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{{short description|American antiwar activist}} | |||
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| image = Cindy Sheehan at White House.jpg | |||
{{current}} | |||
| caption = Sheehan gives the peace sign in front of the White House in 2006. | |||
] t-shirt (Photo: Jacob Appelbaum)]] | |||
| birth_name = Cindy Lee Miller | |||
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1957|07|10}} | |||
| birth_place = ], U.S. | |||
| death_date = | |||
| death_place = | |||
| alma_mater = ]<br>] | |||
| occupation = Activist | |||
| party = ] (before 2007)<br />] (2007–2010)<br />] (2010–present) | |||
| spouse = | |||
| children = 4 | |||
| imagesize = 200px | |||
}} | |||
'''Cindy Lee Sheehan''' ({{nee}} Miller; born July 10, 1957) is an American anti-war activist,<ref name=Geraghty>Geraghty, Jim (2011-05-02). ''National Review''. Retrieved May 2, 2011.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/daily-dish/archive/2010/09/cindy-sheehan-truther/181881/|title=Cindy Sheehan, Truther|website=]|date=28 September 2010}}</ref> whose son, ] ] Casey Sheehan, was ] during the ]. She attracted national and international media attention in August 2005 for her extended antiwar protest at a ] outside President ]'s ]—a stand that drew both passionate support and criticism. Sheehan ran unsuccessfully for ] in 2008. She was a vocal critic of President ]'s ]. Her memoir, ''Peace Mom: A Mother's Journey Through Heartache to Activism'', was published in 2006. In an interview with '']'' in 2017, Sheehan continued to hold her critical views towards George W. Bush, while also criticizing the militarism of ].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lewis |first1=Matt |title=Cindy Sheehan: 'Bush Was No Better' Than Donald Trump |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/cindy-sheehan-bush-was-no-better-than-donald-trump |access-date=8 January 2019 |work=The Daily Beast |date=24 October 2017 |language=en}}</ref> | |||
Sheehan was the ] of the ],<ref name="trending">{{cite news | url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/05/america-one-step-closer-to-president-roseanne/ | title=TRENDING: America one step closer to President Roseanne | publisher=CNN | date=August 5, 2012 | access-date=August 5, 2012 | author=Yoon, Robert | archive-date=November 15, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121115200358/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/05/america-one-step-closer-to-president-roseanne/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> and received 1.2% of the statewide vote in the ].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-cindy-sheehan-jerry-brown-governor-20130827,0,6554578.story | work=Los Angeles Times | first=Anthony | last=York | date=2013-08-27 | title=Cindy Sheehan announces run for California governor}}</ref> | |||
'''Cindy Lee Miller Sheehan''' (born ], ] in ]) is an ] anti-] ] who attracted international attention in ] for her extended ] at a ] outside ] ]'s ]. She is sometimes referred to by the media as the "'''Peace Mom'''". | |||
== |
==Early life== | ||
Cindy Sheehan was born '''Cindy Lee Miller''' in ], in 1957. Her father worked at the ] while her mother raised her family. Sheehan graduated with honors from ] and studied history at ]. She worked as a ] at St. Mary's Catholic Church in ] for eight years, and also coordinated an after-school program for at-risk ] children for the City of ]. | |||
Sheehan is the mother of the late ] ], who first joined the ] in May ]. He re-enlisted in August ], at the age of 24. Casey was killed in action on ], ], just five days after his arrival in ], ], during the ]. Casey had volunteered for a rescue mission in which he and several others were killed. Casey was ]ly awarded the ] and the ] . | |||
==Casey Sheehan== | |||
The family was active in the ] church in ], and then in ] where Cindy Sheehan as a youth minister at St. Mary's Church . | |||
] | |||
Casey Austin Sheehan (May 29, 1979 – April 4, 2004) was a ] in the ] who was killed during combat action while serving in the Iraq War. | |||
===Military service=== | |||
==Sheehan's campaign against the Iraq War== | |||
In May 2000, Casey Sheehan enlisted in the ] as a light-wheeled vehicle mechanic, ]. It has been reported that he may have considered enlisting as a chaplain assistant | |||
Sheehan has stated that she has "always been a ]," and had initially questioned the urgency of the ], but did not become active in the anti-war effort until after her son's death . | |||
]. <!-- citation overlinked --> (Sheehan had acted as an ] during the ] mass on the morning of his death).<ref>, '']'', February 22, 2005</ref> | |||
Near the end of his active service, the ] began. Sheehan reenlisted, knowing that his unit would be sent there.<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170307193953/http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=1860 |date=2017-03-07 }}, ''American Chronicle''</ref> Sheehan's division, the ], was sent to Iraq. On March 19, 2004, Sheehan's Battery C, 1st Battalion, ], arrived at ] ] in ]. On April 4, 2004, Sheehan was killed in action after volunteering to be part of a ] to rescue American troops in the "Black Sunday" incident that began the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/inside-ambush-black-sunday/story?id=50962302|title=Inside the ambush known as Black Sunday|website=ABC News}}</ref> | |||
], ] on ], ]. (Photo: Jeff Patterson)]] | |||
===Burial=== | |||
Sheehan and other military families met with President George W. Bush in ] at ], near ], nearly three months after her son's death. In a ], ] interview with the Vacaville ''Reporter'' published soon after the meeting, she expressed concerns about the President's having changed justifications for war "every time a reason is proven false or an objective reached," as well as the way the war had been handled, but also told the reporter that President Bush was "...sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis...I know he's sorry and feels some pain for our loss. And I know he's a man of faith." | |||
Casey Sheehan is buried in Vacaville-Elmira Cemetery in ]. In May 2006, the tombstone that Casey's family had been designing and commissioned was finally ready and placed at Casey's grave. Cindy Sheehan paid for the tombstone herself, which is normally the case, stating, "It is important for the rest of Casey's family to have one.... I guess the pain of seeing it etched in marble that he is dead is another pain I will have to deal with." Cindy Sheehan maintains that the U.S. government "should have paid for it because of its responsibility for his death." The Sheehan family did not want the furnished monument that the government provides because it didn't reflect Casey's entire life or personality. | |||
On ], ] she was again interviewed by a local paper in Fort Lewis, Washington, regarding her meeting with President Bush, this time describing it as "one of the most disgusting experiences I ever had and it took me almost a year to even talk about it." She described President Bush as being "detached from humanity" and said that "his mouth kept moving, but there was nothing in his eyes or anything else about him that showed me he really cared or had any real compassion at all." She continued, "He didn’t even know our names," asking "Who we'all honorin' here today?" when he first entered the room, and then referring to her as "Ma" or "Mom". | |||
===Legacy=== | |||
Sheehan gave another interview on ], ] stating that she did not understand the reasons for the Iraq invasion and never thought that ] posed an imminent threat to the United States. She further stated that her son's death had compelled her to speak out against what she feels to be an unjust war, in order to help to bring the troops home and hold politicians accountable . | |||
Casey Sheehan was awarded the ] and ] with V for Valor posthumously for his actions April 4, 2004.<ref name="Black5">, ''] blog''</ref> The chapel at ] started a new ] chapter that was named the Specialist Casey Austin Sheehan Council.<ref> {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080519215203/http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/081305B.shtml |date=May 19, 2008 }}, '']'', August 13, 2005</ref> | |||
==Antiwar campaign== | |||
During the Presidential Inauguration in January, 2005, Cindy traveled to Washington D.C. to speak at the opening of Eyes Wide Open: the Human Cost of War, a traveling exhibition created by the American Friends Service Committee that displays pairs of combat boots to represent every U.S. military casualty. There she met other families who lost loved ones in Iraq, and together they discussed the need to create an organization for similiar familes. Cindy wrote about the experience in a commentary article . She was also a featured speaker when the exhibition opened in San Diego in March, 2005 and traveled with the exhibition other locations. "Behind these boots is one broken-hearted family," she stated as she donated her son Casey's boots to travel with Eyes Wide Open when it stopped in San Francisco later that month . | |||
] on October 2, 2004.]] | |||
Sheehan has said she initially questioned the urgency of the invasion of Iraq but did not become active in the antiwar effort until after her son's death.<ref name=buzzflash410>{{cite web| url=http://www.buzzflash.com/interviews/04/10/int04050.html| publisher=BuzzFlash| work=BuzzFlash Interviews| title=Cindy Sheehan Is Working To Bring Our Troops Home: "Mr. President. You have daughters. How would you feel if one of them was killed?"| date=2004-10-07| access-date=2007-04-08| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070423184537/http://www.buzzflash.com/interviews/04/10/int04050.html| archive-date=2007-04-23| url-status=dead}}</ref> Sheehan and other military families met with President ] in June 2004 at ], near ], about three months after her son's death. In a June 24, 2004, interview with the ], published soon after the meeting, she stated, "We haven't been happy with the way the war has been handled. The president has changed his reasons for being over there every time a reason is proven false or an objective reached." She also stated that President Bush was "sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis. I know feels pain for our loss. And I know he's a man of God."<ref>{{Cite news| last = Henson | first = David | title = Bush, Sheehans share moments | newspaper = ] | location = Vacaville, CA | date = 2004-06-24 }}</ref> Sheehan gave another interview on October 4, 2004, stating that she did not understand the reasons for the Iraq invasion and never thought that Iraq posed an imminent threat to the United States. She further stated that her son's death had compelled her to speak out against the war.<ref name=buzzflash410 /> | |||
Sheehan is one of the nine founding members of ], an organization founded in ] that seeks to end the occupation of Iraq and provide support for families of fallen soldiers. As of August 2005, at least 63 other relatives of fallen soldiers are listed as members. | |||
For the ], Sheehan traveled to Washington, D.C. to speak at the opening of "Eyes Wide Open: the Human Cost of War," a traveling exhibition created by the ] that displays pairs of combat boots to represent U.S. military casualties.<ref name="Buzzflash02-05">{{cite web| url=http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/05/02/con05067.html| first=Cindy| last=Sheehan| publisher=BuzzFlash| work=BuzzFlash Reader Contribution| title=1492 Empty Pairs of Boots| date=2005-02-28| access-date=2007-04-08| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070329131333/http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/05/02/con05067.html| archive-date=2007-03-29| url-status=dead}}</ref> She also traveled with the exhibition to other locations and donated her son Casey's boots, stating, "Behind these boots is one broken-hearted family."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.catholicpeacefellowship.org/nextpage.asp?m=2107 |title=Anti-war memorial stirring passions among parents |publisher=Catholicpeacefellowship.org |date=2005-03-10 |access-date=2010-04-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url= http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/03/26/BAGTBBV26U1.DTL| first=Joe| last=Garofoli| publisher=San Francisco Chronicle| title = Empty boots are silent testament to war's toll| date=2005-03-26| access-date=2007-04-08}}</ref> Sheehan was one of the nine founding members of ], an organization she created in January 2005 with other families she met at the inauguration. It seeks to end ], and provides support for families of soldiers killed in Iraq.<ref name="Buzzflash02-05"/><ref>Michael A. Fletcher, , ], August 13, 2005.</ref> | |||
Although she had spoken publicly against the Iraq war and occupation since 2004, Sheehan gained national attention in early ] when she traveled to President Bush's ] just outside ], during his five-week vacation retreat there. Demanding a second meeting with the President and an explanation of the "noble cause" for which her son died , she created a ] called ] by pitching a tent by the side of the road and announced her intention to stay, day and night, for the full five weeks, or until such a meeting is granted. She has also promised that, if she is not granted a second meeting, she will return to Crawford each time Bush visits there in the future . Toward the end of her ], she said she was "very, very, very grateful" Bush did not grant her that meeting because it would have ended the momentum the ] gained from the popularity of her vigil . | |||
Sheehan gained international attention in early August 2005, when she traveled to President Bush's ], just outside ], demanding a second meeting with the President.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/06/AR2005080601337.html| newspaper=The Washington Post |title= Mother of Fallen Soldier Protests at Bush Ranch| date=2005-08-07| access-date=2011-08-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veteransforpeace.org/convention05/sheehan_transcript.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061101054305/http://www.veteransforpeace.org/convention05/sheehan_transcript.htm| archive-date=2006-11-01| title= Cindy Sheehan Address Veterans For Peace Convention, August 5, 2005| access-date=August 22, 2011}}</ref> She told members of ], "I'm gonna say, 'And you tell me, what the noble cause is that my son died for.' And if he even starts to say freedom and democracy, I'm gonna say, bullshit. You tell me the truth. You tell me that my son died for oil. You tell me that my son died to make your friends rich.... You tell me that, you don't tell me my son died for freedom and democracy." She also vowed not to pay her federal income tax for 2004 because that was the year her son was killed. | |||
