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Title: Mourning the Victims of Empire - Day of the Dead
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URL Source: http://www.counterpunch.org/sheehan05252009.html
Published: May 25, 2009
Author: Cindy Sheehan
Post Date: 2009-05-25 16:49:46 by christine
Keywords: None
Views: 622
Comments: 50
I was on an airplane flying to Orange County from Sacramento to attend the al-Awda Conference; which is a Palestinian Right's Conference. Al-Awda translates to "The Returning, " when the Pilot's voice filled the cabin to make an announcement that I think went unnoticed by most of my fellow passengers, but I heard it. As the plane was on the approach to John Wayne airport, the Captain came on the intercom to remind us all to "remember our brave troops who have died for our freedom." Even in this post 9-11 paranoid paradigm, if I wasn't belted in for landing, I would have popped out of my seat at 13D and charged up to the cockpit to let the pilot know that my son was killed in Iraq and not one person anywhere in this world is one iota more free because he is dead. As a matter of fact, the people of Iraq, the foreign country thousands of miles away where my oldest child's brains, blood, and life seeped into the soil, are not freer, unless one counts being liberated from life, liberty and property being free. If you consider torture and indefinite detention freedom, then the Pilot may have been right, but then again, even if you do consider those crimes freedom, it does not make it so. Here in America we are definitely not freer because my son died, as a matter of fact, our nation can spy on us and our communications without a warrant or just cause and we can't even bring a 3.6 ounce bottle of hand cream into an airport or walk through a METAL detector with our shoes on. Even if we do want to exercise our Bill of Rights, we are shoved into pre-designated "free speech" (NewSpeak for; STFU, unless you are well out of the way of what you want to protest and shoved into pens like cattle being led to slaughter) zones and oftentimes brutally treated if you decide you are entitled to "free speech" on every inch of American soil. If you watch any one of the cable news networks this weekend between doing holiday weekend things, you will be subjected to images of row upon row of white headstones of dead US military lined up in perfect formation in the afterlife as they were in life. Patriotic music will swell and we will be reminded in script font to "Remember our heroes," or some such BS as that. Before Casey was killed, a message like that would barely register in my consciousness as I rushed around preparing for Casey's birthday bar-be-que that became a family tradition since he was born on Memorial Day in 1979. If I had a vision of how Memorial Day and Casey's birthday would change for my family, I would have fled these violent shores to protect what was mine, not this murderous country's. Be my guest, look at those headstones with pride or indifference. I look at them, now with horror, regret, pain and a longing for justice. I can guarantee what you won't see this holiday weekend are images of the over one million Iraqi dead. Say we assign, in an arbitrary way for purely illustrative purposes, an average height of 5 feet for every person killed in Iraq and then lined those people up from head to toe. That gruesome line would stretch from Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon…950 driving miles up Interstate 5. If we count the Iraqis who have been forced to flee, we would have to go back and forth between L.A. and Portland another four times. There are obscene amounts of people who have been slaughtered for the US Profit Driven Military Empire who do not count here in America on any day. People in Vietnam are still dying from the toxins dumped on their country by the US, not to mention the millions who died during that war. Let the carnage escalate in Afghanistan while we protect our personal images by turning a blind eye to Obama's war crimes. Are you going to feel a lump of pride in your bosom when the coffins start to be photographed at Dover for this imperial crime of aggression? Will you look at those flag-draped boxes of the lifeless body of some mother's child and think: "Now, I am free." Is it better to be dead when Obama is president? A tough, but real, aspect of this all to consider is, how many of the soldiers buried in coffins in military cemeteries killed or tortured innocent people as paid goons for Empire? To me, it is deeply and profoundly sad on so many levels. If I have any consolation through all of this, I learned that my son bravely refused to go on the mission that killed him, but he was literally dragged onto the vehicle and was dead minutes later before he was forced to do something that was against his nature and nurture. Casey will always be my hero but he was a victim of US Imperialism and his death should bring shame, not pride, as it did not bring freedom to anyone. I will, of course, mourn his senseless death on Memorial Day as I do everyday. However, we do not need another day here in America to glorify war which enables the Military Industrial Complex to commit its crimes under the black cloak of "Patriotism." From Palestine to Africa to South America, our quest for global economic domination kills, sickens, maims or oppresses people on a daily basis and about 25,000 children per day die of starvation. I am not okay with these facts and I am not proud of my country. I will spend my reflective time on MD to mourn not only the deaths of so many people all over the world due to war, but mourn the fact that they are the unseen and uncared for victims of US Empire.
