Sheehan Rides Again

This morning's news talked of 200 protesters in Nashville this weekend demonstrating in the name of Cindy Sheehan against the war in Iraq. Interestingly, a soundbite from one of the protesters mentioned how they were not "just protesting for peace in the middle east, but were also protesting for peace for those in poverty, those affected by the aftermath of the hurricanes." It seems we need more than just war sympathy to pull out protesters these days, needing to pull from empathy for those impoverished and scattered souls who have been displaced in the wake of the devastation of the gulf coast region. But why?

Well, it appears Sheehan's name has fallen out of it's prominent spot in the news by the hurricanes. Here is a piece from an op-ed in the LA Times in case you are not familiar with the typical media portrayal of Sheehan's vigil: "The Times uncritically reported Sheehan's claim that the president had behaved callously in a June 2004 meeting with her and her husband, refusing to look at pictures of Casey or listen to stories about him. The Times claimed without qualification that Sheehan "came away from that meeting dissatisfied and angry."

However, what has not been reported is that Sheehan has changed her story since she initially met with President Bush in 2004. This is also from the same op-ed piece: "According to an interview with her hometown paper, the Vacaville Reporter, Sheehan had said that although she was upset about the war, she decided not to confront the president — who clearly left a favorable impression: "I now know he's sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis…. I know he's sorry and feels some pain for our loss. And I know he's a man of faith."Of that trip, Sheehan said: "That was the gift the president gave us, the gift of happiness, of being together."

What we have here is a major discrepancy in her statements, clearly showing she has flip-flopped on her reasoning from after her initial meeting with the president until recently. Yet she still wants to meet with Bush again, lambasting him in the press for not granting a return visit. But I ask, what good can come from an audience to reason with someone who cannot reason herself?

Now that we know how she has changed her reasoning, consider this information, from Bill Hobbs Online (billhobbs.com) on August 22, 2005, which shows just how crazy those who are bandwagoning behind Sheehan are: "One fact you probably haven't heard about Sheehan's son Casey, whose death in Iraq sparked the protest: He re-enlisted after the war started. And he volunteered for the rescue mission in which he was killed. In every possibly way, Casey Sheehan volunteered..."

Now, I hope I never have to experience the loss of a son, but it seems Sheehan is selfishly campaigning on a principle that her lost son never would have stood for. He was the true American Hero, unselfishly giving his life for what was a rescue mission, personifying the principles of courage and loyalty, exactly opposite of that in which she currently protests.

Does that show the shallowness of the belief system in those 200 out protesting this past weekend in Nashville? Or does it show the collective wisdom of the hundreds of thousands that also reside in the area who did not turn out for the protest?

Maybe both.