By: Mary Lyon

Let me jump in here directly at the top and explain this. Make no mistake: I fully support Cindy Sheehan, the brave mother whose precious son, Casey, was killed in Iraq in 2004. It is completely understandable and defensible why she didn’t make the most of her first (and so far only) meeting with George W. Bush mere weeks after hearing the awful news. She says she was shell-shocked. Heck, I certainly would be – the thought of losing a child is the thing I dread most in the world, as a mother. If it had been me, a year ago, I might have held my tongue to some extent, probably would have been awed and intimidated by the Office of the Presidency, and perhaps might have doubted it would do much good to speak my mind. I don’t know. I’m grateful I’m not in Cindy Sheehan’s shoes – then OR now.

One meeting, in this case, is NOT enough. Cindy Sheehan certainly deserves a better explanation than a callous drive-by while she stands with her protest sign in a ditch. She’s already sacrificed more for her country than Bush ever has or ever will. I stand with Cindy Sheehan, and all the other grieving mothers whose tears fill the graves into which their babies’ coffins are lowered – from this God-awful, deceitful, unnecessary war.

But, in a more conniving and calculating sense, I’m actually somewhat glad that Bush has avoided her. There’s a reason for this. It delights me when Bush does ANYTHING that makes him look bad. I hope he keeps doing it.

And THIS is exactly when he should keep doing it. Poll after prominent national poll is now telling the sad tale – that growing majorities of Americans are now against the war, think it was a mistake, that the loss of life wasn’t worth it, and that it’s NOT making us safer – all of which are true. Furthermore, according to additional polling data, a majority of Americans now also finds Bush untrustworthy, and think he, personally, is doing a poor job handling the miserable mess Iraq has become – also true. The numbers are tilting farther and farther against him every week. This is a good thing.

And now, we have Cindy Sheehan. A lone mother who decided to take a stand, her views reflecting the majorities in all those polls – wondering WHY her son died, and what this purported “noble cause” is that Bush keeps rhapsodizing about in between hems and haws and mispronunciations and malapropisms. She makes a MOST worthy point – if this cause is, indeed, so noble, why aren’t Drunk and Disorderly, the spoiled little Bush twins, out there leading the way? Is it not worthy enough for Jenna and Barbara to risk their coddled little necks? If that sacrifice is good enough for Cindy’s kid, why isn’t it good enough for George’s? And as Cindy stands out there, putting her entire life on hold to speak a truth from a hot, dusty road in Crawford, Texas, finally bringing some meaning to her son’s needless death, increasing numbers of activists and parents in mourning have joined her. More media people have, too, because despite what the “fair and balanced” crowd would like, she’s a story. She’s making noise, getting attention, and gaining support. HERS is the noble cause. And the headlines begin to read “President Defends Ignoring Mother” – EXCELLENT. I like statements that frame him as being on the defensive. Even as his war and his policies are indefensible.

I’m glad George hasn’t been able to carve out even a few minutes of his oh-so-busy five-week vacation to meet with her – to face her like a man. Maybe he’s scared? Maybe the proper cue-cards and buzz-phrases haven’t been fully crafted and crayoned onto little cowboy note cards for him yet. Maybe, since he doesn’t do funerals, either, he just isn’t into being photographed with a sad, mournful woman who isn’t properly dressed in her good Republican cloth coat. Maybe his dad told him it “wouldn’t be prudent” or something. Maybe he hasn’t been able to think up a good enough cutesy, folksy nickname to bestow upon her yet. Turd Blossom, after all, is already taken. Perhaps there aren’t enough Bible-thumpers positioned around him, ready with some of those fawning “town hall meeting” comments like “I just wanted to say how grateful I am that Jesus is in the White House…” Yeah, we need some of those on hand for George’s meeting with Cindy Sheehan. So it’ll all be “fair and balanced,” dontcha know?

The longer George runs for cover from Cindy Sheehan, the more it’s going to hurt him. The more you’ll have columnists like Maureen Dowd wondering publicly why his bike-riding and brush-clearing through Blissfully-Unawaresville are more important than a mother whose darling child has been ground up in the Iraqi meat-grinder. The more you’ll have polls tilting lopsidedly against the war Bush lied us into. The more other grieving mothers and fathers will find their way to Crawford (either literally or figuratively) to join her, because she’s giving them a voice. The more she will stick out, like a boil on Bush’s leg, swollen, and festering, like a sore that becomes more virulently infected. The more that infection will become toxic to Bush’s body politic.

The fact is, other republi-CONS are starting to notice. This is not going according to plan. We’re all supposed to be lockstep in support of Our President and Our Troops. The proof is supposed to be visible for all to see on the back of every car bumper in America – with one of those adorable yellow “Support Our Troops” or “God Bless America” magnets made in China. And we’re certainly not supposed to be questioning Our President. EVER. This shouldn’t be coming up in the newscasts and talk shows and editorial pages, or heaven forbid the front pages. Just shouldn’t! Cindy is hurting the war effort, after all. She’s supposed to be satisfied with her folded flag and fade away into silent obscurity.

