bad for all of our children: born and unborn."

(http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4425185)

So, while mega-dollar Rovian propagandists and faux-patriots spew their lame and dishonest attacks, Cindy Sheehan has proven she can take the hits and respond with a calm clarity and precision that puts her in the class of great statespersons, already.

Bush is no match for Cindy Sheehan and he knows it, and so do most folk on the planet, already.


Peace.

[WiseButAngrySara]

13. Very well put. (your comments and hers)...n/t

[mom cat]

43. Bravo for you...It looks like courage is contageous!

[Hissyspit]

3. Good to hear.

[Diane R]

6. The Freepers have hit that blog

There are many comments that are extremely cruel.

[Raster]

8. Yeah, it was obviously on their watch list for the evening. I love it.

They still can't deal with the actual issues or face the truth. So it's fall back into the punt and trash position.

[understandinglife]

9. Here is what I posted as a comment in that thread:

Good evening Cindy Sheehan,

Some of the comments in this thread and others you have taken your precious time to post here are remarkably cruel and distort the truth.

However, your responses to your critics are exceptional for the accuracy and poignancy you convey.

One of my favorites is:

"I think that the strategy of eternal baseless war for corporate profit and greed is bad for all of our children: born and unborn."

(and I've commented on it elsewhere --http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4425185)

So, while mega-dollar Rovian propagandists and faux-patriots spew their lame hate and dishonest attacks, you Cindy Sheehan have proven you can take the hits and respond with a calm clarity and precision that puts you in the class of great statespersons, already.

Bush is no match for you and he knows it, and so do most folk on the planet, already.

Stay the course; restoring America, protecting our Constitution and humanity from the Bush neoconster regime depend on your doing so.

Thank you for your leadership and wisdom,
UL

Peace.

[Raster]

10. Here's one of their comments:

Ms. Sheehan,

My heart pours out for your loss, but I'm afraid that your sorrow has transformed itself into misguided activism. Leaving now would be the biggest possible mistake the U.S. could make. Iraq needs a fighting chance to establish a government that can stand up to these terrorists, and without our participation, this could never possibly happen. Our withdrawel would open Iraq up to lawlessness, and the men with the strongest guns will then rule the land.

Peace to you.

Eric
_____________________

Well Eric, let's start with misguided activism. What's so misguided about accountability in the presidency. I know dubya has an issue with accountability, he always had. But now, don't you think it's more of a concern? And the "Iraq needs a fight chance" bullshit. You do realize don't you that there weren't ANY terrorists in Iraq before we invaded. Not a one. And in case you've been getting all your news from the pitiful American mass media sources, Iraq is CURRENTLY a no-mans land. The U.S. military controls precious little in Iraq. In fact the U.S. military controls the airport and the "Green Zone." That's it bucko. And hate to break it to you, but the "chance" you want Iraq to have is called a radical Islamic theocratic state. Yeah, we really have gone from bad to worse. Oh, and by the way withdrawal doesn't have an "e" in it.

[understandinglife]

11. Superb retort, Raster. I hope you posted it at HuffPo. And, ...

... you may also want to see how Cindy Sheehan responds to various comments in this thread at dKos:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/8/23/141740/140

Just thought I'd mention it for those who may not have scrolled through the comments in her My Response to George diary that she posted on the 23rd of August, 2005.


Peace.

[fighttheevilempire]

14. "In fact the U.S. military controls the airport and the "Green Zone." "

Yeah, we do. but we dont even control the road connecting the two. How sad is that, after 2.5 years and nearly 1900 soldiers dead?

[understandinglife]

49. Welcome to DU! And, you are correct we have truly nothing to show ...

... for our illegal war of aggression and occupation except death, torture, destruction and, now, civil war.


Peace.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

30. I posted a short comment thanking her and expressing my

gratitude that she's "staying the course" in spite of the mud slinging.

Just checked back and the comments are more supportive towards the end.

