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Cindy Sheehan's Political Agenda
excerpts from a column by Deda Divine. August 16, 2005
After several days of following the story of Cindy Sheehan's vigil in Crawford TX, I found out today that she has a "political agenda." I hear about "political agendas" now and again, usually when some politician or media pundit wants to smear another politician instead of responding to a particular issue. It seems to be kind of a "Get Out Of Jail Free" card for politicians, but I didn't realize that ordinary citizens, especially grief-stricken mothers, could have them.
I thought her agenda was simple and upfront. I've heard her speak and she's amazingly eloquent. With no Madison Avenue speechwriters polishing up soundbites for her, she is left to speak straight from her war-torn heart. And her words have resonated with people all across the country, and the world, because we all recognize the difference between the raw truth and a polished lie.
Cindy is sitting in a tent in a ditch in Texas with the simple agenda of meeting face to face with George Bush, and having him explain to her the "noble cause" for which he sent her son to die. If that is a political agenda, then sign me up because I, too, am waiting with the rest of America to hear an explanation of the noble cause. Cindy has said she doesn't want one more family to have to suffer the grief that her family and thousands of others have suffered for a war based on lies. And the lies keep on coming—as fast as they can spit them out they have to spin them away. 9/11 connection? A lie. Al Qaeda? A lie. WMDs? A lie. Aluminum tubes? A lie. Yellowcake from Niger? A lie. Democracy and freedom for Iraqis? A lie. Hell hath no fury like a mother lied to about the murder of her son.
It's a really simple thing, this political agenda, isn't it? Exercising our first-amendment right to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances? Demanding truth and accountability from those who are supposed to be representing us? That's a political agenda I'd like to see Congress take up. In fact, if Cindy Sheehan has one, maybe it's time for all of us to get one.
You have been reading a slightly condensed version of "The Political Agenda Of Cindy Sheehan" by Deda Divine. Deda is an artist, activist and mother living in Austin, Texas. She reached us by email at: whispcamp@hotmail.com
excerpts from a column by Deda Divine. August 16, 2005
After several days of following the story of Cindy Sheehan's vigil in Crawford TX, I found out today that she has a "political agenda." I hear about "political agendas" now and again, usually when some politician or media pundit wants to smear another politician instead of responding to a particular issue. It seems to be kind of a "Get Out Of Jail Free" card for politicians, but I didn't realize that ordinary citizens, especially grief-stricken mothers, could have them.
I thought her agenda was simple and upfront. I've heard her speak and she's amazingly eloquent. With no Madison Avenue speechwriters polishing up soundbites for her, she is left to speak straight from her war-torn heart. And her words have resonated with people all across the country, and the world, because we all recognize the difference between the raw truth and a polished lie.
Cindy is sitting in a tent in a ditch in Texas with the simple agenda of meeting face to face with George Bush, and having him explain to her the "noble cause" for which he sent her son to die. If that is a political agenda, then sign me up because I, too, am waiting with the rest of America to hear an explanation of the noble cause. Cindy has said she doesn't want one more family to have to suffer the grief that her family and thousands of others have suffered for a war based on lies. And the lies keep on coming—as fast as they can spit them out they have to spin them away. 9/11 connection? A lie. Al Qaeda? A lie. WMDs? A lie. Aluminum tubes? A lie. Yellowcake from Niger? A lie. Democracy and freedom for Iraqis? A lie. Hell hath no fury like a mother lied to about the murder of her son.
It's a really simple thing, this political agenda, isn't it? Exercising our first-amendment right to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances? Demanding truth and accountability from those who are supposed to be representing us? That's a political agenda I'd like to see Congress take up. In fact, if Cindy Sheehan has one, maybe it's time for all of us to get one.
You have been reading a slightly condensed version of "The Political Agenda Of Cindy Sheehan" by Deda Divine. Deda is an artist, activist and mother living in Austin, Texas. She reached us by email at: whispcamp@hotmail.com
