When will Cindy Sheehan accept the fact that she is a pathetic joke and does nothing for her cause but hurt it

Question

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061211/ap_on_re_us/peace_mom_trial

She has been arrested again.
John Kerry's sister refused to meet with her because she called Sheehan's actions a "publicity stunt".

I feel bad for her AS A MOM, and pity the pathetic person she has become. But her life is HER CHOICE.

Answer 1

I agree that Cindy Sheehan has a right to say whatever she wants and has the right to politicize her son's death if that is the way she chooses to grieve, and even has a right to "(make) a mockery of (her son's) death and use it for her own political purposes (HELLBENT's words)." But we also have the right to judge her by her words and actions. That is the part of freedom of speech that some people (like edubya) don't like.

To those who say criticizing Cindy Sheehan is disrespectful, is it any more disrespectful than using the deaths of other people's lost sons and daughters for your own political purposes? Cindy's protests include putting up crosses for other dead soldiers, many of whose parents have either requested they be removed (requests of this nature have been denied) or have gone to Texas to remove them. If Cindy expects to be allowed to grieve the way she wants to for her son, other parents should be granted the same respect.

No-duh Yoda describes her as a mother who lost a child in this pointless conflict, who is trying to save other mothers from the same fate. Doubtless, many other military parents think their sons and daughters are fighting and dying for exactly the same reason.

Last thought: Truth-Seeker's "new rule" is that "only those who have lost a son or daughter in Iraq are allowed to criticize Cindy Sheehan. Otherwise, shut up and be thankful you haven't had to suffer such a loss." OK, Truth Seeker, you get your wish. Below are some reactions from some who have lost a son or daughter in Iraq:

Linda Ryan, mother of Corporal Marc T. Ryan, a Marine who was killed in Ramadi, says of Sheehan:

"She's going about this not realizing how many people she's hurting. When she refers to anyone killed in Iraq, she's referring to my son. She doesn't have anything to say about what happened to my son."

On August 15, 2005, Matt and Toni Matula, parents of Matthew Matula, a Texas Marine killed in Iraq, requested that the white cross representing their dead son as a victim of the war in Iraq be removed, stating that they did not wish their son's name to be part of an anti-war demonstration. Mr. Matula said:

"It's fine for people to grieve their own way. It aggravates me to see them using other people's names to further their cause."

Natalie Healy, mother of Dan Healy, a Navy SEAL who was killed in the line of duty in Iraq, organized a rally on August 20, 2005 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in order to counteract Sheehan's message, stating:

"We just want to let the fellas know that we’re supporting them and that we’re not going to wimp out on them."

Gary Qualls, whose son, Marine Corporal Louis Wayne Qualls, died in Iraq, started what was dubbed "Fort Qualls" in Crawford, Texas to counter the "Camp Casey" protests. Qualls has repeatedly removed the white cross bearing his son's name from the Arlington West display set up by "Camp Casey."

Gregg Garvey, whose 23 year old son died in Iraq, joined the pro-Bush counter protests stating "people have had enough Bush bashing", and that Sheehan "does not represent all of America".

Laura Youngblood, whose husband, Travis, was killed in action in Fallujah, has had a number of run-ins with Sheehan. On MSNBC in September of 2005, Sheehan told Youngblood that her baby would be "fatherless for a lie." Youngblood responded by stating her children "will never be fatherless. They know who their father is." In April of 2006, Youngblood crashed a Sheehan-led protest in Waco, Texas, imploring Sheehan's protesters to applaud the troops.

Answer 2

She is merely acting out over her guilt for deserting her son when he was 10 to live her hippy life & do drugs.
Now that her son is dead & she cannot repair that damage she is placing the fault on others.
She needs to see a therapist.

Answer 3

Because she is entitled to her opinion.

I feel bad for her because she lost her son. That doesn't mean I support her or her illegal actions. She is a greiving mother and this is her outlet. I agree with Kerry's sister, to a point, though.

We all love to use the phrase "fighting for our freedoms". If her son truly died "fighting for our freedoms", that includes the freedom of speech and the right to dissent.

One thing I will credit her with is personalizing the death toll. We hear the numbers every night, but few connect that number with the number of children without a father, mothers without a son, wives without a husband. Every death leaves a hole in someones life. Cindy is just trying to fill hers.

Answer 4

I feel sorry for Sheehan becauase of her son's death. However, she has taken it to a limit that she has become anti-American becuase all she does is criticize the country. She has become loony in trying to pursue her goal of this "pacifism". It seems she should get help and not be involved in this stuff. I don't think her son will be happy with her decision. I don't like it that some Democrats have used her as the poster child for anti-war propaganda. It makes her look bad as it makes the party look bad.

Answer 5

Look, guys - Cindy is a grieving mother, but didn't her son re-enlist? Wouldn't that mean that HE believed in what he was doing over there? I think it's sad that she chooses to deal with his death in this manner - I think she is very self-serving and is enjoying her 15 minutes of fame.

Before you get pissed at me, I have a good reason to think Cindy is full of crap. Some very dear friends of mine lost their oldest son in Iraq - needless to say, they can relate to Cindy's grief pretty well. However, Cindy does NOT respect the grief of other parents who lost their kids there. My friends have repeatedly asked her not to use their dead son's name in her propaganda, and Cindy refuses to take it off her list. I think she's a total sleaze bag.

Did Casey get a tombstone yet? The military DID give her money for one, but last I heard, she had not selected one yet.....

Answer 6

I HELLBENT feel sorry for her loss but she has made a mockery of his death and used it for her own political purposes.
Another person on this question said she lost her husband and other children because of her crazy behavior. Why doesn't anyone focus on that part?

Answer 7

No one likes WAR, but, unfortunately it is necessary sometimes, and those who enlist in our Military, do so on their own free will, knowing that fighting for their Country is part of their job.
Although we know that everyone expresses pain in different ways, whether its the loss of a loved one, or something else, the thing with this woman is, she is making a foolish spectacle of herself, and disgracing her sons memory with her behavior... Shame on her!

Answer 8

She wont realize it,she lost her husband and her other children because of her childish political publicity and it didnt phase her one bit.A woman that gave birth doesnt mean shes a mother and she is a prime example of it.

Answer 9

I empathize with what she must be going through, I dont have kids myself but imagine if I lost one in such a manner I would be overwrought with grief. At this point though she is just making herself look bad. There is a crazy way of doing things and a calm rational way of doing things.

Answer 10

What a helpless feeling it must be - to lose a child. I cannot begin to imagine how empty and helpless it would make me feel. She has not degraded her son, she has not been an embarassment - unless you've 'walked' in those shoes, I don't think we can or should judge her. She is wanting a better world - and believes that the war and the rationale for the war is wrong. Thank God we live in a county where you can peacefully protest (as she has done, time and time again) to say the government is wrong.

Think of the other 2,925 mothers out there. Some might disagree with her, but they must know the pain and conviction she feels.