I think politicians should stay away from Cindy and Camp Casey

[julialnyc]

The only negative press I saw on her today is her being aligned with the left (Joe Trippi phone call kept being mentioned). I think politicians should be very careful with how "involved" they get. I think it is perfectly fine to vocally give Cindy their support (they should), but I think they should leave the stage to her.

[steve2470]

1. i agree ! nt

[rodeodance]

2. I agree--this is from the ground up thing.

[hippiechick]

3. I agree

... she and her group should remain 'concerned citizens' so the spin machine cannot label her a 'tool of the Democratic party' which would allow the mainstream to write her off as 'just another stunt' against their 'fearless leader'.

She should be seen for what she is, an average citizen - a woman - a grieving mother whose life has been changed forever, speaking out against the reckless policies of this Administration.

It would give inspiration and power to so many others in her position, and that's where the anti-Bush groundswell needs to come from, IMO.


:hi:

[DistressedAmerican]

4. Absolutely. The Politicians Got Us Into This Mess And Have Had Lots

of time to address the situation.

Let them say nice supportive things from a distance if they are intersested. I think they have figured that out though. Well maybe not the support from a distance part. Most wouldn't be bothered...

[liberaliraqvet26]

5. I agree...

[Horse with no Name]

6. I disagree

I think EVERY American--politician or not--should support Cindy and her cause.
It's a catch-22.
If they don't come out and support her then people want to know why?
If they do come out and support her it just gives people something to bitch about.
To take our country back--we cannot exclude anyone. We'll even take politicians--even though I quit expecting good things from all but a handful of them.

[julialnyc]

10. That doesn't mean that they can't support her

They can send messages of support, phone calls (in private), monetary contributions (like anyone else, in private) and help get her message out, but they have to be very careful being partnered with her, because it not only looks very opportunistic, but it turn s off those who are just coming around to the fact that this is an insane war. We don't need anymore preaching to the choir, we need people to take their hands off of their ears.

[Horse with no Name]

11. You are correct

I just think if they want to come out and stand with the thousands of others that they are welcome.
But would be very insulted if they attempted to align themselves with her and use her for political gain.

[julialnyc]

13. Of course I agree that they would be welcomed but........

maybe it's me being pesimistic............. I CAN see politicians trying to use this to their advantage (and either way I think it would look like that).



I actually have two hard core republicans in my husbands family really following this story and not understanding why he won't meet with her. It's people like that that are actually listening for once and I'm afraid they might pull their blinders down again if they find her political (and they accuse everyone of being political.......... like typical repukes!)

[julialnyc]

7. this shouldn't be about democrat/republican....... and we need people to

and we need people to see that.............. we really need them to see that for the next election.

This isn't about democrat and republican this is about life and death.


People can identify with Cindy because she is a normal woman and they can't imagine being in her shoes with her loss. A politician takes away how much Cindy's life hits close to home with allot of people and perhaps will give some the compassion to see the human lives this president has irresponsibly cost so many. Casey has become a person with a mother who dearly loved him who lost his life because of a dangerous president. From now on the number of causalities won't just read a number near 1,900, they will imagine so many Casey's (all with grieving families and lives that didn't need to be lost).


People would have to have a heart of stone not to be touched by Cindy........... keep politicians away, her message speaks so much louder volumes without them.

[niallmac]

8. Agreed..

I would also like a new law that requires politicians to spend one week a year in Native American sweat houses and encounter groups led by professional mental health experts. I'm getting my representative to hide this in the pork barrel energy bill. :-)
edit- not sure this would be fair much less acceptable to Native Americans though.

[Al-CIAda]

9. Strategically, I'm inclined to agree as well. Voice support, defend

her against the liars in Shithouse, the but at this point it is best to keep it pure.

Just mho.

[wanpete]

12. agreed!

[renate]

14. I agree

Much of the beauty of what's going on is that it grew spontaneously and naturally from one mother's mission... if a politician horned in on this, it would take away from the purity of what is happening.

[julialnyc]

17. that's my feeling too

Also, you are hearing directly from families who lost loved ones and soldiers that have been there (or who are going), their voice is so much more powerful than all the politicians in office.

[DoYouEverWonder]

15. Strongly disagree

These are our elected representatives. They need to show the world that they stand with us.

[julialnyc]

16. but they can still do that

like they are doing now.... on tv shows, in letters written to the President............ but I think that making their visit be the news story will look like a photo-op. They have more power than anyone to help Cindy through their actions in the government and by pointing her story out from Washington.This story shouldn't be about them (which it would be if they went there).

[Dr Fate]

19. I agree- Support is great, but no camera hogs at Camp Casey!

!!!!

[julialnyc]

20. if any of the names that get tossed around for 08' show up

I'll be pissed

[Dr Fate]

18. I agree- she is getting coverage w/o "Star Democrats" n/t

n/t

[julialnyc]

21. snipped

This is why politicians shouldn't go. She shows the human cost rather than empty slogans:
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/oped/ci_2942184
Sheehan's vigil takes the war in Iraq out of the macro category that depends on repeated shibboleths "I support the troops," "The world is safer without Saddam Hussein," and "It is better to fight them over there than to have to fight them here," and places a human face on it.

The administration's efforts to forbid photos of bodies returning to Dover Air Force Base is no match for a mother who simply wants the president to explain why her son had to die.

I realize that Sheehan's actions fit neatly into the agenda of those who want to play "gotcha" politics. Thus, there is the uncontrollable desire to exploit her for political gain.

This, however, should not overshadow the tragic quagmire that was concocted by armchair hawks.

Sheehan's vigil is not simply calling the president on the carpet, she is holding up a mirror of self-reflection for all of us to examine. In May 2003, a Newsweek poll indicated that 69 percent of Americans approved of the president's handling of the war.

For the myriad reasons to justify the war, there can be no greater moral infraction by a country than to require that men and women give their lives for a cause where the approval could swing so violently in such a short time frame.

As Cindy Sheehan maintains her vigil outside the president's driveway, she reminds us through quiet courage that it is not just the president who owes her and the other families of the 1800-plus deceased soldiers an honest explanation.


Byron Williams is an Oakland pastor and syndicated columnist. E-mail him at [e-mail] or leave a message at 208-6417. Send a letter to the editor to [e-mail].