SAUNDERS: Selective outrage on free speech

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 2/2/6 | Debra J. Saunders

[SmithL]

I FEEL sorry for Cindy Sheehan. She lost her beloved son Casey in the Iraq war, and for that she has my sympathy.

But losing your son in a war doesn't give you license to violate House decorum, as she did by wearing a T-shirt (reading "2,245 Dead. How many more?") before President Bush's State of the Union speech Tuesday night. It also doesn't grant you special wisdom on foreign relations in South America. If it did Sheehan would not have let herself be embraced by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

While supporters say Sheehan's loss gives her credibility, I don't see anti-war types changing their tune after listening to parents of slain vets who support the war. So her words don't change my mind, not when she talks like a little girl.

Worse, Sheehan feeds the conceit of many Bay Area war protesters -- that they are brave warriors risking their safety and the wrath of the Bushies as they protest the war.

Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Petaluma, obviously buys into that conceit. Woolsey, who invited Sheehan to the address, issued a statement Wednesday that asked, "Since when is free speech conditional on whether you agree with the president?"

Ditto Rep. Pete Stark, D-Fremont, who told The Chronicle, "I'm still trying to find out why the president's Gestapo had to arrest Cindy Sheehan in the gallery."

I expect members of the House to show more political sophistication than a novice blogger. They must know that the Capitol Police report to Congress -- not the Bushies. But Stark, who introduced a resolution calling for a probe into the police action, is happy to mislead.

[Reaganesque]

In my estimation, she was not arrested soley because of the t-shirt. It was well known that Left-wing loonies were holding a "Shout Down the President" protest just outside the Capitol Building and around the country. Ms. Sheehan was likely going to stand up in the middle of the State of the Union Address and shout the President down. The Capitol police knew this and used the t-shirt excuse to prevent her from doing so. That members of Congress would be complicit in this attempt to silence the President is beneath contempt but then, unfortunately, that is the state of today's Democratic Party.

[EagleUSA]

The libs just keep proving what they are...over and over. The dregs and traitors of America. Send Woolsey and Stark to Cuba, ONE WAY. That will be a great attitude adjustment for these loons of the left.

[Jibaholic]

Ms. Sheehan was likely going to stand up in the middle of the State of the Union Address and shout the President down.

If that were true they should have let her. It is an open question who helps the Republicans more: Dean or Sheehan.

[tjg]

My sympathy for Cindy ran out a while back.

I can respect someone that speaks out against what they see as a sensless loss, but her own disrespect for her son's sacrifice is shamefull.

Achieiving her goal will render her son's sacrifice meaningless, for the purpose of achieving a political agenda.

I wonder how much she cared about him in the first place.

[frankiep]

The thing that worries me the most, and scares me, is that there are millions of people in this country who actually support and vote for these nutjobs. Seriously, don't we have a problem when such a large portion of the country want us to be lead by what are basically out of control little children.

[Gritty]

"I'm still trying to find out why the president's Gestapo had to arrest Cindy Sheehan in the gallery." - Rep. Pete Stark, D-Fremont

Apparently truth has no meaning for Liberals with a political agenda.

[Pessimist]

"If that were true they should have let her."

That's my thinking too. Had she done that, it would have been the plotically minded on the left doing the cringing, not us.

[desherwood7]

I wonder what her son would think, Using his memory to get on TV all of the time and propagate her far-left politics all over the place?

[MizSterious]

Not only dregs and traitors, but incapable of adult thought--that is, if they think at all. They act like a bunch of out of control juveniles, and seem to want a reenactment of "Animal House."

[Coldwater Creek]

Someone is putting out big bucks to finance Cindy's shenanigans.

[popdonnelly]

"Someone is putting out big bucks to finance Cindy's shenanigans."

And I'll bet it's been laundered.

[popdonnelly]

"I'm still trying to find out why the president's Gestapo had to arrest Cindy Sheehan"

I didn't know that the President had a Gestapo. Or that it operated in the House. I guess Stark's rhetoric appeals to the lame-os who elected him.

[Coldwater Creek]

And not as in the "clean" sense!!!!

[RJL]

Cindy went in looking for trouble and she found it.

It worked out just as she wanted, what is she complaining about.

[Salgak]

And if the President really HAD a Gestapo. . .

Cindy would have "disappeared" MONTHS ago.

As would Rep. Stark, amongst others. . .

[MizSterious]

Yes, remember when the Clintons had something resembling a Gestapo all their own? Remember how the term "Arkancide" came about? Bad things happened to people who criticized them, back in the day.

[Salgak]

Ah, but Dems and Libs can do no wrong: just ask 'em (grin)

Gotta love double standards. . . .

[marvlus]

In my opinion, the Capitol Police did the left a big favor. Can you imagine the fallout on the left if Cindy Sheehan had made a spectacle of herself at the SOTU address?

[HawaiianGecko]

 

"Since when is free speech conditional on whether you agree with the president?"

This isn't an issue of free speech. Sheehan has the same constitution rights as all Americans have had for the last 217 years. The issue is decorum. Until recently the vast majority of citizens have acted with class, demonstrated respect for the office of the POTUS and wouldn't consider for a moment wearing a T-shirt of any type to a State of the Union address in the Capitol of the United States of America.

Strong feelings and opinions of national issues should be demonstrated at the ballot box as adults, not for the media acting like a spoiled child.

Everyone in the country knows what Sheehan's opinions are, she is wasting time and energy by her continued protesting. She is simply acting as a typical two year old ranting until she gets her way. In fact all long term demonstration is basically whining. Opinions are difficult to change, which is not the same thing as swaying public opinion by educating and enlightening. Everyone with a pulse knows enough of the issues of this war to have a firm opinion.

Further discussion of the same issues is mindless. Any minds that are changed are doing so because they are giving up, not because any variables in the critical thinking path have changed.

Sheehan is a poster child for what the media thinks is important.