Sheehan is RIGHT to get in the Dems faces, we ALL should. She's my HERO.

[Philosoraptor]

We should demand action of our own party, the ones we voted in, the ones who say they represent us, we SHOULD get in their faces like Cindy Sheehan did.

Sheehan is not the enemy. She is no longer concerned with tiresome protocol presented at a glacial pace while more sons die for nothing, she's lost a son and a husband, she of all people has earned the right to get in her own party's faces and demand real action.

I support her continuing hell raising, and I think we should all follow her example and demand MUCH of our Democratic leaders.

[Philosoraptor]

1. lonesome kick

[Robbien]

19. Ha! Not so lonesome anymore.

The reason country leaders can invade other countries is because people don't stand up and get in their faces and say NO.

[pnwmom]

73. Some people thought Martin Luther King was too uppity, too.

Some DU'ers seem to have a problem with civil disobedience. But she's one of my heroes.

She's a martyr to the cause and we should all be thanking her.

[CountAllVotes]

2. right!

Let's get in their faces! Fax them, call them, write to them!


:dem: :kick:

[Beaverhausen]

4. Yes- let's interrupt their press conferences so they can't get their agenda heard

that'll work. :eyes:

[MsUnderstood]

20. What agenda was it the dems are trying to present

In their first 100 hours of congress the Blitz of Bills if you will what will they be doing to stop the bloodshed in Iraq.

Honestly, throw the anti-war crowd a bone!!

[AikidoSoul]

49. Not have their agenda heard because of Cindy's comments?

What a crock of poooo!

It's she that has a hard time being heard.

They're getting ready to vote on more funds for the war -- maybe hearing a protest might make them think about the fact that the war is based on many lies.... you know... real stuff like that.

No have their agenda heard?!

[No Exit]

88. I saw some footage... it was RAHM EMMANUEL who was interrupted.

That same Rahm Emmanuel who torpedoed democratic candidates who were particularly ANTIWAR.

While I am grateful to him for his hard work in helping take congress, I think Sheehan and others know that he apparently is either not against this fraudulent series of wars, or he just doesn't CARE that OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN are dying for some assholes' dreams of American empire and huge profits for defense contractors.

Well, he'd better start caring.

It is refreshing to see that someone can pick out warmongers and their enablers while not being brainwashed by mere party labels. I will stop short of saying Emmanuel "has to go", but he needs to change his attitude and work to BRING OUR TROOPS HOME NOW AND DON'T SEND THEM TO IRAN, EITHER.

[EstimatedProphet]

3. No argument there

[Nutmegger]

5. I stand with Cindy. We're so lucky to have her on our side.

:kick: and :thumbsup: for Cindy!

[BuyingThyme]

6. No, let the Dems do whatever they want.

Baa, baaaa!!!

[Hippo_Tron]

7. Agreed, if they aren't going to get out of Iraq then people should not shut up about it

[Alamom]

8. Agree & kick. n/t

[babylonsister]

9. I support Cindy wholeheartedly. Maybe someone will actually listen

to her and stop this awful war, and the funding that lets it continue.

[cynatnite]

10. The dems haven't even started yet...

Why wasn't she and her crew interrupting the repukes press conferences when they were in power? Why this one and why not give the dems the chance to do something first?

[babylonsister]

33. She has interrupted lots of rethug events. Oh and how about the ultimate

interruption, in Crawford?

[AikidoSoul]

50. Because the repukeniks wouldn't let her near them!

She didn't have a chance. At least the Dems don't put her behind barbed wire with dogs

[mopinko]

11. here here

all you whiners should go suck your thumbs somewhere.

and speaking for myself-



nobody likes a bitch until they want something done. then who do they call?

(my apologies to those offended by the word bitch. i embrace it.)

[AikidoSoul]

51. Any woman worth her salt has bitch in her... otherwise she's just a limp lolly

and I would never want to be in the jungle with a lolly

Go Cindy!

[corkhead]

12. We'll soon see if us democrats need to take our Democratic party back

:popcorn:

[Puregonzo1188]

13. Exactly, the Dems were elected because Americans were sick of the war

They should be held accountable to that.

