What female image of strength for Cindy? I'm thinking Demeter [View All]

[Hekate]

In another post someone compared Cindy to Ghandi, which provoked an interesting discussion. I'd like to ask what female images or archetypes of strength occur to you? (and thanks to dweller for suggesting this thread)

I've been thinking this over for some time, and the grieving mother she most reminds me of is the goddess Demeter of ancient Greek mythology.

Briefly, Demeter's child Kore/Persephone was taken from her by Death (Aidoneus/Hades) with the permission of Zeus (P's father/ruler of the gods). Demeter searched everywhere for her child until she was told what happened; she grieved and raged. After many events (like all true myths it is many layered and complex) she entered the stage called the Wrath of Demeter, during which she sat down in her temple and refused to budge until Zeus agreed to hear her out. Now, being a goddess, Demeter had powers of her own, and she caused all the crops to fail -- as she told Zeus's messenger, if this keeps up there will soon be no one left to make sacrifices to the gods.

Cindy Sheehan has tapped into a certain powerful Demetrian energy. Were she truly modeling herself on the closest representative of a goddess-figure in her own religion, the Virgin Mary of Roman Catholicism, she would most likely have struggled to say to God "Thy will be done," no matter how evident the lies of Bush were. She could still oppose Bush, but the inner struggle would be different.

I see Demeter here. Cindy Sheehan has gone down to Crawford to sit at the gates of the ruler's summer palace until he agrees to hear her out. She has turned back the ruler's messengers.

And if this keeps up, there will be no more soldiers to make sacrifices to this ruler, who, if not a god, has said he thinks God talks through him.

Gods, kings, and ordinary men: beware the wrath of a bereaved mother.

Hekate