I was talking to Cindy Sheehan and Sean Penn the Other Day

[omega minimo]

Actually it wasn’t the other day it was last month and I didn’t tell DU the story because........

There was little interest here on the January Town Hall meetings. Nationwide, communities drew together to protest this war, discuss this administration and support fresh candidates.

At that time, the news was filled with comparisons to the Nixon Era, Viet Nam and Watergate: public disapproval of a quagmire war of choice in Iraq, illegal domestic surveillance, White House investigations and indictments, vindictive outing of a CIA agent-- high crimes and misdemeanors that far outweighed Nixon’s impeachable offenses.

Cindy Sheehan spoke simply and eloquently, with humor and humility. She called for turning the Anti-War movement into a Peace movement. Sean Penn was brief and to the point. He had a good one-liner: “When we told George Bush, ‘Listen to us,’ we didn’t mean surveillance.”

As soon as the speakers were finished, the media cameras surrounded Cindy and Sean and blinded the common folk with their lights. Time to check out the tables of various activist groups lining the walls.

Later the crowd thinned out and I happened upon Cindy in a small group of friends. I said hello and thank you to her and she threw an arm around my shoulder and drew me into the circle. We stood there, shoulder to shoulder for a while, talking about their journey.

I had the opportunity to ask her The Question:

How did we get here? If people remember Watergate and Viet Nam, if we lived through and learned from it, how did we repeat the same mistakes? Why don’t people remember.......?

Cindy said, “Because memories are painful. Memories hurt.”

And remembering is accompanied by responsibility to redeem the past by protecting the future.

Cindy is taking her memories, her pain and turning her hurt into action, to prevent the same pain from being experienced by other families.

I had a minute or two with Sean Penn. I asked him The Question:

If people his age experienced the era of Viet Nam and Watergate, how did we end up-- a short 25 years later-- with Iraq Nam and Bushgate?

Sean said, “It’s a mystery.”

And then he said, “We’re still here.”

And that’s something. We’re still here.



And so are they.




Swamp Rat

[tatertop]

1. that is a very cool story

[omega minimo]

7. that is a very cool screen name

:thumbsup:

[tatertop]

11. Thank You. Named after one of my cats.

I am jealous that you spoke to Cindy and Sean.
Good for you.

[omega minimo]

14. They're just people

[tatertop]

16. Fur people. My cats are people to me.

Soul yes.

[GetTheRightVote]

2. Thank you for sharing your experience with DU members like me.

Nice story, especially Sean Penns quote.

:kick:

[LaPera]

3. I suppose Penn is fucking correct, were still here, that's something. Not

fucking much though...all the years, tons of donations, writing, marches, protest, endless educating to people who couldn't give one shit and WHY... Money & greed always wins out...As is being proven so clearly each and every day.

[omega minimo]

5. We need more of you

It's the "people who couldn't give one shit" that's a problem :hi:

[Journeyman]

9. A little historical perspective, as well . . .

"People like to say that if Dante, Petrarch, Chaucer,
Boccaccio, Calderón, Lord Bacon, Shakespeare and Milton
had never lived we would experience worse wars, usury,
more oppressive fraud, malfeasance and servitude.
I doubt it. I think they functioned as entertainers
who taught nothing. I submit the continuation of
everything they abhorred substantiates my argument."

~ Evan S. Connell, Points for a Compass Rose

[omega minimo]

12. Good Gawd!!!!!!

You mean I've fought off being a cynic all these years FOR NOTHING!!!!!!??????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :rant:

[unkachuck]

4. I have tremedous respect....

....for people like Ms Sheehan and Mr. Penn....people who have lost alot and have alot to lose by being visable....thanks for sharing....

[omega minimo]

10. it's tricky for them being public figures and "real people" also

Us folks need to be inspired but not overly "impressed."

[tatertop]

13. History will treat them better than some here at DU

I cannot understand why we cannot get 100% behind
Cindy and Sean.

[omega minimo]

15. Maybe your cats have some herding suggestions

:yoiks: :woohoo: :yoiks:

[tatertop]

17. Yes, they say ' when in doubt - eat it.'

That's about it.
Oh, that, and lots of meow meow meow.
(There is nothing more comforting than
the sound of cats slopping water. Fuck ambien ;)

[FloridaPat]

6. That's the reason so many people decided * was lying about Iraq.

We had seen it all before. We are probably their worst fear - the people that really know what's going on.

[omega minimo]

8. oh

oops :evilgrin:

[omega minimo]

18. Good night and good luck

:hi:

[radio4progressives]

19. AWESOME STORY !! RATED UP ...

:applause: :applause: :applause:

[omega minimo]

20. App. 300 folks showed up, hall held 180, they set up speakers

on the sidewalk. Young guy outside on cell phone "There's a lot of OLD people here." :rofl:

Notable that the crowd looked so NORMAL. We are the "Radical Middle" that Thom Hartmann reaches out to.

:grouphug: :yourock:

[Swamp Rat]

21. LOL! ... Thanks!

It sure is fun making them. :D

Check your PM.

[omega minimo]

22. A Swamp Rat's worth a gazillion words

:loveya:

[omega minimo]

23. Too little too late

:yoiks:

[omega minimo]

24. Aw, see, here's how it's done!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x477922