Ms. Sheehan,

My heart pours out for your loss, but I'm afraid that your sorrow has transformed itself into misguided activism. Leaving now would be the biggest possible mistake the U.S. could make. Iraq needs a fighting chance to establish a government that can stand up to these terrorists, and without our participation, this could never possibly happen. Our withdrawel would open Iraq up to lawlessness, and the men with the strongest guns will then rule the land.

Peace to you.

Posted by: Eric on August 24, 2005 at 01:28AM

Cindy, From the northwest small town of Woodinville (Washington State), we support you and think you are an agent of change........keep it up!!

Posted by: Gary Grossblatt on August 24, 2005 at 01:28AM

As a father, I have a huge amount of respect for what Cindy is doing. I'm not toally in agreement with some of her statements, but that doesn't take away from the importance of what she is doing in protesting this war.
I find it disgraceful that some parents feel that they should forsake their parental instincts of caring for their kids and the impact of their decisions. Since when should parents not protest or contest the decisions made that effect their kids? Since when is this the norm? Life is about decisions, and as parents, when we feel our kids have died for something unworthy, it's our patriotic duty to protest that.

Let not your heart be troubled; give the death of your son the honor, dignity and sense of purpose that was stripped away because of an uneccessary WAR!

Posted by: Aubrey Williams on August 24, 2005 at 10:38AM

MKJ

[understandinglife]

12. And, the answer to the question is -- Cindy Sheehan.

Gary Hart concludes his August 24, 2005 WaPo Op-Ed with the question "Who now has the courage to say this?"

Who Will Say 'No More'?

By Gary Hart

Wednesday, August 24, 2005; A15

"Waist deep in the Big Muddy and the big fool said to push on," warned an anti-Vietnam war song those many years ago. The McGovern presidential campaign, in those days, which I know something about, is widely viewed as a cause for the decline of the Democratic Party, a gateway through which a new conservative era entered.

Like the cat that jumped on a hot stove and thereafter wouldn't jump on any stove, hot or cold, today's Democratic leaders didn't want to make that mistake again. Many supported the Iraq war resolution and -- as the Big Muddy is rising yet again -- now find themselves tongue - tied or trying to trump a war president by calling for deployment of more troops. Thus does good money follow bad and bad politics get even worse.

History will deal with George W. Bush and the neoconservatives who misled a mighty nation into a flawed war that is draining the finest military in the world, diverting Guard and reserve forces that should be on the front line of homeland defense, shredding international alliances that prevailed in two world wars and the Cold War, accumulating staggering deficits, misdirecting revenue from education to rebuilding Iraqi buildings we've blown up, and weakening America's national security. But what will history say about an opposition party that stands silent while all this goes on?

<clip>

The real defeatists today are not those protesting the war. The real defeatists are those in power and their silent supporters in the opposition party who are reduced to repeating "Stay the course" even when the course, whatever it now is, is light years away from the one originally undertaken. The truth is we're way off course. We've stumbled into a hornet's nest. We've weakened ourselves at home and in the world. We are less secure today than before this war began.

Link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/23/AR2005082301178_pf.html

Yes, most definitely, the answer to your question, Senator Hart is -- Cindy Sheehan.

Hopefully, soon, many more. Including a bunch of those folk we pay big bucks to represent us 'inside the Beltway.'

No doubt that Congresswoman Woolsey and many of her colleagues are giving it their very best effort:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4425185#4434875


Peace.

[Looks Like Rain]

15. Awesome!

My teenaged son and I plan to be there late Sunday. Hope to meet some of you there... Anything we can bring? Please let me know how we can help!

LLR

[understandinglife]

47. Welcome to DU. And, good for you and your son to be going to Camp Casey!

Peace.

[maddiejoan]

16. This was my post.

"I notice many say Casey volunteered for the Armed services, and that we have an all voluntary army so his death was forseeable.

They are missing the point. Casey and the men and women like him did not volunteer to serve at the whim of a lying coporatist President. In an unjust war all those men and women (and innocent civilians) who die are dying unjust deaths.

