Dear Mrs. Sheehan...

Call me cruel and heartless, however, I think this Cindy Sheehan saga has drug on for far too long now. Enough is enough. Cindy Sheehan is the mother of a U.S. soldier who was killed in Iraq. She is currently camping outside of President Bush's Crawford, Texas ranch, demanding to speak to the president; supposedly simply seeking an end to the situation in Iraq.

I have just two simple words for her: Go home. And take that traveling circus of other "concerned citizens" with their respective agendas, seeking on-air time, with you. I understand that you are a greiving mother and I cannot for a moment imagine that pain. But why are you in essence exploiting your son's tragically unfortunate death by enabling this three-ring circus to continue? I have to raise an eyebrow to the fact that Michael Moore and MoveOn.org are some of your strongest supporters. Please tell me you are driven by passion and not politics.

If I thought for a moment that your intentions were legitimate I would certainly not begrudge you wanting to speak to the president. But why is the the mainstream media generally failing to report that you already DID meet with the president after your son's death? I resent them presenting the story simply as "Greiving mother seeks to meet president." How many times do you want to speak to the president? Five? Ten? More maybe? What do you expect to accomplish by speaking to him again now? Calculated notoriety? Self-serving publicity? Political and public opinion damage for the president? A book deal?

If the media cameras go away I suspect you will too.

In the end we both know that the president is not going to meet with you. He cannot. Otherwise every nut case, zealot, and self-appointed do-gooder in the land would line up outside the ranch and demand equal time. So do yourself a favor, go home, deal with your son's death with dignity, in private, and don't embarass yourself anymore than you already have. Your son deserves better. His service was honorable, decent, and forever appreciated. Don't soil his memory by associating with Michael Moore and MoveOn.org.

I hope that you are simply well-intentioned but misguided. I really do. You wouldn't be the first mother to act without thinking. That's undertandable, considering. But with each passing day you remain there in Crawford, posed in front of the media cameras and microphones; and as the band of kooks around you continues to swell and the support of people like Michael Moore and MoveOn.org increases, I have to question your true agenda. For your son's memory, I hope I'm wrong.


More:

Mrs. Sheehan's blog post from Monday, courtesy of HuffingtonPost.com:

Cindy Sheehan
Mon Aug 15, 4:28 AM ET
The ninth day ended in the most awesome way. We were out at Camp Casey and it was sprinkling a little bit and it really looked like the rain was going to start pouring down anytime. We looked over into the next cow pasture and there was a full rainbow. Rainbows are supposedley God's sign of hope. When Casey was killed on 04/04/04, I thought that all of my hope was killed, too. Being involved in the peaceful occupation of Crawford and meeting hundreds of people from all over the world has given me so much hope for the future.
We had a lovely interfaith prayer service this morning. It was truly beautiful and we were all weeping while we were singing "Amazing Grace." But, during the service, one of our neighbors fired off a shot gun. He said he was shooting at birds, but he is tired of us being there and he wants us to leave. I didn't get to talk to him, but I told the media that if he wanted us to leave so badly, why doesn't he tell his other neighbor, George, to talk to me. We are good neighbors and we are cooperating with everyone. By the way, in case I forgot to blog it last night, the Sheriff has requested that I stay down in Crawford during the night, because he is afraid for my safety after he leaves. He said he would "sleep better" himself at night if I came into town to sleep. Judging from the shooting guns, I guess he was right.George Bush took a 2 hour bike ride on Saturday, and when he got back, he was asked how he could go for a two hour bike ride when he doesn't have time to meet with me, and he said: "I have to go on with my life." (Austin Statesman, August 14) WHAT!!!!!????? He has to get on with his life!!! I am so offended by that statement. Every person, war fan, or not, who has had a child killed in this mistake of an occupation should be highly offended by that remark. Who does he think he is? I wish I could EVER be able to get on with my life. Getting on with my life means a life without my dear, sweet boy. Getting on with my life means learning to live with a pain that is so intense that sometimes I feel like throwing up, or screaming until I pass out from sorrow. I wish a little bike ride could help me get on with my life. I need to focus on the positive, though, and there is so much. I had so many amazing things happen today. I couldn't walk through Camp Casey or the Crawford Peace House today without hugging people and getting my picture taken. Now I know how Mickey Mouse feels at Disneyland. I had a soldier from Ft. Hood come out today and he brought me a small stone with a First Cavalry insignia painted on it and the pictures of three of his beautiful buddies who were murdered there by George's reckless policies. It was such an incredible moment for me when he said: "Keep on doing what you are doing. We are so proud of you. Casey would be so proud of you."I just wish George had as much courage in his entire body as Casey had in his little pinky, then he would meet with me. Crawford, Tx. is beautiful prairie land, but I could think of dozens of other places I would rather be right now. However, if George or anybody else thinks I am leaving before my mission is "accomplished" they have another think coming. I will stay the course. I will finish the mission. I will take no prisoners.By the way, we had about 7 counter protesters today and hundreds at Camp Casey...don't let the mainstream media say differently.