Sheehan's actions have led supporters such as ], ] of the ], to describe her as "the ] of the ]." Later during the demonstration, Sheehan also gained the label of "Peace Mom" from the mainstream media . Some far-right pundits have likened her dissent to an act of treason | |||
. | |||
=== |
===Camp Casey=== | ||
{{Main|Camp Casey, Crawford, Texas}} | |||
In her anti-war speeches and writings, Sheehan is blunt and often vitriolic, a characteristic that has been noted by observers on both the left and right, and which Sheehan herself does not deny . Some of her statements have caused controversy. | |||
On August 6, 2005, Sheehan arrived at the ] on a bus full of combat veterans, including Desert Storm Veteran Dennis Kyne and ]. They marched along a dirt road in the direction of The Bush Ranch. Stalled by law enforcement from walking all the way to the front door because the group refused to march as ordered in the Barr ditch, she created a makeshift camp that would be remembered as the "ditch". Three miles (5 km) from President Bush's Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas, Sheehan announced her intention to stay (sleeping in a ] at night) until she was granted a face-to-face meeting with the president.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kcentv.com/news/c-article.php?cid=1&nid=7708|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070624205253/http://www.kcentv.com/news/c-article.php?cid=1&nid=7708|url-status=dead|title=Mom of soldier killed in Iraq stages protest near Bush's ranch|archive-date=June 24, 2007}}</ref> Sheehan started her protest the day the president started a planned five-week vacation. The encampment was publicized widely on behalf of Gold Star Families for Peace and ]. A few days later, the media began referring to Sheehan's camp as "]."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.khou.com/news/state/stories/khou050808_gj_outwornwelcome.54eae939.html |title=Grieving mom may have worn out welcome outside Bush's ranch |access-date=2010-04-10 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080324012123/http://www.khou.com/news/state/stories/khou050808_gj_outwornwelcome.54eae939.html |archive-date = March 24, 2008}}</ref> ] | |||
Sheehan spent most of the next four weeks in Crawford, drawing global media coverage.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Engler |first=Mark |last2=Engler |first2=Paul |date=2024-08-19 |title=How to Make Sure Your Disruptive Protest Helps Your Cause |url=https://commonslibrary.org/how-to-make-sure-your-disruptive-protest-helps-your-cause/ |access-date=2024-09-14 |website=The Commons Social Change Library |language=en-AU}}</ref> On some days as many as 1,500 supporters visited Camp Casey,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050813/APN/508130949&cachetime=3&template=dateline |title=Tuscaloosa News |publisher=Tuscaloosa News |access-date=2010-04-10 |archive-date=2009-06-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611100909/http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050813/APN/508130949&cachetime=3&template=dateline |url-status=dead }}</ref> including members of the ], as well as several notable actors, singers, and ] activists. | |||
Of greatest controversy is an incident about which Sheehan's detractors claim she has lied. In March, 2005, ] sent an e-mail, written by Sheehan, to ABC's '']'' that allegedly included the statements that Casey "was killed for lies and for a ] Neo-Con agenda to benefit Israel" and that he had "joined the Army to protect America, not Israel." Sheehan claims that the email was modified by James Morris to support his own personal agenda, and that she did not write the statements about Israel and a "PNAC Neo-con agenda." However, James Morris denies altering the email before sending it along to '']'' on Sheehan's behalf (per her request for him to do so). Two other individuals, ] and ], received a copy of Sheehan's email directly from her; both claim that the e-mail they received is consistent with Morris's story, rather than Sheehan's. Tersch posted the to the "bullyard" Google group . Opponents of Sheehan assert that this essentially proves that she has repeatedly lied about the content of her original e-mail. | |||
Gold Star Families for Peace, of which Sheehan is a founding member, released a TV commercial featuring Sheehan, broadcast on Crawford and ] cable channels near Bush's ranch.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thenewswire/archive/2005/08/gold-star-families-for-pe_5552.html |title=Gold Star Families For Peace Launches New Ad Supporting Cindy Sheehan |publisher=Huffingtonpost.com |date=2005-08-12 |access-date=2010-04-10 |first=Alex |last=MacCallum}}</ref> The group conducted a walk to a police station just outside Bush's ranch and delivered a bundle of oversized letters written by them to First Lady ], appealing to her as a mother to support their movement.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?bicode=060000&biid=2005082014748 |title=Please Convince the President, First Lady Laura Bush |publisher=English.donga.com |date=2005-08-20 |access-date=2010-04-10}}</ref> | |||
Sheehan also gave a speech on ] ], at the Veterans for Peace convention in Texas, stating, "You get America out of Iraq, you get Israel out of Palestine". | |||
On August 16, Sheehan moved her camp closer to the Bush ranch after being offered the use of a piece of land owned by a supporter, Fred Mattlage.<ref>{{cite web|last=Brown |first=Angela |title=Neighbor Allows War Protesters to Camp on his Land |work=Common Dreams.org / AP |date=2005-08-17 |url=http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0817-06.htm |access-date=2011-10-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130617011936/http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0817-06.htm |archive-date=2013-06-17 }}</ref> | |||
In a letter to author ], she stated, "And most importantly and devastatingly, this war is based on lies and betrayals. Not one American soldier, nor one Iraqi should have been killed. Common sense would dictate that not one more person should be killed for lies. One of the people, my son, was more than enough for me and my family. I will live in unbearable pain until I die. First of all, because my first born was killed violently, and second of all, because he was killed for a neo-con agenda that only benefits a very chosen few in this world. This agenda and their war machine will chew up and spit out as many of our children as they can unless we stop them now." | |||
In late August, Sheehan stated that she would continue to campaign against the Iraq war even if granted a meeting with Bush. She also announced the ], to depart on September 1 and arrive in Washington, D.C., on September 24 for three days of demonstrations. The tour, which covered 42 cities in 26 states, was publicized by the Mintwood Media Collective, and garnered international media coverage. On the third day, Sheehan and about 370 other antiwar activists were arrested for demonstrating on the White House sidewalk.<ref>, Washington Post, September 27, 2005</ref> | |||
In a column relating her experience on a ], ] '']'' show, Sheehan described President Bush as having "moronic and callous foreign policies" and said Senator ] "fell in lockstep behind his Führer." She said, "this war is a catastrophe" and "we should bring the troops home and quit forcing the Iraqi people to pay for our government's hubris and quit forcing innocent children to suffer so we can allegedly fight terrorism somewhere besides America. How absolutely racist and immoral is it to take America's battles to another land and make an entire country pay for the crimes of others? To me, this is blatant genocide." | |||
Sheehan's actions led supporters such as ], CEO of the ], to describe her as "the ] of the antiwar movement."<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.bloggernews.net/showstory.asp?page=blognews/stories/UP0000471.txt| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060509222713/http://www.bloggernews.net/showstory.asp?page=blognews%2Fstories%2FUP0000471.txt| archive-date=2006-05-09| title=Cindy Sheehan's Iraq War Protest: A Woman Scorned| access-date=2011-08-22| url-status=usurped}}</ref> Sheehan also gained the label of "Peace Mom" from the mainstream media.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/08/18/crawford.protest/| first=Bash, Dana| last=Meucci, Jason| publisher=CNN| title=Sheehan leaves antiwar camp| date=2005-08-19| access-date=2007-04-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Sean Alfano |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/joan-baez-joins-peace-moms-cause/ |title=Joan Baez Joins Peace Mom's Cause |publisher=Cbsnews.com |date=2005-08-22 |access-date=2010-04-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-08-24-peacemom-returns_x.htm?csp=34 |title='Peace Mom' returns to Texas to continue anti-war protest |publisher=Usatoday.com |date=2005-08-24 |access-date=2010-04-10}}</ref> | |||
In an ], ] interview on ]'s '']'', Sheehan told Matthews that she thought she would not have responded differently to her son's death had he died in ] rather than in Iraq. Sheehan argued that the ] was "almost the same thing" as the Iraq war and that in both cases it was wrong to invade an entire country to fight an ideology that did not necessarily represent all of the people of that country. When Matthews pointed out that "...Afghanistan was harboring, the ] was harboring ] which is the group that attacked us on 9/11," Sheehan replied, "Well then we should have gone after Al-Qaeda and maybe not after the country of Afghanistan." Sheehan also argued that American efforts in Afghanistan were not "having any success" and that "our troops should be brought home ." | |||
==Political activism== | |||
In a speech given on ], ] at San Francisco State University, Sheehan is quoted as stating "We are not waging a war on terror in this country. We’re waging a war of terror. The biggest terrorist in the world is George W. Bush." Similarly, Sheehan wrote that "Casey was killed in the Global War '''''Of''''' Terrorism waged on the world and its own citizens by the biggest terrorist outfit in the world: George and his destructive Neo-con cabal." Sheehan also claimed that "We (the United States) are waging a nuclear war in Iraq right now.". | |||
In September 2005, Sheehan moved into the ], home of ] and Virginia Pearcy,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/article.cfm?archiveDate=10-18-05&storyID=22543|title=Cindy Sheehan Moves to Berkeley, Joins Call for National Guard Return By RICHARD BRENNEMAN. Category: Features from The Berkeley Daily Planet|first=Berkeley Daily Planet, Berkeley|last=California}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/03/19/INGEQHOQAA1.DTL&type=printable|title=THE DEFIANT WAR / When it began three years ago, few people could have anticipated that the combat in Iraq would last so long or that the enemy would become a stubborn and resilient insurgency / Cindy Sheehan's year of living famously|newspaper=Sfgate |date=19 March 2006 |last1=Haddock |first1=Vicki }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.law.com/jsp/llf/PubArticleLLF.jsp?id=1188982955198|title=Law.com|accessdate=25 February 2024}}</ref> where she lived for just over a year, during which time she wrote two books. Also that month, Sheehan met with Senator ], and later called him a "warmonger."<ref>{{Cite news | last = House | first = Billy | title = 'Peace Mom' Assails McCain | newspaper = Arizona Republic | url = http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0928mccain-sheehan.html | access-date = 2011-08-22}}</ref> Between 2005 and 2007, Sheehan attended several antiwar events in ] organized by the Pearcys.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/Content?oid=234393 |title=SN&R > Local Stories > The Cindy Sheehan show > 11.02.06 |date=November 2006 |publisher=Newsreview.com |access-date=2010-04-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=semp |url=http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2005/10/15/17748051.php |title=Anti War Pics from Sacramento 10 15 05 |publisher=Indybay |date=2005-10-15 |access-date=2010-04-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Pearcy |first=Stephen |url=http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/01/15/18347484.php |title=Cindy Sheehan to attend two BIG events Friday in Sacramento |publisher=Indybay |date=2007-01-15 |access-date=2010-04-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/Content?oid=271454 |title=SN&R > Columns > Bites > The party's over > 01.25.07 |date=24 January 2007 |publisher=Newsreview.com |access-date=2010-04-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Pearcy |first=Stephen |url=http://sfbay.indymedia.org/newsitems/2007/05/06/18410720.php |title=Sheehan and Others Converge Upon Matsui's Home : Indybay |publisher=Sfbay.indymedia.org |date=2007-05-06 |access-date=2010-04-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Pearcy |first=Stephen |url=http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/10/30/18324976.php |title=Democratic Congressional Candidate's Wife Asks Sheehan Not To Protest Iraq War |publisher=Indybay |date=2006-10-30 |access-date=2010-04-10}}</ref> Also in September 2005, the Bring Them Home Now Tour was organized by Gold Star Families for Peace, ], Military Families Speak Out, and ]. Inspired by Sheehan and frequently including Sheehan as a speaker, it was a rolling antiwar protest against the Iraq War, beginning in ], traveling three routes across the country (with rallies along the way) and culminating in a rally in Washington, D.C., later in September 2005. | |||