Why should we have to deal with her anyway? After all, nobody ever had to suffer through seeing Casey Sheehan’s transfer tube arrive home at Dover Air Force Base, or his flag-draped coffin arrive at its final resting place. We’re all supposed to be spared that, and not get our hands dirty or worry our purty li’l heads about it. I mean, it’s not like we’re being asked to sacrifice anything for the war effort, the way our parents and grandparents were asked to do to support the troops during World War Two. Nobody’s urged any of us to plant a Victory Garden, or forgo stockings or sugar or gasoline, or obey curfews at a certain hour. Oh, heavens no! We’re all supposed to go shopping, and maybe bike-riding through our own Blissfully-Unawaresville, like our “Fearless Leader” likes to do so frequently. Besides, maybe if enough Loyal, Patriotic Americans ignore Cindy Sheehan, she and her complaints will just go away. Sacrifice? WHAT sacrifice? Let her and her son do the sacrificing so the rest of us can have a nice day. No muss, no fuss.

Fortunately, every day that Cindy Sheehan’s resolve keeps her and an expanding number of supporters out there at the end of His Lordship’s dusty Crawford driveway means at least someone in George’s corner will not have a nice day. None of those in his camp ever should have a nice day, for what they’ve done to America and to thousands of families like Cindy’s (either those mourning their dead, or those struggling to help their loved ones cope with fresh new amputations or other permanent injuries).

It’s because of what Cindy Sheehan is presently doing – that will ensure that Casey Sheehan and the other war casualties will not have died in vain. They deserve answers. They deserve the truth. So do we all. That’s the only way to honor them and their sacrifice. NO ONE should die for a lie. Cindy has stepped up and demanded accountability from Bush – something precious few others in this country have. Certainly the mainstream media has yet to do that, in any way. And just as Rosa Parks put a human face on the shameful inequalities foisted upon African Americans, just as that solitary Chinese man standing against four large, ferocious tanks put a human face on the disgrace of Tienanmen Square, Cindy Sheehan is giving a human face and clarion voice to the anti-Iraq war movement. She genuinely is OUR Fearless Leader, and she’s on her way to playing an increasingly large role in Junior’s legacy. George may continue to ignore her, but he does so at his own peril.

There is currently a fledgling movement to nominate Sheehan for a Nobel Peace Prize, and it’s my honor to spread that word around here, after finding it in the Democratic Underground: http://www.democraticunderground.com

The Nominators – Peace
Right to submit proposals for the Nobel Peace Prize, based on the principle of competence and universality, shall by statute be enjoyed by:

1. Members of national assemblies and governments of states;
2. Members of international courts;
3. University rectors; professors of social sciences, history, philosophy, law and theology; directors of peace research institutes and foreign policy institutes;
4. Persons who have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize;
5. Board members of organizations who have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize;
6. Active and former members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee; (proposals by members of the Committee to be submitted no later than at the first meeting of the Committee after February 1) and
7. Former advisers appointed by the Norwegian Nobel Institute.

The Nobel Peace Prize may also be awarded to institutions and associations.

Prize-Awarder: The Norwegian Nobel Committee, Oslo

http://nobelprize.org/peace/nomination/nominators.html

Nominations are made between September and February--the award is given to recipients after about a year's time.

http://nobelprize.org/peace/nomination /

The Norwegian Nobel Institute
The Nobel Peace Prize

Postal address: The Norwegian Nobel Institute, Drammensveien 19, NO-0255 Oslo, Norway
Street address: Drammensveien 19, Oslo
Tel. +47 (0)22 12 93 00
Fax +47 (0)22 12 93 10
E-mail: postmaster@nobel.no
Web site: The Norwegian Nobel Institute

Perhaps somebody here knows somebody, and could get the ball rolling on THIS most “noble cause.”… Let George keep on ignoring Cindy. The rest of us certainly don’t have to.

Visualize IMPEACHMENT.
Pass it on…

Mary Lyon spent the first 25 years of her adult life as a broadcast journalist, at Los Angeles radio stations KRTH-FM, KFWB-AM, KHJ-AM and KLOS-FM, the NBC, ABC, and RKO Radio Networks, plus KTLA-TV. She retired from day-to-day broadcasting in 1996, after covering Hollywood for nine years in radio, TV, and print, for the Associated Press. She wrote and illustrated "The Frazzled Working Woman's Practical Guide to Motherhood," and is presently at work on a new craft book for kids and friends. A lifelong Democrat who began her political involvement in the Student Coalition for Humphrey-Muskie, and Tom Bradley's first L.A. Mayoral campaign, Mary currently is a weekly columnist for www.democrats.us - from the Left.