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Edited on Tue Jul-26-05 03:00 PM by GreenPartyVoter
The best troop support
I recently had the privilege of hearing a talk given by Cindy Sheehan, co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace.
Cindy's son, Casey, was killed in Iraq on April 4, 2004, just five days after his unit arrived in Baghdad. Since his death, Cindy has been touring the country and the halls of Congress urging citizens and our leaders to unite and end the senseless occupation of Iraq which has caused untold suffering to American and Iraqi families.
Despite the desires of some who justify the invasion, it is clearly evident that Iraq was not connected to the events of 9-11 and was not a threat to U.S. security.
During the talk, a member of the audience asked what advice she would give parents who have children of enlistment age. She strongly advised them not to let their sons and daughters enlist, citing examples of how recruits are made promises that are not kept such as the lure of substantial cash bonuses, chosen work assignments and training, funds for education and more.
In addition, she talked of the dangers of exposure to depleted uranium, the fact that our soldiers still do not have adequate equipment and training two plus years into the war. Even food rations delivered to the troops often arrive spoiled due to the dangers of transportation.
Cindy does not want any more families to come home and see representatives of the military standing at their door. To quote a line from a poem her daughter wrote a few weeks after Casey's death, "Have you ever heard the sound of a mother crying for her son?"
The way to support our troops is to bring them home and seriously question the leadership that created this quagmire. Seek the truth.
P. P.
Milbridge
And here is a redux on my own report on hearing her speak:
She was a very powerful speaker and brought tears to my eyes talking in a broken voice about the day the Army sent people to tell her about her son’s death. She circulated 2 pictures of Casey; one of him in Army gear, another a sweet little portrait taken when he was just 7 mos old. She says she brings that baby picture with her when she cases the halls of Congress and shows it to the people who voted to let him die in this illegal war.
She spoke of stop-loss and "insurgents/patriots" and a war based on lies. She called Mr. Bu$h a drunk.. a power drunk, a dry drunk, and a moron. (Much applause here).
She read a beautiful poem that tore at my heart. It was written by her daughter in memory of Casey.
*CARLY'S POEM*
A Nation Rocked to sleep
by Carly Sheehan
Sister of Casey KIA 04/04/04
Sadr City Baghdad
Have you ever heard the sound of a mother screaming for her son?
The torrential rains of a mother's weeping will never be done
They call him a hero, you should be glad that he's one, but
Have you ever heard the sound of a mother screaming for her son?
Have you ever heard the sound of a father holding back his cries?
He must be brave because his boy died for another man's lies
The only grief he allows himself are long, deep sighs
Have you ever heard the sound of a father holding back his cries?
Have you ever heard the sound of taps played at your brother's grave?
They say that he died so that the flag will continue to wave
But I believe he died because they had oil to save
Have you ever heard the sound of taps played at your brother's grave?
Have you ever heard the sound of a nation being rocked to sleep?
The leaders want to keep you numb so the pain won't be so deep
But if we the people let them continue another mother will weep
Have you ever heard the sound of a nation being rocked to sleep?
She talked about how the left needs to come together and shine their light of goodness and get rid of the evil that has taken over DC; how John Conyers held his Downing Street memo hearing and was doing just that. When it came to the question and answer session I stepped up to the mike and thanked her for being a wonderful person who is standing up through her pain and reaching out to others, and I told her that the left _is_ coming together, especially on the internet. I mentioned that I am a Green who spends a lot of time on Democratic Underground and that the big topic at the moment is the Plame leak investigation and did she, to borrow a phrase from the misAdministration, feel we were turning a corner on shining a light on the truth?
She spoke again briefly about the DSM hearing and pointed out that many of the congressional names involved there were names like Barbara and Sheila and not so many Johns. She said that it may be, no offense to the men in the audience, up to the women to turn this country around. But yes, she did seem to feel that things are coming together.
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