Cindy Sheehan: Strange Bedfellows

A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION
by Cindy Sheehan

Since I announced my challenge to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi a few days ago, I have been very thrilled that issues such as impeachment and the inherent corruption of the "two" party system have been brought to the forefront of public discourse. Every interview I have done has given me the opportunity to throw the impeachment issue out there. The democratic blogosphere has predictably lined up against me and must be very frightened because they are repeating the scandalous lies of the right. Wow, the right and left are finding common ground over slandering me. I must be a uniter.

I received an e-mail from David Swanson from AfterDowningStreet.org yesterday saying that ADS was in trouble because the blogs were trashing us for targeting John Conyers and Nancy Pelosi. My question for these bloggers is whom should we target? Should we go after House Minority Leader John Boehner? Repugs are literally like rats jumping off the sinking ship of state and they are distancing themselves from George and Dick faster than the Democrats. With the mood of the country, we know this is not a moral position but a politically expedient one. Why can't we urge the Democrats to take a moral position? Because they have been elected with a (D) they become one of the Untouchables?

Instead of trashing David Swanson and me for wanting our leadership to do their jobs, why can't the left join with us and be concerned with the people who are being killed, maimed, and displaced on a daily basis and not worry about Dems being held to the same standards we hold the Repugs? David has a baby boy named Wesley that deserves a better future. There are millions of children in Iraq that deserve a better future. Over 600 American troops have been killed since the Dems took over the power structure in DC and did nothing to stop George's murderous surge. We targeted the Repugs when they were in power. Now the Dems are in power so they are the ones that we have to focus on. It is not a difficult concept.

There must be an underlying shady reason that Speaker Pelosi took impeachment off the table. Her office stated the other day that she will not put the issue back on the table because she is focused on "ending the war." The statement would be laughable if it weren't for the fact that she is using a neo-con strategy of saying the exact opposite of what is true. Ms. Pelosi would not allow Rep. Barbara Lee's bill that truly supported the troops by fixing a quick timeline for their withdrawal to be brought to the floor and instead used her power to whip her caucus into approving a "non-binding" resolution that by its very name is meaningless and useless. The Dems can accomplish much if they put their muscle behind it and the Dems could impeach BushCo and end the war if that was truly their focus. Actions speak louder than words and one cannot say that she is focused on ending the war with her mouth while she is signing a $100 BILLION check to keep the war going with her signing hand.

Since I announced, along with the expected slurs from the "left," we (including my team of my sister and assistant) have received thousands of messages of support. People are lining up to donate to a potential campaign and are pledging to close businesses and quit jobs to move across the country to San Francisco to work on my campaign. I have been asked to run for Congress from districts all over the country, but I am a California home-girl and have spent the last 15 years less than an hour away from what we call "The City." If Ms. Pelosi does not exercise her mandatory (a president and vice-president SHALL BE impeached) constitutional duty to remove the uncontrollable Bush mob from power and I do run against her, it will be a pleasure to sleep in the same bed every night and live near my family and friends!

I will be running on the People for Humanity platform that is coalescing right now with other possible exciting candidates coming onboard to challenge other corrupt Repugs and do-nothing Dems. Politics are not the be-all and end-all of our society and one thing we all need to learn is that people power should run this country, not a bunch of corporately controlled wealthy elitists disconnected from humanity and reality. The system of constant war and constant war profiteering needs to be challenged in a very pronounced way if we want constant peace and a system of sustainability. Great social change will not happen without great sacrifice and maybe its time to suck it up and work for a better country, and then a better world by default.

Our Journey for Humanity and Accountability has gotten off to a great start. We left Camp Casey in Crawford on July 10. Our "parade" (we got in lots of trouble for not having a permit) that walked along the Lone Star Parkway in Crawford for about a mile received honks and waves and not one middle finger. Our first stop was Houston, the former home of Halliburton and the headquarters of many immoral oil companies. Our second stop was New Orleans, where mostly people of color are still homeless or inadequately housed and still desperately seeking help. The young people who still put their own lives on hold to come from around America to help them are still my heroes.

Change is hard and scary, I know this all too well. My life changed irrevocably when Casey was killed in the occupation of Iraq that has been supported and funded by both parties. But oftentimes, change can be good.

Don't fear change especially when the status quo is so freaking frightening.

A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION

Cindy Sheehan is the mother of Spc. Casey Sheehan who was killed in Bush's war of terror on 04/04/04. She is the co-founder and president of Gold Star Families for Peace and The Camp Casey Peace Institute.

For more information, or to donate to our caravan, please visit www.thecampcaseypeaceinstitute.org.

Technorati Tags: Guest Contribution Cindy Sheehan George W. Bush impeach commute pardon Iraq Camp Casey Nancy Pelosi