War protester 'peace mom' Cindy Sheehan convicted of trespassing

[sabra]

http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2006/12/war-protester-peace-mom-cindy-sheehan.html

War protester 'peace mom' Cindy Sheehan convicted of trespassing

NEW YORK (AP) -- Peace activist Cindy Sheehan and three other women were convicted Monday of trespassing for trying to delivery an anti-Iraq war petition to the U.S. Mission to the United Nations.

Sheehan and about 100 other members of a group called Global Exchange were rebuffed last March while bringing a petition with some 72,000 signatures to officials in their Manhattan headquartersn across the street from the United Nations.

Prosecutors said they were arrested after ignoring police orders to disperse.

The women were acquitted of other charges related to the case.

[acmavm]

1. There is something just so damn wrong with this. The UN was

formed to specifically PREVENT the kind of crap this criminal administration has gotten us into.

This is wrong, so wrong.

[iconoclastic cat]

2. "trying to delivery..." That's some top-notch copy, CNN!

Idiots.

[goforit]

6. It's like George reading MY PET GOAT upside-down

[peace13]

3. We have time in the courts to try people for this

yet the murdering, thieving administration goes unpunished. Go figure!

[shance]

5. Thank you.

White male rule and domination is so fair isn't it?

[Dr.Phool]

4. I hope she's not in jail.

I'm supposed to have dinner with her and about 200 other activists tonight in Tampa.

[thereismore]

11. No, just a $140 fine. nt

[noonwitch]

7. I swear, the woman is seeking to be arrested

I think she has a martyr complex going. She needs to sit down, grieve her son and get on with her life.

I had a lot of sympathy for her at first, but not anymore. It's time for Cindy to get a job and deal with things.

[LeftyMom]

8. I suspect her way of grieving is to try to spare some other mother her grief.

She doesn't need you to tell her how to mourn.

[thereismore]

10. I 2nd that. nt

[Vidar]

13. I'll second that opinion.

[Karenina]

17. I'll third it.

Motion passes. ;-)

[ronnykmarshall]

21. I'll forth it!

[proud2BlibKansan]

31. And here's a fifth!

[Kerrytravelers]

22. A round of applause to LeftyMom from this corner of DU!

:applause:

[peace13]

12. You throw a child on the pile then get back to us! n/t

[noonwitch]

39. Have you "thrown a child on the pile"?

You sound like my coworker who told me I'd rethink my opposition to the death penalty if I had kids.

[mopinko]

15. don't have kids, do you?

some people might think you ought to get a life instead of sitting around posting on a website all day.
i would say you are a witch, but that would imply things about witches that aren't true.

[Mythsaje]

27. My wife's a witch

and she approves of Cindy.

In fact, I think MOST of the witches I know do.

:shrug:

[herbbrown]

16. You ever think

that this is her way of getting the attention of the anti-war people to get up and get mobile?

[noonwitch]

37. I have considered that, but no one is paying attention anymore

except for a few people on the radical fringe. It's not helping anyone at this point, because no one is watching. It's time to move on.

[Kolesar]

18. It's called "non-violent resistance". In this case working it for publicity

P.S.: No, you go "get a job".

[noonwitch]

36. I have a job, I've had the same job for almost 20 years.

I don't ever want to be arrested, like most sane people, I try to avoid being arrested. I might lose my job if I was, for one thing.

I never supported this war, and am not a fan of Bush. I do hope that despite the huge blunder Bush made by sending our troops to Iraq, that something good will come of it for the Iraqi people.

I didn't insult any of you.

I also don't think that many people are paying attention to Cindy outside of a limited group, and her self-inflicted martyrdom is not serving any useful purpose at this point. I think it has crossed over to the point where she is harming herself for attention (that she's not getting anymore by the media at large), and that is not healthy.

[Kolesar]

42. You told Cindy to "get a job" in your most puerile fashion

And I don't give a f- for your political convolutions. It's Cindy's life and she could do whatever she wants with it. I doubt that you have ever taken a serious stand on anything in your life.

[noonwitch]

47. I guess it all depends on your definition of taking a serious stand

I don't put it all out on front street by demonstrating and holding up signs, or engaging in civil disobedience. That's not the way I do things. If that is your way, fine, but just because I choose not to do things that way does not mean I don't take a serious stand on issues.

