This is the nature of the Internet, and of activism

[question everything]

People call each other names, use terms that they will never use in person (one hopes).

Jumping on one word "whore" is really a sad excuse. Would she still be upset if she were called an attention grabber?

The good old Truman say about heat and kitchen still holds.

When one chooses to be in the limelight, to be an activist, one does it for the sake of the cause, not to receive accolades.

I often read posts on DU where people get tired and sick of the Democrats, or of DUers who, say, celebrate the death of someone from the right and announce to the world that they, too, "resign." But this is the way the game is played.

Personally, I hope that Sheehan can now put her life together. I have often wondered what she would do if the troops came home tomorrow.

I am no social worker but clearly the loss of her son, her marriage have affected her and she found her way to deal with this. She needs help from a licensed social worker. Yes, she was in the right place at the right time and galvanized many. But she could not keep such adoration for a long time; no one can. And, yes, as Skinner said, many of us realize that politics is the art of compromise and do not appreciate her attempts to undermine our hard earned majority in Congress.

For example, if we got the majority based on the war - and I am not certain about it - and if the war ends tomorrow, will we still be able to hold on to our majority?

I would like to think that economic factors and the disgust with the "rubber stamp" Republican Congress was part of it. And in this case, we can keep our majority by emphasizing these issues and passing legislation, like the rise in the minimum wage, as well as keep Scalias, Thomases and Alitos away from the Supreme Court.

Good luck Cindy. I hope that you can find peace someplace, somehow.

[havocmom]

1. If the troops came home tomorrow, she might just sleep the sleep of the just

She has earned a bit of peace and quiet.

Heroes are plain folk who rose to the occasion in desperate situations. That level of energy output cannot be maintained indefinitely by ANYONE. We all have to set aside our burdens and seek quiet now and then.

[Breeze54]

2. When did Skinner say that?? Link?

And, yes, as Skinner said, many of us realize that politics is the art of compromise
and do not appreciate her attempts to undermine our hard earned majority in Congress.

Cindy didn't 'choose' to be in the limelight! Her son was killed.
She felt she had an obligation to put a stop to the war!

:grr:

[question everything]

9. Skinner's open letter to Cindy Sheehan

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x992236

I paraphrased what he said, and added the compromise - I don't think that he would disapprove.

Here are his exact words:

When you made it clear that you were going to challenge Democrats as aggressively as you challenge Republicans, you knew that many Democrats would not support your efforts. Likewise, it was inevitable that some here on DU would not support such efforts.

[magellan]

13. Holy cow

You didn't paraphrase. What you attributed to Skinner is nothing like what he wrote.

[Breeze54]

15. You put YOUR words in Skinner's mouth!!

[ben_meyers]

3. One of Cindy's mistakes was listening to the internets

I have to agree;
Cindy or her handlers should have been aware the anonymous postings and even many so called "bloggers" are totally unrestrained from any ethical code what so ever. I know, either is the media in general, but at least you can tell who they are, and where they are coming from. Limbaugh, for example, says things but he admits to a point of view, and doesn’t claim to be anything other than a spokesman for the "conservatives".
That leads to another of Cindy's mistakes, using the internets to get her message out and not expecting blowback. I have yet to see a post on any forum, no matter what the subject, that didn't attract an opposite point of view. You could post that "the sun rises in the east", and somebody will point out that the sun doesn’t rise at all but only appears to because of the earth's rotation, thereby proving you a total idiot.
In business we say that one negative comment will be heard by 20 people, but a positive one will rarely be heard at all.
Sorry Cindy, but like they say "when you lie down with dogs, you'll get fleas"

[Breeze54]

6. Huh??

:wtf: Are you talking about??

[KoKo]

4. Do you have a link to what you say Skinner said?

And, yes, as Skinner said, many of us realize that politics is the art of compromise and do not appreciate her attempts to undermine our hard earned majority in Congress.

[Breeze54]

7. Funny, no response yet...

:shrug:

[question everything]

11. Sorry, I do not spend all my time reading DU

I have a life

[Breeze54]

14. You started the topic....

not me.

[question everything]

10. Skinner's

I paraphrased, but I think that I kept the spirit:

When you made it clear that you were going to challenge Democrats as aggressively as you challenge Republicans, you knew that many Democrats would not support your efforts. Likewise, it was inevitable that some here on DU would not support such efforts.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x992236

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. Thank God, she didn't go to a licensed social worker and get fixed.

And, that goes for the other "attention whores" like Martin Luther King, Gandhi, Rosa Parks, the Berrigan brothers, Desmond Tutu, and all the other non-politician spotlight grabbers.

[question everything]

12. These people did not choose their activism in an attempt to heal

a wound, loss of a child and a marriage.

Doesn't she have other children? What about them?

And they people you cite certainly did not gather their balls and went home when things did not go their way.

[SteveM]

8. Internet is a bathroom wall without the stink. If you want to see how...

...far people go with their hatred, visit the "gungeon." Willful ignorance, smear, name-calling and sexual innuendo are livin' large, there. If this is the "nature" of the Internet, what does it say about "activism?" If there is a vision of activism and social change, what is it?

Growing up in the Sixties, I can give folks an image: mass demonstrations, sit-ins, re-calls, boycotts -- all on the nightly news. Young folks say this is the stuff of spike-tail fantasy. And I agree; after all, I was raised on Technicolor and Vista Vision.

But what is the NEW vision?

[EFerrari]

16. It is one thing to understand that people can do bad things

and it's entirely another to aid and abet that behavior.

And, I find your characterization of Cindy Sheehan shallow, insensitive and inappropriate.

Does no one have good personal boundaries any more? Christ.