THis recalls an eaelier story from your blog

Cindy Sheehan's Unequal Treatment Under the Law...
And George W. Bush's Hatred of Both Freedom and the U.S. Constitution
Let me be very clear, since the Mainstream Wingnut Media Spinners are already attempting to "Fair and Balance" (read: level an unlevel playing field) this one. Cindy Sheehan, who did...

Let me be very clear, since the Mainstream Wingnut Media Spinners are already attempting to "Fair and Balance" (read: level an unlevel playing field) this one.

Cindy Sheehan, who did not plan to, or even want to go to the State of the Union speech, was convinced to go. She wore the T-shirt she had been wearing all day long in support of our troops, including her own son who gave his life in service to this country while in Iraq. Sheehan's shirt said, "2,245 Dead — How Many More??"

She was arrested for wearing the shirt, held for hours in detention, and claims to have been "roughed up" a bit in the process.

We covered the entire process, minute-by-minute, as it shamefully unfolded last night.

Later, during the speech --- after Sheehan had already been arrested --- the wife of a Republican Congressman from Florida, Bill Young, was politely asked to leave the chamber for wearing a T-shirt in support of our troops. Her shirt said "Support the Troops Defending Our Freedom."

She was not arrested for wearing the shirt, she was not held for hours in detention, nor roughed up. She does not face any legal charges or legal fees in connection with the incident that we know about. And, as far as we know, did not also make the ultimate sacrifice of giving the life of her child for this country.

Rep. Young reportedly decried, "Shame, shame," on the U.S. House Floor today for the treatment of his wife. His wife, who was not arrested as far as we know.

While neither woman should have been arrested --- or even removed from the gallery (in our opinion) --- they were not treated equally. Whatever the "rules" are about such things in the U.S. Congress, they did not receive "equal treatment under the law". (A law, we might add, which would seem to be unconstitutional, according to this 1971 Supreme Court decision which ruled that wearing a "Fuck the Draft" T-shirt into a courthouse was Constitutionally protected free speech).

Both T-shirts were in support of our troops. Both shirts made a political statement of sorts. One woman was arrested, the other was not.

RUMMY REACTS

TO CALL TO LEAVE IRAQ

BUSH SAYS LET THIS BE

A LESSON

This may not be the right thread for this but I just wanted to express my deep sorrow at the loss of another activist woman on the left. She was such a dynamic and inspiring person. God rest her soul.

Continue the fight for stem cell research.

Dana Reeve Dies of Lung Cancer at 44
By JIM FITZGERALD, Associated Press Writer
6 HOURS AGO

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - Dana Reeve, the singer-actress who married the strapping star of the "Superman" movies and then devoted herself to his care and his cause after he was paralyzed, has died of lung cancer, a year-and-a-half after her husband. She was 44

"The brightest light has gone out," said comedian Robin Williams. "We will forever celebrate her loving spirit."

Former President Clinton and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton described Reeve as "a model of tenacity and grace."
"Despite the adversity that she faced, Dana bravely met these challenges and was always an extremely devoted wife, mother and advocate," they said.

For his remaining nine years, Dana Reeve was her husband's constant companion and supporter during the ordeal of his rehabilitation, winning worldwide acclaim and admiration. With him, she became an activist in the search for a cure for spinal cord injuries.

"Something miraculous and wonderful happened amidst terrible tragedy, and a whole new dimension of life began to emerge," she wrote in a 1999 book, "Care Packages: Letters to Christopher Reeve from Strangers and Other Friends." "What we had yet to discover were all the gifts that come out of sharing hardship, the hidden pleasures behind the pain."

"I thought that after everything that she had gone through with Chris that she would have time to smell the flowers and be in the sun," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California. "But apparently that was not meant to be."

Re the arrest
I heard on the radio yesterday (I believe it was Medea Benjamin from Code Pink who was speaking...she had been arrested also) that they had spoken several times with the US Mission to the UN & had had an appointment with them to deliver these petitions, which the Mission had agreed to accept; then when they got there they found that the Mission had "changed its mind" and instead had them arrested.

The news would have been extremely compelling had it been only the Iraqi women.

According to Dem Now! there were originally SEVEN Iraqi women, but because the US said they had no family in Iraq --- SINCE THE US KILLED THEM --- then they couldn't come to the US because they might stay.

They should be happy they aren't being billed for the expenditure of munitions against their family.

Even real BASTARDS have to train to be that cruel.

