What does one get when her son is killed in Iraq? A Gold Star and...

Violation and Arrest for Exercising her Rights!

(Vandenberg AFB, February 25, 2012)

Dueling Trajectories at Vandenberg AFB

Very good coverage of our protest at Vandenberg early Saturday morning.

Cindy Sheehan arrested at Vandenberg. February 25th, 2012

Daniel Ellsberg being arrested at Vandenberg, AFB; February 25, 2012

Long Live Hugo Chavez! by Cindy Sheehan

LONG LIVE HUGO CHAVEZ! 

The same day that I learned that the feds were suing me, I also learned that, Hugo Chavez, someone whom I admire greatly would have to undergo more cancer surgery because another lesion was discovered on, or near, the place the cancerous tumor he had removed last year.

My struggle with the Empire has been intense, but our Comrade in Venezuela has sacrificed much in his struggle against the Empire and now he is battling something that will be his greatest struggle, and victory.

Chavez had an emotional send off from his people to Cuba for treatment this past Thursday with cheers and showers of flowers as he traveled from the presidential palace, Miraflores, to the airport in an open jeep. I can't imagine a US president going anywhere unless he travled in an armored convoy. What a tribute to this great man (Chavez) who has done much to improve the life of the poorest of the poor in Venezuela.

Please send your good energy his way and my story and how it has been linked, albeit in a peripheral way with that of Chavez, is now available in paperback.

CLICK BOOK COVER FOR MORE INFORMATION 

*************************** 


READ CINDY SHEEHAN'S ONE ON ONE INTERVIEW WITH HUGO CHAVEZ

Roseanne Returns: Listen to the Soapbox at 2pm Pacific

Or at the archives forever!


'Roseanne returns!  Click here to listen or download, beginning at 2:00 PM San Francisco time.  Today, (February 26th), Cindy is unavailable for comment (due to issues related to her"Surprise: Cindy.  You're being sued!" post, linked above) and our website editor is also under the weather, so all we have is a maximally excellent appearance of comedian Rosanne Barr - once more running for President of the United States.  (Only this time she has the endorsement of NORML - which is most important in the State of California!)  Cindy also brings us musician David Rovics, author of the 2005 tune our webmaster always thinks of as Casey's song, but which David actually recorded under the title "Song for Cindy Sheehan."

David also talks about his new song for Palestinian political prisoner, Khader Adnan, and an update about his case. The day after Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox sent out a plea to help him, he ended his hunger strike as Israel eased up due to international pressure.

Don't forget: we stream at Community Progressive Radio every Sunday at 2pm Pacific Time---and forever at Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox Archives.

The show is available streaming online at 2pm (pacific) at our new home, Community Progressive Radio and forever at the archives at Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox.

 Love & Peace
Cindy Sheehan
The Soapbox Team

The Sound of Collapse by Cindy Sheehan

I was invited to jump on a bus called the Green Tortoise this past Friday (Feb 24) to travel down to Vandenberg AFB in central California to protest the test launch of an ICBM missile.

The bus originated in Oakland and we stopped in San Jose and Salinas on the way down to pick up more anti-nuke/pro-humanity activists and met dozens of others who were already near the entry of the base at about 11:30pm. The “launch window” was open from 2am to 8am on the 25^th. The missile was destined to come down about 25 minutes after launch in the Marshall Islands.

Cindy speaking at rally

According to one of the organizers of the event and long time anti-nuke protester at Vandenberg, MacGregor Eddy, the combination of the missile launch and missile cost US taxpayers 28 million dollars. Needless to say the potential loss of life in a nuclear holocaust is mind numbing. As heroic legend, Daniel Ellsberg said at the rally before the launch: “this is only one missile being launched, can you imagine hundreds, or thousands, of missiles being launched and it being the last thing humanity sees?” The US Military Industrial Complex has poisoned the Marshall Islands for generations, and this missile was just another drop in their nuclear slop bucket.

As stated, Daniel Ellsberg was there at the protest, along with long time launch opponent, Fr. Louis Vitale, who figured he has been arrested 108 times at Vandenberg (to add to his opposition to the School of Assassins, where he has been arrested and spent significant time in prison). After the short rally, I jumped at the chance to cross the actual line with them that separates real America from Vandenberg AFB where dozens of MPs awaited this “trespassing” by about 17 protesters.

