Cindy Sheehan

[docbyers]

Maybe I should take the day off from work for this!  Read below...

The nation's most famous anti-war activist is coming to Cincinnati.

Cindy Sheehan, the California woman who lost her soldier son in Iraq two years ago, brings her campaign to end the war to Cincinnati Friday.

When she does, there will be many in this community who share her loss, but not necessarily her views.

"I don't agree with her, but I believe she has every right to say what she wants to say,'' said John Prazynski of Hamilton, whose 20-year-old Marine son, Taylor, died in Iraq in May 2005. "My son and her son died defending that freedom.''

Sheehan, whose son, Army Spc. Casey Sheehan, was killed in Baghdad in April 2004, is coming to Cincinnati to conduct a "teach-in'' on the Iraq war an hour before a Friday night concert by Cincinnati Women's Choir.

Sister Alice Gerdeman, coordinator of the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center in Over-the-Rhine, said Sheehan has had a major role in changing public opinion about the war in Iraq.

"She has made people aware not only of the pain and suffering American families like her own have gone through, but Iraqi families as well,'' said Gerdeman.

While most in the Cincinnati area's community of military families disagree with her position that the war in Iraq was wrong from the start and that the troops should be withdrawn now, many defend her right to say it.

"All I can say is that the guys in the military are doing what they do so that she is free to do what she does,'' said Keith Maupin of Union Township, the father of Sgt. Matt Maupin, missing in Iraq for more than two years.

"I don't think we can just sit here and wave our index fingers at the terrorists and tell them to behave,'' said Prazynski, an Air Force veteran. "All she ever says is that we should get out now. She offers no alternatives, no plan.

"I pray for peace every day,'' said Prazynski. "I don't want war. But people have short memories. They forget 9/11 all too easily. What we are fighting for is freedom.''

[flew-da-coup]

Her son is rolling over in his grave. She makes me sick and she is adding fuel to the fire. She and her kind are the enemies biggest motivation. She motivates the enemy to keep up the fight. She is causing more death of our boys and girls over seas. To me it's treason. But, what do you expect from a over sensitive woman. It is sad she lost her son, but it is ironic that he died protecting her right to run her big mouth. You should show up there and protest her Doc.

[docbyers]

Yeah, well, like the guy said, "I don't agree with her, but I believe she has every right to say what she wants to say."

Most people in this neck of the woods can make up their own minds about the validity of going to war in Iraq.  Every person I've talked to about this feel sorry for Cindy because she lost her son; some comment on her gruesome facial features, but that's irrelavent...  Anyway, as parents, we feel bad for her, and wish her son could rest in peace.  We choose to honor his memory and his sacrifice, just in a different way than his mother, who's milking her "15 minutes of fame..."

No protesting- we're just going to ignore her.

[clacoste]

Well, I feel sorry for Cindy.  She lost her son to some bs police action to pacify a nation of murderous thugs.  It aint working, it aint going to work.  I can't see wasting precious coalition lives on dragging this beastial part of the world into the 21st century.  Let them slaughter each other if they like..whomever is left standing will sell the oil.  If they engage in anti-western terrorism....one Trident sub will end it forever....and we get the oil anyway...

[cobychuck]

Well, I feel sorry for Cindy.  She lost her son to some bs police action to pacify a nation of murderous thugs.  It aint working, it aint going to work.  I can't see wasting precious coalition lives on dragging this beastial part of the world into the 21st century.  Let them slaughter each other if they like..whomever is left standing will sell the oil.  If they engage in anti-western terrorism....one Trident sub will end it forever....and we get the oil anyway...

I know the feeling.  Wanted to turn that whole area into one big glass factory after 9/11.  Yeah, maybe we can't bring some bass ackwards country around to modern living, but we do need to end the terrorist threat.  Now, having said that I must ask myself how much effort that would take from our current position.  Ah, hell, send in the SSBN.

[flew-da-coup]

As much money we have spent on the SSBN's we should use them for once.

[docbyers]

Slaughtering each other is all well and good, but the jerks send their hatred over here, and that's not good.  So, if going in to Iraq and Afghanistan prevents another 9/11, it's worth it to me.

Sure, any active duty or former military person will tell you we hate war.  We train for it, we prepare, we study- but man, we hope we never have to use our skill to wage war on anybody.  However, when you kill 3,000 innocent Americans on our soil, there will be hell to pay, and the U.S. military will deliver the invoice.  That's the price we pay to have the Cindy Sheehan's of the world speak their mind.  That's the price we pay to keep the terrorists from blowing up another skyscraper, the Pentagon, or a United 93.  That's the price we pay so our families can live in a democratic, capitalist society, with freedoms guaranteed.

