On Cindy Sheehan and Honoring the Dead
Allan J. Ashinoff
August 12, 2005
"He stands in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die that freedom may live, and grow, and increase its blessings. Freedom lives, and through it, he lives -- In a way that humbles the undertakings of most men."
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
In a world where heroism has been misconstrued to represent the fortunate escape from ones participation in monumental blunders there are those whose true heroism goes unnoticed or is overshadowed by others who seek to project their unpopular cause in the limelight of another person’s grief. In this vein we find Cindy Sheehan an American mother whose son Casey died in Iraq at the age of 24. She is now using her grief, in part, to gain media attention to promote a dangerous anti-war movement.
I believe that Ms. Sheehan has dishonored her child’s memory by not valuing what her son has done for his nation. Instead, to keep her grief painful she prefers fostering anger to feed her loss and maintain her self pity. She draws the media to her not to focus the world on her family’s sacrifice or the extraordinary courage, dedication, and maturity her son has shown but to invalidate the honor in his death. In her “sit in” near President Bush's Crawford Ranch she says she is trying to pass along “questions” which, from what I heard, have already been answered numerous times over the last 2 years. To receive answers other that what President Bush has already publicly stated would render useless, unnecessary, and pointless all of the lives lost in this war. Is this what Ms. Sheehan wants? Is this the legacy she wants attached to her son?
Ms. Sheehan isn’t seeking a second audience with President Bush to ask questions. She is seeking another meeting to rant and berate the man. Whatever list of questions she may have been given from the liberal fringe they have, more than likely, already been publicly answered. But the answers she, Michael Moore, and the other anti-Bush/anti-war zealots have heard are answers they refuse to accept because it doesn’t coincide with their perspective or platform. Can we believe for a second that if Ms. Sheehan was given a second opportunity to talk with the President that she wouldn’t use that valuable time to yell at or attempt to degrade the man? When the President initially spoke to Ms. Sheehan it was several months after her sons’ death. Surly a protest figurehead who had seven months to grieve had the time to gather her anger and indignation into a score pointed questions. Or is it that in light of her new found “wisdom” she feels she didn’t get her money’s worth?
Casey Sheehan was an American patriot. Any person, during a time of peace, and especially when America is at war, who voluntarily offers his life to protect and defend his country is a national asset. As a soldier, one understands that war is always a possibility and that ones life can be put in harms way in a moments notice. To give ones life in such service is to enter eternity among the noblest that mankind has to offer.
The quote from President Roosevelt was taken from Ms. Sheehan’s eulogy/rant website. In truth I really can’t believe that she understands the significance of what the quote means and represents. As a Veteran I can say America morns the loss of this fallen son despite his mother’s misguided efforts to degrade his memory.
Mr. Casey Sheehan was assigned to 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. He was serving in Iraq when his unit was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire.
I can be reached in yahoo chat, almost always, at thinker822@yahoo.com or via e-mail at thinker822@fedupwithpc.com or through my website www.fedupwithpc.com. I welcome further discussion on anything I’ve written.
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
In a world where heroism has been misconstrued to represent the fortunate escape from ones participation in monumental blunders there are those whose true heroism goes unnoticed or is overshadowed by others who seek to project their unpopular cause in the limelight of another person’s grief. In this vein we find Cindy Sheehan an American mother whose son Casey died in Iraq at the age of 24. She is now using her grief, in part, to gain media attention to promote a dangerous anti-war movement.
I believe that Ms. Sheehan has dishonored her child’s memory by not valuing what her son has done for his nation. Instead, to keep her grief painful she prefers fostering anger to feed her loss and maintain her self pity. She draws the media to her not to focus the world on her family’s sacrifice or the extraordinary courage, dedication, and maturity her son has shown but to invalidate the honor in his death. In her “sit in” near President Bush's Crawford Ranch she says she is trying to pass along “questions” which, from what I heard, have already been answered numerous times over the last 2 years. To receive answers other that what President Bush has already publicly stated would render useless, unnecessary, and pointless all of the lives lost in this war. Is this what Ms. Sheehan wants? Is this the legacy she wants attached to her son?
Ms. Sheehan isn’t seeking a second audience with President Bush to ask questions. She is seeking another meeting to rant and berate the man. Whatever list of questions she may have been given from the liberal fringe they have, more than likely, already been publicly answered. But the answers she, Michael Moore, and the other anti-Bush/anti-war zealots have heard are answers they refuse to accept because it doesn’t coincide with their perspective or platform. Can we believe for a second that if Ms. Sheehan was given a second opportunity to talk with the President that she wouldn’t use that valuable time to yell at or attempt to degrade the man? When the President initially spoke to Ms. Sheehan it was several months after her sons’ death. Surly a protest figurehead who had seven months to grieve had the time to gather her anger and indignation into a score pointed questions. Or is it that in light of her new found “wisdom” she feels she didn’t get her money’s worth?
Casey Sheehan was an American patriot. Any person, during a time of peace, and especially when America is at war, who voluntarily offers his life to protect and defend his country is a national asset. As a soldier, one understands that war is always a possibility and that ones life can be put in harms way in a moments notice. To give ones life in such service is to enter eternity among the noblest that mankind has to offer.
The quote from President Roosevelt was taken from Ms. Sheehan’s eulogy/rant website. In truth I really can’t believe that she understands the significance of what the quote means and represents. As a Veteran I can say America morns the loss of this fallen son despite his mother’s misguided efforts to degrade his memory.
Mr. Casey Sheehan was assigned to 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. He was serving in Iraq when his unit was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire.
I can be reached in yahoo chat, almost always, at thinker822@yahoo.com or via e-mail at thinker822@fedupwithpc.com or through my website www.fedupwithpc.com. I welcome further discussion on anything I’ve written.
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