Cindy, Fr. Louis and Daniel

In the protest group who linked arms, next to Daniel, were also three amazing Bay Area CODEPINK activists and Judy Talaugon, a Chumash woman who, after welcoming the colonizers (we protesters) to her land and giving us approval for being there, she marched over that line with us to inform the US Military that it was “illegally” occupying sacred Chumash land. One of the buzz-headed MPs cracked, “I am an American, I am here legally.” However, he wasn’t moved by logical reply that every one of us in the protest line were, “Americans” and that meant that we must also be there “legally” and if he proceeded to place us under arrest, that must, logically be deemed, "illegal."

After the most invasive search (molestation) that I have ever experienced during a detention from one of the apparently female MPs (only one other activist was as violated as I was), I was handcuffed and put into a van with Dan, Fr. Louis, and four other women, two of whom had never been arrested before. As a matter of fact, many of the 17 who were arrested were "first timers." Except for the usual wonderful camaraderie that occurs in these situations, the rest of our detention was boring processing until we were driven in the same van about five miles away from the base and unceremoniously dumped in the parking lot of Vandenberg Village, a small shopping center, at around 3am. I wondered aloud if we were going to get “ten bucks and a new suit of clothes.”

As our cuffs were being cut off (yes, we were cuffed the entire time), the ground began to rumble and a loud noise began to emanate from the direction of the base. The MPs stopped what they were doing to gaze adoringly in the direction of the launch, while we activists paused in horror and sorrow. One of the MPs actually choked out, “that’s the sound of freedom.”

Speechless.

The sound of a Minute Man 3 missile being launched is the sound of abject tyranny.

It’s the sound of the tortured screams of the Japanese being incinerated in their beds or slowly poisoned to death by deadly radiation exposure.

It’s the sound of a child whimpering with pain in Basra, Iraq, because she contracted leukemia or another cancerous condition due to the US's use of depleted uranium in her country. It’s also the sound of her doctor crying with frustration because he can’t treat her properly due to the lack of medicine or other treatments available to him. It's the sound of dirt being shoveled for her grave and the tortured cries of her parents.

The launch of one more missile is the sound of handcuffs being tightened at the back (click, click, click--Ow!) around the wrists of one more peaceful protester. Or worse yet, it’s the sound of tear gas canisters being shot into a crowd or students being pepper sprayed while sitting with arms linked in peaceful resistance. This is not in Syria or North Korea, these sounds are becoming more frequent here in the "homeland."

Freedom? What if, instead of hearing the launch, Sergeant MP was hearing the deafening whine of approaching doom? Would his first thought be, “freedom?” Or would his last thought be, “shit, this is it?”

The sound of a Minute Man 3 missile being fired is the sound of silence ringing in the halls of many schools that are forced to close doors because of the absolute fealty this nation pays to the military industrial complex. As one of my contacts said, it’s like firing an elementary school into space.

This absolute fealty to the industry of death and destruction will inevitably lead to the sound of the collapse of Empire. The collapse of Empire will sound like armageddon to some, but will be music to the ears of others.

The Green Tortoise left Vandenberg at about 4am filled with three-dozen tired, but happy protesters. We napped, we sang, we talked on the seven hour trip home. It was the sound of anger, frustration, and sorrow, but it was also the sound of resolve and success. I firmly believe that our, for lack of a better term, “witness” at the event had a profound impact on at least one of the MPs, and who knows who else?

One of our comrades in the bus stated that he “supported Democrats” because historically, the trends are better when a Democrat is in power. After reminding him that a Democrat dropped not one, but two bombs; and about the “Carter Doctrine” or Presidential Directive 48, a tired, but tranquil Fr. Louie spoke up:

“Obama has said that NO option is off the table in dealing with Iran—so we have to assume that includes nuking a school full of Iranian children.”

And people wonder why I don’t pay federal income taxes?

We detainees were cited and released, but we will be forced soon to travel down to Santa Barbara soon to be arraigned. Some will plead, "guilty" and pay a fine anywhere from $250 to as high as $5000---mostly because going to Santa Barbara is a huge inconvenience.

This struggle began a long time ago when physicist Albert Einstein founded the world's first anti-nuke organization and it continues. I know at least for myself and Daniel Ellsberg and a few others, we will plead, "Hell no, not guilty," and fight the higher crime of nuclear weapons.

CLICK HERE TO READ AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE LAUNCH AND PROTEST

Some more inconvenient truths:

ARMS CONTROL FACT SHEET: WHO HAS WHAT?

