Cindy Sheehan, Patriot

by Chris Bowers, Fri Aug 12, 2005 at 05:18:43 AM EDT

A few months ago, on the second anniversary of the start of the war, I wrote an article discussing what I thought were the rather ineffective war protests of the preceding two years (several which I participated in myself). I also quoted a Jeffrey Feldman article that called into question the entire existing ethos of progressive protest: Now, to question the primacy of anti-war protests in the progressive movement in America is pretty much heresy. It's dangerous to suggest that anti-war protests should no longer play a central role in progressive politics--at least not as they exist now. But that is what needs to happen. Progressive politics are no longer served well by large anti-war protests. This is not to suggest in any way that the protests should end. But they should not be staged with the expectation that they will have any impact whatsoever on politics.

Anti-war protests have become consumer events in progressive politics. They are no longer the driving engine of protest politics as they once were in the 1960s and 1970s. The sooner progressives realize that the mantle of protest politics has been usurped by religious militants, the faster progressives will regain their initiative and reinvent an inspiring, progressive approach to political protest.

Maybe a few hundred thousand of us couldn't figure out how to do that, but Cindy Sheehan has. Right now, with more than 650 articles in the last 24 hours, she is the number one story on Google News, US.

For years we have listed the number of Iraqi civilians and coalition military fatalities in Iraq. In fact, the latter just passed 2,000, although it seemed few noticed. The endless statistics are just abstractions, a grim but ultimately forgettable reminder of the daily cost of war.

Like the photos of coffins uncovered by the Memory Hole, Cindy Sheehan breaks through the abstraction of statistics, and through the cultural numbness to large scale marches. Just looking through the articles that mention Cindy Sheehan over the past twenty four hours, it grows clear that, at least right now, it is now extremely difficult for Bush to say anything about Iraq without Cindy Sheehan also being mentioned. Since yesterday, there have 1,850 US articles on Google News with the words "Bush" and "Iraq." However, there have been only 771 US articles with the words "Bush" and "Iraq" but without the word "Sheehan." And Cindy isn't pulling up stakes until Bush's vacation is over.

This is the most effective protest against this war held in this country. Her story is so simple and so moving that literally anyone can understand it and the Republican Noise Machine has a very difficult time attacking it. Her demands are so simple, just a one hour meeting, and her effort is so great, a five week vigil, that there is no way this will not hurt Bush's personal image if he chooses not to meet with her. Here is a sampling of the stories being written about it.

Please support Cindy Sheehan. She has more than earned it. Please post links with other ways to help her in the comments.

Tags: Activism (all tags)

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Patriot and American Hero

You don't mess with a Marine's Mom. Especially a Gold Star Mom.

The Right Wing Noise Machine has met its match. A mother's grief over the death of her son is too deeply personal and too deeply ingrained in the human psyche to mock or ridicule.

It's all over but the shouting. Bush is finished. The Iraq war is over.

by Gary Boatwright 2005-08-12 05:26AM | 0 recs

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Re: Patriot and American Hero

I agree completely. I think that what the Bush administration doesn't recognize is the power of a mom to spread the progressive message. Big mistake on their part. Big mistake.

by Joseph Hughes 2005-08-12 06:35AM | 0 recs

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Cindy Video

Cindy has been working with DriveDemocracy for months and we've posted a video of highlights of her speeches at various Freedom and Faith events over the last months as well as footage from Crawford.
We're damn proud of Cindy here in Texas.

by Texas Nate 2005-08-12 05:28AM | 0 recs

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Bush should listen

I'm tired of this president who thinks he can support only part of his consistuancy. What he forgets is that he--and all of our politicians--work for us, that the government is only there because we allow it. It does not matter if he does not agree with her--he should listen to all sides of the issue (not just what Rove tells him). If for no other reason, George Bush should meet with Cindy Sheehan because she is an American.

Fox News (or Faux News) has been particularly horrible in equating critical of war with unpatriotic. No more in my household.

by IR 2005-08-12 05:47AM | 0 recs

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Cindy Sheehan = Walter Cronkite

Cindy Sheehan is The Voice.