Poster Comment: Cindy always articulates my sentiments perfectly.
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#1. To: christine (#0)
Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
It is with great sadness that I must agree. She names it in such stark and realistic terms that it lays bare the truth. The truth is the kids dead and dying from DU exposure did NOT die for freedom. They died to enforce the will of psychotic and vainglorious men and women to whom human life, that of a common man or woman, means less than nothing. The morons who cheer them on fail to grasp the grimmest joke of all - what they are thought of by our self styled elites. They are as Henry Kissinger so well expressed for his ilk: "Military men are dumb, stupid animals to be used as pawns for foreign policy." Henry Kissinger, quoted by Bob Woodward in The Final Days.
"I think the subject which will be of most importance politically is Mass Psychology...It's importance has been enormously increased by the growth of modern methods of propaganda...Although this science will be diligently studied, it will be rigidly confined to the governing class. The populace will not be allowed to know how its convictions were generated." Bertrand Russel, Eugenicist and Logician
But, as Cyni likes to point out, it is such a great adventure and such a good time for all that male bonding that only mindless combat or at least preparation-for-combat experiences can really "flesh out" so to speak. I have thought ever since poor ol' Cindy started flogging her dead son as her badge of honor that if the son could be brought back to life, he'd immediately lose control and scream at her, "Shut up, bitch!" Having watched the militaristic culture in which I grew up during Vietnam, I have to say most of the people who participated would tell her the same thing. It's just something they've got to do ... go off, fight and possibly die (or at least be maimed for life) in a senseless, meaningless war on some other continent, just because the powers that be said it's time for a war there. It's in their DNA. The human race is deeply flawed. Whether we need a savior or not is up for debate among the world's religions, but we definitely need some improvements.
“I would give no thought of what the world might say of me, if I could only transmit to posterity the reputation of an honest man.” - Sam Houston
why "uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"? is there anything she wrote with which you disagree? i interpret it as her personal echoing of Smedley Butler's, War is a Racket.
The smooth criminal transition from Bush/Cheney to Obama
Completely agree.
first, i don't agree that what she's doing is flogging her dead son as a badge of honor. i think she's done a wonderful job of bringing to light the truth of the situation. she even wrote here that she was proud to learn that Casey bravely refused to go on the mission that killed him. i think it's fair to assume that Casey, like Pat Tillman, realized the evil of what this government was doing there. second, regarding the VN war vets, since McNamama's confession and their own horrid experiences, i bet there are more than less who now understand who really benefitted and the senselessness of it.
The smooth criminal transition from Bush/Cheney to Obama
"Badge of honor" is the wrong term, I guess. Her relation to him gave her "bona fides" as an opponent of the war. I read early on in her quixotic quest for whatever it is that she is seeking (if it's an end to the U.S. population and leadership's sentiment for occasional, mindless, trumped-up bankrupting imperialistic wars on other continents, I think she's not ever going to get anywhere) that the son disagreed with her about the war in Iraq. If he changed his mind, I missed it. Anyhow, here's a link from 2005 that disputes Cindy. Warning: it is from the FreakRepugnant's site.
“I would give no thought of what the world might say of me, if I could only transmit to posterity the reputation of an honest man.” - Sam Houston
In Henry Kissinger's world, those who value truth and honor are fools and pawns, while those who can effectively lie and deceive are the ones worthy of respect and power. That evil bastard is so twisted and crooked that I would not be surprised to find he needs two assistants to help him screw his pants on in the morning. Whenever I think of the words "odious, vile, loathsome, despicable and depraved" I immediately picture Henry Kissinger. He has the charm of Chtulu, the personality of a rabid vampire bat, the ethics of a starving hyena and the morals of a graverobber. When that happy day comes when his long overdue death finally comes to pass, I for one plan to buy a magnum of champagne and celebrate.
Cindy always articulates my sentiments perfectly.
#2. To: christine (#0)
Cindy always articulates my sentiments perfectly.
#3. To: christine (#0)
#4. To: Cynicom (#1)
#5. To: christine, Sam Houston, Cynicom, all (#4)
i interpret it as her personal echoing of Smedley Butler's, War is a Racket.
