Mother of dead soldier vilifies Bush over war

[MORTARDUDE]

http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky...l/11888623.htm

Mother of dead soldier vilifies Bush over war

PRESIDENT RIDICULED AT INTERFAITH RALLY

By Frank E. Lockwood

HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER


The president of Gold Star Families for Peace, a mother who lost a son in Iraq, criticized the United States' "illegal and unjust war" yesterday during an interfaith rally in Lexington.

Cindy Sheehan of Vacaville, Calif., accused President Bush of lying to the nation about a war which has consumed tens of billions of dollars and claimed more than 1,700 American lives -- including the life of Army Specialist Casey Austin Sheehan.

Sheehan was one of more than a dozen activists who were scheduled to speak at yesterday's anti-war rally at the Red Mile, which was organized by the Clergy and Laity Network and co-sponsored by dozens of liberal religious organizations.

Sheehan ridiculed Bush for saying that it's "hard work" comforting the widow of a soldier who's been killed in Iraq.

"Hard work is seeing your son's murder on CNN one Sunday evening while you're enjoying the last supper you'll ever truly enjoy again. Hard work is having three military officers come to your house a few hours later to confirm the aforementioned murder of your son, your first-born, your kind and gentle sweet baby. Hard work is burying your child 46 days before his 25th birthday. Hard work is holding your other three children as they lower the body of their big (brother) into the ground. Hard work is not jumping in the grave with him and having the earth cover you both," she said.

Since her son's death, Sheehan has made opposition to the Bush administration a full-time job.

"We're watching you very carefully and we're going to do everything in our power to have you impeached for misleading the American people," she said, quoting a letter she sent to the White House. "Beating a political stake in your black heart will be the fulfillment of my life ... ," she said, as the audience of 200 people cheered.

The "Freedom and Faith Bus Tour" -- which brought Sheehan to Lexington, has already visited New York, Chicago and Indianapolis. The next stops include Columbus, Pittsburgh and Cleveland.

Other speakers included state Rep. Kathy Stein, D-Lexington, Clergy and Laity Network executive director Rev. Albert Pennybacker of Lexington, Kentucky Council of Churches executive director Nancy Jo Kemper and Baptist Seminary of Kentucky Professor Glenn Hinson.

Quoting scripture and Franklin D. Roosevelt, Hinson suggested the nation is greedy and morally bankrupt and warned that America's fear of terrorism is excessive and unhealthy. Denouncing "fear that immobilizes, fear that causes you to lash out mindlessly, fear that prompts a nation to launch a preemptive strike against an imagined enemy, fear in excess," Hinson said, "Only God's love can bring that kind of fear under control."


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Reach Frank Lockwood at (859) 231-3211 or 800-950-6397 x3211 or flockwood@herald-leader.com

[Advisor]

"Quoting scripture and Franklin D. Roosevelt, Hinson suggested the nation is greedy and morally bankrupt and warned that America's fear of terrorism is excessive and unhealthy. Denouncing "fear that immobilizes, fear that causes you to lash out mindlessly, fear that prompts a nation to launch a preemptive strike against an imagined enemy, fear in excess," Hinson said, "Only God's love can bring that kind of fear under control."

Wonder if her son felt that way? Just wondering.

[Gimpy]

he don't feel ANYTHING now.............DOES HE?

Many, many young and immature of this nations youth have been "ground up" in unnecessary and/or unjust "causes" led by corrupt and deceptive leaders with greedy and suspect motives.

Brainwashed into believing their "service" was justified by their "leaders" lies and untruthful pronouncements. They left the same legacy of this ladies son............Honorable service to their nation....but for an unjust cause.....and broken hearted family and friends!

I hope and pray she is sucessful in her efforts to bring down this latest sorry excuse for a "leader"!

[Advisor]

So what is new? This same sh*t has been going on since Og picked up a stone. And, here's something I'm curious about...why wasn't there this level of venom when Bubba was blowing hell out of Serbia? That was as much bullsh*t as Iraq. Was it the fact that no Americans were being killed then?
Oh, by the way, I'm not in favor of being in Iraq, but I do expect consistency in criticism/protest. If there isn't then it is just not relevant to me. It is political..one party can do no wrong & one party can do no right. Oh, give me a break!

[Gimpy]

NOT saying there hasn't been times when Democratic leaders of this nation haven't been just as guilty as this current nitwit we've got in charge now.

Lyndon Johnson is a perfect example and JUST as guilty as Bush and/or Nixon in my book!

But, I believe your "anaology" of Serbia is somwhat "flawed".

Was this not a NATO sanctioned and operated action? Where ALL the nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization agreed that SOMETHING must be done to stop the wholesale genocide and ethnic "cleansing" being committed in the Baltic states??....And, the overall majority of the Free World was in agreement this action was needed???----

I DON'T believe the same "support" and "agreement" within the Free World was evident in this latest bit of "action" on the part of Bush and a few countries was EVER thought to be "necessary" by the majority of Nations who were in concert with action in Serbia and the Baltic states. Were they???

Just asking.

[MORTARDUDE]

Advisor :

They say that losing a child is one of the hardest thing a parent can go through. I hope I never find out. I feel that asking what her son's feelings were versus what she is saying thru all the grief she has to work thru now, is just irrelavant. Just IMHO.

Larry

[BLUEHAWK]

And then, there's always this salvation Kipling offered:

TOMMY

"I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!"