Conversations with Cindy Sheehan

Recently there has been some debate between Cindy Sheehan and Scott Ritter on the success (or lack there of) of the peace movement. Cindy Sheehan took offence at Ritter dissing the peace movement, but as everyone can see, we have gotten nowhere. A clear majority are now against this war. A clear majority want Bush impeached immediately. We are beyond critical mass, and yet the war drums are now beating for Iran. What has gone wrong?

While the ’peace movement’ is distracted by talking about every mistep of Bush, laughing at his idiocy...he is still getting away with breaking the law and ignoring our constitution- the foundation of our country.

Why?

Many people like to excuse what is happening by saying ’congress is controlled by republicans so there is nothing we can do’. Is this really true? Is this the reason that so many democrats in congress are playing along with Iran being a threat now?

Take Congressman John Conyers for instance, who has taken the lead in pursuing accountablity of Bush. Why did he vote to send Iran to the UN? Why did he introduce a resolution to censure Bush over Iraq at the height of outrage over the illegal wiretapping that Bush admitted to on national TV? Bush should be removed from office immediately on illegal wiretapping alone. An investigation is not needed, he admitted it! Nixon resigned over being caught, Bush just admits he did it, will continue to do it, and no one in congress will make any attempt to hold him accountable? What is going on here? And why has John conyers been pretending to pursue the illegal wiretapping issue when he has done nothing about it?

To me, this is where the peace movement is hung up. The way to end the war in Iraq, and stop the war on Iran is to stop Bush(and cabal) in their tracks by holding them accountable. We have to take a look at why that is not happening....which brings me to my conversation with Cindy Sheehan. I have emailed back and forth with Cindy Sheehan since before camp casey and the emails that I recieve back at this point do not sound like her. I presented her with some of these same points, begging her to ask John Conyers why he is not pursuing illegal wiretapping, why he voted to send Iran to the UN and this is the response...

February....
"Hi Cindy,
Did you hear about this latest legislation passed in the House of Representatives? Only four representatives Kucinich, Paul, Stark, and Mcdermott voted against it. All of the rest of the so called progressive caucus and the out of iraq caucus voted FOR it....Conyers, Maxine Waters, Murtha ALL OF THEM!

They are participating in Bush’s next sham when all intelligence agrees Iran is 10+ years from a nuke. Why are they furthering Bush’s lies????"

"dear j
i had not heard of that....thank you for letting me know...i will certainly find out why the others voted for it.

the four who voted against are my heroes!
love
cindy"

two months later....

"Hi Cindy,

I am sorry to take up your time but I was wondering if you had a chance to ask John Conyers why he voted to send Iran to the UN? And perhaps why he has not introduced articles of impeachment over illegal wiretapping? Something fishy is going on in congress and it is not just because it is controlled by Republicans. Even some ’progressive’ democrats are serving the Bush administration. The fastest way to end the war is to get rid of Bush immediately, BEFORE he has a chance to bomb Iran..."

"j
i haven’t had a chance to talk to john conyers yet.
i am working my ass off
what are you doing?"...

"Hi again,
I hope you weren’t offended. Do you deserve a rest? Of course. I was just talking about how people seem to want to go to camp casey to get your autograph, to say they did, but not really to effect change. I think a new strategy is needed and you must realize by now that there are forces, infiltrators, that are not what they pretend to be and they have been successfully thwarting the peace movement. Their main technique is distraction. They take the momentum and energy and find a way to divert it until it dies down. They keep people so busy that they cannot see the bigger picture. We are being held up in congress. If the members of the progressive caucus really cared about stopping the Bush regime they would not be supporting him on Iran. It think this is the most important thing to pursue. Where is the process being hung up in congress? Why isn’t Conyer’s pursuing accountability on illegal wiretapping? What would happen if you asked him? Many have grown angry with me for questioning the timing of Conyer’s introducing censure over Iraq right when the illegal wiretapping came out, but no one has an explanation, they just get mad. I am sure that you are not that way though. "

"hmmm...
good questions
i will ask him as soon as i get the chance
i am not afraid to do that
i am so fucking sick of congress, anyway...damn rubberstampers
anyhoo
doing what i can do and i think most people who come to camp casey are trying to affect social change...they are all activists in their communities

peace
me"

So what do you all think? Where is the peace movement hung up? Does this sound like Cindy Sheehan is working her butt off if two months later she has not even asked Conyers why he is faking accountablity? Is she being misled? Is this even her that is emailing me? Am I overreacting about Conyers? Anyone? I am sick of this bullshit and just making fun of Bush is not success. They are still pushing Iran! FOR GOD’S SAKE what is everyone doing!!!????? Signing another petition isn’t going to work!