#6. To: Sam Houston (#3)
(Edited)
I have thought ever since poor ol' Cindy started flogging her dead son as her badge of honor that if the son could be brought back to life, he'd immediately lose control and scream at her, "Shut up, bitch!"
#7. To: christine (#6)
#8. To: Original_Intent (#2)
Military men are dumb, stupid animals to be used as pawns for foreign policy." Henry Kissinger, quoted by Bob Woodward in The Final Days.
 | Gold and silver are REAL money, paper is but a promise. |
#9. To: Elliott Jackalope (#8)
i think of many others i'd picture. cheney came immediately to mind.
Whenever I think of the words "odious, vile, loathsome, despicable and depraved" I immediately picture Henry Kissinger.
The smooth criminal transition from Bush/Cheney to Obama
#10. To: christine (#9)
There was a very good reason why the founders (some not all) warned of standing armies. America if one is honest is the worlds foremost waring nation 200 hundred years old 10 major wars .... one every 20 years no wonder the "military industrial complex" stays in business.
#11. To: christine, Sam Houston (#4)
Give me time, am thinking. I dont like to agree with you and Sam Houston, makes a dull day. Beyond that, there was one gentleman deeply involved prior to WW2 that had this to say, as I paraphrase. "WW2 was fought to see which fascist faction would survive, USING THE MEMBERS OF THE FREE WORLD TO FIGHT AND DIE to determine the winner"......the winner was Fascist Russia". Germany, Italy and Japan fell, and are currently accepted as free countries and certainly better off than prior to WW2. The question is this...did we fight and die to rid the world of Facist Italy, Germany and Japan, or did we fight to ensure the safety and survival of Fascist Russia???????? Dont just grumble and growl as Sam does, think about the question and give us a considered opinion or view.
is there anything she wrote with which you disagree?
#12. To: All (#10)
Memorial Day tribute from the Dixie Chicks -
#13. To: robnoel (#10)
That would be, more accurately the "military industrial political complex". I have read that that is what Ike was going to say at his farewell address, but a political aide talked him into removing the "political" at the last minute. Cannot source this, it may not be true. But including the "political" aspect of the complex he was trying to warn America of certainly, in MVHO, is true.
"military industrial complex" stays in business.
"Satan / Cheney in "08" 
#14. To: Sam Houston (#7)
this does sound very different than her account in the above article, however, i clicked on the source for this story and didn't see where Cindy told it that way. maybe it's there and i missed it. it's a Republican site.
While one might dismiss some of Sheehan’s hyperbole due to grief over her son’s death, a little research about Casey Sheehan revealed that contrary to being tricked by military recruiters, Casey Sheehan had re-enlisted in the U.S. Army voluntarily when he was 24-years-old, after serving his first hitch successfully. Casey Sheehan was in fact a hero who received a Bronze Star. He was attached as a mechanic to the artillery division of the 1st U.S. Cavalry in Iraq. When a convoy of soldiers from Casey’s unit was attacked in Sadr City by insurgents, Casey volunteered to join a rapid rescue force to get them out. His commanding sergeant told him he did not have to go into combat, because he was a mechanic and not an infantryman. Casey was quoted telling his officer, “I go where my chief goes.” He was tragically killed during the rescue attempt. The source for this story? Cindy Sheehan herself.
The smooth criminal transition from Bush/Cheney to Obama
#15. To: robnoel (#10)
dead on. this imperialistic nation is not what the founders created at all.
The smooth criminal transition from Bush/Cheney to Obama
#16. To: lodwick (#12)
Thanks Lod.
#17. To: Cynicom (#11)
daggone, Cyni. you KNOW i failed history, but my first thought is neither. my second thought is i wondered who is it that funded both sides of the war. i'm sure America's entrance into the war was mainly because some elite persons benefitted economically. it's always first and foremost about money.
The smooth criminal transition from Bush/Cheney to Obama
#18. To: Elliott Jackalope (#8)
H.P. Lovecraft!
the charm of Chtulu
I've already said too much.
#19. To: christine (#17)
Here's to Davy Crockett. He died fighting Mexicans.
I've already said too much.
