Shameful Exploitation

As someone who has never had children, much less suffered through the death of one in combat, this writer must begin by acknowledging that he cannot fully comprehend the grief that such a loss brings. Everyone anticipates having to bury a parent at some point in their life. No one anticipates burying a child. Yet despite the fact that not everyone can fully sympathize with such a loss, it is not too presumptuous to say that all can understand that the loss is a terrible one, carrying with it a terrible emotional price.

Cindy Sheehan cannot be begrudged the grief – and, yes, even anger – that she feels over the death of her heroic son Casey in Iraq. The grief is unavoidable for a mother who loves her son, and the anger, while not necessarily inevitable, is certainly understandable – even in cases where it is misdirected, as in this case.

But sometimes, people can become overpowered by their grief to the point that they lose credibility and coherence. Unfortunately, Mrs. Sheehan has reached that point. And unconscionably, there are those who are more than ready to exploit her emotional state for their own – political – ends.

To listen to Mrs. Sheehan speak, or read a transcript of her comments, is to hear the words of someone whose despair over a loss has driven them to absolute irrationality. From vulgarity-laced rants on the character of the President, to a declaration that she will not pay her taxes, to shifting her focus long enough to attack Israel as being the reason for terrorism, no attack on George Bush, or his allies, seems too outlandish for her to embrace. And the anti-anything-Bush crowd is loving every minute of it.

It should come as news to no one that Bush-bashing has become a cottage industry among many on the left who are driven by nothing more than their own hatred of George Bush, and their rage over the fact that he is the President of the United States. The President didn’t even have the luxury of actually taking office in 2001 before the long knives of the left came out, mocking even his appearance and calling for any action that would remove him from office, preferably causing him as much personal pain as possible in the process.

The problem for these malcontents was that it was difficult for them to mask their motive as being anything other than sheer hatred for the President. But in Cindy Sheehan, the left has found someone who can embody their own irrational rage, and who can provide them with reasonable cover for it – the death of a mother’s dear son.

But try as they might to exploit a grieving woman’s fragile and irrational emotional state, they cannot change the fact that Cindy Sheehan’s son was not killed by George Bush. He was killed by terrorists who have declared war on America over policies within the governments of certain Western Asian countries that allow the United States to maintain a presence in those countries – speaking of misguided anger.

There is no doubt that Mrs. Sheehan bears her share of the responsibility for the pathetic spectacle taking place outside the President’s Texas ranch – as recent comments and actions by her own family attest. But the constant goading by people whose genuine care for her is questionable – including a certain Chairman of the Democrat National Committee – has certainly contributed to the escalation of emotions that has reached an unhealthy level for both her and the protestors who support her, as well as the local residents whose frustration over the debacle is becoming more evident as time goes by.

One of the reasons that it is important that the United States never negotiate with terrorists is that it is vital that they come to understand that there is a right way and a wrong way to raise their grievances, and that utilizing the wrong way will never be acknowledged as a legitimate means of settling those grievances. Americans can be thankful that Cindy Sheehan and her rabid supporters are no terrorists, but can also learn the same lesson that some behaviors are inappropriate for making progress in finding solutions to problems – be they perceived or real.

In any event, whether the lesson is ever learned or not, at some point in the future, the camera lights will dim around Crawford, Texas, and the media will find some other story to which they can devote their constant attention. And one can’t help but wonder if these same people who are so eager to support Mrs. Sheehan while she has the spotlight will be there to support her in her grief after her usefulness to them has expired.