A Nation Still at War

by Cindy Sheehan
Oct. 09, 2006

While Democrats are jumping for joy and Republicans are scrambling like Keystone Kops and falling all over each other to cover their asses, 25 of our brave young children have been killed in Iraq.

While Democrats are busy counting their un-hatched chickens and Republicans are getting muscle cramps from pointing fingers at everyone, including the pages that Foley hunted down, but themselves, Congress was busy erasing from common law and our constitution our centuries old rights to habeas corpus. (If anyone thinks that this abomination will only extend to “terrorists”, I say: “how do you like living in fantasyland?”)

The Foleygate scandal may be the thing that finally brings the corrupt party of gloat and bloat down, but it should be Iraq. It should be suspending habeas corpus. It should be the lies and subsequent cover-ups of the lies that led to now 2738 of our young people coming home to 2738 families in flag-draped coffins; not the scandal and subsequent cover-up of Foley and his corruption.

The war, which was never a popular news story, has fallen far behind Foley in coverage. However, the most important and potentially damaging story of all: Congress voting, once again, to consolidate power in the executive branch, by giving BushCo power to imprison us without our due process, is not in the public awareness at all. I guess I should also be jumping for joy that something is bringing the party of the corporations and hypocrites down, but I feel molested and by the entire Congress. We the people who do feel violated by Congress and by this out of control administration know that Congress has been busy invalidating themselves during the past six years and it may be very hard to regain any power, because by George, George has already exonerated himself from the crimes against humanity he and the rest of the ne’er do well neocons have committed.

I read an article about a mother whose son was deployed to Iraq and he was to be home in December. He is one of the soldiers who has been killed this month. The poor mom was at home when her door bell rang, and she reports that she immediately knew (we all know) who was at her door and she started “screaming.” I have, unfortunately, been there and done that. I know what that mom has been going through since her son flew off to this misguided and evil occupation of Iraq. She has spent many sleepless nights and had many panic attacks and “unexplained” crying jags. She has been waiting for the other shoe to drop for almost a year. She started to relax just a little and she was planning for a joyous Christmas with her son finally home to rejoin the family. She knew that there would be some adjustment and awkwardness, but she knew that plenty of good food and motherly love would pull her son through the re-adjustment period. Well, that awful other shoe dropped and now her life is changed forever. She was looking forward to her son’s happy homecoming now all she can look forward to is a life of pain and longing.

25 families this month. 2000 since Casey was killed. 2600 since George declared “mission accomplished” on May 01, 2003. 3000 Iraqi families are devastated by we Americans every month. When will it end?

I wish I could say that I have confidence in our electoral process and in our Congress, but I don’t. I am naively hoping that the Democrats will take Congress back and George and his crime family will be held accountable, but given the fact that the Democrats haven’t really done anything for us in the past 6 years, I am not holding my breath.

Friend---it is going to take us (me and you) to effect any changes in this country. From the anti-slavery movement to the Civil Rights movement, to every good movement in between, it has been we the people demanding these changes and not resting until we got them. Good comes from the bottom up---crap rolls down hill. I am tired of getting crapped on by our government---when will it be enough for you? We are covered with crap and our leaders aren’t going to clean it up---we have to.

Gold Star Families for Peace is planning on convening on the White House on election day and the day after. We hope that there are enough Americans who are willing to stand up and be counted with us to demonstrate to BushCo and Congress, Inc. that we are tired of having our rights taken away from us faster than our bombs destroyed Babylon. We are tired of having our young people die and kill innocent people to enhance corporate America’s bottom line. We are tired of the constant drip, drip, drip of the wearing away of everything that we hold dear.

I withdrew my consent to be governed by maniacs long ago. I withdraw my consent to be hauled off to Guantanamo and be stashed away for matriotically dissenting from this crime-ridden regime.

Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired of the corruption and heartache? Show your discontent with us.

*There hasn’t been a constitutionally declared war since WWII---further evidence that Congress is invalid. George Bush is the dictator he always wanted to be---thanks to our representatives who we elect to protect our rights---not give them to someone who has proven to be irresponsible.
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Cindy Sheehan is the mother of Specialist Casey Austin Sheehan who was KIA by BushCo on 04/04/04. She is the founder of Gold Star Families for Peace and the author of three books, including: Peace Mom, A Mother’s Journey from Heartache to Activism.