#20. To: Elliott Jackalope (#8)
You forgot the ever present odor of brimstone about his presence. If I truly believed in the existence of a Satan I would think Henry The K one of his chief demons. He is psychotically evil and fits in the same category as a Hannibal Lectre.
He has the charm of Chtulu, the personality of a rabid vampire bat, the ethics of a starving hyena, and the morals of a grave robber.
"I think the subject which will be of most importance politically is Mass Psychology...It's importance has been enormously increased by the growth of modern methods of propaganda...Although this science will be diligently studied, it will be rigidly confined to the governing class. The populace will not be allowed to know how its convictions were generated." Bertrand Russel, Eugenicist and Logician
#21. To: Cynicom (#11)
I'm not grumbling and growling. I am describing the human condition of the young men of my area. It is in their DNA to fight and die for basically any cause the powers that be direct them toward. And when TPTB pull off a huge "psy op" such as 9/11 (especially in Southern Baptist Land, where I am, with a tie-in to Armageddonist theology), the young men are literally frothing at the mouth like Pavlov's dogs to get it on the "glory." I witnessed this personally at a local church. I always wondered why the 36-year-old pastor, though, who was certainly young enough to enlist, made no moves toward the local recruiting office. I couldn't care less who started World War II and why. That's something my dad used to discuss since he was almost in it. My understanding is that it grew out of the unjust settlement of the very unnecessary World War I. My point is that it was true then and it is still true today that millions of American young males can be persuaded, with not much logic even necessary, to sign up to fight and possibly die for the powers that be, WHOEVER they are in this country at any given time. Our history proves this, as robnoel pointed out. Vietnam was the only war I can recall (or have ever read about in our history, for that matter) in which ANY significant dissent began to be expressed about an American war. And that was only after it had been going full-blast for about three or four years.
“I would give no thought of what the world might say of me, if I could only transmit to posterity the reputation of an honest man.” - Sam Houston
#22. To: Cynicom (#16)
Listening to the words, and tying them in with the thread's theme, I realized that if we had no empire, there would be no need for 'travelin' soldiers' to fight and die around the globe. (But that would be so unprofitable, for so many.) So soldier on, we will.
#23. To: Sam Houston, christine (#21)
I couldn't care less who started World War II and why. Sam... Sam, odd I have never met such a person as you describe, in war time nor peace time. Do you really believe that????? I have known hundreds if not thousands of military people, from inside and out, and never once met a one that was willing to die for anyone for anything. Not one Sam. They ranged from Privates to Generals, not one Sam. You care less who started WW2 or why???? That is a closed mind Sam. Having never had the benefit and advantage of a formal education, I have always been open minded, willing to listen, willing to learn.
It is in their DNA to fight and die for basically any cause the powers that be direct them toward.
#24. To: christine, Cynicom (#17)
In part true. The bloated pigs of the Banking Cartel headed by the Rothschilds has grown grotesquely corpulent feeding off of the blood and suffering of others since at least the time of Napoleon. Dracula was "small change" compared to their thirst for gore, death, and blood upon which to feed. However, the Zionists wanted war too so as to create the conditions which would allow them to get Palestine. Accounts I've read suggest that Churchill was twisted into agreement because the Zionists said that they would pull the U.S. into the war. FDR, in thrall to Zionist interests, provoked the war with Japan (see The McCollum Memo) to provide the pretext to allow U.S. intervention in the European Theater (Hitler had a treaty with Japan which forced him to declare war on the U.S. once hostilities began with Japan).
daggone, Cyni. you KNOW i failed history, but my first thought is neither. my second thought is i wondered who is it that funded both sides of the war. i'm sure America's entrance into the war was mainly because some elite persons benefitted economically. it's always first and foremost about money.
"I think the subject which will be of most importance politically is Mass Psychology...It's importance has been enormously increased by the growth of modern methods of propaganda...Although this science will be diligently studied, it will be rigidly confined to the governing class. The populace will not be allowed to know how its convictions were generated." Bertrand Russel, Eugenicist and Logician
#25. To: lodwick (#22)
Lod... In every age there are evil men that rise to the top, they lust for position, power and wealth. This world will never be free of them.
#26. To: Original_Intent (#24)
OI... The seeds to WW2 were sowed before WW1. When the worlds bluewater navies switched from coal to oil during early 20th century, the possession of or lack of oil started the world powers into jockeying for advantage or survival. One has only to look at the non oil countries and their participation in WW2. Germany, Japan, Italy, England. The haves were Russia and the US.
