The REAL "noble cause."

[ArthurRuger]

As an MFSO member and actively involved in MFSO Pacific Northwest,
and with two family members trapped in a military situation of vulnerability to the demonstrated foolishness of the republican leadership, I have yet to suffer the kind of loss Cindy has suffered.

But the longer I follow this story in Crawford and share information nationwide through our Texas and national MFSO contacts, the more my own sense of outrage flares up.

If my family is asked - perish the thought - to pay the price Cindy has and is paying now, my reaction would be as hers. But I do and will continue to speak as a father and as a veteran who is totally embarrased that of all the talented baby-boomers of my generation, the shallowest and baddest political apple of my time has risen to the top.

When my political and moral sense were more intertwined in the 90's and I felt embarrased by Mr. Clinton's foolishness with Monica, I also hoped that another boomer would come along to demonstrate more the wisdom that came out of Viet Nam and the sense that an American electorate, when aroused, will replace incompetence with compentence.

In retrospect, I'd drop George and take Bill or Hillary or any other boomer in a heartbeat. In 2008 it won't be hard to find another boomer more capable than George - if the electorate is willing to take a chance on another boomer at all.

This morning we spoke with contacts who were in Crawford yesterday. When we read about Cindy and her veteran companions being forced to walk and stay in a ditch, we are talking about what was called a "barrow pit" in Idaho where I grew up. It's why in wet seasons water will flow alongside the road rather than across.

In Texas, (and I lived in Houston and South Texas for 8 years) it's also where water moccasins congregate.

There's nothing patriotic, considerate or exmpliary of acting in the national interest by sober-staring, earphone wearing suits who are supposed to insure the president's safety with one hand on their earphone, the other on their gun while they watch a woman their mother's age and disabled veterans try to negotiate what really is a ditch and not just a recessed area alongside the road that can serve as a "trail."

There's nothing noble in this situation where a president hides, where his entourage stands guard at the vacation parapets and ventures out in his name with talking points that have gotten to be so dull that they resemble ping pong balls rather than darts of logic.

There's nothing noble in a refusal to step out and meet Cindy face to face, thinking on your feet and expressing the wisdom a president and commander-in-chief is expected to possess.

Except this CIC hasn't demonstrated an ability to think on his feet, off the cuff and respond intelligently without coaching. Cindy would not be a hand-selected audience which makes it doubly difficult.

Cindy is not intimidated nor are the veterans representing the real military victims of republican corruption.

I'm told from Texas today that news media is not required to travel down in the barrow pit but that Cindy, the Vets and her supporters are.

Why is that?

Whoever made that decision owes us a justification.

Don't let go of this ...
Blog blog blog ...

This is the real noble cause.

[knowbody0]

1. can you imagine how she feels?

each time i see her she seems more filled with rage. i cannot imagine why he refuses to see her, but to put her in a ditch!

[tavalon]

12. You cannot imagine why he refuses to see her?

First off, she has already spoken to him before and was offended by his pretend commiseration. She is there for a much more important reason. She is the Ghandi of our time. She is there to get the publicity to try to stop this Goddamn war in it's tracks by turning the tide of public opinion away from it and away from "The War President".

[knowbody0]

16. i still cannot imagine

the thought process of our idiot pResident.

[frictionlessO]

2. Thanks for posting this up in here, your words are good and strong and

from the heart... and ever so very very true!

(PS Listen to your wife more, she is right about your words and thoughts)

;)

[yellowdogintexas]

3. say what you will about Big Dawg, he would meet with the lady

I daresay he would have arranged meetings with groups of families who have lost loved ones in this war.

I don't think even Bill would have mananged to get to all their funerals, but he would have wanted to.

Can't say the same for *

[ArthurRuger]

4. "say what you will about Big Dawg, he would meet with the lady"

You bet he would have.

In the mid 90's I was interested in everything but politics and couldn't have labeled myself liberal or conservative.

5 years of inept Republican leadership has left me with an appreciation of what we had when I didn't appreciate it then.

[checks-n-balances]

15. Maybe she SHOULD try to meet with WJC and even GHWB, since

they seem to spend a lot of time together. Or maybe Big Dawg would be willing to carry a message to Big Daddy, then on to his notorious offspring.

If nothing else, the press needs to be covering this story far and wide, including details from this thread.

AND - I wish she had mentioned this in her piece with Wolf Blitzer - she should reveal that her son was killed on a mission BEFORE troops were sent - and I think the mission was to find WMDs.

She and her family were DOUBLY betrayed and defrauded.

[yellowdogintexas]

26. oh by the way, welcome to DU nt

[union_maid]

5. No question

I have my arguments with him, but he'd never have hidden behind aides and the secret service while this lady was outside asking to speak to him. He'd already have spoken to her - and with real respect for her loss, I believe. Also, he most likely wouldn't have gotten her son killed to begin with.

