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Cindy Sheehan (born circa 1957) is an American peace activist and the mother of US Army Specialist Casey Sheehan, who was killed in action at age 24 in Sadr City, Iraq, on April 4 2004, just five days after arriving in the country for duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Cindy Sheehan is one of nine founding members of Gold Star Families for Peace, a group that campaigns to bring US troops home from Iraq.

She gained national attention in early August 2005 when she traveled with about 50 people to the Prairie Chapel Ranch belonging to President George W. Bush just outside Crawford, Texas during the President's vacation there, to demand a meeting and an explanation of the "noble cause" for which her son died.

She has been called "the Rosa Parks of the anti-war movement" by her supporters

Chronology

Son Killed

4 April 2004 Casey Sheehan killed in action.

Week 2

13 August 2005 Cindy Sheehan makes front page news in the Washington Post.

13 August 2005 More than 250 people (up from 150 in a similar protest the evening before) stage a Pro-Bush counter protest across the road from Sheehan's group.

Background

Comments on the Israeli-Arab conflict

Along with criticizing the Bush Administration and the War in Iraq, Sheehan has been quite vocal in her attacks on Israel and so-called neoconservatives. In a letter, written on 14 March 2005, Sheehan claims that her son died, "for a PNAC Neo-Con agenda to benefit Israel." Sheehan further comments that her son joined the armed forces to "protect America, not Israel."

Sheehan has also said that in order to stop terrorism, Israel must get "out of Palestine.".

These comments have led to accusations of anti-Semitism.

Congress

At least sixteen Democrat congressmembers signed a letter on 9 August 2005 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.

Criticism

Sheehan has been criticised by Matt Drudge, Michelle Malkin, Bill O'Reilly and other conservative commentators.

On 7 August 2005, Internet blogger Matt Drudge charged that Sheehan had "flip-flopped' (changed her opinion) about her meeting with President Bush: "... has dramatically changed her account about what happened when she met the commander-in-chief last summer!". Drudge quoted part of a 24 June 2004 interview with Sheehan published in the Vacaville Reporter newspaper, which took place after the meeting. In it, Sheehan appeared to praise Bush: "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." An examination of the same interview shows, however, that 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."

Sheehan is also reported to have stated prior to the meeting, "We support the military, but not the war in Iraq." 18 days after the meeting with Bush, Cindy Sheehan and her daughter are listed on a news release from Military Families Speak Out as willing to speak with reporters about their opposition to the war.

Drudge has also printed a report headlined "FAMILY OF FALLEN SOLDIER PLEADS: PLEASE STOP, CINDY!". The report is based on an email sent by Cherie Quartarolo, Casey's paternal aunt; the letter is signed "Casey Sheehan's grandparents, aunts, uncles and numerous cousins." The letter was also read out by Rush Limbaugh on his radio show. Dede Miller, identified by a New York Times reporter as Casey's aunt, said that Quartarolo does not speak for her, that she could not be more against the war and would join Sheehan at Crawford if she could. None of the other persons listed as signatories in the letter have made a public statement confirming or denying their support for its content.

Sheehan rejected this criticism in an interview with Salon.com , "They didn't even know Casey. They didn't spend any time with him in his life, and now they're using his death for political reasons, I think". Sheehan also claimed the support of "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."

On 9 August 2005 Bill O'Reilly on his Fox News television show criticized Sheehan as a victim of "far left elements" who are exploiting her for their own purposes. The next day O'Reilly criticized Sheehan for refusing to appear on his show and repeated his claim about "far left elements".

The New York Sun featured an editorial entitled ""Cindy Sheehan's Crowd" on 11 August 2005 where "she has put herself in league with some extreme groups and individuals."

The American Spectator described Sheehan as "co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace, an organization that seeks to impeach George W. Bush and apparently to convince the U.S. government to surrender to Muslim terrorists."

Quotes

"Thank God for the Internet, or we wouldn't know anything, and we would already be a fascist state."

"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 my son died to spread the cancer of Pax Americana, imperialism in the Middle East. You tell me that, you don't tell me my son died for freedom and democracy."

"It has been two days since your dishonest campaign stole another election… but you all were way more subtle this time than in 2000, weren’t you?" (An open letter to George W. Bush, Nov. 4th, 2004)

"We’re not letting them intimidate us. If we get killed out here, know that the Secret Service killed us."

"I don't believe his phony excuses for the war. I want him to tell me why my son died. If he gave the real answer, people in this country would be outraged — if he told people it was to make his buddies rich, that it was about oil."

“9/11 was Pearl Harbor for the neo-conservatives’ agenda.”

"Am I emotional? Yes, my first born was murdered. Am I angry? Yes, he was killed for lies and for a PNAC Neo-Con agenda to benefit Israel."

"My son joined the Army to protect America, not Israel."

"Am I stupid? No, I know full-well that my son, my family, this nation, and this world were betrayed by a George Bush who was influenced by the neo-con PNAC agenda after 9/11."

"My first born was killed violently for a neo-con agenda that only benefits a very chosen few in this world."

“George Bush and his neo-conservatives killed my son.”

