Malkin: Grief Pimps
Malkin has really hit on something here - the Grief Pimp phenomennon. The short version of what’s going on? People who were anti-Iraq war before it even started, are siezing upon the grief of people whose family members were killed in order to use them as proxies for their movements.
I am not sure what I could add to Michelle’s writing, or that of the referenced writings. I can say that these people sicken me. A Malkin reader chimed in:
Reader Gene D. writes…
1. My utmost sympathy to Ms. Sheehan.2. I have the background to speak on this subject. My father retired after 24 yrs in the active Army, I retired after 15 years active and eight years Guard and Reserve in the Army. My son has served in the Guard, ROTC, and was a combat engineer with 3d Inf Div in the Iraq war and will probably end up back there. My brother-in-law is now on his second tour in Iraq (volunteered to continue on active duty) and was wounded by an IED during his first tour there.
3. Knowing all that I do and having talked with vets, I can say with complete confidence that SPC Sheehan would not want his mother doing what she is doing today. The percentage of soldiers who oppose the war (even privately) is infinitely low. With all due respect to a grieving mother, we can be sure that she cannot produce an e-mail or letter in which SPC Sheehan expresses the same criticism or doubts as her.
THEREFORE, it appears to me that Ms. Sheehan is doing this for herself, not for her son or her son’s memory or any other soldier, deceased or still serving. While no one could argue that she is not entitled to her own opinion of the war and Pres. Bush, she is capitalizing on her own son’s death to bootstrap her personal opinion into a national news story. That dishonors her son in a way that no one else could and tarnishes his memory.
Another person had this to say:
I literally ran into her at the rain-soaked counter demonstration against Steve and Virginia Pearcy, who early in Spring, you might remember, hung a U.S. soldier in effigy from the rafters of their Sacramento home.
She aligned herself with the Bush Lied/People Died crowd, including Medea Benjamin of Code Pink and other San Francisco Lefty rent-a-mob usual suspects. She admitted she was AGAINST the war BEFORE her son died.I have an e-mail from Jim Krause, whose brother Elmer was killed in Iraq
at the same time as Casey Sheehan. Cindy Sheehan was with Mr. Krause at
Fort Lewis, Washington when President Bush joined them in the chapel.“Mel, let me tell you his guard was down. He was real. He was genuine. He
was sincere. His eyes teared while we told of our loss. He said he was
sorry. During that time we all could have blasted out our anger, criticism
and contept. He would have stood there and taken it...we all share in the loss of loved ones. I don’t begin to know a mother’s pain and God forbid, the pain of the loss of an only child. I have only one. I only know if she doesn’t get past her anger, she will die a bitter woman. Cindy calls for the President to bring the troops home to honor her son. I say “Mr. President, honor my brother’s remains and his 10-year old son whom he dearly loved by STAYING THE COURSE.’
One other observation. When I was in Iraq, many soldiers told me they saw the video of the U.S. soldier hung in effigy in Sacramento. The rally that Cindy Sheehan attended. They were shocked, upset and angry that the demonstration took place because they say it undermines their mission and morale.
I wonder what Casey Sheehan would say about his mother’s actions–let alone her words.
Wonder, indeed.
I cannot undertand her grief - I have not lost a child to any cause. My boy is 15 months old. I can, however, imagine the ravenous pain and anguish that must certainly have consumed her being, in such a case.
But, hanging soldiers in effigy is NOT productive. Publicly undermining the effort is NOT productive.
People, you HAVE GOT to realize a few things:
1) Your children VOLUNTEERED
2) Your children, regardless of their feelings on the matter, are bound by the UCMJ to obey orders, and the President is at the top of the chain of command.
3) Your children are embarked on a dangerous mission overseas
4) The people trying to kill your children wath what you do on TV and are emboldened. Their morale is increased by your actions.
5) It is in your best interest, and that of your children, to let them do their job, get it over with successfully, and come home. Your undercutting of the effort can only lead to the failure of the mission and an even higher body count.
STOP!