Wednesday, August 24, 2005

I'm Confused



"I'm coming back to Crawford for my son. As long as the president, who sent him to die in a senseless war, is in Crawford, that is where I belong. I came here two and a half weeks ago for one reason, to try and see the president and get an answer to a very simple question: What is the noble cause that he says my son died for?" This is the first paragraph of the most recent statement on Cindy Sheehan's Blog. I have to admit to being confused by several things about this entire spectacle.

First, the President isn't in Crawford right now - he's traveling around the country addressing the very questions that Ms. Sheehan has posed. Of course, Ms. Sheehan wants to see the president to discuss this. She wants a face to face meeting.

Join the club, Cindy! I wanted to meet him too - when I WORKED for him. But you know what? I never got the opportunity, never, zip, nada, zero, NEVER! Can you believe that? But wait, Ms. Sheehan DID meet with the President, so really she's up on about 99% of America (including ME!) who haven't had the chance for face time with POTUS (POTUS = President of the United States - in case you wanted to know). Call me crazy, but if I had questions for the Prez, that would have been the time to ask them.

But answers to questions aren't really the goal here. Attention to a cause is the goal. Now, if you really want attention, Cindy, I suggest heading east! Washington, DC is the place you gotta be. In DC, you have almost guaranteed video and print news coverage all day, every day AND the added bonus of having "sympathetic" Senators and Congressmen clamoring to meet with you. Given that these two groups are responsible for the funding of this "senseless war" perhaps they can give you the answer as to what cause your son (who volunteered to serve his country, followed the directive of his Commander in Chief, and joined his brothers and sisters in arms in their fight for freedom) died for.

Second, I did a little research, I was a little afraid that perhaps my memory was slipping as I approach another decade birthday, so I did a search for Presidential addresses regarding the war in 2005. I found 7 speeches and radio addresses since March of this year that dealt specifically with why we are in Iraq. I have to admit not going back farther than this year, so I'm sure I missed several speeches in the last 2 years outlining the why, how, what and where of our action in Iraq. Not to mention that I only concentrated on things the President said, I didn't take into account the Secretaries of State and Defense or the National Security Advisor, all of whom speak for the President and his policies. After ALL of this, if someone doesn't know the reason we are in this war, they must be living in one of those spider holes that Saddam was in when we captured him, or they just don't like the reasons they were given. Somehow I think it's the latter.

At this point in my rant, I feel the need to give the disclaimer that all people discussing this topic have felt the need to give. I feel sorrow for Ms. Sheehan's loss. No mother should have to cope with the death of a child.

That being said, I would implore her to not cheapen her or her son's sacrifice by insisting that he died in vain. This is America and we have a firm right to disagree with decisions and directions taken by our elected officials. There are ways and means to show our displeasure through voting, speaking and writing. It is not necessary to drag the memories of the over 2000 dead soldiers through the mud in your search for vindication. Such a move smacks of blatant opportunism and does not do anything to further your cause, but simply degrades your son and others like him.

There are several other things about this situation that confuse me, but for the sake of time and space, I will save them for another time. Suffice it to say I have never understood publicity for publicity's sake, and that is what I view this stunt in Texas as. Enough is enough.

1 Comments:

At 12:15 PM , Blogger Elizabeth Angelo said...

April, I enjoyed your posts yesterday and today. They are articulate and interesting :)

 

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