On October 24, 2005, Sheehan said that she planned to speak at the White House and then tie herself to the fence.<ref>{{cite news |author=Kristen Lombardi |url=http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0543,lombardiqa,69280,2.html |title=Mother of All Protesters |publisher=Villagevoice.com |date=2005-10-18 |access-date=2010-04-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829185044/http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0543%2Clombardiqa%2C69280%2C2.html |archive-date=2008-08-29 }}</ref> She and 28 others were arrested in a sit-in at the White House on October 26.<ref>Henri E. Cauvin, , ], November 18, 2005.</ref> | |||
In an interview given to Mark Knoller of CBS, Sheehan states her belief that the Iraq War has made terrorism worse and referred to the foreign insurgents coming to Iraq as "freedom fighters". "But now that we have decimated the country, the borders are open, freedom fighters from other countries are going in..." | |||
Sheehan visited London in early December 2005 and was interviewed by ]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/2005_49_fri_05.shtml?wkp |title=On her son's death and meeting Mr Bush |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |access-date=2010-04-10 |archive-date=2011-06-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629055445/http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/2005_49_fri_05.shtml?wkp |url-status=dead }}</ref> and by '']''.<ref>{{cite news|author=Duncan Campbell |url=https://www.theguardian.com/antiwar/story/0,,1663388,00.html |title='I feel I'm carrying the world on my shoulders' |publisher=Guardian |date= 2005-12-09|access-date=2010-04-10 | location=London}}</ref> On December 10, Sheehan addressed the ], organized by the ]. Later in the evening, she attended the London Premiere of '']'', a play written by ] about her,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dariofo.it/files/peace%20mom%20FoRame%20(English).pdf |title=PDF |access-date=2010-04-10 |archive-date=2009-09-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090928174107/http://www.dariofo.it/files/peace%20mom%20FoRame%20(English).pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> in which the role of Sheehan was played by ]. On December 13, Sheehan traveled to Ireland, where she met Irish Foreign Affairs Minister ]. She voiced her objection to U.S. aircraft refueling at ], stating, "Your government, even though they didn't send troops to Iraq, are complicit in the crimes by allowing the planes to land and refuel."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=672721 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060220131638/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=672721 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2006-02-20 |title=Belfast Telegraph |publisher=Belfast Telegraph |access-date=2010-04-10 }}</ref> | |||
On ], Sheehan wrote that "George is finished playing golf and telling his fables in San Diego, so he will be heading to Louisiana to see the devastation that his environmental policies and his killing policies have caused. Recovery would be easier and much quicker if almost ½ of the three states involved National Guard were not in Iraq." | |||
On January 31, 2006, Sheehan wore a T-shirt reading "2,245 Dead. How many more?" to Bush's ] address and was removed and arrested by Capitol Police.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/01/31/sheehan.arrest/index.html |title=Activist Sheehan arrested in House gallery |publisher=Cnn.com |access-date=2010-04-10}}</ref> | |||
On ], Sheehan likened the National Guard presence in New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina relief to that of occupied Iraq stating, "George Bush needs to stop talking, admit the mistakes of his all around failed administration, pull our troops out of occupied New Orleans and Iraq, and excuse his self from power." | |||
On ], Sheehan wrote "I am watching ] and it is 100 percent ]... even though it is a little wind and a little rain... it is bad, but there are other things going on in this country today... and in the world!" | |||
], May 2006.]] | |||
On ], Sheehan gave a speech at a rally in San Francisco, where she stated "The people that are being killed in Iraq are not terrorists." | |||
On March 7, 2006, Sheehan was arrested in New York "after blocking the door to the U.S. Mission to the ] offices" during a protest with Iraqi women against the war.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna11706772 |title=Cindy Sheehan arrested during NYC protest |work=NBC News |date=2006-03-07 |access-date=2010-04-10}}</ref> | |||
Sheehan and Gold Star Families for Peace were awarded the 'Domestic Human Rights Award' by ], an international human rights organization based in San Francisco. | |||
==Reactions== | |||
===The White House=== | |||
On ] ], Sheehan met with two high-level Bush administration officials, National Security Adviser ] and deputy ] ]. According to ''The New York Times'' (] ]) the meeting lasted 45 minutes. The ''Times'' also reported that Ms. Sheehan told the two officials she appreciated their meeting with her. After the interview she said, "I think they thought I'd be very impressed and intimidated that these two high-level officials came to talk to this little grieving mother, and that I'd leave." | |||
Several organizations planned a ] to begin on July 4, 2006;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://troopshomefast.org |title=troopshomefast.org |publisher=troopshomefast.org |date=2006-07-04 |access-date=2010-04-10}}</ref> Sheehan stated she would participate. On July 5, Sheehan appeared on ]'s '']'' to discuss the war and her upcoming hunger strike. On the show, she called Bush "the biggest ] in the world" and "worse than ]," and conceded that she would rather live under ]'s ] than Bush.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna13735484 |title='Hardball with Chris Matthews' for July 5 |work=NBC News |date=2006-07-06 |access-date=2010-04-10}}</ref> Later that month, Sheehan purchased {{convert|5|acre|m2}} of land in Crawford, Texas, near Bush's private residence. | |||
There had been reports that the police had threatened to arrest all protesters on site on Thursday, ], ] when Secretary of Defense ] and Secretary of State ] would be at the president's nearby ranch. However, no arrests in connection with the protest were made. President ] did speak to reporters at his ranch, saying: | |||
On May 26 and May 28, 2007, Sheehan posted two messages to '']'' announcing that she was leaving the ] after the Democratic-controlled Congress passed a bill authorizing the continued funding of the war in Iraq.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/5/26/10135/7518 |title=Dear Democratic Congress |author=Cindy Sheehan |publisher=] |date=May 26, 2007}}</ref> She also submitted her resignation as the "face" of the American antiwar movement, stating that she wanted to go home and be a mother to her surviving children. However, on July 3, 2007, in response to President Bush's ] of ]'s sentence, she announced her return to activism.<ref>U.S. Conflicts in the 21st Century: Afghanistan War, Iraq War, and the War on Terror : Afghanistan War, Iraq War, and the War on Terror, Spencer C. Tucker, ABC-CLIO, 2015, </ref> She focused on her ] in 2008. | |||
:"I sympathize with Mrs. Sheehan. She feels strongly about her position, and she has every right in the world to say what she believes. This is America. She has a right to her position, and I thought long and hard about her position. I've heard her position from others, which is: 'Get out of Iraq now.' And it would be a mistake for the security of this country and the ability to lay the foundations for peace in the long run if we were to do so." | |||
In August 2009, Sheehan protested at ] during President ]'s stay there. According to ]: "Sheehan invoked Senator ]'s passing as part of her message, noting that he was firmly antiwar and how he said his proudest vote as a senator was his 2002 vote against the Iraq war."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/08/cindy-sheehan-brings-antiwar-antiobama-message-to-marthas-vineyard.html |title=Cindy Sheehan Brings Anti-War, Anti-Obama Message to Martha's Vineyard - Political Punch |publisher=Blogs.abcnews.com |date=2009-08-27 |access-date=2010-04-10}}</ref> On October 5, 2009, Sheehan was arrested with 60 others at the White House protesting President Obama's continuation of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. She told ]: "I think the mood of the country and the mood of our movement is getting a little bit more desperate, and this will be the time to be able to translate our tireless activism and work for peace."<ref>, ], October 5, 2009.</ref> On December 10, 2009, Sheehan protested on the streets of ], Norway, as President Barack Obama ] the ].<ref>, ], December 11, 2009.</ref> In 2009, she was awarded the US Peace Prize by the US Peace Memorial Foundation for “extraordinary and innovative antiwar activism."<ref>{{cite web |title=Cindy Sheehan awarded 2009 US Peace Prize |url=https://www.uspeaceprize.org/ |publisher=US Peace Memorial Foundation |access-date=22 November 2019}}</ref> | |||
Prior to going on a bicycle ride on his Texas ranch on ], ] Bush gave journalists and aides a defense of his not meeting with Sheehan stating, as reported by Ken Herman of ]:<!--NOT Fox News--> | |||
On March 20, 2010, Sheehan was again arrested in front of the White House, along with seven others, after they refused to listen to orders by officers of the ] to clear the sidewalk on ].<ref name="march2010">{{cite news|url=http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2010/03/ap_iraq_war_protests_032010/|title=Thousands rally on anniversary of Iraq invasion|last=Barakat|first=Matthew|date=21 March 2010|agency=Associated Press|publisher=]|access-date=22 March 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714034338/http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2010/03/ap_iraq_war_protests_032010/|archive-date=14 July 2011}}</ref> On July 12, Sheehan and four other activists were on trial in the Superior Court of the ] stemming from the arrests. The government decided not to try three others arrested that day, and had their cases dismissed. Sheehan and two others were acquitted of crossing a police line, while the other two were found guilty.<ref name="20 July 2010">{{cite news|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/crime-scene/celebrities/sheehan-cleared-in-dc-protest.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010201516/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/crime-scene/celebrities/sheehan-cleared-in-dc-protest.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 10, 2012|title=Sheehan cleared in D.C. protest case|date=13 July 2010|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> | |||
:"I think it's important for me to be thoughtful and sensitive to those who have got something to say. But I think it's also important for me to go on with my life, to keep a balanced life think the people want the president to be in a position to make good, crisp decisions and to stay healthy. And part of my being is to be outside exercising. So I'm mindful of what goes on around me. On the other hand, I'm also mindful that I've got a life to live and will do so." | |||
On May 2, 2011, Sheehan released a statement indicating that she considers the ] to be a ], stating: "If you believe the newest death of OBL, you're stupid."<ref name=Geraghty/> She referred to America as a | |||
Sheehan later issued a statement, which among other things outlined the purpose of the protest . | |||
"lying, murderous empire" and told Americans, whom she called "brainwashed," to "put flags away."<ref name=Geraghty /><ref name="IBT">{{cite news |title=Osama photo decision fuels conspiracy theories |url=http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/141402/20110504/osama-photo-decision-fuels-conspiracy-theories.htm |newspaper=] |date=May 4, 2011 |access-date=May 5, 2011}}</ref> | |||
In October 2011, Sheehan was arrested in Sacramento as part of an ].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/anti-war-activist-cindy-sheehan-18-other-wall-street-protesters-arrested-in-sacramento/2011/10/16/gIQAkm1KpL_story.html|title=Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan, 18 other Wall Street protesters arrested in Sacramento|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=20 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181209122812/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/anti-war-activist-cindy-sheehan-18-other-wall-street-protesters-arrested-in-sacramento/2011/10/16/gIQAkm1KpL_story.html|archive-date=9 December 2018|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> | |||
On ] ], in a speech to Idaho National Guard families, President Bush singled out Tammy Pruett, who has four sons serving in the National Guard in Iraq and a husband and another son who have returned from Iraq. Bush said: | |||
Although Sheehan agreed to run as the vice presidential nominee of the ] for the 2012 elections, the party's national convention voted on October 15, 2011, to block her candidacy, on the official grounds that she was not a member of the party.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://socialist-tea.com/2011/10/19/how-the-spusa-2012-ticket-came-to-be|title=How the SPUSA 2012 Ticket came to be|publisher=www.socialist-tea.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308150628/http://www.socialist-tea.com/2011/10/19/how-the-spusa-2012-ticket-came-to-be|archive-date=March 8, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> The nomination went to ], of Texas. | |||
:"America lives in freedom because of families like the Pruetts." | |||
In 2017, when the U.S. President ] was expected to announce the sending of thousands of additional troops, Sheehan feared that more opposition to the war would be only because of who occupies the presidency, stating, "If Trump announces that there will be a continued U.S. military presence or an increased presence, I am afraid any opposition from the 'left' will only be anti-Trump, because, of course, Obama escalated in Afghanistan and maintained that illegal war for the entire eight years of his presidency with not a peep from those same pro-DNC forces." Additionally, she believes "nothing but total withdrawal to give the people of Afghanistan autonomy over their own country will be acceptable" but said that she's concerned about the sincerity of possible protests.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/antiwar-activists-seek-boost-from-trumps-afghanistan-announcement|title=Antiwar activists seek boost from Trump's Afghanistan announcement|date=21 August 2017|website=Washington Examiner}}</ref> | |||