50 Facts about Nuclear Weapons

Photos from The Santa Barbara Independent

What else does this government want from me?

Surprise, the US Attorney Has Filed a Law Suit Against You!

Surprise, the US Attorney Has Filed a Law Suit Against You!

Cindy Sheehan

It’s not a secret, and hasn’t been one for about 8 years now, that I am a conscientious tax objector. It’s also no secret that the IRS has been on my case about it recently.

So, tonight I was having coffee at a local restaurant with an activist/friend and we were chatting about some very sensitive issues when a man wearing a blue long-sleeved shirt and tie approached our table. I thought that it might be the manager of the restaurant but he said, “Hi Cindy, I am Cornell from Channel 10 News in Sacramento.”

Sometimes it happens that members of the media recognize me and say “hi” when their presence has nothing to do with me, so I shook his outstretched hand and replied, “Hi, what are you doing here in Vacaville? Just passing through?” He said, “No, actually I am here to talk to you.”

I have been pretty quiet lately, working on my radio show and trying to promote my new book, so I was rather shocked by this ambush and said so.

Cornell informed me that he was there to talk to me about the “lawsuit that the US attorney filed against you in Federal Court.” Turns out that the lawsuit is on behalf of the IRS and that was not the first time that I found out something important about my life from the media.

My next question to Cornell was how did he know where I was? Simple, he went to my home and my daughter told him. That is another issue—no one has the address where I live right now, but apparently the IRS told Cornell where to find me. Isn’t it nice of the IRS to tell the media where to ambush me before they tell me that the US Attorney is suing me?

I did talk to Cornell on camera but I did not tell him anything that I haven’t been publicly and loudly saying since my son was killed in this bloody Empire’s illegal and immoral war in Iraq: I made a moral decision to refuse to fund the Empire’s crimes, tortures and wars. I have not been hiding from anybody and am fully accessible and easy to find (obviously).

It’s been stated by the perpetrators and proven repeatedly that the Bush regime manufactured and manipulated the “intelligence” to rush this nation and the people of Iraq headlong into disaster. My son and hundreds of thousands of other people still should be among the living. At this moment, I am only talking about the Bush years and Iraq but, this Empire has been out-of-control for generations—ask our indigenous people about that, if you can find any.

Let’s cut through all the bullshit.

There is no monetary value large enough that can be placed on a human life or the love of a mother for her child.

I consider that my debt to this country was paid in full when my son, Casey, was recklessly with no regard for his safety (remember the rush to war with the “Army you have” which was not properly trained or equipped?) murdered for the lies of a regime, whose members (Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld, Yoo, Wolfowitz, Perle, etc.) roam around the world free and unfettered by threatening prosecutions or persecutions after committing war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes against the peace, and high crimes and misdemeanors against our own Constitution.

After the interview with Cornell was over, he said to me, “you appear so calm, most people would be freaking out if the US Attorney filed a lawsuit against them.” I replied, “Cornell, what are they going to do to me? Kill another one of my children (god forbid)? I had the worst thing happen to me that could happen to any mother and I am still standing.”

Obviously there are "Two Americas" especially in the "justice" system. Justice is supposed to be blind to such things as race, religion, or income status, but what she really is blind to are the violent and outrageous crimes committed by the 1%. However, I see nothing but opportunity in this new development. When those papers were filed against me—the Feds did something that I have been trying to do for years—put its evil, illegal, and immoral wars on trial.

The Feds have thrown down the gauntlet against someone who has absolutely not one ounce of fear of them, and when it’s over, they’ll know they have been in a fight.

I would say, “Bring it on,” but I am not about to quote the barely functioning killer that murdered my son and so many more and who is also being protected by the very same agency that is persecuting me—Obama’s DOJ.

