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I read your column about the "anti-war" movement and I can't believe I am saying this, but I mostly agree with you.Sheehan is responding to York's essay, "For the Left, War Without Bush is Not War at All."
The "anti-war" "left" was used by the Democratic Party. I like to call it the "anti-Republican War" movement.
While I agree with you about the hypocrisy of such sites as the DailyKos, I have known for a long time that the Democrats are equally responsible with the Republicans. That's why I left the party in May 2007 and that's why I ran for Congress against Nancy Pelosi in 2008.
I have my own radio show, "Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox," and I was out on a four-month book tour promoting the fact that it's not about Democrats or Republicans, but it's about the system.
Even if I am surrounded by a thousand, or no one, I am still working for peace.
Sincerely,
Cindy Sheehan
But see this morning's piece, "Sheehan: Pro-Obama Media Want the Anti-War Movement to Go Away":
This week ABC News anchorman Charles Gibson, who extensively covered anti-war protester Cindy Sheehan's demonstrations against George W. Bush in 2005, said "Enough already" when it comes to Sheehan's plans to protest next week at Martha's Vineyard, where President Barack Obama will be vacationing.Actually, we have had a couple of large protests this year, but they're not protests against the "regime" in Washington. They're protests against "the occupation of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Palestine." See, "Friday Protest in Los Angeles Against Gaza Assault." It's interesting that International ANSWER, the largest antiwar organization, which spearheaded dozens of nationwide protests against the Bush administration, has pretty much abandoned antiwar protests in favor gay marriage and immigration issues. And even when ANSWER has sponsored a major antiwar rally with President Obama in office, gone are the calls for war crimes trials and death to the "dictator" ... blah, blah, blah ...
Now Sheehan has responded. "I am sure that he just wants me to go away like most of the rest of the anti-war movement has done under the Obama presidency," Sheehan writes at her website.
Check the photo-essay from Ringo’s Pictures, "Anti-War Protest - Hollywood, CA on March 21, 2009." There are a couple shots of protesters carrying anti-Obama signs, but the post-Bush/Cheney antiwar movement has shifted to a more generic revolutionary agenda that eschews specific attacks on the current administration:
Related: And back to the left's double-standards in the war on terror, see Gateway Pundit, "Outrage! ... ACLU and Gitmo Lawyers Accused of Passing Personal Info About CIA Agents to Al-Qaeda ," Kim Priestap, "ACLU and Jihadi Defense Attorneys Expose Under Cover CIA Operatives to the Enemy, and the Washington Post, "Detainees Shown CIA Officers' Photos: Justice Dept. Looking Into Whether Attorneys Broke Law at Guantanamo."
Added: USA Today, "Martha's Vineyard abuzz about the Obamas" (via Memeorandum).
I think the antiwar movement has certainly both petered out a bit, and been ignored. It's a sad day when even the Democrats can't be trusted on the issue, but honestly that's nothing new.
ReplyDeleteSadly, we see mostly discredited socialist ideology participating in the antiwar movement. Surely there are reasons across the spectrum not to engage in unnecessary war. Still, at the same time, even most people who realize the Iraq war was a mistake of great proportions in the best case scenario also realize the need for stabilization before withdrawal.
Of course, the responsible ones among us acknowledged this when Bush was president and continue to do so now that Obama is. And we're seeing little less than Obama's announced policy on this issue at least, though other foreign policy and civil liberties issues (my personal reason for voting for him) have been woeful. I hope, though, that we will see responsible progress in the area. Otherwise, I don't know who will provide it.
Yip Yip. Antiwar.com is in deep trouble also. They can't raise enough money to stay afloat. I guess that Democratic wars are OK with true believers.
ReplyDeleteI feel some sorrow and piety for Cindy Sheehan. She has lost someone near and dear to her. Unfortunately she has allowed that grief to make her into a useful idiot.
ReplyDeleteLife is not easy and one has to make decisions on just how many people you want to see killed by terrorists and those that cannot stand free people vice the costs to the nation.
I would rather see the terrorists die than a vast number of Americans. This applies to those I disagree with on the Left even though they would gladly and with some relish love to see us die. Many of them will change their minds as they mature.
Many of those in these movement are the use full idiots who have not really thought out how life really works. Many will change as they age and take on maturity. Those that do not are and will become true evil.
I hope that Cindy Sheehan finds peace, but I think it will take a long time because she keeps her grief front and center. She will not change the world for the only difference between people in the past and people today is the technology that is now available. Evil does not go away and nor does the desire for power over others change.
Just look at the democrat party's attempt to control vast sectors of our country.