A picture of Pruett and Bush hugging each other was later placed at the top of the White House website home page. | |||
Sheehan hosts a weekly radio show which began in 2009. She has interviewed activists and world leaders, including ], ], ], and ]. Sheehan maintains a blog, "Cindy's Soapbox."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cindysheehanssoapbox.blogspot.com/|title=Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox|website=cindysheehanssoapbox.blogspot.com|accessdate=25 February 2024}}</ref> | |||
Supporters of Sheehan have pointed out that an attempt to use Pruett as a counterpoint to Sheehan is a faulty one, as Pruett has lost none of her sons in Iraq. When Pruett was interviewed about this, she replied: | |||
:"Actually, I would agree with them completely. I have not experienced what they experienced, and I wouldn't judge how they chose to express their grief." | |||
=== |
===Refusal to pay taxes=== | ||
In 2012, Sheehan was sued by the federal government for failure to pay back taxes. "I feel like I gave my son to this country in an illegal and immoral war. I'll never get him back," Sheehan said. "And, so, if they can give me my son back, then I'll pay my taxes. And that's not going to happen."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/22/us/california-sheehan-taxes/index.html |title=Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan won't pay back taxes |date= 2012-02-22|access-date=2012-02-22 |work=CNN}}</ref> Sheehan appeared in court on April 19, 2012, and in IRS offices on May 9, 2012, refusing to provide information on the basis of the First Amendment and the Fifth Amendment.<ref>{{cite web | author = National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee |year = 2012| title = Sheehan Case Update | url = https://nwtrcc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/mtap0812.pdf |access-date= 2022-11-03 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | author = Sheehan, Cindy |year = 2012| title = Conscience and the Constitution: They Fought on their own Battlefield | url = https://cindysheehanssoapbox.blogspot.com/2012/05/conscience-and-constitution-they-fought.html |access-date= 2022-11-03 }}</ref> The government dropped its case against her in February 2013.<ref>{{cite web | author = National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee |year = 2013| title = Congratulations, Cindy Sheehan | url = https://nwtrcc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/mtap0413.pdf |access-date= 2022-11-03 }}</ref> | |||
At least sixteen ] members of Congress signed a letter on ], ], asking that Bush meet with Sheehan and the other relatives of fallen soldiers, as well as calling on Bush to ensure that no one will be arrested for having a peaceful demonstration. | |||
==Congressional election campaign== | |||
==Support== | |||
] | |||
Since beginning her vigil, a number of organizations and individuals have expressed and provided support to Sheehan. One of these is the national organization ], at whose convention Sheehan spoke just prior to beginning her vigil in Crawford. Members of the organization have also assisted at the "Camp Casey" site, installing and maintaining the ] display there. | |||
In July 2007, Sheehan announced that she would run against ] ] for ] of California's ], based on Pelosi's failure to attempt impeachment of Bush.<ref>{{cite news| title = Sheehan arrested while calling for Bush, Cheney impeachment | agency =Associated Press | publisher = CNN | date = July 23, 2007 | url = http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/07/23/sheehan.impeachment.ap/index.html?iref=newssearch| access-date=January 9, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080323114931/http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/07/23/sheehan.impeachment.ap/index.html?iref=newssearch |archive-date = March 23, 2008}}</ref> Up until her run for the U.S. Congress, Sheehan lived outside Pelosi's district, in ]; however, she moved to San Francisco's ] after declaring her candidacy.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna19665569 |title=Sheehan weighs run against Pelosi |work=] |date=July 8, 2007}}</ref> Earlier, in 2006, she had spoken of ambitions to challenge ] for her seat in the ].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-01-28-sheehan-senate_x.htm |title=Sheehan considers challenging Sen. Feinstein |work=] |date=January 28, 2006}}</ref> | |||
Sheehan ran on a platform of ], media reform, overturning all ] agreements, repealing the ], ], nationalizing oil and electricity, ending the ], legalizing ], ensuring all talks in the Middle East are fair to all parties, ending torture, closing ], overseas commitment to cleaning up ] sites, ending ], ending ], and legalizing ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cindyforcongress.org/article.php?list=type&type=13 |title=Cindy Sheehan For Congress |publisher=Cindyforcongress.org |access-date=2010-04-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223180949/http://www.cindyforcongress.org/article.php?list=type&type=13 |archive-date=2009-02-23 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Sheehan lost the 2008 election to the ] Pelosi. In a seven-way race, Sheehan came in second with 46,118 votes (16.14%) to Pelosi's 71.56%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sfgov2.org/index.aspx?page=1793 |title=SFGOV |publisher=SFGOV |access-date=2010-10-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130704024244/http://www.sfgov2.org/index.aspx?page=1793 |archive-date=2013-07-04 }}</ref> | |||
The website ] announced on ], ] that it was gathering comments via email to place in a two-page newspaper spread in a Sunday edition of the ''Waco Tribune'' newspaper in support of Sheehan and her efforts. MoveOn gathered more than 250,000 comments, many of which were included in the advertisement. Tom Matzzie of MoveOn said: | |||
==2012 vice-presidential candidacy== | |||
:"In her grief and bravery, Cindy has become a symbol for millions of Americans who demand better answers about the ]. Though right-wing ]s have attacked her personally, her honesty is unimpeachable. Now more and more mothers (and fathers, brothers, sisters, wives, husbands, sons and daughters) are standing up with Cindy. Please join us, and together, we'll make sure that President Bush can't escape the ] of this war—even in Crawford, Texas." | |||
In the summer of 2012, television personality ] named Sheehan as her ] for the presidential nomination of the ] in the ]. Barr and Sheehan were nominated by that party as its ] on August 4, 2012.<ref name="trending"/><ref>{{cite web | url=http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/08/roseanne-finally-won-a-presidential-nomination.html | title=Roseanne Barr Finally Won a Presidential Nomination | work=] | date=August 5, 2012 | access-date=August 5, 2012 | author=Bankoff, Caroline}}</ref> | |||
==2014 California gubernatorial candidacy and campaign== | |||
Supporters say that the Crawford protest highlights the claim that the Bush administration | |||
believes in selective violence and the claim that the President fails to take responsibility for the deaths of those he commands. | |||
On March 12, 2013 ], state chair of California's ], made the announcement that the central committee of the party had unanimously endorsed Cindy Sheehan for ] in the ], should Sheehan choose to run. Sheehan formally announced her campaign for Governor of California at a news conference Tuesday, August 27, 2013, at the State Capitol in ].{{citation needed|date=July 2022}} | |||
On the week of ], ] several other groups were reported to be traveling to Texas to join the protest. Sherry Bohlen, field director of the ] (PDA), was one person traveling to Crawford, and says this of the protest: | |||
Sheehan said she planned to unseat incumbent Gov. ], and to bring California "peace, economic equality and environmental sustainability," and reforms through an EPIC (End Poverty in California) program. Her EPIC campaign harkened to the ] campaign of the ] ]. Sinclair garnered 879,537 votes in that race.<ref>{{cite web|title=California Democratic Primary, 1934|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=103765|access-date=November 1, 2019}}</ref> | |||
"We'll be sleeping in a tent in the ditch along the roadside (the only place that the authorities will allow us to be). I spoke with Cindy by phone again yesterday. She said that local authorities have told her that if we're still there by Thursday we'll be arrested as "national security risks"... She could well be the ] of the movement against the ]. Just as Rosa refused to leave the bus, Cindy is refusing to leave the roadside. She's the spark that is igniting the anti-war movement." | |||
==Political positions== | |||
On August 9, 2005, Sheehan began writing a blog concerning (among other things) her experience at Camp Casey, her thoughts on the Iraq War, and her response to criticism of her. It has been featured on several websites, including '']'', '']'', and ''].com''. | |||
Sheehan has, through her own blog, described herself as a ].<ref>{{cite web|title=A Socialist's Response to The Greatest American Scoundrel Show (Debate)|date=4 October 2012|url=http://cindysheehanssoapbox.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/a-socialists-resonse-to-greatest.html|publisher=Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox|access-date=October 4, 2012}}</ref> She has also criticized ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eurasiareview.com/19022020-cindy-sheehan-socialism-for-the-ill-informed-oped/|title=Cindy Sheehan: Socialism For The Ill-Informed – OpEd|date=February 12, 2020|access-date=December 21, 2020|work=Eurasia Review}}</ref> In 2010, Sheehan changed her voter registration in California and became a member of the ].<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170210043609/http://www.peaceandfreedom.org/home/component/content/article/12-general/752-cindy-sheehan-joins-peace-and-freedom |date=2017-02-10 }}. Peace and Freedom Party.</ref> Sheehan has expressed opposition to COVID-19 restrictions, mask mandates, and vaccine mandates.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timesheraldonline.com/2021/03/01/cindy-sheehan-open-the-schools/|title=Cindy Sheehan: Open the schools|date=March 1, 2021|access-date=November 3, 2022|work=Times-Herald}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thereporter.com/2020/08/02/cindy-sheehan-youth-deserve-better/|title=Cindy Sheehan: Youth deserve better |date=August 2, 2020|access-date=November 3, 2022|work=The Reporter}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://cindysheehan.substack.com/p/un-jabbed-black-dc-teens-denied-schooling|title=DC Mayor Says No Digital Learning, Giving Unvaccinated Black Teens Zero Alternative Option|date=August 25, 2022|access-date=November 3, 2022}}</ref> She published a paper about former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's nursing home controversy.{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}} | |||
In 2024, Sheehan signed an open letter in support of a ] activist who was excluded from a ] action for opposing trans rights.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://oc-drl.site/Menasche%20open%20letter.html|title=OC/DRL|accessdate=25 February 2024}}</ref> | |||
She has spoken at the laissez-faire ], whose founder and president, the free-market capitalist ], regularly features Sheehan's columns on his website. | |||
==Personal life== | |||
===Parents of other military personnel killed in Iraq=== | |||
In 1977, she married Patrick Sheehan, a sales representative, in ]; they had four children, including Casey Sheehan (born in 1979), who was killed in action in Iraq on April 4, 2004. Patrick Sheehan filed for divorce on August 12, 2005, citing irreconcilable differences.<ref name="SmokingGun1">{{cite web|url=http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0815051sheehan2.html |title=The Smoking Gun |publisher=The Smoking Gun |access-date=2010-04-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091003105359/http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0815051sheehan2.html |archive-date=2009-10-03 }}</ref><ref name="SFGate1">{{cite book|first1=Peter|last1=Fimrite|title=Activist mother sued for divorce / Vigil for dead son outside Bush ranch|url=https://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/2005-08-16/news/17385299_1_patrick-sheehan-cindy-sheehan-president-bush-s-texas-ranch|access-date=May 6, 2010|date=August 16, 2005|newspaper=]|publisher=Hearst Communications|location=San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.|isbn=9781416541059|issn=1932-8672|oclc=33123981|quote=Her husband, Patrick Sheehan, filed for divorce Friday in Solano County District Court, and he apparently wants to keep their house.}}</ref> | |||
==Published works== | |||
On ], ], Jane and Jim Bright, parents of slain Army Sgt. Evan Ashcroft, attended a vigil in support of Sheehan, saying "their son's memory would not be lost in the anti-war movement." They also said their son, like Sheehan's son, "was a hero who died for what he believed in." Jim Bright went on to say | |||
* ''Dear President Bush''. San Francisco: ], 2006. {{ISBN|0872864545}} | |||
* ''Peace Mom''. San Francisco: City Lights Publishers, 2006. {{ISBN|074329792X}} | |||
==See also== | |||
:"People are looking inside themselves and saying, is this war worth it?" . | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
Celeste Zappala, mother of slain Sgt. Sherwood Baker, the first Pennsylvania National Guardsman to die in Iraq, said, at a press conference at the Crawford site: | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
:"When we buried Sherwood, I knelt down beside his coffin and I vowed to him I will speak the truth for him. This war is a disaster. It is a betrayal of our military. And it's a betrayal of the democracy they seek to protect." | |||