Urgent Appeal for Khader Adnan

Urgent Call for Action

Monday, 20 February 2012 00:00

We call upon you to exert all possible influence and pressure on the Israeli Authorities to immediately release detainee Khader Adnan, whose life is in immediate danger as he has been on a hunger strike for the past 64 days. The arbitrary detention of Adnan commenced on 17 December 2011, when he was kidnapped from his home in the northern West Bank village of Arrabe, during a nightly raid carried out by Israeli soldiers. His two young daughters and pregnant wife were witness to this. Adnan initiated his current hunger strike on 18 December, protesting being detained without charges or being notified of the reason for his detention. He is being detained without charge or trial under a four-month administrative detention order, which could be indefinitely renewed for the duration of six months. For the past decades Israel has applied the procedure of administrative detention on a large scale, systematically imprisoning thousands of Palestinians, as a tool of political oppression. This is a grave violation of the fourth Geneva Convention as well as the Convention on Civil and Political Rights, and the Convention Against Torture.  Khader Adnan has the law on his side. His life should be saved and the law should be respected. We urge you to make direct contact with the responsible Israeli officials and authorities, demanding the immediate release of Khader Adnan, in a critical attempt to save his life. Finally, please adopt this call and spread the appeal from your respective capacity and/or organization. It is time to act. Tomorrow might be too late. AlDameer Association for Human Right, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights   Whom to contact: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Ehud Barak Ministry of Defence 37 Kaplan Street, Hakirya Tel Aviv 61909, Israel Fax: +972 3 69 16940 / 62757 Military Judge Advocate General Brigadier General Danny Efroni 6 David Elazar Street Hakirya, Tel Aviv, Israel Fax: +972 3 569 4526 Email: evimn@idf.gov.il Commander of the IDF in the West Bank Major-General Avi Mizrahi GOC Central Command Military Post 01149 Battalion 877, Israel Defense Forces, Israel Fax: +972 2 530 5724 Minister of Justice Yaakov Neeman 29 Tsalch Adin Street Jerusalem 91490 Telephone:  +972 2 646-6666 Fax:  +972 2 670-6357 E-mail: pniot@justice.gov.il Petition:  http://bit.ly/FreeKhader

INTERVIEW WITH MY FAVORITE AMERICAN PRESIDENT--DEAD PRESIDENTS DAY FUNDRAISER

Dead Presidents' Day Soapbox Fundraiser

What do we do on a day that honors a rogue's gallery of scoundrels? Buy sheets?  Work? (if you're lucky enough to have a job) Our favorite presidents are those who have stood up to US presidents and the neo-liberalism of the global shock doctrine---so: Listen, or re-listen to Cindy's interview with President Hugo Chávez (RIP) at Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox  And/Or Make a donation to keep it on the air and keep Cindy in the streets! Dead Presidents! Our goal is 500.00 today! CLICK ONE OF THE IMAGES OF THE U$ FUNNY MONEYS TO DONATE.  We need 500 people to send one of these: George Washington was our first President and it is fabled that he said: "I cannot tell a lie, Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox rocks!" OR We need 100 people to send one of these: Our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln was often quoted as saying: "Leave nothing for tomorrow that cannot be done today. Donate to Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox." OR 50 supporters to send one of these: With the NDAA and other assaults on or civil liberties, TJ who said, "A Bill of Rights is what the people are entitled to against every government, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference," would definitely support the courageous and consistent stand agaist these fresh assaults on the Bill of Rights! OR 25 listeners to send one of these: Andy Jackson is celebrated for being against a central bank, but he is also rightly denigrated for his hostility and murder of our native populations--one of the Soapbox's least favorite rogues--in a long line of rogues! Apparently, he will be replaced soon, OR 10 TO SEND ONE OF THESE: Our 18th President, US Grant, is probably most famous for being on the 50 dollar bill and would want you to send some to Cindy's Soapbox since he did say one time: "Let us have peace." OR 5 PEOPLE TO SEND ONE OF THESE: Now, good old Benjie was not a President, but we are pretty sure he would have been a huge fan of Cindy's Soapbox as one of Cindy's favorite all time quotes is from Mr. Franklin: "Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." OR ONE VERY AMAZING PERSON TO SEND ONE OF THESE: Who the heck is that on the 500 dollar bill? Why, it's 25th President, William McKinley.   The 500 is no longer in circulation, but who are we kidding, money is mostly sent by computer strokes anyway, these days! Please click on the image of any one of the above Dead Presidents (statesmen) to donate to help support Cindy's Soapbox!

DEAD PRESIDENTS' DAY FUNDRAISER

OR SEND A CHECK/MONEY ORDER TO:

CINDY SHEEHAN'S SOAPBOX, LLC

PO BOX 6264

VACAVILLE, CA 95696

Obama's "Progress" Report: Epic fail for the 99%, Epic Success for the 1%

Dear Friend,

In what has become a Soapbox tradition, this Sunday (2pm pacific) I interview Black Panther and Black Commentator columnist, Brother Larry Pinkney with his analysis of the Obama regime.