They brought their fight over here; now we're taking it to them on their soil.  Mistakes have been made, to be sure, and I have not always agreed with the policies, strategies, or execution of the war.  BUT, I can't argue with the results.  There have been no terrorist attacks here since 9/11; Hussein is out of power and is being tried by his own people for crimes and attrocities he committed, and the Afghan kids are going to school- feels like progress.  Nuking the whole area is a nice, simple solution, but there are long-term effects that may be worse with that option...

There were a lot of people that thought President Reagan was an idiot- until the Cold War ended, and we won.  A lot of people think President Bush is an idiot; we shall see what the future decides about that...

[clacoste]

Hmm...I suggest much increased vigilance has prevented more terror attacks in the US.  The Iraq war has only managed to stir up the crazies in that part of the world (a tactic to draw this out for decades - making some powerful companies very happy I suspect).  As a Marine Vietnam vet (admittedly in 1972 when it was winding down and no one wanted to be the last fool to die for a hopeless cause) I am extremely skeptical of the tactics employed.  It all looks too familiar.

I've got a brother in Afghanistan who tells me the situation there is becoming much worse this year.  I've got a Marine son who is headed for Anbar province.  Sorry, but I can't see wasting another generation on a series of mini-wars that accomplish little, kill lots of young Americans, and make some older Americans very rich - while politicians milk the system with patriotic calls and grease their retirements.  Nope, Islamic fundamentalism needs to be put back into its box and then nailed shut forever.  Take the battle to them...and destroy them.

[docbyers]

"Take the battle to them...and destroy them."

I can't help but agree with that.  It seems like if we really wanted to do what needs to be done, the FULL MIGHT of the U.S. military would be thrown at them.  I would have started with "shock and awe," and just kept it up until all of them threw their hands in the air and said "Uncle!  We give up!"  We would have given "Rolling Thunder" a whole new meaning...

Instead, relatively speaking, we've been playing with the kid gloves on, and I can understand the reasoning, but c'mon, it's causing the conflict to drag on and on and on, and like you say, more young men and women are dying, some needlessly.  Let's rock their world, get it over with, help their new government get up and running, and c'mon home.  Stop pussy-footing around.

Got an insurgent cell in Camelville?  Then level Camelville- completely destroy it.  Got another one in Goatherderville?  Level it- completely destroy it.  It won't take long until they get the message that we're not screwing around; we mean business, and if your village or city is harboring insurgents, it will be destroyed unless you kick them out yourselves.  You'd better come running out of your house at the sound of the first U.S. Hummer to come down the road, point to a building and say "They're hiding in there.  Go get 'em!"  We will kill them all for you, and you get to keep your house intact.

Some will say that's a little heavy-handed, but it's more effective, cheaper, and doesn't last as long as the current methodology...

[docbyers]

After two years, and a DoD payment of $250,000 to the "Peace  Mom", Cindy Sheehan has not had the time or bothered to have a headstone  placed on this young hero's grave.  And, she doesn't even have to pay for  one, the DoD will provide one:

"The Department of Veterans  Affairs (VA) furnishes upon request, at no charge to the applicant, a  government headstone or marker for the grave of any deceased eligible veteran  in any cemetery around the world. For all deaths occurring before September  11, 2001, the VA may provide a headstone or marker only for graves that are  not marked with a private headstone.

Flat markers in granite, marble,  and bronze and upright headstones in granite and marble are available. The  style chosen must be consistent with existing monuments at the place of  burial. Niche markers are also available to mark columbaria used for internment  of cremated remains."

Apparently she can find time to protest on at least 3 continents, get arrested various times, go on vacation in Hawaii, have photo ops with the Marxists in Venezuela, but can't seem to find the time to properly mark her son's grave.

[cobychuck]

That's just downright sad.  Guess she's struggeling for her fifteen minutes of fame.  I wonder what people who really know her would say about her?  Was she a good mother, or did she often put her interests in front of her sons?  If she's going to neglect him like this in death, how was she in life?  Just a thought.

[flew-da-coup]

She's a lib and for lib's their cause is more important than their own blood.

[docbyers]

I don't remember where I heard this, so I can't vouch for it's accuracy, but rumor has it that Cindy gave up her son Casey as a result of a divorce.  She is divorcing again, and giving up her son from that one, as well.

Coby, this might give you an indication of what kind of mother she was/is...  I have to agree with Coup- her "cause" and the 15 minutes of fame it's bringing her are what's important to her...

[bradley563]

Cindy Sheehan is my idol........

[flew-da-coup]

She is my STOOL.