#27. To: Original_Intent (#2)
That sob shouldn't call ANYONE dumb. Been in America 117 years and still speaks with an accent so thick you could cut it with a knife. Barely understandable and he calls other people dumb.
"Military men are dumb, stupid animals to be used as pawns for foreign policy." Henry Kissinger
Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end.
Lord Acton
#28. To: Cynicom (#23)
That is what a real education is supposed to let you have.
I have always been open minded, willing to listen, willing to learn.
"Satan / Cheney in "08"
#29. To: Cynicom. the thread (#25)
Driving over to my MIL's for our traditional M'day meal, I saw the fewest American flags displayed that I can ever recall. Typically, one or more of the largest real estate brokerages will have agents go out and plant small flags by everyone's curb...not this year. I hope that this means that people are waking up the ussa scam, but I don't know.
slight topic swerve -
#30. To: Elliott Jackalope (#8)
Very good description of him.
He has the charm of Chtulu, the personality of a rabid vampire bat, the ethics of a starving hyena and the morals of a graverobber.
Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end.
Lord Acton
#31. To: MUDDOG (#19)
Go MUDDOG! After that brave stand in TX, followed by the defense of the South, this nation should have shut down the war industry. As the System was sending kids on war games built on lies, the enemy was right here at home where it still sits, fat, happy and stronger than ever.
Here's to Davy Crockett. He died fighting Mexicans.
#32. To: tom007 (#13)
Not wanting to be picky the term was "military-industrial-congressional-complex" :-)
#33. To: Sam Houston (#21)
which takes me back to kissinger's words, "Military men are dumb, stupid animals to be used as pawns for foreign policy." he spoke for all the elite ones and while they are vile and cruel words, they have at the same time validity...as were, btw, george bush's when he referred to the constitution as just a GD'ed piece of paper.
My point is that it was true then and it is still true today that millions of American young males can be persuaded, with not much logic even necessary, to sign up to fight and possibly die for the powers that be, WHOEVER they are in this country at any given time.
The smooth criminal transition from Bush/Cheney to Obama
#34. To: robnoel (#32)
Please consider: military-industrial-congressional-main stream media complex
military-industrial-congressional-complex
#35. To: Original_Intent (#20)
remember when Chavez said something to that effect about bush?
You forgot the ever present odor of brimstone about his presence.
The smooth criminal transition from Bush/Cheney to Obama
#36. To: lodwick (#29)
I saw none local Lod. Obummer went out to play golf after the obligatory Arlington visit.
#37. To: Original_Intent (#24)
uh huh descrip of Creature From Jekyll Island: Where does money come from? Where does it go? Who makes it? The money magicians' secrets are unveiled. We get a close look at their mirrors and smoke machines, their pulleys, cogs, and wheels that create the grand illusion called money. A dry and boring subject? Just wait! You'll be hooked in five minutes. Reads like a detective story - which it really is. But it's all true. This book is about the most blatant scam of all history. It's all here: the cause of wars, boom-bust cycles, inflation, depression, prosperity. Creature from Jekyll Island is a "must read." Your world view will definitely change. You'll never trust a politician again - or a banker.
However, the Zionists wanted war too so as to create the conditions which would allow them to get Palestine. Accounts I've read suggest that Churchill was twisted into agreement because the Zionists said that they would pull the U.S. into the war. FDR, in thrall to Zionist interests,
The smooth criminal transition from Bush/Cheney to Obama
#38. To: Cynicom, lodwick, christine (#36)
4um members probably spent more time mourning America's war dead this weekend than Obama's cabinet has all week.
Obummer went out to play golf after the obligatory Arlington visit.
#39. To: Cynicom. all (#36)
At least you can't fall off a golf club.
Obummer went out to play golf after the obligatory Arlington visit.
#40. To: Deasy. all (#38)
This morning I was trying to think of the last 'just' war...the best that I could come up with was the the south's fight against northern aggression. Today, my mourning was the loss for lies - there was no reason for these men to have left our shores.
4um members probably spent more time mourning America's war dead this weekend than Obama's cabinet has all week.
#41. To: lodwick (#40)
Same here. The bright spot in my weekend was seeing so many other 4um people with the same laments.
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