Brava, Cindy for finally declaring enough is enough. It is time to hold the office of the Presidency as being too high an office to house a greedy, uncaring liar."

_Maddiejoan

[kskiska]

18. An awful lot of them "volunteered," all right

…for one weekend a month. When this is all over, I think some clarification is needed as to what exactly the National Guard is. Why would anyone join the National Guard under the present conditions? The appeal of the Guard was that a person could serve and remain close to home and family. If one were looking to serve overseas, why not join the regular service branches?

[xxqqqzme]

39. Don't forget he volunteered in 2000

B4 the war mongers seized power.

[Aus10tech]

19. Glad to hear Cindy is coming back

My wife and I went to the Peace house in Crawford this past Sat. it was so great,except some of the local yahoos would scream obscenities as they drove by . We met 2 girls as we were driving into Crawford from L.A. they were at the Big Shrub Picture as you come into town, they were taking pics of each other giving shrub the finger. it was great, they followed us over to the Peace House,There were shuttles taking people out to the new camp, which is so much safer then the old one,I'm sure the neighbor that is allowing the camp to use his property will get some flack from his fellow crawfordites (lol). I was impressed at the big tent that was setup,it was huge.
We met people from all over the country which was so awesome.and I want to tell everyone that can come down , please do,It will be something that will stick with you forever, We are planning on going back this weekend as well.

[Binka]

20. Way To Go New DUer! You My Friend Rock!

:loveya:

[Binka]

21. Way To Go New DUer! You My Friend Rock!

:loveya:

[Binka]

22. Ooops I Was So Happy I Posted Twice

Welcome to DU BTW!

[understandinglife]

24. Welcome to DU! Thank you for all you are doing to support Cindy.

Peace.

[Hailtothechimp]

23. Cindy is a true patriot

All of the posers in power in Washington could learn from her.

[KyndCulture]

26. oh those comments on huffpost got freeped bad...

idiots.

[melissinha]

27. This should be our UNIFIED message

If you or the President do not provide a proper answer to Cindy's question, you are missing the point. Thats all this is about, we want an answer that can justify the loss of the precious lives of our dead and injured soldiers, and the commitment of billions of tax dollars to the war and the reconstruction of Iraq. No war should be waged for reasons that the entire citizenry cannot get behind. Period.

Of COURSE, I wrote a slightly snarky message on the HuffPost.

I really think that if we can just stay on message, they can't touch us.

[Chicago1]

28. Cindy, THANK YOU

for being a thorn in Dumb Dumb's side. You're driving him crazy and have ruined his vacation. Thank you for FORCING the country to FINALLY examine what the heck is going on in Iraq. You are to be commended and I applaud you!!!


THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!

[baal]

29. YOU GO GIRL

Cindy, will you bear my children?......you are so coooool.
Come on now, I happen to KNOW you're available.

[understandinglife]

50. Welcome to DU and congratulations on your first post!!

Peace.

[Cha]

31. Cindy Sheehan is like the

Eternal Flame who will haunt bush forever.

:patriot:"The presidency is not bigger than the people's will.":patriot:

[understandinglife]

32. Arianna Huffington: It All Goes Back to Casey

I met Cindy Sheehan on Sunday afternoon while her mother was still in the intensive care unit. Listening to her, I just wanted my teenage daughters to meet her. Because it's never too early to teach young women fearlessness. And despite everything Cindy Sheehan has been through in the last year and a half, including weeks of sliming and smearing and swift-boating by Bush's attack machine, what she exudes, above all, is fearlessness. Fearlessness and authenticity.

<clip>

Cindy Sheehan, in personifying the human cost of the war, has exposed the fault lines in the administration's policies. Her real concern for the troops highlights the president's lack of concern, and her sacrifice makes nonsense of Bush's questioning the patriotism of anybody who disagrees with him.

