Since when has "having an agenda" been a bad thing? (re Cindy)

[Brotherjohn]

Critics of Cindy Sheehan on the Right just don't get it. In fact, they're clueless.

A typical conservative tactic is to find something they have often been accused of, and turn it on the left. But often, they just don't even understand the criticism they're trying to copy.

It's not a crime to "have an agenda". Everyone has an agenda... it's what you want to get done. She's not out there to get a suntan.

It's dishonest when you have a "hidden" agenda. For example, when conservatives claim they only want school vouchers so that competition can improve our schools, or intelligent design in schools because they only want honest intellectual debate (both are really about getting religion into our schools).

Of COURSE Cindy Sheehan has an agenda! She wears it on her sleeve (along with her heart). She's never been anything but 100% clear what her agenda is (even in her initial newspaper interview that the right tries to turn on her: see http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x146319).

Then some are saying "she sounds so scripted" and implying she's brainwashed by Move On and Michael Moore. Geez, now having convictions and being well-spoken means you're brainwashed?! I guess you need to sound like a babbling idiot to get some respect with this crowd.

The article in the link above quotes Bill O'Reilly citing "her association with "Fahrenheit 9/11" producer Michael Moore and other antiwar advocates as examples of her radicalization." Heaven forbid that an antiwar activist would hang out with other antiwar activists! And does he realize that "Fahrenheit 9/11" made over $200Million and was the top-selling documentary of all time? Oh yeah, and that Moore was RIGHT about the war being for "fictitious reasons"?

For Sheehan's critics to keep saying "she has some kind of agenda" simply reveals how clueless they are.

[pointblank]

1. Its only bad if you are a DEM

and you have an agenda...

Cae in point, the repukes used the images of 9/11 victims in their campaign ads in '04, but justified it by saying that it was reality.

You can't win with these people, they, frankly, are stupid

[atommom]

2. You're exactly right.

This is another one of those bang-your-head-against-the-wall moments of stupidity. (By "moment," I mean the past 5 years...) :banghead:

[Jacobin]

3. You simply don't understand.....sigh

Liberals have 'agendas' and 'conspiracies'.

Neo-cons have 'noble visions' and 'coalitions' and are 'firm in their beliefs' and have 'strong messages'.

Please report to room 1602d for re-education.

[Crankie Avalon]

4. These are the same sort of people who said Rosa Parks had an "agenda"...

Rosa Parks was a member of the Montgomery, Alabama chapter of the NAACP for many years before she refused to give up her seat that fateful day in December, 1955. So, she was "radicalized" and "had an agenda," too, according to the same ilk who now try to smear Cindy Sheehan. She "associated" with Martin Luther King, Jr., whom the O'Reilly's of the era then felt safe in assailing.

Old-time segregationists, then...war-mogering chickenhawks, now. Birds of a feather.

For the likes of Bill O'Reilly to accuse anyone else of "politicking" and "radicalization" is maybe the biggest joke of all. Is there anyone more extreme and on the fringe than rightwingers like O'Reilly and the others who try to sell the line that an association with Michael Moore (a man who turned out to be completely right about "fictitious reasons" for going to war) should somehow be considered "damaging"?

[Canuckistanian]

5. That is the most abused word in the GOP lexicon

Of course she has an agenda. "A list or program of things to be done or considered" is how the dictionary defines it.

Somehow (like a lot of words) it has picked up an evil connotation. I think they intend it to mean "sneaky, underhanded, deceitful, nefarious" or something like that. I think it means all of the above to them. And I have no idea why.

Without agendas, meetings would be unfocused and unproductive. Without an agenda, any organization would be endlessly squabbling about what to do or say next.

So, Cindy has an agenda? Damn right she does. And she's accomplishing her goals.

[Brotherjohn]

6. It means "sneaky, deceitful, etc." to them b/c they're thinking "hidden"..

... agenda.

I really think the people who come up with this are completely and utterly stupid. They hear the word "agenda" when they get smacked for having a hidden agenda on school vouchers, or on, say, going the U.N. route" (the hidden agenda was trying to seek justification for a war they wanted)...

So to them, the word "agenda" gets a bad connotation, and they don't ever bother to look it up.