"Is there yet an American who can not clearly see that Dick Cheney...will say whatever he thinks is required to ultimately cause wealth and power to move to himself and to his friends?... need I defile this holy place with words like 'Haliburton' and 'Kellog, Brown & Root' and 'torture' and 'US weapons industry'?"

"Is there anyone in America who cannot yet see that Donald Runsfeld is a liar... that he, as with Hitler and Stalin... will say anything so long as he thinks it will help shape the world to his own liking? Is there even one, sane adult among us who cannot see that Donald Rumsfeld is a threat to our nation's security and to peace on our beloved earth?"

"As soft-spoken and sincere-sounding as Paul Wolfowitz is, is there yet any sane adult in this country who's skin does not crawl when this murderous liar opens his mouth and speaks? Am I the only person in this room who clearly sees that Paul Wolfowitz is a threat to our nation's security...and to peace on our beloved earth?"

"Our country has been overtaken by murderous thugs...gangsters who lust after fortunes and power; never caring that their addictions are at the expense of our loved ones, and the blood of innocent people near and far."

"We've watched these thugs parade themselves before the whole world as if they are courageous advocates for Christian moral values...and for the spread of democracy."

"The US government is now ruled by murderous hypocrites...criminals who should be arrested, charged appropriately, confined behind bars."

"In their secret hiding places, while celebrating newly won fortunes with their fellow brass, these men must surely congratulate themselves with orgies of carnal pleasure as they mock the dwindling multitudes who are yet so blind as to mistake them for God's devoted servants."

"Every member of Bush's executive branch (past and present) and every member of Congress who voted to give George the authority to invade Iraq have innocent blood on their hands. For the next State of the Union address, maybe the hypocrites in Congress should shamefacedly display blood-soaked hands, instead of proudly wriggling fingers stained with ink to symbolize sham Iraqi elections."

"Then we have this lying bastard, George Bush..."

"So anyway that filth-spewer and warmonger, George Bush was speaking..."

"We can't let somebody rise to the top who will pardon these war criminals. Because they need to go to prison for what they've done in this world. We can't have a pardon. They need to pay for what they've done."

"Another thing that I'm doing is - - my son was killed in 2004, so I'm not paying my taxes for 2004. If I get a letter from the IRS, I'm gonna say, you know what, this war is illegal; this is why this war is illegal. This war is immoral; this is why this war is immoral. You killed my son for this. I don't owe you anything. And if I live to be a million, I won't owe you a penny."

"And I want them to come after me, because unlike what you've been doing with the war resistance, I want to put this frickin' war on trial. And I want to say, 'You give me my son, and I'll pay your taxes.'"

"You get America out of Iraq and Israel out of Palestine and you'll stop the terrorism."

"When I was growing up, it was Communists. Now it's terrorists. So you always have to have somebody to fight and be afraid of, so the war machine can build more bombs, guns, and bullets and everything."

“The biggest terrorist is George W. Bush.”

"I DEFINITELY think that we should support war resisters in the military."

"I know several people who are being court-martialed, and they need support--they need monetary support, they need our moral support, and they need to know that we’re with them... We need to encourage more people to do this."

"Why does Terry Schiavo deserve to live more than my son, Spc. Casey Austin Sheehan?"

External links

Video

• Gold Star Families for Peace
• Democracy Now interview - 12 August 2005
• Democracy Now interview - 21 March 2005
• Democracy Now interview - 21 January 2005

Interviews

• Buzzflash interview with Cindy Sheehan - 7 October 2004
• The Reporter - Bush, Sheehans share moments - 24 June 2004

News articles about Cindy Sheehan

• Cindy Sheehan's Pitched Battle - In a Tent Near Bush's Ranch, Antiwar Mother of Dead Soldier Gains Visibility Michael A. Fletcher, Washington Post 13 August 2005, Page A01
• Guardian Unlimited - Bereaved mother camps outside Bush ranch
• US Newswire - More to Join Sheehan
• CNN - Soldier's mom digs in near Bush ranch - 7 August 2005
• NY Times - Of the Many Deaths in Iraq, One Mother's Loss Becomes a Problem for the President 8 August 2005
• NY Times - Mother Takes Protest to Bush's Ranch 7 August 2005

Criticism and Support

• Michelle Malkin's Coverage of the Story
• Cindy Sheehan - Programmer's Wiki
• Drudge Report takes anti-war mom out of context
• Conservative Catholic blogger accuses Sheehan of being liberal mouthpiece
• Right Equals Might Article criticizing Sheehan
• MeetWithCindy.org
• Crawford Peace House
• Media Matters - Cindy Sheehan "changed her story on Bush"? Tracking a lie through the conservative media
• Post Cards For Cindy
• Food Not Bombs
• Peace In Pink Shoes

Articles by Cindy Sheehan

• An Open Letter to George W. Bush by Cindy Sheehan, 4 November 2004
• Rewarding Incompetence by Cindy Sheehan - Whose Son Died in Iraq - Responds to Time Magazine's Choice for "Man of the Year", 22 December 2004
• Guest column for Buzzflash by Cindy Sheehan - 24 January 2005
• Casey's Story Cindy Sheehan t r u t h o u t | Perspective 8 April 2005

Reference

• The Vacaville Reporter, June 24, 2005, Bush, Sheehans share moments, David Henson

• Current events
• Anti-war people