Hope the Bushoviks speak Russian, so they can talk with Stalin on the coffee breaks when they get where they're going.

I don't think they get coffee breaks in hell.

I saw the 2 Iraqi women interviewed on DemocracyNow! also & their message was that Iraqis are grateful that we liberated them from Sadaam, but now they want us to leave.
They said civil war would NOT break out, Bush just says that so Americans will think we need to stay. On the contrary, she said our occupation is what is fueling the violence.
One Iraqi woman thought we should leave all at once & right now--the other thought we need a timetable.
Even THEY can't agree what to do.

Although I couldn't help but remember while they were speaking, they said over 90% of the insurgents are the Iraqis themselves, not foreigners who come over the borders.
I thought to myself, well, these same 2 women probably have sons, husbands & brothers, or cousins, uncles etc., that are killing our boys every day...

I think they should round up all the men & older boys in Iraq & keep them in one place while we're there.
Why let them run loose with weapons to use against us?
Then, if anyone blows up a jeep etc.,--we KNOW it was an Iraqi in the army that did it.
Right now, they go on these mission's with our troops & suddenly, our truck blows up--after theirs passes the point safely.
I understand it's the Iraqi soldiers themselves that blow up some of our troops---they go on a mission together & while the first half s

(Oops. Must have dozed off at the end there.)

NavyMom #10

What a pathetic ad hominem line of BS you stepped into.

Now I know why observers see that "faith based" really means "hate based".

You cannot take Cindy Sheehan serious ....one...this may have started out as a campaign that held something of heart..it has now turned into the cindy side show. she collected her sons SGLI survivor benefits, refused to pay the taxes, and her taxes for the year 2003, you and I couldnt get away with not paying! seh bought herself a new car with those benefits, what about casey child? how did cindy end up with the money that should have gone to supporting the child?
she admitted she is living off the money !!
the most impacting part of this is.. we are now a couple years down the road, and casey sheehan still doesnt have a head stone! whynot??? oh maybe its becasue cindy (who claims she is doing this for hte troops)is enjoying the limelight and the flashign of the cameras and hasnt had the time to think of casey.... but wait, she is still riding the coat tail of his name and his death so she can get her face in the pages of history. when are people going to wake up and see what she is all about??

> urging the United Nations to help prevent civil war in Iraq.

The UN cannot do anything. Just look at Rwanda for one of many examples. The UN has sex with little girls for food. It is long past time that the US get out of the UN and the UN out of the US.

I'd rather see Cindy hugging a communist in South America than protesting at the UN.

post#11........while you are entitled to your say as I am to mine... it is not hate when you see someone step to a plate and make a complete jerk of themselves. she can spend his SGLI and accept money and gifts , yet this fine up standing woman cannot even put a head stone on the one she is using to get her face on the front pages of the newspapers... are we missing something here? the groups have used her and are slowely tossing her to the side becasue she side tracked. so where is the hate ? sometimes when people see facts contrary to what they may or may not want to admit, its a bit hard for them to swallow. none of us will ever be onthe same side of the fence where cindy sheehan is concerned.....but how can you turn your back on the fact she hasnt put a stone for that boy yet? let alone how she spent the money that should have gone to his child. cone on and be real here.

Banned and afraid of Paul #12

Typical republican talking point. Blame the victim.

The republican administration and republican congress have been at war with the UN since day one.

They have done everything to be disrespectful and damaging to the UN.

Then they blame the UN for what republicans have done to the UN. Typical hypocrisy and injustice.

Torture somebody and then blame them for bleeding.

You should ban your own hatred, deceit, and disingenuousness so others do not have to. Grow up into a responsible individual, responsible citizen of your nation, and responsible citizen of the world.

NavyMom #13

Ditto.

Seems like all the talk about UN violating Iraq sanctions died down when it was found out US corporations were up th their eyeballs in making money off the sanctions.

WASH THAT YELLOW STREAK OFF YOUR BACKS AND STEP TO THE PLATE!! all of you that think you are doing your part by not joining our military are just cowards. The ones that think that pickingup a pen or a sign and protesting is helping this country is by no means any better than the thugs that are being battled on the sands across the seas. not every one has to agree with you but when you put down people for joining to make a difference in our military , you wear your cowards stripes better than the enemy does. cindy sheehan should move to iraq , im sure she woudl uv it over there.!!!

I also oneself something would want to find out on this theme. Very attentively I will read every post.