Peace, how? The Way Forward by Cindy Sheehan

I had the strangest dream last night (no, I didn’t dream of Joe Hill or that I was eating a giant marshmallow).

It was a vivid dream, you know, one of those that seem too real to be a dream, but too bizarre to be real? I dreamt that the Congressional Democrats (including my old nemesis, Nancy Pelosi) had invited me to speak to a large gathering of the Democratic faithful. Of course, I didn’t realize this until I was in the middle of my speech and the details were revealed.

I was giving my regular “It’s not about partisan politics, it’s about the CYST-em” speech and I was amazed that I was receiving standing ovations from this crowd of raging-Democrats! I was just getting into how the “Fiscal Cliff” could be avoided by ending the occupations and closing the hundreds of US military bases around the world, when I was cut-off by a Congressperson who had apparently had enough of my ranting. After I was cut off, many members of the audience came up to me to hug me and tell me that they had always “loved” me and that I had been correct about Obama and the Dems all along. There was a lot of weeping and hugging and then I woke up! Why do I tell this story?

Well, obviously many, many people who voted for and support Obama don’t support drone bombings, targeted assassinations or kill lists. I am sure that these voters don’t go to the polls to give their seal of approval on the Empire’s expanding wars abroad and restricting civil liberties here at home; yet, technically that’s what Democratic voters do. I have cynically claimed on more than one occasion, that the antiwar movement only has movement during Republican wars because that seems to be the case.

What were Democrat voters afraid of in 2012? That under a Romney regime, their inaction during Obama’s wars and attacks on civil rights would seem a tad bit hypocritical and it would now look lame if these things suddenly and magically became wrong again? I can’t speak for those people, but if I adhere to the beautiful vision of my dream, peace is possible if we put the safety and prosperity of people outside of the borders of the USA above the uteri of American women.

Is this vision possible? Will the safety of children in Pakistan ever be more important than our children being able to watch a government funded big yellow bird? Will families in Afghanistan ever be able to hold a wedding party without fearing it will rain Hellfire missiles? Can the spectacle of “Black Friday” in the US ever be far from the minds of those who are being starved by inhumane US/Israeli led blockades in various parts of the world?

I don’t care if a comrade is a Communist or Libertarian, or anything in between. The way forward to peace will be gained only by total unanimity of one point: We must have complete opposition to ALL wars of Empire, even the wars that are waged under the Imperial Seal of “Democrat” and even if the Imperial Spin Doctor attaches the oxymoronic label: Humanitarian War.

Can our former colleagues (D) in the Anti-Bush War Movement be reached? Can we have détente with the so-called wedge issues to courageously and with the highest regard for peace and the human rights of all, attack the root issues and agree to disagree (we mostly agree, it’s just the degree of importance we attach to the issues that differs) for the time being on those wedgies that are intentionally meant to divide us?

Can we agree with the anti-war right that the Empire is bad but disagree about what a new society built on peace will look like after the collapse? Will we have a planned socialist economy (I hope) or more free market Capitalist chaos? (Ha!)

Apparently, I have many questions, but few answers—not that I haven’t tried. Contrary to what the neo-conservative right wants to believe about me, I have NOT retired since Obomber came into being as I have been arrested protesting many times the same things I protested when Bush was there. I tried to stimulate interest in the antiwar message during three camps I held in the proximity of Obomber. I thought the Occupy movement was our chance, but systemic change was not sought and we got status quo on steroids.  And contrary to one very angry email I received from a Democrat recently IN ALL CAPITALS: Obama IS NOT the only way to peace. One must have to be on some serious medication to even partially believe that kind of bull crap.

I am just a very tiny operation that consists of me and my computer and a few very dedicated volunteers, but I am going to list contact info for the national organizations (no political parties) that I have partnered well with over the last four lonely years and hopefully some momentum will build for peace. 

If you want to get involved, contact me, or any of the below organizations!

These organizations have stayed above the two-party scandal and, in my honest opinion, that’s the only place true and positive change will ever happen!

World Can’t Wait: www.worldcantwait.net

A.N.S.W.E.R: www.answercoalition.org

The National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee: www.nwtrcc.org

Coalition Against Nukes: www.coalitionagainstnukes.org

ANTIWAR.COM: www.antiwar.com

National Lawyer’s Guild: www.nlg.org

I would also like to recommend these organizations on a local level, if there are chapters near you:

Veterans for Peace: www.veteransforpeace.org

CODEPINK: www.codepink.org

Iraq Vets Against the War: www.IVAW.org

Of course, please stay up to speed at:

Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox: www.CindySheehansSoapbox.com