I have to admit it. I was all ready to defend poor misguided, mistreated little Cindy Sheehan. After all, I have a heart. When I saw her in that photo sitting there all forlorn and lonely, and looking so vulnerable at her book signing, my heart went out to her.
I figured that some photographer had seized upon the opportunity to make her look even more pitiful than she is by catching her in a moment when there just didn't happen to be anyone having a copy of her book signed. I've never been to a book signing, (I did happen to wander in to a music store one time when Charlie Pride was autographing his new album, but I wasn't there long, so I can't say how many he actually did sign) so I assumed there is sometimes a lull in the activity from time to time.
I was right.
According to AP reports, Cindy took offense that the media was making things appear much worse than they were, with their slanted reporting of the failure of her book's debut. She said, if my memory serves me correctly, that they sold out their entire on-hand inventory of 100 books and made $2,000.00 for the Casey fund.
Good for her!
And just as I suspected, some unscrupulous photographer had sneaked in and caught her in an unguarded moment, making it appear that no one showed up for the party.
The Washington Post reported it this way:
"Sheehan found herself addressing a crowd of only about 100 on Saturday afternoon. The large tent where supporters had erected a stage hung with the banner 'Speak Truth to Power' was only partially full. Earlier, Sheehan signed copies of her new book for an even smaller crowd."
Interestingly enough, I can't seem to find any of the articles I read just 2 days ago about the low turn out at her book signing.
At any rate, as I said, I was all ready to come to her defense and tell those evil Conservatives to get off her back. She's had her moment in the sun. Several in fact. And she deserves some respect for her tireless efforts to put an end to what she believes is a needless war with needless deaths, including that of her son.
And then I heard that any book signing by Sean Hannity and Ann Coulter has lines that stretch around the block full of people wanting to buy and have their own copies of their respective books autographed. They both said signing 6,000 books in one day was common.
That makes Cindy's 100 books sold seem pretty insignificant.
I think Ms. Sheehan has begun to lose her effectiveness in her war against the President. From the information I read, but can no longer retrieve, there really aren't even very many reporters hanging around her anymore. I suppose the few that are there are assigned to her, just in case she does or says something either monumental or stupid enough to generate some interest to their audience.
I think it's time for her to salvage what's left of her dignity and just go home. She has become irrelevant. And I will admit to feeling some compassion for her predicament. She has unfortunately lodged herself between the proverbial rock and the proverbial hard place, and extrication will take some doing. She will need help. She cannot get out of this one on her own.
Actually, I do feel sorry for Ms. Sheehan. I feel sorry that she has allowed herself to become a pawn of the anti-Bush crowd. I feel sorry that her original mission has become lost amid the pomp and circumstance of the various lunatic fringe movements, such as the American Socialists and the American Communist Party. I think even Cindy would admit that they have done more to distract attention from her cause than they have helped. I feel sorry that her entire life has become a media circus, and something of a comic strip.
I also feel sorry for her because she has lost focus within the glare of the spotlight. No longer is the story about the loss of her son, who fought bravely and died for her very right to protest. The story now is Cindy Sheehan herself.
And that, I believe, may be the real tragedy.
16 comments:
In August during the media spectacle surrounding Cindy’s protest at the Crawford Ranch, I was concerned that she would become a left-wing equivalent of Terri Schiavo.
Interest groups love to ‘cabbage on’ to a sympathetic victim in order to advance their narrow political agenda. It is disgusting, because in the end their legitimate pain becomes a national joke.
It will fire-up the base, raise money and get short-lived media attention; but what cost does the victim pay? To Middle America, the passion play appears disingenuous.
Sheila, I wrote the commentary, and I was being serious. I do feel sorry for Cindy Sheehan. She has become a pawn of the Bush haters and the death of her son no longer has any meaning, at least, not to anyone but her.
I believe the death of her son is a tragedy but not as much a tragedy as the way the left wing has taken advantage of her. She needs to go home and go on with her life, away from politics. She obviously has bit off more than she can chew, much the same way I did when I first dared to start a political blog when I am so obviously ignorant as to the inner workings of politics in general.
Believe me, this is not hate, but sympathy.
Mark, you are a kinder person that I am. No, I don't "hate" Cindy either. But I really don't think it was ever about her son. I truly believe it was about using her son for her political agenda. I'm not saying she didn't love her son. I have no way of knowing how she felt about him. The left says one thing, the right says another. As usual, somewhere in the middle is probably closest to the truth, but we will never know.
She has been a left-wing activist before. Rebel-rousing is nothing new to her. The difference between Cindy Sheehan and myself is that I would not have done this if my son died in an effort to fight terrorism and keep them out of this country. I would have felt to do that would be to dishonor my son. I would not have blamed President Bush because my son volunteered for the army. It wasn't a draft.
President Bush interviewed with Cindy twice, but because she didn't get him to withdraw from Iraq she just kept on keeping on. The media did exactly what Cindy wanted them to do by publicizing her every time she opened her mouth. But the media is fickle. Now that she is losing support the media is no longer her friend. She should have seen it coming.
There was nothing hateful about your commentary... and it was obvious that you wrote it! It's a good post and shows that you care about people. There is nothing hateful about my commentary either. I don't "hate" Cindy Sheehan. I do think she showed extremely bad judgment and made a fool out of herself. But everyone in this country has the right to do that, don't they?
