Nattering Nabob of the Left

Bless her heart, but Cindy Sheehan has got Problems (notice the capital P.) First, let me just say that I sympathize with her anger and grief, and I feel compassion for her loss. I think losing a child prematurely--even if they are an adult--is perhaps the worst thing I can imagine happening to an individual. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. I preface my remarks with this not because I'm all touchy feely, but because I want it understood up front that I'm not a flint-eyed stoneheart.

That said, I believe she's floating around out there in the ozone layer. For example, here are some of her highly cogent remarks of late: "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!" And "We are waging a nuclear war in Iraq right now. That country is contaminated. It will be contaminated for practically eternity now." She made these remarks at a "We Hate Bush" rally at San Francisco University, and according to the Drudge Report, it only gets worse from there. (WARNING: the linked article may offend some folks with its foul language). I'm no Bush fan, as most of you already know; and like any good lie, some of her statements harbor kernels of truth.

I see the situation this way: Ms. Sheehan is using the media as a tool to get her message across to the public and to have her voice heard. The left-wing media is benefiting in exploiting her pain, as well, using her as a hammer to bash Bush over the head. It's obvious that they're eating this up like sharks in a feeding frenzy. If there's one thing the lefties never pass up, it's an opportunity to make Bush and his administration look evil or stupid.

There's a facet of this story that I haven't seen addressed, though: Ms. Sheehan's son's personal philosophy. I confess ignorance, regarding his viewpoint. Was he a disgruntled, reluctant participant in our overseas military ventures; or was he patriotic, seeing them as necessary evils? I think this is an important question, regardless of one's view on the Iraq War. If the latter is true, then his mother is besmirching her son and dishonoring his memory and accomplishments, whether she admits this--or understands this--or not. Best-case scenario, the former is true. But even then, Ms. Sheehan is making herself a willing accomplice to the promotion of the American leftist agenda--an agenda which distinguishes between lies and truth only when it is beneficial to the Cause, and which champions pacifism only as long as a Republican is leading the charge.