:"I think they have absolutely no idea what they're doing, I think we're getting to the point where normal, reasonable people are starting to see that. The war has to stop. We don't want anyone else killed. We're here to support the troops, to bring them home now, alive. ... My little piece in all this was to say, 'We've got to tell the truth.'" | |||
Minnesota State Senator Becky Lourey, a vocal critic of the Iraq War, and mother of fallen Army helicopter pilot Matthew Lourey, traveled to Crawford to protest Bush's refusal to meet with Sheehan. | |||
:"There is an isolation here of President Bush from the people," said Lourey, "(and)it seems to me as I am looking around that it is wrong, that a person who makes life and death decisions is insulated from the people who suffer the consequences of those decisions." | |||
She also traveled to Crawford to grieve and support her fellow military parent, stating that she wanted to "put her arms around" Sheehan and offer her support. | |||
Lynn Bradach, mother of Marine Cpl. Travis Bradach-Nall, who died from a land mine explosion in ], Iraq on ], ] (the day Bush said, "Bring them on!"), traveled from Portland, Oregon to Crawford to join Sheehan in her vigil. | |||
:"I don’t want to be a center of anything," said Bradach. "But when you strongly believe something, at some point you have to stand up for it." | |||
Karen Meredith, whose son, Army Lt. Ken Ballard, was killed in Iraq in May 2004, , defended Sheehan, saying, | |||
:"Some people are trying to paint her as one crazy woman against the war, and she’s not. A lot of people feel like her and want to know what the noble cause is." | |||
==Criticism== | |||
Since embarking on her vigil in early August 2005, Sheehan has been criticized by various individuals. | |||
===Media personalities=== | |||
Some conservative media personalities have been critical of Sheehan. | |||
Early criticism of Sheehan was led by Internet news analyst and conservative talk radio host ], who on ], ], said Sheehan had been inconsistent in her description of her meeting with President Bush. Drudge quoted part of a ], ], interview with Sheehan published in the Vacaville ''Reporter'' newspaper shortly after her meeting with the President, as evidence that Sheehan had previously spoken highly of President Bush. In it, Sheehan says, "I now know he's sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis. . . . I know he's sorry and feels some pain for our loss. And I know he's a man of faith." This criticism was also repeated by other pundits including ]. A closer examination of the original interview shows that Drudge's story had involved selective editing. Sheehan is also quoted as saying, "We haven't been happy with the way the war has been handled. . . . The president has changed his reasons for being over there every time a reason is proven false or an objective reached." | |||
On ], '']'' television program host Bill O'Reilly spoke critically of Sheehan, stating: | |||
:"I think she has been hijacked by some very, very far left elements . . . there is no question that she has thrown in with the most radical elements in this country. . . . I think Mrs. Sheehan bears some responsibility for this and also for the responsibility of other American families who have lost sons and daughters in Iraq, who feel that this kind of behavior borders on treasonous." | |||
O'Reilly went on to announce that Sheehan would appear on the next evening's episode of his program. The next day, however, O'Reilly stated that Sheehan had backed out of the interview because she believed that he had lied about her. That same day, Sheehan stated her reasons for cancelling her appearance to a blogger, via telephone. | |||
On the ], ], episode of '']'', host ] said: | |||
:"I mean, Cindy Sheehan is just ]. Her story is nothing more than forged documents. There's nothing about it that's real, including the mainstream media's glomming onto it. It's not real. It's nothing more than an attempt. It's the latest effort made by the coordinated left.". | |||
"Limbaugh did not explain what about Sheehan's story he believed to be false, nor did he provide any evidence to support his claim. Later, on the ], ], episode of his show, Limbaugh said that his previous remarks had been taken out of context. | |||
:"The media is exploiting her like she is a genuine spontaneous eruption. They are not telling the truth about how this woman has been shepherded by ]. There are pictures of her with Joseph Wilson -- yes, of ] fame. She has showed up at all these anti-war rallies. She was an anti-war mother before any of this began to happen... I first said on August 12th and in ensuing days, acknowledged she lost her son, talked about it, was even sympathetic and then went on to make the point that all she is, is an opportunity, like Bill Burkett was an opportunity to bash Bush, like the ] are an opportunity to bash Bush, like Valerie Plame is an opportunity to bash Bush and bash Rove. Like the Jersey Girls were, she's just the next in line..." | |||
Various blogs have pointed out that another parent of a U.S. serviceman had made a similar protest 11 years earlier, but garnered much less media coverage than Sheehan: ], the father of , a Medal of Honor winning member of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command ], who had been killed during a rescue mission in ] in ], accosted President Bill Clinton during a face to face meeting on ], ], accusing the president of being responsible for his son's death and asserting that Clinton did not deserve to remain as Commander in Chief.. However, the blogs often fail to mention that Shughart's father was protesting Clinton's withdrawal from Somalia, and not the United Nations deployment and mission there. Shughart and fellow Delta sniper Master Sgt. Gary Gordon were killed in the famous "Black Hawk Down" incident of the ], in which they knowingly sacrificed their lives to protect fallen pilot Mike Durant from a hostile Somali mob. | |||
===Sheehan's sister-in-law=== | |||
On ] ] Matt Drudge made public an email he had received from Sheehan's sister-in-law (and Casey's paternal aunt), Cherie Quartarolo, in which she was quoted as saying: | |||
:"We do not agree with the political motivations and publicity tactics of Cindy Sheehan. She now appears to be promoting her own personal agenda and notoriety at the expense of her son's good name and reputation. The rest of the Sheehan Family supports the troops, our country, and our President, silently, with prayer and respect." | |||
Quartarolo signs the email "Casey Sheehan's grandparents, aunts, uncles and numerous cousins.", but does not mention the individual names of these relatives. | |||
During a series of interviews published on several websites, Sheehan responded to Quartarolo's statement: | |||
:"My in-laws sent out a press conference disagreeing with me in strong terms; which is totally okay with me, because they barely knew Casey. . . ." | |||
:"We have always been on separate sides of the fence politically and I have not spoken to them since the elections when they supported the man who is responsible for Casey’s death." | |||
Sheehan clarified that: | |||
:" . . . my immediate family, Casey's dad and my three children and my sister, we're all on the same page. And I really think that some of my husband's siblings are with us too." | |||
Sheehan's husband Patrick Thomas Sheehan (Casey's father) filed for divorce from her on ], ], though he has not publicly stated his position on his wife's protest. | |||
===Parents of other military personnel killed in Iraq=== | |||
Linda Ryan, mother of Corporal Marc T. Ryan, a Marine who was killed in ], says of Sheehan: | |||
:"She's going about this not realizing how many people she's hurting. When she refers to anyone killed in Iraq, she's referring to my son. She doesn't have anything to say about what happened to my son." | |||
On ], ], Matt and Toni Matula, parents of Matthew Matula, a ] Marine killed in Iraq, requested that the white cross representing their dead son as a victim of the war in Iraq be removed, stating that they did not wish their son's name to be part of an anti-war demonstration. Mr. Matula said: | |||
:"It's fine for people to grieve their own way. It aggravates me to see them using other people's names to further their cause." | |||
Natalie Healy, mother of Dan Healy, a ] who was killed in the line of duty in Iraq, organized a rally on ], 2005 in ], ] in order to counteract Sheehan's message, stating: | |||
:"We just want to let the fellas know that we’re supporting them and that we’re not going to wimp out on them." | |||
Gary Qualls, whose son, Marine Corporal Louis Wayne Qualls, died in Iraq, started what was dubbed "Fort Qualls" in Crawford, Texas to counter the "Camp Casey" protests. Qualls has repeatedly removed the white cross bearing his son's name from the ] display set up by "Camp Casey." | |||
Gregg Garvey, whose 23 year old son died in Iraq, joined the pro-Bush counter protests stating "people have had enough Bush bashing", and that Sheehan "does not represent all of America". | |||
===Criticism of comments=== | |||
Sheehan has come under criticism for a number of comments, one such comment she wrote on the ] on ] ]: | |||
*"I am watching CNN and it is 100 percent (Hurricane) Rita...even though it is a little wind and a little rain...it is bad, but there are other things going on in this country today...and in the world!!!!" | |||
This comment caused outrage to many supporters and critics, calling her jealous of media coverage of other's suffering and "The right-wing media has painted you as a self-centered, self-absorbed woman and you're living up to that image". | |||
===Criticism of the critics=== | |||
The criticism of Sheehan by pro-Iraq war pundits and bloggers has in turn been widely criticized by anti-Iraq war pundits and bloggers. Joe Conason described the criticism as "baiting a bereaved mother as a traitor". . | |||
] attacked Rush Limbaugh for his coverage of the Sheehan story, describing him as the "World's Worst Person". Olbermann ridiculed Limbaugh for claiming that "There's nothing about that's real." and accused Limbaugh of hypocrisy, "He also referred to her supporters as dope-smoking FM types. I guess the painkillers wipe out your memory along with your ethics." | |||
Sheehan, commenting on mothers of other soldiers killed in Iraq who support Bush and the war, wrote: | |||
:"How can these moms who still support George Bush and his insane war in Iraq want more innocent blood shed just because their sons or daughters have been killed? I don't understand it. I don't understand how any mother could want another mother to feel the pain we feel. I am starting to lose a little compassion for them. I know they have been as brainwashed as the rest of America, but they know the pain and heartache and they should not wish it on another. However, I still feel their pain so acutely and pray for these 'continue the murder and mayhem' moms to see the light." | |||
==Chronology== | |||
===Casey Sheehan=== | |||
] was the son of Cindy Sheehan and died as a soldier in the ]. Growing up, he was a ] and a ] who attained the rank of ]. In ] Sheehan enlisted in the ] hoping to continue the training he had as an ] and become a chaplain's assistant. The Army trained him as a mechanic instead. Near the end of his tour of duty, the US invasion of Iraq began. Sheehan re-enlisted, knowing that his unit would be sent to Iraq. Sheehan's division, the ], was sent to Iraq. On ], ] Sheehan's company, Charlie Battery, arrived at ] War Eagle in Sadr City. Just a few weeks later, on ], ] Sheehan was killed in action after volunteering as part of a ] to rescue American troops. | |||
===Activism=== | |||
] on ], ].]] A little more than a month after her son's death, Sheehan visited her son's cross at the "]" memorial in ] on ], telling reporters "I'm finished crying for Casey. I'm crying for all the other mothers." On ] she met with President ] at ] near ], ]. Unsatisfied with her meeting with the President, she began attending larger and larger peace rallies and marches, often speaking to protest the occupation of ]. At a pro-] rally at San Francisco University she stated that "The biggest terrorist in the world is George W. Bush." Also, she responded to '']'' magazine's choice for "]," and presented at a Capitol Hill forum held by U.S. Congressman ] about the ] On ], ] Bush delivered a speech in ], in which he said that the sacrifices of U.S. troops were "made in a noble cause" and reiterated that he will not set a timetable for withdrawal. Two things in Bush's speech "enraged" Sheehan: "We have to honor the sacrifices of the fallen by completing the mission," and "The families of the fallen can be assured that they died for a noble cause." The next day, Bush began his five-week vacation. | |||
===Demonstration - Week 1=== | |||
] | |||
*], ]: Cindy Sheehan starts her demonstration. She creates a makeshift camp in a ditch by the side of the road about 3 miles from George W. Bush's ] near ] and announces her intention to stay (sleeping in a pup tent at nights) until she is granted a face-to-face meeting with the President. | |||
*], ]: National security adviser ] and deputy White House chief of staff ] meet briefly with Cindy Sheehan. Sheehan later calls the meeting "pointless." | |||
*], ]: Cindy Sheehan states that she has been informed that beginning Thursday, ] ] she and her companions will be considered a threat to national security and will be arrested. Later there was a retraction of the story by the Daily Kos. Sheehan's camp is first referred to in the media as "Camp Casey." | |||
*], ]: Democratic congressmen request that Bush meet with Sheehan and the other relatives of fallen soldiers. The congressmen call on Bush to ensure that no one will be arrested for having a peaceful demonstration. | |||
*], ]: Bush holds a press conference at his ranch, during which he states that, while he believes Sheehan has a right to her point of view, he will not withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq. | |||
*], ]: Cindy Sheehan writes an open letter to President Bush in response to his press conference statement. In this open letter, she demands to know the "noble cause" behind the war in Iraq, as well as the reason why, if the cause is so noble, Bush's daughters are not volunteering in the war effort. | |||