War is never "a noble cause." Ask any soldier and that will be their gut reaction. There is nothing noble about war. War is hell. War may sometimes be necessary. It is never noble.

by Gary Boatwright 2005-08-12 05:50AM | 0 recs

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At first glance...

...the title of my diary, "Here I am...send me" would not appear to be about Cindy Sheehan, but in part it is.

http://www.mydd.com/story/2005/8/11/134640/354

I don't know Cindy Sheehan personally, but I know that she is doing something that needs to be done. One by one, we have seen stories about the wrongs this administration has committed related to the invasion and occupation of Iraq appear briefly in the news, but somehow fail to get "legs". They are quickly displaced by some other story that seems more immediate, more sensational, more "public interest". Cindy just may be the right person at the right place at the right time to reverse this trend. For once, maybe the media and the American people won't immediately look away, but will be forced to really pay attention to what is going on, and even care enough to take action. And I, for one, am truly thankful that, in spite of the risks she is taking and the insults she must endure, Cindy Sheehan chose to say "Here I am" when circumstances called.

by Renee in Ohio 2005-08-12 05:56AM | 0 recs

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ty Chris!

I knew you'd come through!

Here is an update from the on-site lawyer Buddy Spell from http://upbeatdefiance.com/

We're all 100% this morning and will be returning to Camp Casey in a few minutes.

I promised Politica an article last night but the phone rang till midnight at which time I finally slipped into a coma. Sorry, guy.

I'll post something no later than Sunday night.

We've resupplied and are now in a better position to fend off the elements. I think the photos will speak for themselves in this regard.

We'll spend the night at Camp Casey tonight and try to hook Cindy up with Sapphire.

I will be giving an extended interview to Inside Edition today for airing Monday. I'll try to get all of your efforts in support this amazing event into the show.

The lawyers have conferenced again this morning and Annie and I will be the onsite leagal team for the next 36 hours.

Personal note:

On Saturday, I will celebrate my 48th birthday. To think that, after all of these years of activism, that I would spend this birthday at this place in this moment really staggers me. What a gift.

Again, I am seeing America rise up on a lonely road in a place where both mud and dust coexist under a hot Texas sun. The best part of America is represented in the upbeat defince expressed from a ditch in Crawford.

I have never been so grateful to be an American.

God Bless America.

...ONWARD!

Peace out

by goplies 2005-08-12 06:33AM | 0 recs

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Great Post

I am SO tired of being called anti-American -- not only by Republicans, but by people in my OWN PARTY! (You know who you are, moderates).

Peaceful protest is a RIGHT we all share. It is a grand part of our past. We Americans have always taken to the streets to fight injustice.

Cindy Sheehan is just the latest in a LONG list of AMERICANS speaking truth to power.

I get why Republicans call us traitors -- what I don't get is why we have to hear this from our own Party.

by cscs 2005-08-12 06:34AM | 0 recs

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Re: Great Post

What moderates called you anti-american? I know lots of liberals calling moderates anti-american though.

And why do you even care what republicans think anyway?

by Vote Hillary 2008 2005-08-12 08:33AM | 0 recs

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Re: Great Post

Go read anything from the DLC.

by cscs 2005-08-12 08:36AM | 0 recs

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Re: Great Post

You're the one making a generalization, so you should substantiate it. Link?

by Vote Hillary 2008 2005-08-12 08:40AM | 0 recs

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Re: Great Post

Democrats should also bring a sense of proportion to the prisoner abuse scandals at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay. ... Yet the revelation that some U.S. troops aren't saints should not come as too great a shock, at least to grownups. By dwelling obsessively on U.S. misdeeds while ignoring the far more heinous crimes of what is quite possibly the most barbaric insurgency in modern times, anti-war critics betray an anti-American bias that undercuts their credibility.

link

This is a bonus two-for-one: an apology for torture AND calling protestors unAmerican.

by cscs 2005-08-12 10:21AM | 0 recs

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Re: Great Post

That is an excellent article. I added the website to my favorites in case they post more of these.