A change of subject: Regarding the comment you left on my blog about the Rain Forests: I agree with you. I see how trees multiply right here on my own property! It's nearly impossible to control them.
President Bush interviewed with Cindy twice
He did?! When was this?
"I think it's time for her to salvage what's left of her dignity and just go home."
Regardless of how you feel about her politics, neither Cindy Sheehan nor anyone else who has lost a child in war needs to come to you for "dignity."
This entire sad thread demonstrates the willingness of some to gleefully trash the victims to win a few political points.
Congratulations.
Her status as a gold star mom deserves sympathy and respect for her grief; but it doesn't earn her immunity from criticism. You can find critics amongst fellow gold star moms and the enlisted men who serve currently, and in wars past.
If you're going to expose yourself out into the public arena, you're going to have to face your critics and suck it up when they react in a manner you aren't going to like.
I think most conservatives agree with you, Mark. Cindy's 15 minutes of fame is over. I also agree she allowed herself to get caught up in a whirlwind of left wing radicals. He message was lost and that is truly sad.
Anon, I am not suggesting she come to me for dignity, and frankly, I don't know where you get that from what I wrote. Be that as it may, I am not suggesting she go amywhere for anything except home to live out the rest of her life...OUT of the spotlight.
She needs to move on with her life for her own sanity. Otherwise she will just become another annoying voice of dissent along with so many others who most Americans no longer give any credibility to. I am suggesting she save herself that embarrassment and I think that's very compassionate of me.
Sarah, as a matter of fact Mark does have children and I have 4. Perhaps it is you that doesn't have children because neither of us would use our children as a way to get something. Her son VOLUNTEERED to enlist. He wasn't drafted or forced to serve his country. He died an honorable death. Cindy Sheehan's days of using her son is over and I pity her. I felt sorry for her when she started her campaign and I pity her even more now. Why? Because she may be realizing the truths of those who took advantage of her and her loss.
Bruiser, the President has already met with Ms. Sheehan, so stop saying that he won't.
He did.
Her son VOLUNTEERED to go to Iraq. TWICE.
He understood what was going on, and wanted to help, whether SHE does or not.
Her tale is a very sad one, and I have the utmost sympathy for her greif, but when she allied herself with the likes of Michael Moore, and Americans Coming Together, (which has incidentally busted apart,) she opened herself up to the criticism that those people and groups deserve.
There are many people who have lost children to this noble cause, but she is the only one who has decided to be a pest and a nuisance to the President, and the Anti-War, Anti-Bush, Anti-American Left was all too happy to use her for their own purposes.
Im wish her relief of her pain, I wish her happiness, I wish her long life and prosperity.
And I wish her privacy and anonynimity. I wish she would go away.
I hope that she can live comfortably with the fact that she is dishonoring the legacy of her son in order to make a political statement.
Mark: This was ALWAYS a story about Cindy with her son's casket as the stage.
If she cared so much for her family, why did she abandon the surviving members and move to Oakland so she could be closer to her lefty pals?
Oh, and she sold her house in Vacaville after it had been totally renovated with volunteer labor and materials. Wonder how those suckers feel about being used?
It was always about Cindy and never about Casey. How sad.
Bruiser,
I'm getting tired of your snippets about Abramoff, so here are a few Democratic connects to Abramoff:
Received contributions: Dick Gephardt, Nancy Pelosi, Tom Daschle & Harry Reid.
Received paid trips: Gregory Meeks, Michael McNutty, Bennie Thompson & James Clayburn.
Had use of Abramoff's Skybox: Tom Harkin & Byron Dorgan.
Now, get off Abramoff!
Where the Hell was Bill Clinton when the hero soldiers killed in the streets of Mogadishu were buried? You are aware, Bruiser, that old Billy-Jeff held the decision to rescue the soldiers of what became Blackhawk Down at the National Command Authority level? I'm sure with all your vast military experience you will instantly recognize the delay in the decision to send reinforcements causing those soldiers to die NEEDLESSLY was made by Clinton himself! Wow, what a leader! He really took care of those guys under fire, didn't he? Clinton's lack of leadership ability is why the military by and large loathed Clinton.
As for Cindy, she is a leech of Casey's honor. She puts words in his mouth that he would not speak. She is an opportunistic media whore. She really wants to be today's Jane Fonda, but she'll never make it as Barbarella - too old and too ugly!
You would be well advised to linearly align your defecation before you perversely exercise your right to freedom of speech. You know, that freedom bought and paid for with the blood of patriots that you dishonor? (I'm sure you recognized the military PC term for "get your shit straight".)
"lineraly align your..."
I learn something new every day!
Good one Old Soldier!
Bruiser, I read a lot of that on Wikipedia, too. He sure sounds like a scummy little snake.
Has he been convicted of anything?
By the way, how does he compare with murderers Ted Kennedy and Gary Conyers?
No, it is her anti-War activism that has led to her actions now, and the subsequent criticism that she is recieving.
Nobody is scared of her questions. She isn't asking any. She is just being a pest.
I am just glad that people are finally tired enough of her that she will soon disappear.
If she was behaving like a grief stricken mother instead of Michael Moore lite, i might be able to have a little more sympathy for her.
As long as she continues to drag her dead son's memory back and forth outside the President's ranch to try to further a cause that her son would not have supported, I have no use for her.
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