*], ]: Gold Star Families for Peace releases a TV commercial featuring Cindy Sheehan, broadcast on Crawford and ] cable channels near Bush's ranch. | |||
*], ]: Camp Casey protest draws hundreds of supporters (including actor ]), with a constant presence of just over 100.. | |||
*], ]: Southern California members of ] install ], a memorial consisting of nearly 1,000 white crosses (as well as stars and crescents), each bearing the name of a fallen U.S. soldier in Iraq, along the side of the road near Sheehan's camp. | |||
*], ]: Bush's motorcade passes within 100 feet of Sheehan's roadside encampment en route to a nearby ranch to attend a fundraising barbecue expected to raise US$2 million for the ]; Sheehan holds a sign reading "Why do you make time for donors and not for me?" | |||
*], ]: Patrick Sheehan files for divorce from Cindy Sheehan in a California court, citing "irreconcilable differences". Mr. Sheehan was the father of Casey Sheehan. | |||
===Demonstration - Week 2=== | |||
*], ]: Cindy Sheehan makes front page news in the '']''. | |||
*], ]: A morning ] is reported to bring over 250 people, who shout pro-Bush slogans for several hours. Sherry Bohlen, National Field Director for Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), estimates that 1000 to 1500 people gathered at a park in Crawford for a peace demonstration, and that 500 cars ferried these people to Camp Casey. (Source: email from Bohlen to PDA members) | |||
*], ]: Activists in Chico, California found "Camp Casey Chico," in solidarity with Cindy Sheehan and supporters in Crawford, Texas. | |||
*], ]: Larry Mattlage, who owns a cattle ranch across where Sheehan has set up her protest site, fed up with traffic near his home, fires a ] several times into the air. He later claims to have been practicing for ] hunting season but also hints to reporters that the shots may also have been meant to drive off the protesters. | |||
*], ]: U.S. Representative ] (D-California), as well as a group of Iraqis living in Texas, visit Sheehan at Camp Casey. | |||
*], ]: News first breaks regarding Sheehan's husband's filing for divorce.. | |||
*], ]: Late in the night, a pickup truck driven by Waco, Texas resident ] tears through the rows of white crosses stretching about two-tenths of a mile along the side of the road at the Crawford camp, each bearing the name of a U.S. soldier killed in Iraq. Several hundred of the crosses are damaged but no one is injured. Northern is later arrested and charged with criminal mischief by police. | |||
*], ]: Sheehan announces plans to move her camp closer to the Bush ranch after being offered the use of a piece of land owned by a supporter, ], who also happens to be a third cousin of ], the rancher who had fired a shotgun on his property near the demonstration site several days earlier. | |||
*], ]: MoveOn.org announces a nationwide "Vigil for Cindy Sheehan" to take place Wednesday, August 17. | |||
*], ]: ] announces a "You Don't Speak For Me, Cindy" caravan ending in Crawford, on August 27. | |||
*], ]: More than 1,600 anti-war candlelight vigils in support of Sheehan are held around the United States, including one outside the White House. | |||
*], ]: Sheehan announces she is leaving Crawford to see her elderly mother, who had suffered a ], but vows to return if possible and as soon as she can. | |||
*], ]: A walk is made by the Gold Star Mothers for Peace towards President Bush's ranch in Crawford to deliver letters written by them to ], appealing to her as a mother for support towards their movement. | |||
*], ]: Bush sets a record for the most vacation days by a U.S. president. | |||
===Demonstration - Week 3=== | |||
*], ]: President George W. Bush embarks on a five-day campaign to defend the Iraq war, speaking to veterans' and military groups in Utah and Idaho. | |||
*], ]: Supporters of the Iraq war, led by Crawford small business owner Bill Johnson, set up an opposing camp, named "Fort Qualls," behind his "Yellow Rose" gift shop in Crawford, Texas. First performance at new event space and camp site, "Camp Casey II. | |||
*], ]: Texas ] ] and ]ian ] perform at Camp Casey II, followed by speeches by Rev. Peter Johnson, organizer and former staffer of the ], and Rev. Joseph Lowery, preacher and co-founder of the SCLC. They introduce three African American mothers whose sons were killed in Iraq. | |||
*], ]: Folk singer ] visits and performs at Camp Casey. | |||
*], ]: A bomb threat is received via telephone at Bill Johnson's "Yellow Rose" gift shop in Crawford. | |||
*], ]: U.S. Representative ] (D-Texas) and actress ] visit Camp Casey. | |||
*], ]: The Pro-Bush "You Don't Speak for Me, Cindy" caravan, sponsored by the Sacramento-based group Move America Forward, leaves from San Francisco for Crawford, Texas. | |||
*], ]: Opponents of Sheehan set up "Camp Reality," located in a ditch across the road from Camp Casey. | |||
*], ]: Casey Sheehan's boots are removed from the ]'s traveling exhibition for the purpose of returning them to Sheehan. | |||
*], ]: In brief remarks to reporters in ], ], President George W. Bush states his opposition to Sheehan's call for an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. | |||
*], ]: Sheehan returns to Camp Casey. | |||
*], ]: President George W. Bush addresses military families in ] and explains his reasons for being in ]: "We will stay on the offense. We'll complete our work in Afghanistan and Iraq. An immediate withdrawal of our troops in Iraq, or the broader Middle East, as some have called for, would only embolden the terrorists and create a staging ground to launch more attacks against America and free nations. So long as I'm the President, we will stay, we will fight, and we will win the war on terror... We're spreading the hope of freedom across the broader Middle East." | |||
*], ]: Sheehan states that she will continue her campaign against the Iraq war even if granted a meeting with the President, and announces plans to lead a national bus tour to Washington, D.C., which will leave on September 1 and arrive in Washington on September 24 for three massive days of action against the war. | |||
*], ]: Casey Sheehan's combat boots are returned to Sheehan by the ] | |||
===Demonstration - Week 4=== | |||
*], ]: Conflicting estimates of between 1000 to 4000 Pro-Bush supporters rally in Crawford as part of the "You Don't Speak for Me, Cindy" caravan. | |||
*], ]: ] activist ] visits Camp Casey II. | |||
*], ]: Actor ] and Rev. ] visit Camp Casey II. | |||
*], ]: ], a Category 4 storm, makes landfall in southeastern ]. | |||
*], ]: Native American activist ] visits Camp Casey II. | |||
*], ]: President Bush decides to end his five-week vacation early to focus on relief efforts in the wake of ]. | |||
*], ]: Cindy Sheehan leaves central Texas. | |||
===Bus tour - Week 1=== | |||
*], ]: Cindy Sheehan embarks on a bus tour to Washington, D.C. following three legs - north, central and south. The three tour buses were purchased with donated money. | |||
*], ]: Sheehan marches in ], Texas and says "I think it's important to connect these two things. We should be focused on America right now, not what's happening in Iraq with this natural disaster. It's important to have as many of our National Guard folks back here to support that effort." | |||
*], ]: Bush takes ] to Washington, D.C., surveying the damage caused by ] from the air en route. | |||
*], ]: Bus tour stops at ] ]'s office in ] and Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church in Houston for an evening anti-war rally. Sheehan is not able to meet with DeLay due to previous engagements. | |||
*], ]: Bus tour arrives in ], ] in the evening as planned, but without Sheehan, who had to attend to personal business in California. | |||
*], ]: After protests, Sheehan cancels visits to ], ] and ]. | |||
*], ]: The anti-war bus tour arrives in ] where protesters link the ] with the inability to respond to ]. "People are dying in ] and ] right now" because ], a "warmonger," is intent on "looting" oil in Iraq", said state Rep. Keith Ellison, DFL-Minneapolis. | |||
*], ]: Bring Them Home Now Tours stop in ] , in ] , and in ] . | |||
===Bus Tour - Week 2=== | |||
*], ]: North bus tour stops in ] and protests in front of ] ] office. Meanwhile, the Central and South tours make stops near ] and ]. to discuss why the war in Iraq is wrong. | |||
*], ]: Actress ] scraps her March bus tour to protest the Iraq war in order not to divert attention from Cindy Sheehan's efforts. She states that she is still planning to speak out and write some op-ed pieces. | |||
*], ]: Southern bus tour to ] is delayed due to an accident on Hwy 75. | |||
*], ]: Cindy Sheehan meets in ] with senator ]'s staff to point out that the war in Iraq is taking away resources that could be better used in the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast. | |||
*], ]: Sheehan brings her anti-war message to ] saying "I had given up on my country, but we remembered what we had forgotten after almost five years of a virtual dictatorship — that we the people have the power" | |||
*], ]: Southern bus tour continues to ] and brings the message "to support troops, to bring them home, and to support them once they get home.” | |||
*], ]: Sheehan ralies with the central bus tour in ]. Criticizing ]'s policies in ], she says "Every time Bush talks he should be removed from office." and "None of the chicken hawks have served our country the way our children have." | |||
*], ]: The northern bus tour makes a stop near ] and has a large turnout. | |||
*], ]: Outside of Town Hall, Sheehan speaks with a Democratic congressman who called for United Nations or NATO troops to assume responsibility for 14 of Iraq's 18 provinces. Sheehan claims the U.S. plans never to bring troops home. | |||
*], ]: The southern bus tour stops in ] and in ] where Sheehan said before a small crowd "You know we had over 12,000 Americans come to Camp Casey but we thought that we’d bring Camp Casey to America and also to Congress to start holding them accountable for the war in Iraq" and "This was a war that was based on lies" ... "It was wrong for us to invade Iraq. It's wrong for us to occupy Iraq and we need to bring our troops home." A few protesters held signs that read "Sheehan does not speak for me" and "Support the Troops" were also at the rally. | |||
===Bus Tour - Week 3=== | |||
*], ]: The northern bus tour stops in ] | |||
*], ]: Sheehan cancels her trip to upstate ] so that she can have time to help ] victims. The north bus tour events will still go on as scheduled without Sheehan. | |||
*], ]: McLennan County commissioners vote 4-1 to ban parking along 23 miles of roads near Bush's ranch. | |||
*], ]: ] break up a rally in ] during a speech by Cindy Sheehan for the absence of a sound permit. Organizer Paul Zulkowitz is arrested. | |||
===Bus Tour - Week 4=== | |||
] | |||
*], ]: Caravan stopped by ] two blocks from the ] in Washington, D.C. Bomb-sniffing dogs are used to inspect vehicles. | |||
===Washington D.C. rally=== | |||
*], ]: A crowd estimated at 100,000 to 200,000 rallies at the Ellipse, then marches around the White House and along Pennsylvania Avenue to the National Mall. The rally, lasting all day and night, includes a music marathon, and many speeches. Meanwhile, a comparatively very small crowd of only around 400 protests the anti-war march claiming they represent the silent majority. Organizers had hoped that as many as 20,000 people would turn out for the counter-protest. | |||
] | |||
*], ]: Sheehan and several dozen other protesters are arrested outside the ] after refusing to move when asked three times to do so by police. Organizers of the protest indicated prior to the incident that some participants intended to get arrested. Sheehan is the first of the protesters at the scene to be arrested. She, and the 383 others arrested with her, are charged with demonstrating without a permit, a ]. | |||
*], ]: Sheehan, facing a $75 fine was, was released and given a court date of ], ] | |||
===Renewed Activism=== | |||
*], ]: Sheehan meets with John McCain and afterwards calls him a warmonger. | |||
*], ]: Sheehan protests Hillary Clinton's soft stance on the war. Sheehan said that Clinton must either speak out against the war or risk losing her job. | |||
*], ]: Sheehan holds a rally in ] and urges Governor ] to withdraw the Arizona National Guard from ]. | |||
*], ]: Sheehan returns home to Northern California and gets a hero's welcome She vows to continue her campaign against the war in Iraq until all the troops are brought back to the United States. | |||
*] 2?, ]: During a media interview, Sheehan expresses plans to speak at the ] and then tie herself to the fence. She states that if she is arrested, she will return to the fence as soon as she gets out of jail. | |||
===Camp Casey II=== | |||
*] 25, ]: Sheehan returns to Texas to protest ] vacation without bringing the soldiers home. Bush plans to stay in Crawford through ] 28, ]. | |||
== Headline text == | |||
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THis woman is crazy!!! Good luck to her and her plight. | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{Reflist|30em}} | |||
*The Vacaville Reporter, ], ], , David Henson. | |||
*Portland Phoenix, ], ], , Neil Freese | |||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
{{wikiquote}} | {{wikiquote}} | ||
{{Commons category}} | |||
===Video and audio=== | |||
* | |||
* | |||
* Former blogs at , and | |||
*''Democracy Now'' recording at Washington D.C. anti-war protest on ] ] - ] ] | |||
* - video report by '']'' | |||
*''Democracy Now'' interview - ] ] | |||
* . 18 May 2010. | |||
*''Democracy Now'' interview - ] ] | |||
* - an article by Cindy Sheehan, 5 October 2010 | |||
*''Democracy Now'' interview - ] ] | |||
* - an article by Cindy Sheehan, 16 October 2010 | |||
*''Democracy Now'' interview - ] ] | |||
* - an interview between Cindy Sheehan and The Daily Beast, Oct. 23rd 2017. | |||
*''Democracy Now'' interview - ] ] | |||
*{{C-SPAN|1014888}} | |||
* From Air America website: Ernest Hancock and Mari Connor report from Crawford, Texas. | |||
*, Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives at New York University Special Collections | |||
* Hairy Larry sings his song, The Ballad Of Camp Casey, dedicated to Cindy Sheehan, her son Casey, and all who have suffered loss in Iraq. Creative Commons by-sa license | |||
