In Search Of Utopia: Courage in the form of Cindy Sheehan

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August 09, 2005

Courage in the form of Cindy Sheehan

I belong to an email political debate group. I've been a part of this group off and on for years. It consists mostly of conservatives, the vast majority of which are Bush supporters. Actually they're more than just supporters. They're complete apologists for Bush's many failed policies.

Yesterday, one of them sent out the following on the topic of Cindy Sheehan:

Here's what I don't get... The US has an all VOLUNTEER military. Those who are in it CHOSE to be in it. When you join the military, you need to reasonably expect that there is an elevated risk of death on duty, and that you freely accept this. You also VOLUNTEER to obey the orders and assignments of those placed above you. So where does she feel that she has been wronged by President Bush? Did she really expect that her kid could join the MILITARY and then never get sent off to places where PEOPLE SHOOT AT YOU?

Apparently the notion that with that reasonable expectation of "elevated risk of death on duty" comes without the reasonable expectation that the President of the United States won't take the nation to war needlessly. That the President will thoughtfully, carefully consider every option and make certain that war is in fact the only way. That the President won't abuse the powers of his office to invade nations that represent no immediate military threat to the nation. That the President will not send our soldiers to die in an unecessary war.

I have a son. I don't know how any mother is able to come to grips with the agony of losing their child. But worse, knowing their child didn't have to die has to exacerbate the grief.

Sheehan's initial meeting with Bush, despite attempts by the rightwing freak spin machine to the contrary, was fraught with Bush's own hubris and contempt toward these military families. It's all a dog and pony show for Bush. His attitude demonstrates that he could care less that these mothers have given their precious children in an invasion and occupation he and his organization insisted upon.

Sheehan's likely inevitable arrest this coming Thursday (an unarmed mother and her unarmed group are somehow a national security threat..but not until Thursday when Condi and Rummy show up) will hopefully be shown on national news feeds all over the nation. Hauling away to jail the mother of a dead soldier because the President refuses to speak to her about the man he sent to die is an embarrassment to the nation.

The Bush apologist crowd truely seems to believe that it's appropriate to not hold Bush accountable for the failures of Iraq. No WMD. No WMD related programs. Saddam's people were no longer properly documenting what was going on with their weapons programs and in fact turned everything they had over to the UN prior to the invasion.

But it's somehow Bush hasn't wronged anyone..especially not Cindy Sheehan whose son needlessly left his blood on the sands of Iraq.

Posted by Carla at August 9, 2005 03:58 PM
Filed Under Guest Bloggers | 501 Words

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Comments

I know more than one member of the military who would say that it dishonors their service to try to drag personal politics into whether they agree with a war or not--they agreed to serve, it's what their oath called for, and the oath didn't say anything one way or the other about whether they or their parents agreed. They agreed to serve, period.

And the fact is, a good number of us continue to believe there were no "lies" about WMD or anything else of significance--and indeed, would even say, "hey look, election's over. People were held accountable and they got re-elected anyway. Now get over it and let's figure out how we can go forward from here."

Do we want these lives given to have been in vain?

Posted by: Dean Esmay at August 9, 2005 08:49 PM

Oh no. There were no lies. All the things Bush and his administration said was true. If you live in the Republican Twilight Zone.

You insult the intelligence of every American when you lie like that, Dean.

Posted by: Rogue at August 10, 2005 11:01 AM

I know more than one member of the military who would scoff at this statement.

Wars are inherently political. To pretend that politics is a completely different animal is folly.

Agreeing to serve comes with the reasonable expectation that the President doesn't send them into harm's way unnecessarily. That's the black hole in your equation, Dean.

A "good number" of people used to believe the world was flat. A "good number" of people believed that David Koresh was the Son of God. A "good number" of people believe that the Earth is 9,000 years old due to literal Biblical interpretation.

That doesn't mean any of them are correct.

Do we want these lives given to have been in vain?

That is the question you should have been asking all along, Dean. Before the invasion.

Posted by: carla at August 10, 2005 12:26 PM

Agreeing to serve comes with the reasonable expectation that the President doesn't send them into harm's way unnecessarily.

It's seems to me that it is only a small minority of the Country that feels that this war is not necessary, that there are soldiers that agree with this fringe element of society isn't noteworthy it is the natural progression of an all volunteer armed forces.

Posted by: Rick at August 10, 2005 07:30 PM

It is inconceivable to me how someone can feel that this war, which had protests to rival the size of the largest Vietnam protests before the war even started, is objected to by a small minority of Americans. Do you have any sort of proof to support this statement?

Posted by: (: Tom :) at August 10, 2005 08:42 PM

No, he does not, and apparently he cant count either. I believe the poll numbers show about 39% of Americans support the war right now.

Posted by: David Anderson at August 10, 2005 10:06 PM