Whew! That's good to hear, I thought it was George Bush's job she wanted. I got an e-mail early Saturday morning about a "Support Our Troops" rally in Crawford, Texas, so I grabbed a friend, packed up my VW Beetle and headed to God's country, I mean George Bush's ranch.
No sooner had I arrived in the great little town of Crawford and able to fold out of my car that we were assaulted by protesters wanting to know if we were "for Cindy or Bush." For some reason I didn't like the way that was worded . . . for CINDY or for BUSH? What did that mean?
Our reply, "We're here to support the troops!" Their comment, "Oh, that means you're protesting Cindy?" I was incensed by the inference that if I was for the troops, I was protesting Cindy Sheehan, mother of slain soldier, Casey Sheehan, who was killed on April 4, 2004 in Sadr City, Iraq.
This woman is demanding a one-on-one "summit" meeting with the President of the United States to give him orders to bring home our soldiers from Iraq.
Well, if that isn't enough, now she's calling for "Israel to get out of Palestine." And if that doesn't happen, she vows not to pay taxes. Well, well, well . . . who do we have here?
My outrage at being accosted by protesters at a "troop support" rally has now turned to sheer pity for this woman and wonder where we go from here. I guess Club 'Gitmo is next. She'll be calling for the release of all detainees. Oh, but not before the "impeachment of George Bush."
You see, if we can blame George Bush for everything, then we never have to take responsibility for anything.
I'm so glad I live in a country where men and women volunteer their service to defend us against an enemy that wants to kill us. And I'm also glad that the decision to go to war was not made by a dictator, but was voted on by an act of Congress, not an act of George Bush.
If you don't like the war, you might also want to consider pitching your tent in front of the houses of 535 members of Congress.
I'm terribly sorry that Cindy Sheehan's son lost his life, but last time I checked that young man volunteered to fight for this country and nothing on his contract stated that Mom would have to approve all orders for her son.
While tragic as this is - and I don't take any death lightly - it's still no different from our police officers and firemen who go out every single day and face death.
We should protest in front of every Police Chief's house for sending our sons or daughters into rough neighborhoods where drug deals have gone bad, and the officer never makes it out alive.
Marital disputes seem to be the order-of-the-day in some places, and many an officer has walked into a domestic battlefield and ended up dead.
Firemen walk into firetraps everyday - and never go back home to loved ones. Let's protests the fire chief for making "deathly" decisions.
So, what makes Casey Sheehan different? First it sounds like it's the recruiter's fault for promising Casey he could finish his college degree. He had already been going to college for three years before he joined the Army. So, why didn't Casey come home and finish that last year of college rather than re-enlist? His mom says, "Because he didn't want his buddies to do the job by themselves." But rather than put any of the responsibility on her son, she opts to blame George Bush.
Now she may think it's to her son's honor that she vehemently chastises the President for saying Casey died for a noble cause, but she discredits all men and women in the service inferring that "they know not what they do." I'm sure they need to hear from Cindy Sheehan that it is NOT NOBLE. She should certainly know.
It's strange to me that it's the soldiers who have been to Iraq and have come back home that want to re-enlist and go back. But it's people like Cindy Sheehan who want to tell them they shouldn't.
Who do you think is closer to the situation to know what they should or shouldn't do? We've got to live our lives taking responsibility for the choices we make.
I believe that Casey Sheehan would like to think he died for a noble cause in spite of what his mother's doing to take that away from him. If he could kick the coffin doors open, he'd probably march right down to Crawford, Texas and tell mom to get in the car - we're leaving.
When we let mothers and fathers set the rules of how this country should be run when they experience a tragedy, then we're in trouble.
We have young men and women who are sent into harm's way every single day - should a parent dictate which fire their child should be sent to put out; should a parent decide which neighborhood the child should be cruising as a police officer? You can't ask for Mayberry, RFD. None of us want our children to die . . . and neither does George Bush.
Don't choose your career path lightly. If you're going to be a postal carrier, prepare to be bitten by a dog. If you're a truck driver, prepare to be in horrible traffic all day. If you're going to be a detective in the FBI, you may get killed.
If you sign up to be a soldier, be one. If you're the mother or father of a soldier, have enough respect for your child's decision.
How dare Cindy Sheehan decide for the thousands of our service people that they should stop what they're doing? Who appointed her to be in charge? Who is she to decide whether or not our troops come home?
While I have great sympathy for her son's tragic death, I cannot support her cause.
Who is she to demand that the President of the United States meet with her personally? Who is she to get a second audience with the President? He met with her once, and out of respect to the office of the presidency, she showed no disrespect. But now, she's ready to show it.
The office of the President hasn't changed, but obviously Mrs. Sheehan has.
Casey Sheehan was an honorable soldier doing his duty for a noble cause and died to protect his mother's freedoms. But Cindy Sheehan, you my dear, are a most ungrateful woman.
Debbie Daniel can be contacted at: dddtx@yahoo.com