* Video of Sheehan from Veterans for Peace | |||
* Multimedia archive that contains many videos of Sheehan speeches | |||
* Video of Cindy Sheehan being arrested, ]. | |||
===Interviews=== | |||
*] ]] | |||
*] ]] | |||
*] ]] | |||
*] ]] | |||
===News articles about Cindy Sheehan=== | |||
* '']'', ] ] | |||
* ''CNN.com'', ] ] | |||
*, '']'', ] ] | |||
* '']'', ] ] | |||
* '']'', ] ] | |||
* Michael A. Fletcher, '']'' ] ], Page A01 | |||
* ''Mediamatters.org'', ] ] | |||
* (Desecration of Camp Casey Article) ''TheSmokingGun.com'', ] ] | |||
*, ''Newshounds.us'', ] ] | |||
* Cliff Kincaid '']'' ] ] | |||
* Michael Butler ''American Chronicle'' ] ] | |||
==Web commentary== | |||
===Generally supportive=== | |||
* - ], '']'', ] ] | |||
* ] ] articles : , , , | |||
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* John Nichols, ''CBS News - The Nation'', ] ] | |||
* Patrick Condon, ''Associated Press'', ] ] | |||
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* Representative John Conyers, Jr. | |||
* Norman Solomon, ''The Free Press'', ] ] | |||
* Jason Leopold, ''Scoop Independent News (NZ)'', ] ] | |||
* Gary Younge, ''The Guardian'', ] ] | |||
* Crawford Peace House Community | |||
* Arianna Huffington, ''Huffington Post'', ] ] | |||
* ], ''Athens News'', ] ] | |||
* News Digest | |||
===Generally opposed=== | |||
* ] ] | |||
* The Anchoress, ] ] | |||
* Michelle Malkin, ] ] | |||
* Michelle Malkin, ] ] | |||
* T. Bevan, ] ] | |||
* ] ] | |||
* James Taranto, Wall Street Journal, ] ] | |||
* Christopher Hitchens, ] ] | |||
* Cal Thomas, ] ] | |||
* Opinion ''Arizona Republic'', ] ] | |||
* Mark Davis, Dallas Morning News, ] ] | |||
* James Lileks, Newhouse News Service, ] ] | |||
* Scott Randolph, ] ] | |||
* Ann Coulter, ] ] | |||
* Lump on a Blog, ] ] | |||
* Pardon My English, ] ] | |||
* Ronald R. Griffin, Wall Street Journal, ] ] | |||
* Christopher Hitchens, ''Slate'', ] ] | |||
* Mark Steyn, The Spectator, ] ] | |||
* Andrew Sullivan, The Sunday Times, ] ] | |||
* Lump on a Blog, ] ] | |||
* ] ] | |||
* Thomas Leath Guest Columnist ''Waco Tribune-Herald'' Saturday, ] ] | |||
* Patrick m. O'Connell ''South Bend Tribune'', ] ] | |||
* Bill O'Reilly, ] ] | |||
* Power Line Blog, ] ] | |||
* John Hawkins, ] ] | |||
* Strata-Sphere, ] ] | |||
* Ed Koch, Jewish World Review, ] ] | |||
*, Charles Krauthammer, Washinton Post, ] ] | |||
* ] articles - , , | |||
* Sweetness & Light -- In depth coverage of Cindy Sheehan. | |||
* Pedro O. Vega, The Johnstown Tribune-Democrat, ] ] | |||
===Neutral or mixed; other media coverage=== | |||
*, ] ] | |||
* Cathy Young, ''Boston Globe'', ] ] | |||
*, Terry M. Neal ''Washington Post'', ] ] | |||
* Earl Ofari Hutchinson ''Atlanta Daily World'', ] ] | |||
* | |||
* Cindy Sheehan News Digest | |||
===Speeches=== | |||
* ] ] | |||
* ] ] | |||
* ] ] | |||
* ] ] | |||
===Articles by Cindy Sheehan=== | |||
* by Cindy Sheehan posted to '']'' | |||
* of Cindy Sheehan's articles posted on ] | |||
*, Cindy Sheehan, ] ] | |||
* Whose Son Died in Iraq - Responds to Time Magazine's Choice for "Man of the Year", Cindy Sheehan, ] ] | |||
*]] Cindy Sheehan, January 2005 | |||
*, Cindy Sheehan, ] ] | |||
* Cindy Sheehan, ] ] | |||
*, Cindy Sheehan, ''t r u t h o u t | Perspective'', ] ] | |||
* Cindy Sheehan, ] ] | |||
*, Cindy Sheehan, ] ] | |||
*, Cindy Sheehan, ] ] | |||
===Polls=== | |||
* Washington Post ] ] | |||
* Rasmussen ] ] | |||
* Rasmussen ] ] | |||
* CLX ] ] | |||
* Gallup / CNN / USA Today, ] to ] ]. | |||
* CBS ] ] | |||
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Latest revision as of 23:16, 20 December 2024
American antiwar activistCindy Sheehan | |
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Sheehan gives the peace sign in front of the White House in 2006. | |
Born | Cindy Lee Miller (1957-07-10) July 10, 1957 (age 67) Inglewood, California, U.S. |
Alma mater | Cerritos College University of California, Los Angeles |
Occupation | Activist |
Political party | Democratic (before 2007) Independent (2007–2010) Peace and Freedom (2010–present) |
Children | 4 |
Cindy Lee Sheehan (née Miller; born July 10, 1957) is an American anti-war activist, whose son, U.S. Army Specialist Casey Sheehan, was killed by enemy action during the Iraq War. She attracted national and international media attention in August 2005 for her extended antiwar protest at a makeshift camp outside President George W. Bush's Texas ranch—a stand that drew both passionate support and criticism. Sheehan ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2008. She was a vocal critic of President Barack Obama's foreign policy. Her memoir, Peace Mom: A Mother's Journey Through Heartache to Activism, was published in 2006. In an interview with The Daily Beast in 2017, Sheehan continued to hold her critical views towards George W. Bush, while also criticizing the militarism of Donald Trump.
Sheehan was the 2012 vice-presidential nominee of the Peace and Freedom Party, and received 1.2% of the statewide vote in the 2014 California gubernatorial election.
Early life
Cindy Sheehan was born Cindy Lee Miller in Inglewood, California, in 1957. Her father worked at the Lockheed Corporation while her mother raised her family. Sheehan graduated with honors from Cerritos College and studied history at UCLA. She worked as a youth minister at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Vacaville, California for eight years, and also coordinated an after-school program for at-risk middle school children for the City of Vacaville.
Casey Sheehan
Casey Austin Sheehan (May 29, 1979 – April 4, 2004) was a specialist in the United States Army who was killed during combat action while serving in the Iraq War.
Military service
In May 2000, Casey Sheehan enlisted in the United States Army as a light-wheeled vehicle mechanic, MOS 63B. It has been reported that he may have considered enlisting as a chaplain assistant MOS 56M. (Sheehan had acted as an altar server during the Palm Sunday mass on the morning of his death).
Near the end of his active service, the 2003 invasion of Iraq began. Sheehan reenlisted, knowing that his unit would be sent there. Sheehan's division, the First Cavalry Division, was sent to Iraq. On March 19, 2004, Sheehan's Battery C, 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, arrived at FOB Camp War Eagle in Sadr City. On April 4, 2004, Sheehan was killed in action after volunteering to be part of a Quick Reaction Force to rescue American troops in the "Black Sunday" incident that began the Siege of Sadr City.
Burial
Casey Sheehan is buried in Vacaville-Elmira Cemetery in Vacaville, California. In May 2006, the tombstone that Casey's family had been designing and commissioned was finally ready and placed at Casey's grave. Cindy Sheehan paid for the tombstone herself, which is normally the case, stating, "It is important for the rest of Casey's family to have one.... I guess the pain of seeing it etched in marble that he is dead is another pain I will have to deal with." Cindy Sheehan maintains that the U.S. government "should have paid for it because of its responsibility for his death." The Sheehan family did not want the furnished monument that the government provides because it didn't reflect Casey's entire life or personality.
Legacy
Casey Sheehan was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star with V for Valor posthumously for his actions April 4, 2004. The chapel at Fort Cavazos started a new Knights of Columbus chapter that was named the Specialist Casey Austin Sheehan Council.
Antiwar campaign
Sheehan has said she initially questioned the urgency of the invasion of Iraq but did not become active in the antiwar effort until after her son's death. Sheehan and other military families met with President George W. Bush in June 2004 at Fort Lewis, near Tacoma, Washington, about three months after her son's death. In a June 24, 2004, interview with the Vacaville Reporter, published soon after the meeting, she stated, "We haven't been happy with the way the war has been handled. The president has changed his reasons for being over there every time a reason is proven false or an objective reached." She also stated that President Bush was "sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis. I know feels pain for our loss. And I know he's a man of God." Sheehan gave another interview on October 4, 2004, stating that she did not understand the reasons for the Iraq invasion and never thought that Iraq posed an imminent threat to the United States. She further stated that her son's death had compelled her to speak out against the war.
For the presidential inauguration in January 2005, Sheehan traveled to Washington, D.C. to speak at the opening of "Eyes Wide Open: the Human Cost of War," a traveling exhibition created by the American Friends Service Committee that displays pairs of combat boots to represent U.S. military casualties. She also traveled with the exhibition to other locations and donated her son Casey's boots, stating, "Behind these boots is one broken-hearted family." Sheehan was one of the nine founding members of Gold Star Families for Peace, an organization she created in January 2005 with other families she met at the inauguration. It seeks to end U.S. presence in Iraq, and provides support for families of soldiers killed in Iraq.
Sheehan gained international attention in early August 2005, when she traveled to President Bush's Prairie Chapel Ranch, just outside Crawford, Texas, demanding a second meeting with the President. She told members of Veterans for Peace, "I'm gonna say, 'And you tell me, what the noble cause is that my son died for.' And if he even starts to say freedom and democracy, I'm gonna say, bullshit. You tell me the truth. You tell me that my son died for oil. You tell me that my son died to make your friends rich.... You tell me that, you don't tell me my son died for freedom and democracy." She also vowed not to pay her federal income tax for 2004 because that was the year her son was killed.
Camp Casey
Main article: Camp Casey, Crawford, TexasOn August 6, 2005, Sheehan arrived at the Crawford Peace House on a bus full of combat veterans, including Desert Storm Veteran Dennis Kyne and Camilo Mejía. They marched along a dirt road in the direction of The Bush Ranch. Stalled by law enforcement from walking all the way to the front door because the group refused to march as ordered in the Barr ditch, she created a makeshift camp that would be remembered as the "ditch". Three miles (5 km) from President Bush's Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas, Sheehan announced her intention to stay (sleeping in a pup tent at night) until she was granted a face-to-face meeting with the president. Sheehan started her protest the day the president started a planned five-week vacation. The encampment was publicized widely on behalf of Gold Star Families for Peace and Military Families Speak Out. A few days later, the media began referring to Sheehan's camp as "Camp Casey."
Sheehan spent most of the next four weeks in Crawford, drawing global media coverage. On some days as many as 1,500 supporters visited Camp Casey, including members of the U.S. Congress, as well as several notable actors, singers, and civil rights activists.
Gold Star Families for Peace, of which Sheehan is a founding member, released a TV commercial featuring Sheehan, broadcast on Crawford and Waco cable channels near Bush's ranch. The group conducted a walk to a police station just outside Bush's ranch and delivered a bundle of oversized letters written by them to First Lady Laura Bush, appealing to her as a mother to support their movement.
On August 16, Sheehan moved her camp closer to the Bush ranch after being offered the use of a piece of land owned by a supporter, Fred Mattlage.
In late August, Sheehan stated that she would continue to campaign against the Iraq war even if granted a meeting with Bush. She also announced the Bring Them Home Now Tour, to depart on September 1 and arrive in Washington, D.C., on September 24 for three days of demonstrations. The tour, which covered 42 cities in 26 states, was publicized by the Mintwood Media Collective, and garnered international media coverage. On the third day, Sheehan and about 370 other antiwar activists were arrested for demonstrating on the White House sidewalk.
Sheehan's actions led supporters such as Rev. Lennox Yearwood, CEO of the Hip Hop Caucus, to describe her as "the Rosa Parks of the antiwar movement." Sheehan also gained the label of "Peace Mom" from the mainstream media.
Political activism
In September 2005, Sheehan moved into the Berkeley, California, home of Stephen Pearcy and Virginia Pearcy, where she lived for just over a year, during which time she wrote two books. Also that month, Sheehan met with Senator John McCain, and later called him a "warmonger." Between 2005 and 2007, Sheehan attended several antiwar events in Sacramento organized by the Pearcys. Also in September 2005, the Bring Them Home Now Tour was organized by Gold Star Families for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Military Families Speak Out, and Veterans For Peace. Inspired by Sheehan and frequently including Sheehan as a speaker, it was a rolling antiwar protest against the Iraq War, beginning in Crawford, Texas, traveling three routes across the country (with rallies along the way) and culminating in a rally in Washington, D.C., later in September 2005.
On October 24, 2005, Sheehan said that she planned to speak at the White House and then tie herself to the fence. She and 28 others were arrested in a sit-in at the White House on October 26.
Sheehan visited London in early December 2005 and was interviewed by BBC Radio 4 and by The Guardian. On December 10, Sheehan addressed the International Peace Conference, organized by the Stop the War Coalition. Later in the evening, she attended the London Premiere of Peace Mom, a play written by Dario Fo about her, in which the role of Sheehan was played by Frances de la Tour. On December 13, Sheehan traveled to Ireland, where she met Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern. She voiced her objection to U.S. aircraft refueling at Shannon Airport, stating, "Your government, even though they didn't send troops to Iraq, are complicit in the crimes by allowing the planes to land and refuel."