[Senator]

14. Yes, "Violence" is The Answer

Follow the RoadMap to Impeachment.

Tell them to stop Rationalizing for Inaction.

Because Only Impeachment can promote positive movement on any front.

They know it in their hearts as well as we do.

Impeachment IS our positive agenda.

It is our ONLY moral, patriotic option.

--

[TahitiNut]

15. Yep. It comes with the territory.

:shrug: It's often less a matter of Democrat v. Republican than a matter of People v. Politicos. We have a class of professional politicians who're increasingly carrying corporatist water. The People who are doing the working and dying need to be heard.

[leftchick]

16. NO! The Dems Need to keep the "powder dry"!!!

:sarcasm:

I stand with CINDY any day!

[corkhead]

72. how about another same-era cliche... "A Shot Across The Bow"

this was a brilliant move

[pberq]

17. Yes! Fight or lose!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

18. Ssshhhh! The bosses get upset when confronted.

Just because thousands of people are dying is no reason for anyone not to be polite to the bigshots.

[malaise]

21. Go Cindy

No more fence sitting.

[walldude]

22. Great post Raptor... K&R

I wonder how those of us who demand as much accountability from our own party as we do from the Republicans are going to be treated in the coming year...

[Philosoraptor]

23. Have you EVER heard of a protester interrupting her OWN party?

It's bold I tells ya, and I applaud her for it. We know we can't make the republiks accountable, let's try with the Democrats.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

27. There was quite a bit of that going around in '68.

If I recall it was in Chicago. Quite unpopular with the party bosses and their hired help in the streets.

[walldude]

29. LMAO... whatever it takes my friend!

[Pale Blue Dot]

24. Here here.

:thumbsup:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

25. This goes without saying.

Even though some people don't like it.

[ikojo]

26. Let us not make the same mistake that

progressive types made in 1992...after 12 years of Reagan and Bush people were so hopeful that Clinton would be better than he was on social issues. I think people were easy on Clinton and didn't hold him accountable for his more conservative initiatives such as don't ask don't tell and DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) as well as NAFTA.

[mod mom]

28. I have to agree here. We must force them to act in our country's best interest

and put the military lives before politics!

[stray cat]

30. Health care for workers and raising the minimum wage

are worthless issues to pass while we have a chance in a rapid 100 hr agenda. The problem in Iraq could get solved so quickly since the answer is so obvious and everyone will agree with it and its the perfect solution. After all we have a one vote majority in the senate - why should anyone get in the face of the republicans - dems hold all the power and are responsible for the entire war in Iraq (sarcasm in case its missed.)

[Philosoraptor]

31. How many more mothers will grieve while we practice rampant niceness?

[AikidoSoul]

52. Well said Philosraptor! Too many of us have been way to nice

about this war. Better to ruffle a few feathers than to watch our country bleed to death.

[Palladin]

32. demand MUCH of our Democratic leaders

Amen. If this isn't done, they'll cave to the "Decider"'s and neocons next move, the attack and (attempted) invasion of Iran. Hell maybe we should just wait until the army breaks and mutinies. That came earlier in 'Nam, because it was a draft army. But it is apparent that both the common soldiers and the officers have lost confidence at last in the "Decider" and his neocon chickenhawk handlers. It would be better for all of us if civilians, including the triangulating Democratic elite, head this off before it gets started.

[seabeyond]

34. democratic party has never been her party, her fight is the war

she is no more friend to democrats as she is with republican. she simply feels democrats will more likely give her what she wants. she has never been a democrat and being a part of the party is not her agenda. just to be clear.

[KoKo]

35. She's doing a "Pre-Emptive Strike" and good FOR HER!

Since we lost Cynthia McKinney in the House it's left to her to keep their "feet to fire!"

You GO CINDY! ....Keep at it! Lest they forget in the pomp and ceremoney of the first WOMAN SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE! Cindy is also a WOMAN who SHOULD BE LISTENED TO!

[David__77]

36. YES!

The struggle against this immoral and unjust war - and the fight to prevent new ones from breaking out - is THE struggle of our time.

