Cindy Sheehan Complains About Right-Wingers 'Spewing Filth' -- GOPUSA

Cindy Sheehan Complains About Right-Wingers 'Spewing Filth'
By Susan Jones
CNSNews.com Senior Editor
August 17, 2005

(CNSNews.com) -- On a day when liberal activists plan to hold coast-to-coast candlelight vigils for Cindy Sheehan, the anti-war activist is moving closer to President Bush's ranch -- and complaining about "right-wingers."

In her latest posting on Michael Moore's website, Sheehan complains, "The right wingers are really having a field day with me. It hurts me really badly, but I am willing to put up with the crap, if it ends the war a minute sooner than it would have."

Sheehan raises "specific concerns," including news of her impending divorce, which was in the works before she came to Crawford, she says.

She also rebuts "the lie" about her saying that her son "died for Israel." "I never said that, I never wrote that," Sheehan says.

"The right wingers are emailing me and spewing filth about me on the radio and on the television saying that I am dishonoring my son's memory," Crawford wrote in her latest Internet post.

She also complains about the Crawford man arrested Monday night after running over hundreds of small wooden crosses inscribed with the names of soldiers who have died in Iraq. The crosses and small American flags are part of "Camp Casey," the protest site named after Sheehan's son, who died in Iraq last year.

"This man who ran over the crosses thinks he is a better American than we are. He thinks he is more patriotic than we are. Does he really believe that he is honoring the memories of the fallen and his country by running down 500 crosses and about 60 American flags?" Sheehan asked.

Sheehan says she is protesting on behalf of the people of Iraq -- and U.S. soldiers who remain in harm's way.

She's attracted a huge following in the two weeks since her roadside vigil began, and one of her supporters lives down the road from Bush's ranch.

Crawford resident Fred Mattlage -- described as an Army veteran who sympathizes with the demonstrators -- this week invited Sheehan and her supporters to set up their anti-war, anti-Bush shop on his property, located about a mile from Bush's ranch.

"I just think people should have a right to protest without being harassed," Mattlage told The Associated Press Tuesday night. "And I'm against the war. I don't think it's a war we need to be in."

(Wire reports say Fred is a distant cousin of Larry Mattlage, the man who fired a shotgun into the air on Sunday to express his frustration with the protesters.)

Candles, prayers and protests

Since Sheehan's vigil began on August 6, Democrats and liberal advocacy groups have rallied around her cause, blasting President Bush for refusing to meet a second time with Sheehan (he met with her and other military families last year at a military base near Seattle) and reminding Americans about a war they consider unjust.

Several liberal groups have organized Wednesday-night vigils in support of Cindy Sheehan. MoveOn.org said more than 1,275 vigils will take place.

Most of them will happen at 7:30 p.m. local time, but not the one in Crawford.

Sheehan's own vigil will take place at 8 p.m. instead of 7:30 p.m. -- "as we need time to set up after [CNN's] Anderson Cooper airs his show live from here between 6 and 7," the MeetWithCindy website said.

"Since we are still in the process of arranging to move to Fred Mattlage's property, our vigil will take place at the original Camp Casey site on Prarie Chapel Road. We're planning some really great stuff, so come join us if you can," the message said.

Candlelight vigils are just the beginning. The MeetWithCindy website urges Amerians to join Cindy in praying for the troops at noon on Friday.

"Cindy has invited President Bush to join her at noon on Friday to pray for the troops serving in Iraq and the parents who have lost their children to war," the website said. "She will be joined in Crawford by religious leaders from around the nation. Join Cindy by organizing an interfaith prayer service or moment of silence in your community at noon on Friday the 19th."

Organizers said they expect "hundreds or maybe thousands" of people to show up for the prayer service, but President Bush is not expected to be one of them.

And there's more: The MeetWithCindy website is urging her supporters to come to Washington, D.C., on September 24-26.

"In September, people from across the nation will gather in Washington to tell Bush and Congress that it is time to bring the troops home. Join Cindy in Washington for three historic days of action against the war: a major march, rally, and festival on Saturday, September 24; an interfaith religious service and day of grassroots trainings on Sunday, September 25; and a large-scale grassroots lobbying day and nonviolent civil disobedience on Monday, September 26."

Although President Bush has expressed sympathy for Sheehan, he repeated on Saturday that withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq prematurely would "betray the Iraqi people and would cause others to question America's commitment to spreading freedom and winning the war on terror."

President Bush said the United States will honor its war dead by completing the mission for which they gave their lives.