There are all kinds of ways to take a stand-I take a stand every day as a part of my job, how I treat people, how I vote, and which causes I give money to. I'm glad that you don't care about my "political convolutions" because I'm comfortable with who I am and what I do. I refuse to play the "who's got the most liberal credentials?" game with anyone, because it's ridiculous.

And you're right that it is Cindy's life and she can do what she wants with it, but she's voluntarily living a public life and is subject to public criticism. I think she's wasting time and resources by her acts of civil disobedience(she got two sentences in the "light" news in yesterday's paper and I saw no news coverage of her). You don't think she is. I have the right to say it. You have the right to your opinion. You don't like what I say, so you resort to insults, even though I have the same right to my opinion that you do to yours.

[sandyd921]

43. Have you ever heard of civil disobedience?

So maybe you think Gandhi engaged in civil disobedience because he was starved for attention?

[noonwitch]

46. Cindy is not Ghandi

Nor is she MLK, nor is she Jesus. MLK was standing up for the rights of a racial group that had been oppressed for centuries, same with Ghandi. Casey Sheehan voluntarily enlisted in the military-he wasn't drafted, he wasn't coerced into joining up. He knew the risks when he enlisted-his death is tragic, but comparing his grieving mother to Ghandi and MLK? Please.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

19. Are you kidding me???

Of course she's trying to get arrested -- she is willing to do whatever it takes to bring attention to the nightmare that is killing American sons and daughters, and god bless her for it. Jesus Christ, you wound like a r-w gas bag -- 'your son died, Cindy, get over' -- fuck that, she is a hero trying to save more moms and dads from getting that knock on the door.

Thank the gods there are people like Cindy Sheehan who refuse to "get over" this nightmare of a war and daily try to raise awareness and engage in civil disobedience.

I guess that, once upon a time, those "black folk" should have stopped sitting at whites only lunch counters and gotten back to their lives. :eyes:

[FtWayneBlue]

29. I concur with this response.

Cindy's primary mission is to save other parents the heartbreak she suffers.

She is willing to do whatever she possibly - and peaceably - can to end the occupation of Iraq.

[Lerkfish]

20. yeah, her and Martin Luther King keep(kept) doing things that could get them

arrested.

:eyes:

[cassiepriam]

24. People said the same thing about Gandi, Jesus, Buddha, MLK,

Mother Teresa.

I am glad they didn't listen to the critics.

Cindy someday will be considered one of the great Americans,
she will be studied in history books and children will write reports about her.

You can tell your grandkids you thought she was nuts at the time.
Will be a good story.

[Mythsaje]

26. You have issues with her grief

catapulting her to the forefront of the peace movement?

She's become a high profile protester. Getting arrested is often part of that and has been for a long time.

Someone has to have the guts to do it.

[0rganism]

28. Newsflash: this IS how she deals with things, this IS her life

Cindy Sheehan has transformed her grief into a lifetime of work. She is anything but purposeless and undealing.

Can you say the same for yourself? What do you know of grief and loss and sustained activism?

wake up, noonwitch.

you're dreaming.

you're asleep.

wake up and deal with things.

[noonwitch]

38. I know plenty about grief and loss

I spend every day of my life working to make this world a better place and to protect children. I've lost people I loved to all kinds of causes-cancer, AIDS, strokes, violence, suicide, and yes, war. I've also seen men who lost their minds in Vietnam, and I know at least 5 people who have served in this war. I've seen things in the course of my job that would make your skin crawl, things that I never want to think about again.

That doesn't change my opinion about Cindy Sheehan. I feel badly for her loss, but I'm not sending her money so that she can bail herself out each time she gets arrested on purpose. That bail money can feed poor kids in any community in this country. $140 could buy a few bikes for poor kids who can't afford them. Or the same money could be used for international relief, or that charity that gives farm animals to families in developing countries.

[0rganism]

40. I don't recall her asking for *your* money, specifically

By all means, donate it how you see fit, just as those who think she's doing something worthwhile with her life will continue to support her.

[proud2BlibKansan]

30. You have never met her, have you?

She is getting on with her life. She has chosen to deal with her grief by working to end the war.