<clip>

From It All Goes Back to Casey by Arianna Huffington on August 24, 2005

Much more at the link:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/it-all-goes-back-to-casey_b_6115.html

Fearlessness and authenticity.

Yes, in_deed, and that is why Bush and the neoconsters are no match for her and those who respond to her leadership.


Peace.

[understandinglife]

33. Horsey captures the opposite of "fearlessness and authenticity."

I think this is the ideal thread to insert Horsey's latest characterization of 'W':



Not one molecule of fearlessness or authenticity in that dude, not one.


Peace.

[understandinglife]

35. USAToday Sports Page (oh my): "The president has lost his fastball."

Bush didn't need to keep his Tour-de-Farce date with Armstrong even if Cindy Sheehan had left "Camp Casey," named for her fallen son, to be with her ailing mother. No president refusing to spend an hour with the parent of a dead soldier should spend a day basking in the glow of a cycling champ.

<clip>

From Bush on vacation, out of touch during tough times by Ian O'Conner on August 24, 2005

Much more at the link:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/oconnor/2005-08-22-oconnor_x.htm

Mr O'Conner, to stick with the sports analogy, pulls no punches in this article.

When articles in the sports pages of corporate media attack you, it's time for a new plan (oh, and georgie boy, THIS AIN'T NO GAME!!).


Peace.

[EC]

34. Unlike **'s flunkies WE DO NOT SERVE AT HIS PLEASURE,

this line in Cindy's letter should be repeated and repeated:"And when the people speak out, it's the president's reponsibility to listen. He is there to serve us, not the other way around."



This little boy really thinks he is King, doesn't he?

[PurpleChez]

36. Yea!!! Go Cindy!!!

[understandinglife]

51. Welcome to DU!

Peace.

[Joey Liberal]

37. O'Really says that Cindy is "finished" - I DON'T THINK SO!

O'Really thinks Cindy Sheehan is finished. He's an ignorant moron.

[katinmn]

38. Wonderful! I get strength from her strength

NGU!

[novak goes postal]

40. Thanks for the post

We need Cindy and I am so proud of her courage...

[understandinglife]

44. Welcome to DU!

Peace.

[understandinglife]

52. Welcome to DU and we do indeed 'need Cindy'!!

Peace.

[buddha8]

41. is it possible

I am wondering when large scale sit-ins of CNN and Fox are going to begin and when many of the psuedo journalists that are complicit in war crimes will be asked in public to explain themselves? It seems everyone is waiting around to be covered by the Media or whining about lack of coverage. In the 60s what happened is that the movement just walked right up to celebrity journalists and demanded that they explain themselves. The Berrigan brothers in fact were not adverse to throwing blood on missles in defense industries and I beleive other war celebrities were confronted in New York and elsewhere at their work places,dining areas,etc. As long as it is peaceful there is nothing illegal in it. The question needs to be asked of all these participating war criminals, not just the figurehead of the Junta. The press needs to be confronted peaceably and with steadfast directness. The question of "Why are you participating in distortion,lies and omission?" has to be made. It must be made. Until these participating criminals are made to feel accountable they will simply continue to take dictation from the bush crime operation. We know this. We are all in denial about this. We are 'hoping' that at some point they will turn and become the 4th Estate again. But the 4th Estate has long since surrendered to corporate careerism. I say fine. But then if you pursue career over objectivity, celebrity over ethics than I say you should be held accountable in public forums for your decision. The facade badly,badly needs to be ripped away from the smiling faces of these sychophantic villians.

[DollyM]

42. Interesting . . .

I have heard that Bush has had to publically defend his war for the third time since the beginning of Camp Casey. His need to repeat "stay the course" is obviously intensifying as the polls in his support are dropping. Are you just a little worried about that Mr. President?

[understandinglife]

46. Welcome to DU. And, yes, Cindy is proving to be way more of ..

... a challenge than Bush ever expected to encounter on the road to his dude ranch.

And, soon, he'll be encountering her at the entrance to the White House.


Peace.