I think you picked out one small paragraph in what is what is overall an excellent analysis on democratic strategy regarding the war, and take it out of context.

That excerpt refers to the minority of anti-war critics that criticize American troops and seem to refer to the insurgents as freedom fighters, when we know there's a huge difference between nationalist Iraqis fighting an occupation (totally justified and understandable from their point of view) vs opportunistic foreign fighters fueling attacks on US forces AND Iraqis themselves -- those brutal killers don't give a damn about Iraqis and kill indiscriminantly.

I have not heard anti-war critics like Cindy Sheehan do this and those aren't the types the author is referring to. However, there ARE some asshole radicals out there who are just plain un-American. Let me give you a first-hand example from personal experience. While I was in the military and taking some college classes there was some punk 20 year old who was saying that he hoped any of our troops over in Iraq who voted for Bush would "get what they deserve" and be "IED'd". I was going to beat the shit out of him but the other class members intervened. When people like that say those kinds of things and rather see their own citizens die, I'd call that un-American.

by Vote Hillary 2008 2005-08-12 04:24PM | 0 recs

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un-American

I'm sorry, but I'm calling bullshit here. No one is calling foreign fighters that kill US forces "freedom fighters." You're obviously not very familiar with anti-war critics.

And the torture?

Let me know if they post more apologies for torture.

by cscs 2005-08-12 07:31PM | 0 recs

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Re: Great Post

Will Marshall (not related) questioned our patriotism, and he owes us all an apology.

by Alice Marshall 2005-08-12 03:29PM | 0 recs

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A Grateful Nation, y'know, all that

We all know how it is. Ask the guys at the VA. Ask the WWI vets (all three that are left).

This just isn't a very grateful nation in how it treats its soldiers.

The only President who didn't treat US soldiers like they were fucking hamburger was Clinton.

by jcjcjc 2005-08-12 06:35AM | 0 recs

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If We Had Real Journalists

She wouldn't have to do this. Her number one desire is to have Bush explain the "noble cause" her son died for. If we had real journalists, they would have insisted on an answer to this years ago. But, then, if we had real journalists, they would have insisted on an answer before her son was killed, and he would still be alive today.

by Paul Rosenberg 2005-08-12 07:17AM | 0 recs

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Re: If We Had Real Journalists

You mean if we had journalism at all in this country. Even Judy Miller waived the flag at the New York Times. Whole country is full of idiots looking only at the bottom line and not at the big picture. Hopefully Dean makes good on his promise to reinstate local content rules.

by risenmessiah 2005-08-12 01:39PM | 0 recs

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Re: If We Had Real Journalists

Don't you get it guys?

This week we took over. We are now the media.

They gave up the rights. We took them.

Onward!

by goplies 2005-08-12 02:09PM | 0 recs

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Re: If We Had Real Journalists

Not yet, but it is true that Cindy Sheehan is certainly a taste of the RWNM's own medicine.

by risenmessiah 2005-08-13 07:37PM | 0 recs

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Cindy Sheehan

One of the major reasons she has been so effective in her interviews is her refusal to let Bush and her interviewers define the terms of her protest. Matt Lauer today kept peppering her with comments from Bush about what he claimed was her demand that 'we pull out of Iraq.' 'That's not what I am asking for,' she said, 'I want him to explain why he says my son and others died in a noble cause.' Lauer also asked why with so many other parents having lost sons or daughters she deserved 'special' treatment. Again she refused to take the bait and focused on the fact that there was nothing special about asking for an hour of Bush's 5 week vacation time to explain why this war is (in his mind) so necessary. Her protest is incredibly effective, but I don't think just any anti-war activist who lost a child could pull it off. She has a phenomenal capacity to keep the focus on her agenda, not that of her critics.

T.J.

by Pempel 2005-08-12 07:41AM | 0 recs

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The emotional connection.