[tnlefty]

37. Yes we do!!! And while I greatly admire Cindy Sheehan for her

courage to speak out more of us need to be helping her, IMHO!

Dr. Helen Caldicott is my hero, though.

[LoZoccolo]

38. Says the guy with all the locked threads. n/t

[Philosoraptor]

71. True, once you've had a thread locked, you're a freeper troll disruptor

[SaveElmer]

39. Useless publicity stunt...

Disrupt the party not yet in power...

During a press conference where the Democrats in the House were laying out new ethics rules...

Now the news is about this ridiculous stunt, which will have ZERO effect on the man responsible for the war down at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, and the news about the much needed congressional reforms gets buried..

[AikidoSoul]

54. Publicity stunt? You make her sound cheap.

There's nothing cheap about Cindy's motives or her soul.

We should all hope for as much courage to speak out about this evil war.

[SaveElmer]

55. She is hurting her own cause...

Attacking the wrong people, in the wrong places, in the wrong way, and embracing people like Hugo Chavez will only lead most people to dismiss what she has to say.

I have sympathy for her, but she is not above criticism...

[Jim Sagle]

62. And most of all, at the wrong TIME!!!

If the Dems get in office and show signs of supporting the surge, I'll support Cindy. Right now she's just a fucking nuisance.

[Warren Stupidity]

56. I am absolutely not shocked to see your position on this. nt.

[SaveElmer]

60. Nor I yours...nt

[Individualist]

40. Absolutely!

Brava Cindy!

[Pastiche423]

41. We Must! We Must stay in their faces

to remind them why we voted the way we did in the mid term - to Stop the War!

Cindy is doing that for us and I am very grateful for everything she has done.

[Imagevision]

42. Damn straight!, Dems get no free passes either, the people are fed up!!

[Tom Joad]

43. ML King was very angry at "liberals" who always urged him to be "patient".

Ain't that the way it goes.

[il_lilac]

44. I was protesting outside my dino rep's office

today. Our demand is that he now do what his constituents that employ him made very clear. Get us out of Iraq! Until he throws some support behind a way out we will stay in his face. No free rides because he has a D by his name, as a matter of fact we expect more accountability!

[femrap]

45. When I was going door-to-door

canvassing this past summer and fall, my advice to the Independents and wavering Republicans: Our country desperately needs change and oversight. I'm voting for the Democrats and then I'm holding their feet to the fire."

Cindy is reminding them of that.


Go Cindy!

[The Count]

46. It's not like the war had anything to do with why they were elected...

[vanlassie]

47. Cindy Speaks for ME

Cindy does the things I admire most in a patriot.

She speaks truth to power.


That can be irritating to many, including Dems.
She is speaking for many many people.
Why do DU-ers speak negatively about her?

Go Cindy.

Vanlassie

[diane in sf]

48. Holding their feet to the fire is our job as citizens.

The corpo-fascists will not give up their power voluntarily. It is our job to support the politicians who agree with us by being very noticable and to be in the faces of those that don't.

[NotGivingUp]

53. the only way we're gonna get what we want, is if we demand it. n/t

[Disturbed]

58. Go Cindy!

:thumbsup:

[Warren Stupidity]

57. Of course she is.

Without pressure from the left our fabulous Democrats will sit on their asses, asses roundly on top of powder, all decked out in their pink tutus, pressing every safe and comfy issue they can find, desperately hoping that they will not have to actually do anything about the insanity of the ongoing carnage that is Bush's Blunder. We have to keep their feet to the fire.

[judaspriestess]

59. I support Cindy

Keep up the fight Cindy, you are a rare person for the conviction you have shown in doing your part in protesting the war. The loss of her child will drive her to the ends of the earth to stop this horrific bloodbath.

Many Dems voted for the war too, why are they immune to her protest? If anything it shows how the war affects everyone no matter what political party you align yourself with.