Incredibly, this will be Brother Larry's 4th appearance as Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox heads into its 4th year!

I also chat with anti-nuke activist, MacGregor Eddy and a planned action on February 25th at Vandenburg AFB in California.


Don't forget that we stream at Community Progressive Radio at 2pm Pacific Time---and forever at Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox Archives.

We literally can't do it without you!

Make your tax deductible donation today!

Love & Peace Cindy Sheehan Soapbox Team

Autographed Copy of Revolution a Love Story by Cindy Sheehan

12.00 Each

4.00 Shipping/Handling

GET YOUR AUTOGRAPHED COPY 
FOR JUST 12.00 
(SHIPPING AND HANDLING INCLUDED!) 

Use the convenient link below, or send a check/money order for the amount of books you order -
(please allow four-six weeks for delivery) to:

Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox, LLC

PO BOX 6264
Vacaville, Ca 95696

CLICK TO ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!









FROM A READER:
"I was handed your book, 'Revolution:A Love Story' at a CPUSA meeting in San Antonio and devoured it that night. "
Joel Benaividez 
 
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO CINDY'S
MARCH 2010
INTERVIEW WITH
PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ



 

"Cindy Sheehan gives us hope."

President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela, 2006

Revolution, A Love Story is the story of how it's possible for "ordinary" people to reclaim their dignity through participation in politics and community organizing.

The book is also Cindy Sheehan's "love letter" to the people of Venezuela and the charismatic leader of the nation that has prevailed over terrible odds from surviving a demonization campaign and a CIA sponsored coup against him, and recently a scary bout of cancer.

Hope can be a good thing if we place it where it belongs--firmly in the hands of the people. 

FROM THE BACK COVER

Cindy Sheehan was an "ordinary" mom in an ordinary town, Vacaville, CA when her world came crashing down upon her on April 04, 2004, when her beloved oldest child, Casey, was killed in the U.S.A.'s immoral war on the people of Iraq.

Cindy garnered international fame when she camped outside of the pretend ranch in Crawford, TX of then US president, George Bush, demanding to know why he lied which led to the deaths, wounding, and displacement of millions of people.

Cindy never received an answer from George, but her quest for peace led her to both Venezuela and Cuba where she has been privileged to witness true revolution in process.

This book is the story of that process.

With love. 




CLICK HERE TO READ A REVIEW OF REVOLUTION, A LOVE STORY

The Chris Hedges Controversy. Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox for Feb 12

from artist Rob Shetterly and his series:
Americans Who Tell the Truth

Chris Hedges.  Click here to listen or download.  Today, (February 12th), Cindy remarks:  Journalist/activist, Chris Hedges, caused quite a stir this past week when he wrote a column for Truthdig saying, in essence, that the "black bloc anarchists" were killing the Occupy movement.  The response was immediate and sometimes fierce.  Although, I agree with Chris that violence for the sake of violence is counter-productive, it's been my experience that the violence usually begins with law enforcement, with little, if any, provocation.  What should our response be within a society where top-down violence is perpetrated with near impunity all over the world?  These are questions that need to be asked and the answers need to be devised with the greatest and highest good (fostering peace and justice) kept at the forefront.  


I had the opportunity to interview Chris a few days before he released the article, but we did talk about the violence in the Occupy movement somewhat, as our topic was really the lawsuit Chris filed against President Obama and DefSec, Leon Panetta, regarding the recent National Defense Authority Act (NDAA).  Please listen to the show--it's very informative, as usual.  The show is available streaming online at 2pm (pacific) at our new home, Community Progressive Radio and forever at the archives at Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox.

CLICK THE ABOVE LINK TO MAKE A TAX-DEDUCTIBLE ONLINE DONATION TO

CINDY SHEEHAN'S SOAPBOX

ROBERT FISK ON SYRIA

 Robert Fisk: From Washington this looks like Syria's 'Benghazi moment'. But not from here

Look east and what does Bashar see? Iran standing with him and Iraq refusing to impose sanctions

ORIGINAL LINK AT THE INDEPENDENT

President Bashar al-Assad is not about to go. Not yet. Not, maybe, for quite a long time. Newspapers in the Middle East are filled with stories about whether or not this is Assad's "Benghazi moment" – these reports are almost invariably written from Washington or London or Paris – but few in the region understand how we Westerners can get it so wrong. The old saw has to be repeated and repeated: Egypt was not Tunisia; Bahrain was not Egypt; Yemen was not Bahrain; Libya was not Yemen. And Syria is very definitely not Libya.