[ArthurRuger]

8. "No question"

I very much agree.
And whatever he'd said would have done her some good.

And FYI, union-maid, I currently serve as the president of Local 970, Washington Federataion of State Employees.

[Eloriel]

10. Go, Labor!

And this boomer agrees with you.

How deep are those "ditches" or "barrow pits"?

[ArthurRuger]

11. "Go, Labor!"

In Idaho?

Depends whether you're on the flatland or in the mountains. But there's lots of sagebrush, woodticks and critters.

[Name removed]

32. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[frictionlessO]

19. Totally agree, I have my pissyness with Clinton but he was never this

kind of evil...

[frictionlessO]

6. This thread needs more cowbell!! Can someone help?

Give us a bit of the clang clang clang... some attention would be nice here... and maybe some more noms (hinty poo).

[babylonsister]

7. "...expressing the wisdom a president...is expected to possess."

That says it all to me, ArthurRuger. He can't express himself and he's shown no wisdom.
Thanks for your thoughts, and welcome to DU!

[PuraVidaDreamin]

9. Welcome Arthur!

What strong heartfelt words. Thank You
for sharing.

It truly is dispicable what these
'grownups' have done, not only to our soldiers,
their families, but the nation and world.
All in the name of greed.

My hubby was stationed in Texas and Olkahoma
for a few years, and I vowed never to go
back there again, because of my experiences
there. However, I will break that promise
On the 19th of this month if Bush is still
adding to Cindy Sheehans grief.

[ArthurRuger]

13. And you go kiddo ....

I'm old but still employed, leave time used up and supporting family on one income. Otherwise I'd take a bus the 2000 miles from here if I had to and couldn't afford an airplane.

It's worth it.

Rally rally rally ....

keep the flames hot so feet can stay held to the fire.

[BrklynLiberal]

14. kicked and nominated

[frictionlessO]

17. kickin for truth!

:kick: :dem: :hi:

[understandinglife]

18. Welcome to DU Albert. Nominated. And, thank you.

Cindy Sheehan tries to keep cool Sunday while protesting near President Bush's ranch in Crawford.

WATCH IT; SPREAD IT http://www.bushflash.com/right.html

Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us - How ever long it takes, the day must come when tens of millions of caring individuals peacefully but persistently defy the dictator, deny the corporatists their cash flow, and halt the evil being done in Iraq and in all the other places the Bu$h neoconster regime is destroying civilization and the environment in the name of "America."

[AuntPatsy]

20. Kick, needs to be seen.

[ArthurRuger]

21. Pandagon is fun to read

Pandagon.net

God's chosen prince answers to nobody

"For those that don't know, a woman named Cindy Sheehan has come to Crawford, TX to demand a meeting with George Bush so he can explain in person why her son was sent to die in Iraq. As one can imagine, Bush is going to try to ignore her as hard as he can. The prince's robes should not be fouled by being touched by mere peasants he sends to die in wars that are immensely profitable for his friends.

I don't have much to add to this except my well wishes towards Cindy in her devastating task to try to get answers for the unanswerable--why is it that George Bush, a man who is afraid of horses and would surely shit himself should he ever see actual action in the battlefield, gets to play at being a big man who clears brush while her young son was killed off before his life had really begun, all so that Bush and his friends have more money to buy more land to clear more brush off?"

[frictionlessO]

23. Oh yes that is a quite a read!

Wow so very glad to have you here Arthur!

I think you are a fine addition to our little community out here.

[Karenina]

22. There is nothing noble

about what American troops have been ordered to do in Iraq.

[frictionlessO]

24. More noms please!!

I dont usually grovel this much for noms but this man and his wife Webeblue both post here at DU and they have two loved ones in harms way due to the monster in Crawford! If that doesn't piss you off enough to nom this thread than I don't know what will.

Military Families Speak Out is an awesome org please support them and their representatives wherever you find them. It takes real courage to do what they do...

So again I beg of you my fellow DU'ers... nom the hell out of that OP!

Thank you and Im sorry...

[ArthurRuger]

25. Thanks

I registered here when my wife first suggested it over a year ago. Finally got around to putting thoughts here this weekend.

Otherwise I'd have enough posts to start nominating all the great writing I see here ... but as is said in "The Gladiator" .... not yet!

[frictionlessO]

27. Glad you decided to.

I'm excited about your voice being here.

I was on the original yahoo group for MFSO not too long after they got things going, I have much respect for what all of you are doing... deep deep respect. Its not easy I know that.

Soon you'll be nomming your ass off! Trust me, so many worthy writers here.

[frictionlessO]

28. ok final kick for me...

thank again Arthur!

[Sacajawea]

29. Welcome to the Underground, AR! Nominated. nt

[frictionlessO]

30. Morning kick!

[Diamonique]

31. kick

n/t

[faithnotgreed]

33. yea for arthur

and cindy and gold star mothers and all vet peace organizations