[shadowknows69]

61. Hear hear

n/t

[Ms. Clio]

63. Civility v. Civil Rights

An exceptionally fine book on this subject is historian William Chafe's 1980 study, Civilities and Civil Rights: Greensboro, North Carolina, and the Black Struggle for Freedom

"A finely wrought narrative, but much more--a troubling commentary on conflict, consensus, paternalism, and gentility, which carries far beyond Greensboro....There is a boldness in this book which is rare in the profession....It makes us think beyond its boundaries."--Howard Zinn, The Yale Review

"Social history at its best, portraying the events that led up to the sit-ins and the disappointments that came after, and arguing that these confrontations were vital for any real change."--The New York Times Book Review

"Undoubtedly the best case study on the Civil Rights movement."--Mark Kornbluh, Washington University

[stillrockin]

64. I'm with her 100%

She is relentless and that is what is required.
:applause:

[UrbScotty]

65. She interrupted the wrong press conference.

As sickly true as it is that some of the Dems in Congress supporeted it, there is no escaping the fact that this is a REPUBLICAN war, brought on by this REPUBLICAN President and his right-wing REPUBLICAN minions.

Those who attack Democrats for what is going on in Iraq are mistaken.

As much respect as I have for Cindy, where was she during the Republican press confrerence?

[pnwmom]

74. She knows she won't get them to listen.

She's trying to get the attention of those who might. And who also happen to be in the majority now.

[Orsino]

85. It's a Republican war only until a Democratic Congress...

...gives it tacit approval. If our new Dem leadership fails to stop the fighting, they own it.

Get in as many faces as possible. Demand an end to the rich old white men's war. Demand it now.

[No Exit]

87. ...Because the democrats are now the ones who have the POWER!

Why would she want to waste time interrupting a press conference of the LOSER republicans? They are just an irrelevant minority now.

That said, I COMPLETELY agree with you that this is a REPUBLICAN war (fiasco). While some democrats were complicit, that doesn't change the fact that the blame for this war and its deaths rests solely with the REPUBLICAN leaders who generated it.

I finally saw footage of Sheehan and others chanting. The would-be speaker was Rahm Emmanuel. While I am grateful to Emmanuel for his hard work which allowed the democrats to seize congress, the fact is that he is not necessarily against our deadly adventurism/war, such as our Iraq invasion and the planned Iran attack. I find that troubling.

To bring it farther down to the level of us common people, let me say that I have often heard of Emmanuel mentioning his own (young) children with pride. How would he feel if that beloved firstborn were sent to this USELESS, FUTILE war, and killed for NOTHING? Wanna try it, Rahm? Don't criticize Sheehan until you've walked a mile in her shoes.

[tabasco]

66. Damn straight.

:kick:

[Philosoraptor]

67. ------------

[earth mom]

68. Cindy's my hero too! Kickin A$$ & taking names! I LOVE IT!

That some around here want to whine about the fact that she-a woman-has a "set" and they don't just irritates me to no end!

If you don't like how Cindy is cracking the whip, then get busy and crack your own whip!

Because, Congress won't do a damn thing that doesn't serve THEMSELVES and their corporate masters first and that goes for dems in office as well as the obvious rethugs.

THE PEOPLE must be the catalysts for change. Simple as that!

[rman]

69. agreed

[Voltaire99]

70. Go, Cindy!

Down with the war party!

[Pooka Fey]

75. I agree. If we aren't in their face, they will cave.

[Philosoraptor]

76. We are in a national crisis, & we need real action.

Not next week, now.

[JNelson6563]

77. It reminds me of when I have my 5 yr old neice

and we just get back from grocery shopping. While I have just hauled in lots of bags of groceries and need to put them away before we break out whatever special thing we got from store, the child is, well, a child. She only knows what she wants and that she'd like it immediately, blissfully unaware there are other things that need to be done this minute too as I just got home.

I've got no problem with the request/demand, sometimes people need it explained that there is often more than one thing going on at a time that need to be dealt with.

And before any drama queens get in my face with cross dragging for Cindy, there are other urgent needs in this country and world. Homelessness, hunger and all manner of crisis. I'm sure the mother who can't feed her kids, living in the back of their car feels that she and her issues are also as important as Cindy's.

Too bad Cindy hasn't evolved her crusade to the next step. Acted as ally with the incoming (note: NOT YET IN) Dems and written or called to set up meetings to achieve the shared goal of ending the Iraq carnage. This could've been handled so much more diplomatically and, dare I say, effectively. Well, effectively might not apply if the goal was also publicity. Nice, quiet, pre-scheduled, productive meetings don't often draw headlines, now do they?