It's not difficult to see how the opposite plays in the West. The barrage of horrifying Facebook images from Homs, and statements from the "Free Syrian Army", and the huffing of La Clinton and the amazement that Russia can be so blind to the suffering of Syrians – as if America was anything but blind to the suffering of Palestinians when, say, more than 1,300 were killed in Israel's onslaught on Gaza – doesn't gel with reality on the ground. Why should the Russians care about Homs? Did they care about the dead of Chechnya?

Look at it the other way round. Yes, we all know that Syria's intelligence service has committed human rights abuses. They did that in Lebanon. Yes, we all know this is a regime in Damascus, not an elected government. Yes, we all know about corruption. Yes, we watched the UN's humiliation at the weekend – although why La Clinton should expect the Russians to click their heels after the "no-fly zone" in Libya turned into "regime change" is a bit of a mystery.

The destruction of the Alawite-led government in Syria – which means in effect, a Shia regime – will be a sword in the soul of Shia Iran. And look at the Middle East now from the windows of the massive presidential palace that overlooks the old city of Damascus. True, the Gulf has turned against Syria. True, Turkey has turned against Syria (while generously offering Bashar exile in the old Ottoman empire).
But look east, and what does Bashar see? Loyal Iran standing with him. Loyal Iraq – Iran's new best friend in the Arab world – refusing to impose sanctions. And to the west, loyal little Lebanon refusing to impose sanctions. Thus from the border of Afghanistan to the Mediterranean, Assad has a straight line of alliances which should prevent, at least, his economic collapse.

The trouble is that the West has been so deluged with stories and lectures and think-tank nonsense about the ghastly Iran and the unfaithful Iraq and the vicious Syria and the frightened Lebanon that it is almost impossible to snap off these delusional pictures and realise that Assad is not alone. That is not to praise Assad or to support his continuation. But it's real.

The Turks, after much Clinton-style huffing and puffing, did not follow through on their "cordon sanitaire" in northern Syria. Nor did King Abdullah II follow through on the Syrian opposition's call for a Jordanian "cordon sanitaire" in the south. Oddly, I repeat yet again, only Israel has remained silent.

As long as Syria can trade with Iraq, it can trade with Iran and, of course, it can trade with Lebanon. The Shia of Iran and the Shia majority in Iraq and the Shia leadership (though not majority) in Syria and the Shia (the largest community, but not a majority) in Lebanon will be on Assad's side, however reluctantly. That, I'm afraid, is the way the cookie crumbles. Crazed Gaddafi had real enemies with firepower and Nato. Assad's enemies have Kalashnikovs and no Nato.
Assad has Damascus and Aleppo, and those cities matter. His principal military units have not defected to the opposition.

The "good guys" also contain "bad guys" – a fact we forgot in Libya, even when the "good guys" murdered their defected army commander and tortured prisoners to death. Oh yes, and the Royal Navy was able to put into Benghazi. It cannot put into Tartous because the Russian Navy is still there.

LISTEN TO CINDY SHEEHAN'S SOAPBOX COMPREHENSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ROBERT FISK ON THE MIDDLE EAST

Republican for President? by Cindy Sheehan

When I opposed the wars and oppression of civil rights here at home during the Bush scandal, there was a certain segment of the population I knew I could always count on to be in solidarity with me: Liberal Democrats.

While George Bush was president and Congress was primarily of a Republican nature, even organizations like MoveOn.org and blogs like the Daily Kos were on my side. I attended HUGE protests in 2005-2006 before the Democrats took control of Congress in the elections of 2006—but after that, the protests began to weaken or evaporate. Once when there was an event in DC on the 5^th Anniversary of the invasion of Iraq in 2008, I was told by the lead organization that it didn’t want Cindy Sheehan “anywhere near Washington DC.”

I, and many others, were in favor of a large demo in DC that year, as we always did, but one of the lead antiwar(Bush) organizations actually told us, since Democrats were in the majority in the House and they were continuing to fund Bush’s wars and not impeach him, that a demo in DC would, “embarrass the Democrats.”

Now that we have had two years of a complete Democratic tyranny in DC and almost four years of a Democratic regime in the White House, the antiwar movement has continued its tailspin because it was mostly populated by “liberal" Democrats, or other Democratic functionaries like the Communist Party, USA.