So much of the Iraq war "debate" has been in the sterile confines of press rooms with Rummy and his underlings serving up the daily bullshit for the press to package and regurgitate. The Sheehan protest makes the emotional connection to this war that has found little air time or print space until now.

What is surprising is the inability of Rove, et al to accurately calculate the political pros and cons of Cindy Sheehan's meeting request. Right now, they are backed in a corner where they are trying to slime her through the right-wing noise machine, which seems unlikely to play well in all but the "Bush is God" living rooms and avoid the strong-arm arrest option that will go over with a huge thud if implemented. In the meantime, Bush looks like a cowering politician too weak to have a conversation with one mom.

by dicta 2005-08-12 07:58AM | 0 recs

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Monica Crowley vs Cindy Sheehan

Saw this yesterday on Connected. I was impressed when Cindy easily handled that Nixon whore. It was like she knew exactly which questions were coming. Then Ron Reagan was basically insulting Bush when Monica recited her talking points and you could see how pissed she was, not even trying to smile at the end of the show. I just want to smack that Monica bitch.

by Vote Hillary 2008 2005-08-12 08:15AM | 0 recs

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Exactly

The Sheehan phenom is an amazing illustration of how things have changed. I have to give Code Pink some credit on this one, as they seem to be very involved in the backstage activities that allow Cindy to stay up front as a lone individual. But Kudos to Cindy first and foremost.

There is something organic about her protest, as if it is the first authentic political act to emerge from the post-re-election reality we have all be struggling to understand.

With reference to my observations from a few months ago, Camp Casey has been slightly different from what I described in that images do not seem to be the key to Sheehan's success--or rather her success has not been the product of images. It's the idea more than the image that's making it work.

But the basic shift from a protest based on masses collected in one spot, to a protest based on one focusesdindividual or event that then gets reproduced millions of times in the media--that is indeed what is happening here. Her story has become an object of desire for the media, and as such has overwhelmed the President's tired and confused Iraq message machine. She's driving the media.

Let me repeat that: one woman, from "Cow Ville," sitting in a ditch, is driving the entire global media.

Amen.

by Jeffrey Feldman 2005-08-12 08:45AM | 0 recs

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OH Sweet Neo-Cons'

Why must you be so afraid of little Cindy Sheehan. I guess it is the fear she is going to expose your war for what it is...A profit motivated LIE! Keep up the good fight Cindy!!

http://intoxination.blogspot.com

by hovercrafter 2005-08-12 11:39AM | 0 recs

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Notice who has been silent in all this?

The DLC. Not one word. They don't dare race out and demand Democrats separate themselves from Sheehan.

by Alice Marshall 2005-08-12 03:24PM | 0 recs

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Re: Notice who has been silent in all this?

and they don't dare embrace her

;)

by goplies 2005-08-17 03:04PM | 0 recs

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Cindy is ENORMOUSLY EFFECTIVE.

We heard her speak again this morning on CNN. The comments from the family: "She sounds like such a sincere person." And that is what works.

The other thing about this is that the Republican hit-squad reaction backfires. Yes, there are a lot of people saying bad things about Cindy, and her favorable numbers may be going down, but her favorability is not what this is about.

Whenever they talk about Cindy, no matter how hostile they are, they are ON THE DEFENSE ABOUT THE WAR, and there is no mistaking it. And the fact that this generates so much buzz is incredibly revealing about the weakness of this administration. They had a glass-jaw and all it took was a grieving Mom to punch them in it and make them reel.

Let them keep overreacting to it. The more pissed-off and over the top they get, the better, because whenever they talk about her, they are putting the war itself on trial. And before Cindy, we didn't hear about the war anymore. It was all Aruba and Neverland and landsharks. Now Iraq is in our consciousness in every newscast.

by Dumbo 2005-08-25 06:19AM | 0 recs

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Chant this: Where Republicans tread,

At the war protest chant this:

Where Republicans tread, people wind up dead !

http://tinyurl.com/8ghl8

by maximus7 2005-09-24 12:11AM | 0 recs