Friday, August 12, 2005

Honoring Casey Sheehan

I can hold myself back from the whole Cindy Sheehan 15 minutes of fame no longer. This poor woman. She is consumed with grief and bitterness over the loss of her oldest child. Casey Sheehan was a 24 year old Marine who was killed in Iraq in 2004. God rest his hero's soul. President Bush met with Ms. Sheehan as he does with many military families and she was comforted by the meeting at the time. Her words are out there for all to see. She was anti war before the troops went into Iraq and that is her right.

Now, however, President Bush is on the annual August recess in Crawford and she has chosen to get her 15 minutes by "Protesting" outside of the gates of the ranch. She has been joined by a professional pr firm that also handles clients such as MoveOn.org. They have gotten her on all the tv shows and that is fine. The problem arises when the other side is not told - that she thanked the President for the previous visit and knew he was sincere about his grief over lost soldiers and that he provided her and her family some comfort during their grief. Her other partner in this venture is the Crawford Peace House. These folks proudly proclaim that the Communist Party is their political point of view. Does that honor Casey's service to his country?

Casey was a professional in the service of his country. He was a member of an all volunteer force and proudly performed his job. It is easy to join up in peacetime and take the benefits of education and training, etc, but those volunteering to serve also were aware that the time may come when the country would be at war and they would be called upon to defend it.

Cindy Sheehan has allowed herself to be a stooge for the far left in our country to be used as a fundraising "victim" in the process. Shame on her. Disagree with your country's policies all you want. Vote for whichever candidate you choose. Freedom is not free.

Her family has issued a statement disassociating with her actions. The woman could use a kind of intervention. Someone should be a true friend to her and show her a different way of grieving. One that would truly honor her son. I know the national stage is so tempting but she would truly honor her son if he were the one remembered, not her. Do productive things in his name. Start a memorial scholarship fund in his name, start a non-profit in his name dealing with foreign policy if you are interested. Anything but being the drama queen for the cameras.

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