The lie that killed my son (Lila Lipscomb)

[Khephra]

Lila Lipscomb believed in Bush's case for war in Iraq. But when her son died in action, her faith in the American way was shattered. Emma Brockes meets the Michigan mother at the heart of Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11

Thursday July 8, 2004
The Guardian

Two years ago, if you had asked Lila Lipscomb what she stood for, she would have referred you to the flag in her garden and her four grown-up children. Her priorities were, in descending order of importance, family, faith, country and a place where all three met, what she might have called "service": two of her children were in the military and she worked in the public sector, at an employment agency designed to get people off welfare. She is, as she puts it, "an extremely strong woman. And I've raised my daughters to understand that they come from a long line of strong, independent women. So the men in our lives have to be very unique. Hence Pops."

Pops is her husband, Howard, a car-factory worker. He has accompanied Lipscomb to London today by way of moral support and sits across from her in the hotel suite, eyes brimming. What she is saying is not easy for either of them. Lipscomb describes an event that changed their lives and forced a seismic shift in their political perceptions; a shift that she hopes millions of her fellow Americans will be making between now and election time in November. To her surprise, and the surprise of all who know her, Lipscomb is becoming a figurehead in the fight to oust George Bush.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1256558,00.html

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. What is the name of the ignoramus that confronted her at the WH?

Anyone know?

[StClone]

2. My family went to F9/11 for 2nd time

And Lila drew tears again. If ever there was a movie moment it is when Lila almost goes to her knees in front of the White House after unkind words from a Rich White Freep Lady.

[Sticky]

3. Great article!

The film is being released in Britain tomorrow......can't wait for the reviews from across the pond.

Thanks for posting.

[diamond14]

4. too cruel for the military to CALL HER ON THE PHONE to tell her

about her son's death...leaving her collapsed on the floor of her bedroom with no one else at home to help her....this is too cruel...

what happened to the idea of having a military officer show up....or a chaplain? or provide some kind of counseling...but to leave an older women collapsed alone on the floor is simply beyond me....

[mandelion]

5. Agreed

How cold is it to call someone up to tell them their son has died? It's absolutely heartless and there should be some protocol in order to tell families what has happened to their loved ones.

*Although it would be better if there was no need for any of this but that's just a dream..*

[JNelson6563]

6. Awesome article, awesome woman.

Let Rove try to set his dogs on her, see how much support that gets. There have to be a lot of Republican with enough brains left to be affected by this story.

I think this is a very noble woman and the fact that millions are mouring her loss has to be heartening for her and her family. She should join up with those eloquent women, I am sorry I forget their names, the 9/11 widows that were at all the commission hearings.

Julie

[NJCher]

7. Kristin Breitweiser, et al

AKA The Jersey Girls.


Cher