A recent poll commissioned by the Washington Post shows, that by a vast majority “Liberal” Democrats favor keeping Guantanamo Prison (53%) camp and torture facility open and the drone bombing campaigns (77%) that their president has increased by at least 300 percent over the Bush years. Unbelievably, “liberal” Democrats also are in favor of the Presidential Assassination Program where Obama can have any American executed by his order, only. Trials? Like John Yoo’s Constitution, these anachronisms will soon be considered “quaint.”

What Glenn Greenwald recently, in his column at Salon, called: “Repulsive progressive hypocrisy,” I called “Faux-gressivism” over three years ago. I began to read the writing on the wall in 2006 when Nancy Pelosi kept saying that, “impeachment is off the table” in the election that propelled her to a brief House Speakership—and the consequences of this political perfidy have been dire for tens of thousands of people who would have mattered when Bush was president, but somehow don’t seem to matter so much now.

“But, Cindy, John McCain would have been worse,” I have heard that tired refrain at least 500 times since 2009, and who knows, maybe he would have been, maybe not. My Republican friends voted for George Bush in 2004 because, even though his lies killed their friend, Casey, they told me that he was going to singlehandedly overturn Roe v. Wade. Many people voted for Obama in 2008 because he promised to close Guantanamo. The last time I looked, Roe v. Wade has not been overturned, and now principled opposition to torture and illegal detention has apparently turned into undying support (until a Republican is back in the Oval Office).

If one of the Republican candidates becomes president in 2012, will the innocent people being slaughtered by US drones matter to these “Faux-gressives” again? Will the antiwar movement be brought back from the dead as, all of a sudden, antiwar feelings are reawakened in people who would have become apoplectic over a Bush invasion of Libya, but were strangely silent or loudly cheerleading the “humanitarian intervention” of Obama’s? Will spying, torture, and the sharp erosion of our civil liberties here at home become anathema once again?

Besides being told 500 times that, “McCain would have been worse,” I have also heard, or seen myself, being called, “an extremist” or “ideologue” by some of the very same people who gave me awards and wrote glowing pieces about me just a few years back. If a Republican once again takes up residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, will I, once again, become smart and courageous?

To me, in the perpetual political hypnosis and hypocrisy that exists in this nation, the most tragic thing is that the dead, too numerous to actually count, were used by the Faux-gressives as convenient weapons to bludgeon Bush and the Republican party, but were so easily discarded as garbage on the dung heap of US electoral politics when victory was declared by the Democratic warniks.

Well, I am going to tell you for the 500^th time, that it really doesn’t matter who is in the White House-- the Empire will crush everyone it rolls over without any qualms—and those people and their loves, dreams, struggles, and, especially their lives, always, always, always matter. Period. 

I now know that to most "liberal" Democrats, killing by the Imperial Army is only considered wrong if a Republican does it-- so, even though it is a false concern, we are at least able to predict that if a Republican is elected, we will see people out in the streets protesting those murders.

Cindy Sheehan's Speech at No War on Iran Rally in San Francisco

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Cindy Sheehan HEARTS Phil Donahue: 4th Season Premiere!

NOW HEAR THIS: Cindy's Internet broadcasts continue!

Phil Donahue!  Click here to listen or download, beginning at 2:00 PM San Francisco time.  Today, (February 5th), Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox is pleased to kick off our 4th season with GUSTO as we present progressive and legendary TV personality, Phil Donahue. Listen only if you want to be inspired with enthusiasm and optimism that we the people can, and will, make change for the better. Click here for more information about Phil's antiwar documentary, Body of War.

I first met Phil Donahue in September of 2005, when Camp Casey activists were on a tour from Crawford, TX to Washington DC after our initial Occupation in August of 2005. Phil came to a talk I gave in Brooklyn, NY--then, a few days later he was on Bill O'Reilly's show defending me as, "one tough mother."

The video of that appearance has been brought to my attention so many times recently, I asked my producer, Mikey, to get me Phil Donahue for the show.

Phil agreed to come out of retirement to help kick off the 4th Season of the Soapbox with gusto.

I can promise you that this Sunday's show (2pm pacific) is definitely worth listening to and all I am going to say is that I miss Phil's voice of reason and optimism in today's demented discourse on what passes for "news" and commentary in this country.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE SHOW