Julie

[Philosoraptor]

78. Maybe Cindy's lost her mind.

Seriously, I know I would've gone a bit nuts had it been my boy, who is now 24. I truly do think this mother has gone mad. She's not a diplomat, not a politician running for office, not a pleasant person to be around at times I'd imagine.

I think she's gone off the deep end. And I think I'm not far behind her.

[Pooka Fey]

80. There is an ignoble history of labeling strong women who speak up as being "crazy"

(or childish) and I hate to see this prejudice rehashed here in 2007 on DU. With all due respect Philosoraptor, you have no reason to speculate about Cindy like this, and in a public forum your comment, although probably well-meaning, is a character assassination. Cindy Sheehan deserves better than this. She knows full-well that all of our efforts to end this war 'within the bounds of polite society' have failed miserably.

The democrats won both houses of Congress in spite of massive election fraud, largely due to America's disgust with the Iraq War - and now Bush is talking about increasing troop levels over there. How do think the Congress will respond to this without incredible pressure from the public? My gut tells me that they'll cave immediately unless the streets of Washington are filled with protesters.

Could I do what Cindy has done? I don't think I have her courage (balls) - but the least I can do is speak up when a woman in a culture that prefers their women 'dainty' (even if it's subconcious - centuries of conditioning are not overcome in a few decades of awareness, but it's a good start :-)) is maligned because she has the courage to act on her conscience and stand up to the most brazenly criminal regime in the history of the US.

Cindy is a hero and a patriot. Oh and I K&R'ed this awesome thread.

[Philosoraptor]

82. I've been called crazy a lot, and I don't mind.

In fact, if this shit isn't driving you crazy, then maybe it oughta.

I meant no disrespect to her of course, it's just that I really do see a streak of madness there, and I recognize it in myself.

[Pooka Fey]

83. I see it as more of a 'streak of genius' - there's a thin line between the two. nt

:hug:

[qanda]

79. You are right

Cindy Sheehan speaks for me when she tells our Democratic leaders to remember why they are in power. We didn't send them there to pussyfoot around. It's time to end this madness called a war and if these Democrats won't do it then they don't deserve to be in office either.

[ellisonz]

81. "Glacial pace" my ass.

Life is not a movie, there is no V, and democracy can sometimes be a painfully slow process. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike Cindy, indeed I have tremendous respect. I don't like Rahm Emanuel much either, but what she did was a distraction on the day before the new Congress begins. You don't get much done by getting by getting in peoples faces. The ball is rolling...and we've all got to push, together.

[northshore]

84. She made her point...

Now she needs to cool her jets for awhile and let things happen. If thats not fast enough for her, maybe her and Randi Rhodes can split a valium or something.

[lonestarnot]

86. They can take it! And should welcome the challenge! Go Cindy!

[Joe Chi Minh]

89. Yes. And I thought it tremendously encouraging that so many

people in the public life of the nation, journalists, etc, are fighting for the troops, insistently calling for an end to the war and their withdrawal. They obviously feel as passionately as most of us do that the lives of those service people and the lives of innocent Iraqis are needlessly, but mortally imperilled each passing day.

[deaniac21]

90. Cindy is a true intellectual and leader. It's just a shame that

she isn't the speaker of the house.

[Zomby Woof]

92. Intellectual?

I have a read a LOT of bullshit about Sheehan on these boards, but that is the BEST BATCH YET.

Losing her son in Iraq does not confer sainthood or intellectual gravitas upon a person. It's a horrible loss I wouldn't wish on anyone, but it's not a free pass to bestow superhuman powers either.

The blunt and harsh truth is, she is rather dim, and a pawn for her courtiers to harness as much press-whoring as they can from her grief-stricken countenance.

Like all royalty smothered by their fawning throngs of admirers, she will be wearing white jumpsuits and gold epaulets in no time. I just hope she skips the part about making bad movies.

She makes a mockery of antiwar people (it's not a "movement" - those are for the bathroom). It's time to punish the messenger for the sake of the message.