[understandinglife]

45. Welcome to DU. And, I really like your suggestion that ... "the facade ...

... badly, badly needs to be ripped away from the smiling faces of these sychophantic villians.

Rip away!!


Peace.

[understandinglife]

54. "Cindy arrived at the Waco airport at 4:30 PM CDT ....

.... Scott Galindez continues to report for truthout at Camp Casey ...

http://www.truthout.org/cindy.shtml


Peace.

[understandinglife]

55. Blumenthal reviews the slime machine named Christopher Hitchens

Hitchens criticism of Sheehan is, of course, rooted in his role as a Hoover Institute-funded cheerleader for the failed policies of his newfound neocon fantasist friends.

From Hitchens Tries S&M by Max Blumenthal on August 24, 2005

Much more at the link:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/max-blumenthal/hitchens-tries-sm_b_6173.html

Blumenthal deserves a thank you for attacking the slime with a flame thrower.

Peace.

[jurassicpork]

57. Yippy!

This woman's indomitable spirit, endurance and sheer stubbornness is nothing short of miraculous, especially considering what she's been through with the right-wing press, the divorce, her mother's illness, the war supporters and, of course, her grief at losing Casey.

And that quote about the "Presidency" not being bigger than the peoples' will is very reminiscent of a federal judge saying that "the president is not a tribunal."

JP
http://jurassicpork.blogspot.com/

[understandinglife]

58. Cindy Sheehan returns!

Video of her return to Camp Casey:



Link: http://www.bradblog.com/Video/CindySheehan_CaseyCross_082405.wmv


Peace.

[joems]

59. WELCOME BACK CINDY!!!

The next couple months should be fun!!!

<- I'm thinking about putting a "Republican Against Bush" bumpersticker on my car... I figure it'll have more of an impact on the public, than any old democrat bumpersticker...

What do you guys think.

[understandinglife]

61. Welcome to DU! And, the next few months are going to be ...

...interesting. As to 'fun,' I rather doubt it.

And, I do like "Republican Against Bush" as long as its true.

That's the big lesson of Cindy Sheehan, as you undoubtedly realize -- the power of truth, all the time and nothing but.


Peace.

[Name removed]

62. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[NicRic]

64. Many signed up for limited duty ,being held hostage in Irag !

Iam willing to bet the majority of our milatary never thought ,even though Iam sure its says in there in very small print that it can ! That they would be dragged to the mideast and made to stay longer and longer all the time. Many signed up for education benifits etc. ,have'nt you seen the commecials ,they leave out the part where you may lose your life or get a leg blown off ! Many of these who get peole tosign up for the milatary out and out lie to young men and women ,who are in their last year in H.S. and cant afford colledge , about the possibilities they are putting thenselves at risk for when signing up ! Just another trick by the huge milatary complex to get the poor of our country to do all the life losing. Listen if this was WW2 and it was Hilter we where after I would be the frist one in line to sign up .However its now commone knowledge that this war is nothing except a breeding ground for more hatred against the U.S. , and was totally unnessary !
Nic

[NicRic]

63. Our good for nothing media .....

at least the channel I was watching at this time (sorry did not get the channel # it was'nt FOX)reported that pResident bush had met with families of those who had lost relatives to the war in Iraq. Yea sure he did with a hand picked pro-war ,pro bush families! Would he have te guts to meet with someone that opposes his stupid death trap in the mideast ,he cant even take a sotball ? on the war without getting all rilled up ,I almost wondered if they have a little ear piece reminding him to watch what he says to people who ask ?'s he dont like ,which is every ? that comes even close to challenging his policy on Iraq. How any fair minded person cant see thru his body lanquage and his facial expressions that we are dealing with a mad man leading our country ,is beyound me,reguardless if they are either a republician or democrat ,I just dont get it ? Is it just me ,however latley more then ever when bush makes an appearance ,he has crazed look in his face and eyes ,and frankly its making me very uneasy !
Sincerely Nic