On January 31, 2006, Sheehan wore a T-shirt reading "2,245 Dead. How many more?" to Bush's State of the Union address and was removed and arrested by Capitol Police.
On March 7, 2006, Sheehan was arrested in New York "after blocking the door to the U.S. Mission to the U.N. offices" during a protest with Iraqi women against the war.
Sheehan and Gold Star Families for Peace were awarded the 'Domestic Human Rights Award' by Global Exchange, an international human rights organization based in San Francisco.
Several organizations planned a hunger strike to begin on July 4, 2006; Sheehan stated she would participate. On July 5, Sheehan appeared on MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews to discuss the war and her upcoming hunger strike. On the show, she called Bush "the biggest terrorist in the world" and "worse than Osama bin Laden," and conceded that she would rather live under Venezuela's Hugo Chávez than Bush. Later that month, Sheehan purchased 5 acres (20,000 m) of land in Crawford, Texas, near Bush's private residence.
On May 26 and May 28, 2007, Sheehan posted two messages to Daily Kos announcing that she was leaving the Democratic Party after the Democratic-controlled Congress passed a bill authorizing the continued funding of the war in Iraq. She also submitted her resignation as the "face" of the American antiwar movement, stating that she wanted to go home and be a mother to her surviving children. However, on July 3, 2007, in response to President Bush's commutation of Scooter Libby's sentence, she announced her return to activism. She focused on her congressional campaign in 2008.
In August 2009, Sheehan protested at Martha's Vineyard during President Barack Obama's stay there. According to ABC News: "Sheehan invoked Senator Ted Kennedy's passing as part of her message, noting that he was firmly antiwar and how he said his proudest vote as a senator was his 2002 vote against the Iraq war." On October 5, 2009, Sheehan was arrested with 60 others at the White House protesting President Obama's continuation of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. She told CNN: "I think the mood of the country and the mood of our movement is getting a little bit more desperate, and this will be the time to be able to translate our tireless activism and work for peace." On December 10, 2009, Sheehan protested on the streets of Oslo, Norway, as President Barack Obama accepted the Nobel Peace Prize. In 2009, she was awarded the US Peace Prize by the US Peace Memorial Foundation for “extraordinary and innovative antiwar activism."
On March 20, 2010, Sheehan was again arrested in front of the White House, along with seven others, after they refused to listen to orders by officers of the United States Park Police to clear the sidewalk on Pennsylvania Avenue. On July 12, Sheehan and four other activists were on trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia stemming from the arrests. The government decided not to try three others arrested that day, and had their cases dismissed. Sheehan and two others were acquitted of crossing a police line, while the other two were found guilty.
On May 2, 2011, Sheehan released a statement indicating that she considers the death of Osama bin Laden to be a hoax, stating: "If you believe the newest death of OBL, you're stupid." She referred to America as a "lying, murderous empire" and told Americans, whom she called "brainwashed," to "put flags away."
In October 2011, Sheehan was arrested in Sacramento as part of an anti–Wall Street movement.
Although Sheehan agreed to run as the vice presidential nominee of the Socialist Party USA for the 2012 elections, the party's national convention voted on October 15, 2011, to block her candidacy, on the official grounds that she was not a member of the party. The nomination went to Alejandro Mendoza, of Texas.
In 2017, when the U.S. President Donald Trump was expected to announce the sending of thousands of additional troops, Sheehan feared that more opposition to the war would be only because of who occupies the presidency, stating, "If Trump announces that there will be a continued U.S. military presence or an increased presence, I am afraid any opposition from the 'left' will only be anti-Trump, because, of course, Obama escalated in Afghanistan and maintained that illegal war for the entire eight years of his presidency with not a peep from those same pro-DNC forces." Additionally, she believes "nothing but total withdrawal to give the people of Afghanistan autonomy over their own country will be acceptable" but said that she's concerned about the sincerity of possible protests.
Sheehan hosts a weekly radio show which began in 2009. She has interviewed activists and world leaders, including Howard Zinn, Ray McGovern, Ann Wright, and Hugo Chávez. Sheehan maintains a blog, "Cindy's Soapbox."
Refusal to pay taxes
In 2012, Sheehan was sued by the federal government for failure to pay back taxes. "I feel like I gave my son to this country in an illegal and immoral war. I'll never get him back," Sheehan said. "And, so, if they can give me my son back, then I'll pay my taxes. And that's not going to happen." Sheehan appeared in court on April 19, 2012, and in IRS offices on May 9, 2012, refusing to provide information on the basis of the First Amendment and the Fifth Amendment. The government dropped its case against her in February 2013.
Congressional election campaign
In July 2007, Sheehan announced that she would run against Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi for representative of California's 8th District, based on Pelosi's failure to attempt impeachment of Bush. Up until her run for the U.S. Congress, Sheehan lived outside Pelosi's district, in Dixon, California; however, she moved to San Francisco's Mission District after declaring her candidacy. Earlier, in 2006, she had spoken of ambitions to challenge Dianne Feinstein for her seat in the United States Senate.
Sheehan ran on a platform of single-payer health care, media reform, overturning all free trade agreements, repealing the Patriot Act, renewable energy, nationalizing oil and electricity, ending the War on Drugs, legalizing cannabis, ensuring all talks in the Middle East are fair to all parties, ending torture, closing Guantanamo Bay detention camp, overseas commitment to cleaning up Superfund sites, ending deregulation, ending No Child Left Behind, and legalizing same-sex marriage. Sheehan lost the 2008 election to the incumbent Pelosi. In a seven-way race, Sheehan came in second with 46,118 votes (16.14%) to Pelosi's 71.56%.
2012 vice-presidential candidacy
In the summer of 2012, television personality Roseanne Barr named Sheehan as her running mate for the presidential nomination of the Peace and Freedom Party in the 2012 presidential election. Barr and Sheehan were nominated by that party as its presidential ticket on August 4, 2012.
2014 California gubernatorial candidacy and campaign
On March 12, 2013 Marsha Feinland, state chair of California's Peace and Freedom Party, made the announcement that the central committee of the party had unanimously endorsed Cindy Sheehan for Governor of California in the 2014 election, should Sheehan choose to run. Sheehan formally announced her campaign for Governor of California at a news conference Tuesday, August 27, 2013, at the State Capitol in Sacramento.
Sheehan said she planned to unseat incumbent Gov. Jerry Brown, and to bring California "peace, economic equality and environmental sustainability," and reforms through an EPIC (End Poverty in California) program. Her EPIC campaign harkened to the End Poverty in California movement campaign of the 1934 California gubernatorial candidate Upton Sinclair. Sinclair garnered 879,537 votes in that race.
Political positions
Sheehan has, through her own blog, described herself as a socialist. She has also criticized capitalism. In 2010, Sheehan changed her voter registration in California and became a member of the Peace and Freedom Party. Sheehan has expressed opposition to COVID-19 restrictions, mask mandates, and vaccine mandates. She published a paper about former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's nursing home controversy.
In 2024, Sheehan signed an open letter in support of a trans-exclusionary activist who was excluded from a Jewish Voice for Peace action for opposing trans rights.
Personal life
In 1977, she married Patrick Sheehan, a sales representative, in Norwalk, California; they had four children, including Casey Sheehan (born in 1979), who was killed in action in Iraq on April 4, 2004. Patrick Sheehan filed for divorce on August 12, 2005, citing irreconcilable differences.
Published works
- Dear President Bush. San Francisco: City Lights Publishers, 2006. ISBN 0872864545
- Peace Mom. San Francisco: City Lights Publishers, 2006. ISBN 074329792X
See also
- Views on the 2003 invasion of Iraq
- Movement to impeach George W. Bush
- List of peace activists
- Reg Keys
References
- ^ Geraghty, Jim (2011-05-02). Cindy Sheehan: ‘If you believe the newest death of OBL, you’re stupid.’ National Review. Retrieved May 2, 2011.
- "Cindy Sheehan, Truther". The Atlantic. 28 September 2010.
- Lewis, Matt (24 October 2017). "Cindy Sheehan: 'Bush Was No Better' Than Donald Trump". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
- ^ Yoon, Robert (August 5, 2012). "TRENDING: America one step closer to President Roseanne". CNN. Archived from the original on November 15, 2012. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
- York, Anthony (2013-08-27). "Cindy Sheehan announces run for California governor". Los Angeles Times.
- For Some, a Loss in Iraq Turns Into Antiwar Activism: Gold Star Families Band Together to 'Make People Care', The Washington Post, February 22, 2005
- Cindy Sheehan Has an Agenda Archived 2017-03-07 at the Wayback Machine, American Chronicle
- "Inside the ambush known as Black Sunday". ABC News.
- Army Specialist Casey Sheehan - Someone You Should (Have) Know(n), Blackfive blog
- Mother's Vigil Recalls Quiet, Dedicated Son Archived May 19, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, Associated Press, August 13, 2005
- ^ "Cindy Sheehan Is Working To Bring Our Troops Home: "Mr. President. You have daughters. How would you feel if one of them was killed?"". BuzzFlash Interviews. BuzzFlash. 2004-10-07. Archived from the original on 2007-04-23. Retrieved 2007-04-08.
- Henson, David (2004-06-24). "Bush, Sheehans share moments". The Reporter. Vacaville, CA.
- ^ Sheehan, Cindy (2005-02-28). "1492 Empty Pairs of Boots". BuzzFlash Reader Contribution. BuzzFlash. Archived from the original on 2007-03-29. Retrieved 2007-04-08.
- "Anti-war memorial stirring passions among parents". Catholicpeacefellowship.org. 2005-03-10. Retrieved 2010-04-10.
- Garofoli, Joe (2005-03-26). "Empty boots are silent testament to war's toll". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-04-08.
- Michael A. Fletcher, Cindy Sheehan's Pitched Battle, Washington, August 13, 2005.
- "Mother of Fallen Soldier Protests at Bush Ranch". The Washington Post. 2005-08-07. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
- "Cindy Sheehan Address Veterans For Peace Convention, August 5, 2005". Archived from the original on 2006-11-01. Retrieved August 22, 2011.
- "Mom of soldier killed in Iraq stages protest near Bush's ranch". Archived from the original on June 24, 2007.
- "Grieving mom may have worn out welcome outside Bush's ranch". Archived from the original on March 24, 2008. Retrieved 2010-04-10.
- Engler, Mark; Engler, Paul (2024-08-19). "How to Make Sure Your Disruptive Protest Helps Your Cause". The Commons Social Change Library. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
- "Tuscaloosa News". Tuscaloosa News. Archived from the original on 2009-06-11. Retrieved 2010-04-10.
- MacCallum, Alex (2005-08-12). "Gold Star Families For Peace Launches New Ad Supporting Cindy Sheehan". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2010-04-10.
- "Please Convince the President, First Lady Laura Bush". English.donga.com. 2005-08-20. Retrieved 2010-04-10.
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{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Sean Alfano (2005-08-22). "Joan Baez Joins Peace Mom's Cause". Cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2010-04-10.
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{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Haddock, Vicki (19 March 2006). "THE DEFIANT WAR / When it began three years ago, few people could have anticipated that the combat in Iraq would last so long or that the enemy would become a stubborn and resilient insurgency / Cindy Sheehan's year of living famously". Sfgate.
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- Fimrite, Peter (August 16, 2005). Activist mother sued for divorce / Vigil for dead son outside Bush ranch. San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.: Hearst Communications. ISBN 9781416541059. ISSN 1932-8672. OCLC 33123981. Retrieved May 6, 2010.
Her husband, Patrick Sheehan, filed for divorce Friday in Solano County District Court, and he apparently wants to keep their house.
{{cite book}}
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ignored (help)
External links
- Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox Radio, blog and action page
- Former blogs at Crawford Update, DailyKos and Huffington Post
- Cindy Sheehan Sets Up "Camp Out Now" in Antiwar Protest - video report by Democracy Now!
- Cindy Sheehan On "Peace Heroes: Albert Einstein". 18 May 2010.
- Dissent in the age of Obama - an article by Cindy Sheehan, 5 October 2010
- Injustice in the age of Obama - an article by Cindy Sheehan, 16 October 2010
- Bush was No Better Than Donald Trump - an interview between Cindy Sheehan and The Daily Beast, Oct. 23rd 2017.
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Cindy Sheehan Papers, Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives at New York University Special Collections
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