Did you know she just got back from Korea, where she was invited, by the Koreans, because they view her as the leader of the Peace movement?

Did you know she plans to donate the land she bought in Crawford for use as a park named for her son, once the war is over? And until then, it is a retreat for soldiers and veterans.

She is an incredibly intelligent and charismatic woman. I thank God every day for her courage and leadership. She could have gone back to California and got a job, but she chose to be a full time peace advocate. We are so incredibly fortunate to have her voice and her work for peace.

[rsmith6621]

9. Thanks To John Kerrys Sisiter.....

She refused to accept them...........according to Randi Rhodes

[peace13]

14. Kerry isn't his sisters keeper.

John is on my shit list but I give him a pass on this one.

[Kerrytravelers]

23. I was very disappointed to read this.

During the '04 campaign, I worked with Peggy for a few days. I would never have thought she would refuse the petitions. I'm curious as to her reasoning. I'm sure I'll still disagree with her, but I'm curious.

[EFerrari]

35. It sounded like a miscommunication that was then handled badly

by her staff.

Things happen.

[Kerrytravelers]

44. Thanks for that. I didn't know.

I'm glad that was all it was.

[dipsydoodle]

25. UK comparison

Until early this year trespass was a civil offence which in the absense of provable damage was unliley to have been pursued. Would have been extremely rare for even the police to be involved. Aside from the that the rule has always been, and I guess remains so , "trespassers treat the land as they find it" which broadly speaking means that if for example a burglar was hurt climbimg over a garage roof topped with barbed wire then tough - provided there is an adequate warning sign i.e DANGER etc. I think that might differ slightly in the USA.

Then things changed and an offence of criminal trespass was created .
See : First arrests under new trespass laws -
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/england/north_yorkshire/4882020.stm

Now as far as I'm aware the subject of this post was not a military establishment so which law did she break ?

[WhiteTara]

32. 'Peace mom' convicted of trespassing

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/nation/4395247.html
NEW YORK — Cindy Sheehan, who emerged as one of the most vocal opponents of the Iraq war after her son was killed, was convicted Monday of trespassing for trying to deliver an anti-Iraq war petition to the U.S. Mission to the United Nations.

Sheehan and three other women were acquitted of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and obstructing government administration. They will not face punishment as long as they stay out of trouble for the next six months, and were ordered to pay $95 in court surcharges.

They had faced up to a year in jail if convicted of all counts.

"We should never have been on trial in the first place," Sheehan said in a statement. "It's George Bush and his cronies who should be on trial, not peaceful women trying to stop this devastating war. This verdict, however, will not stop us from continuing to work tirelessly to bring our troops home."
snip
After the verdict, the women immediately left the courthouse and headed for the U.S. Mission to redeliver the petitions and ask for an apology.
more
:patriot:

[EFerrari]

33. Kick @ss and take names, Ladies.

:rofl:

[izzie]

34. Had to come about.

--

[independentpiney]

41. Out of curiosity- where was she before Casey was killed?

Would she be doing what she's doing had he made it home safely? I appreciate what she did in 2005, but there seems to clearly be an element of selfishness involved. Hundreds of thousands of us opposed the war from the start, and not because we had close family members affected by it.

I find comparisons of her to Gandhi and MLK absurd to the point of almost being offensive.

[Kerrytravelers]

45. She has said publicly that she was against this war from the very beginning.

I've heard her speak live a number of times and this i what she maintains.

Would she be in the spotlight if Casey hadn't died? I think that a grieving mother makes for a flashier headline than an angry mom or a regular citizen. I also think she'd give up anything to have Casey back.

I'm not sure that's a fair question to ask simply because it is life's events make us who we are and propel our choices. Casey's death led her to become a grieving mother.

I don't find comparisons or likeness to other public figures as absurd or offensive simply because the presentation and our perception of her through the lens of modern media is quite different than our view of figures from the past through the interpretation of the media at the time.

I'm not quashing your opinions or attempting to flame, merely responding with thoughts from a different perspective.

kt

[noonwitch]

48. ITA about Ghandi and MLK

I thought that her protest during Bush's vacation was dead-on, but when the vacation was over....

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who feels this way.