[Jcrowley]

91. CINDY SHEEHAN DID WHAT WE ALL NEED TO DO

"I am glad has realized the need for increasing the size of the armed forces... but this is where the Democrats have been for two years," commented Rep. Rahm Emanuel, the new House Democratic Caucus chairman.) The Democratic leadership promptly pledged to make such an expansion one of its top reform priorities in the New Year.

What Cindy and the other activists did is what we all need to do. Left to itself, the government is going to continue to rubber-stamp the war machine. They will do their job of representing We The People only when We The People make it clear we will let them do nothing else.

Forget "Free speech zones". Take the protests right into the legislative chambers. Be polite, be firm, AVOID VIOLENCE, but get in there and get your message across.

No More War! No More War Funds!

Troops Home NOW!

[Snot Hannity]

93. Go Cindy!

You have more spine than anyone I know. Don't let the Dems play nice to the mass murderers.

[Faryn Balyncd]

94. Why does it take Cindy Sheehan and Robert Parry to point out thr truth to our leadership ???????

Why can't our Congressional "leadership" commit on their own to the REAL PRIORITIES?

Why does it take constant reminders by Cindy Sheehan and Robert Parry for our "leadership" to realize that if we don't address the Iraq War and reign in the Bush regime, the support of the public will be transient:

ROBERT PARRY:"Dems, We're Citizens, Not Consumers"


As the Democrats regain control of Congress for the first time in 12 years, the party leaders still don't seem to understand the forces that sent them into the wilderness in 1994 or the reasons they were summoned back in 2006......Typical of their cluelessness was a "100 Hours Survey" distributed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in mid-December. The survey asked Democratic contributors to rank nine priority issues in order of importance for the new Congress.....

No reference was made to ending the Iraq War, launching investigative hearings on President George W. Bush's actions, reasserting checks and balances on the Executive, or restoring constitutional safeguards that have been overridden during the "war on terror," such as the habeas corpus right to a fair trial.

Though many issues on the DCCC's priority list surely have merit, what's missing is any commitment to the larger purpose of the American Republic. ....... The Democratic leaders have yet to grasp that the transcendent principles of democracy were a major factor in the national rejection of Bush and the Republican congressional majority on Nov. 7.....

The Democratic leaders don't even seem capable of mounting a spirited fight against Bush's plan to escalate the Iraq War despite the clear will of the voters, the recommendations of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, and the advice of Bush's own military commanders.......The Democrats just can't kick their old habit of treating Americans like consumers, rather than citizens.........If the congressional Democrats don't change their ways soon, they will have alienated not only much of their own base but many of the independents and traditional conservatives who hoped the Democrats could rise above their old-fashioned interest-group politics...... A promising opportunity for a new national unity - derived from the founding principles of the nation - will have been squandered.

We need to FOCUS on MORE than the DCCC's priority list..... We need to support Feingold and Murtha.

As Parry points out, some Democratic "leaders" think that the lesson to be learned from the Republican self-destruction is to "avoid partisanship" and only address consensus issues.

As Parry points out, they've got the message exactly backwards. if we fail to get behind Feingold and Murtha, if we fail to address the BIG ISSUES, our majority will be as doomed as the Republicans.

[rodeodance]

95. I second that EMOTION.

[earth mom]

96. Kick for Cindy!

:woohoo:

[Lydia Leftcoast]

97. Too many DUers think, "Okay, we can just relax now."

"The Dems are in power. All will be well."

Not necessarily.

There are plenty of corporate tools in the Democratic party, and unless we keep nipping at the heels of the leadership, the corporate tools will win out.

[pdrichards114]

98. K & R!!

[shireen]

Cindy speaks out of raw grief and anger

We need more voices like hers to drown out the BS from suits in *both* parties!

[La_Fourmi_Rouge]

99. Pound the message home!

Cindy Sheehan is a beacon - a Pathfinder. For all her foibles, my heart is with her 110%. ALL of Washington has been complicit in this debacle, and they had better listen very carefully.

[SaneInSC]

100. Country before party

Right on!

We live in a country, not a party. Go Cindy!