Why is Sheehan an "anti-war activist" and not a "mother of slain soldier?"

[feistydem]

The media keep identifying Cindy as an "anti-war activist/protester" and are no longer referring to her as a mother who's son died fighting in Iraq. Don't get me wrong... I am all for anyone who's protesting this war --but being a "war protester" has been leveled to being nothing more than a lefty trouble-maker. Meanwhile, being a "patriot" seems to be a label used only for people who support the war.

Why can't we be both a patriot and still be against the war?

Cindy Sheehan is a true patriot, as far as I'm concerned. But our corporate media continues to bid for war profiteers (especially since so many of the media giants ARE war profiteers). I think they collectively do more damage to our democracy than any politician could do.

...I guess I am stating the obvious to my DU friends here.

TGFDU

:)


link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11120353

[mike_c]

1. props and sincere thanks to all lefty troublemakers....

Silence is complicity. :patriot:

[neverevergivein]

2. Next year, you can call her Senator!!! n/t

[AuntiBush]

3. ...

... because they're really not "mainstream" media spokespeople at all. Just hi-paid, political, right-wing pundits - opinion generators, nothing more.

Read real mainstream reporters articles. You'll read a whole 'nother tale.

[feistydem]

5. I don't read them, although I am aware of what they are saying

I'm also not mainstream --which leaves a large chunk of others in the middle. I bet a majority of the news-consuming public watch/read them, however. That's what concerns me. It doesn't matter much if we know how distorted the corporate news is because we read other sources if the majority of Americans are getting their news from these liars.

[babylonsister]

4. I'm a patriot, love and want our soldiers to come home, but

despise this war. I also went to see Cindy in Crawford, and agree this president is inept, as is his admin.
We all have lots of problems domestically, but...
Bring our soldiers home now!!!!

[Stinky The Clown]

6. Consider who's purposes are being served by the pronouncer of that

description and you have your answer.

[TechBear_Seattle]

7. "Mother of slain solder" might evoke sympathy and/or empathy

And the Thought Police won't allow any such emotion to infect the Loyal Party Members.

[beaconess]

8. Because there are thousands of mothers of slain soldiers but

Cindy's claim to fame is that she is actively protesting the war - antiwar activist is the perfect description.

[feistydem]

9. I disagree. There are fewer mothers of slain soldiers than there are

anti-war protestors. I stood with thousands of protestors. Her position as a mother of a slain soldier standing against this war is much more unique.

[beaconess]

12. Every story I've seen about her refers to the fact that her son was killed

It's not like they're keeping it a secret. But it's very logical to refer to her as an anti-war protester. Even Cindy's own supporters refer to her as an anti-war protester. She was recently on a panel that I attended and that's how she was described - and she seemed perfectly fine with it.

[feistydem]

16. Keeping in mind that the other definition is probably painful for her

I still think it's the defining event that brought her to this place in history that is being footnoted instead of discussed front and center. Without the fact of her son's death, she could very well play no more a role in history than you or me.

[Neil Lisst]

10. Here's an AP story I found on it.

Police remove Sheehan from Bush address
Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a fallen soldier in Iraq who reinvigorated the anti-war movement, was taken into custody by police in the House gallery Tuesday night just before President Bush's State of the Union address.Police escorted Sheehan from the visitors' gallery above the House chamber after causing a disruption, said a Capitol Police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the incident were sketchy.

Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., had invited Sheehan to the address as her guest. "I'm proud that Cindy's my guest tonight," Woolsey said in an interview before the speech. "She has made a difference in the debate to bring our troops home from Iraq."

Woolsey offered Sheehan a ticket to the speech — Gallery 5, seat 7, row A — earlier Tuesday while Sheehan was attending an "alternative state of the union" press conference by CODEPINK, a group promoting the end of the Iraq war.

Sheehan was arrested in September with about 300 other anti-war activists in front of the White House after a weekend of protests against the war in Iraq. In August, she spent 26 days camped near Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, where he was spending a working vacation.

[Neil Lisst]

11. details are sketchy? caused a disturbance? friggin fascist liars

Read the article and you'll see how they have completely left out the key details and made it sound like she started a commotion.

[jarjarbinksisgod]

14. sadly...

they're probably getting all of their info from the capitol police (the same people who initially -- apparently incorrectly -- said she unfurled a banner and caused a disruption).

[feistydem]

13. Now if only the headline was: Mother of Dead Soldier Arrested at SOTU

I'm glad AP hasn't forgotten what brought her to this point in history. Thanks for the sleuthing.

[Silverhair]

15. It is more descriptive.

A "Mother of a Slain Soldier" can also be RW.

[feistydem]

17. I don't see that possibility in this context. She was arrested for wearing

a t-shirt that numbered the American war dead at the SOTU. How could the RW spin that in their favor? They had to reduce her to a pesky protestor to get away with it and the media lent them a helping hand (again).