Washington - In disappointment, in disgust, in dejection, Cindy Sheehan announced today that she’s packing up and going home.
After her son Casey was killed in the war in Iraq, Cindy set up camp in Crawford, Texas down the road from the Bush “ranch” to protest the war.
She demanded to see and talk to the President regarding the war, but was unsurprisingly rebuffed and ignored.
Sheehan, 49, of Vacaville, Calif., stood her ground and fought the good fight, founded an organization called Gold Star Families for Peace.
In announcing her decision in a statement released to the liberal blog Daily Kos, Sheehan said the protest had taken an enormous physical and emotional toll on her.
“I have used all my energy trying to stop this country from slaughtering innocent human beings. I have been called every despicable name that small minds can think of and have had my life threatened many times,” Sheehan said.
Fueling Sheehan’s decision to end her public protest was frustration with national politics as well her unsuccessful attempts to work “within a peace movement that often puts personal egos above peace and human life.”
50 comments for Cindy Sheehan Throws In The towel »
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It’s about time this woman packs up and goes home, she is a complete disgrace to the memory of her son who served proudly.
Comment by Hank — May 29, 2007 @ 10:15 am
Now her son can rest in peace!
Comment by Active duty military member — May 29, 2007 @ 10:19 am
She is such a phony, she didn’t care about her son, she gave him away. What she is not smart enough to realize is that her and many other sons died to give her the right to protest.
Leave this county, we don’t need people like her in this county looking for fame on their childerns backs.
Comment by ccc — May 29, 2007 @ 10:21 am
Cindy Sheehan is an American hero and patriot of the highest order.
Comment by Alan Wright — May 29, 2007 @ 10:26 am
She fought good.. Did what needed to be done. She planted a seed that will grown in time and maybe give the results she always wanted.. She’s wright in saying ” time to go home ..”.
Thanks for fighting….
HAmaral
Comment by Helio Amaral — May 29, 2007 @ 10:26 am
Thank god, this woamn was nothing more than a media whore. She did not even care to put a headstone on here sons grave till 2 months after the fact.
Comment by Good — May 29, 2007 @ 10:27 am
Did that b…… Bush ever see a US citizen or, is he too pompous?
Comment by Russ Korte — May 29, 2007 @ 10:28 am
Phony? That’s crazy talk. She tried to stop the bloodshed so other families don’t have to suffer. Too bad more people didn’t join her. This a democracy and last November the voters said they had enough of the civil war in Iraq. Thank you, Cindy.
Comment by Pat — May 29, 2007 @ 10:30 am
Yeah, that’s great guys. Ever heard of free speech…it’s one of the things our troops are supposedly fighting for.
I suppose you would just let your kid get blown up and stand by and do nothing. At least she had the strength to do what she thought was right. Do you stand by your beliefs? Or do you just Baa Baa follow the rest of the unthinking sheep?
Comment by Dogstar — May 29, 2007 @ 10:32 am
Sheehan has guts where as the congress caved in. Bush should send his low life daughters to Iraq and see how they hold up instead of killing so many other peoples children on a lie him and Cheney created.
Comment by scott valentine — May 29, 2007 @ 10:33 am
I AM SORRY TO SAY SHE NEEDS HELP,IT IS VERY HARD TO HAVE A CHILD DIE BUT I DO NOT THINK HER SON WOULD BE PROUD OF MOM AND SHE IS BEING “USED” -YES TIME TO GO HOME AND GET WELL
Comment by STANLEY — May 29, 2007 @ 10:33 am
Found any weapons of mass destruction yet?
Tell how does it feel to know that know are fighting to protect a lie?
Her son is dead,leave it at that. How she deals with that pain is her up to her.
And what you say about her and how you say it says more about you than it says about her.
Comment by Mal — May 29, 2007 @ 10:33 am
The above three comments make it abundantly clear that my fellow Americans lack the qualities needed to change the way we do business both at home and abroad, commercially and politically. To state that her son died to protect her right to protest knowing she was locked up more than once in doing so, shows how completely oblivious and small minded Americans can be. It is a sad day for all Americans when the mother morning her lost son is treated how Cindy has been treated for the past two year. I’m truly sorry, Cindy!!
Comment by Ursula — May 29, 2007 @ 10:33 am
I was very saddened to see her comment on DailyKos yesterday but I understand her decision. This woman fought with every fibre of her being for the end of this illegal and unjust occupation and I applaud her tireless efforts. To those above who negatively commented on her struggle you are heartless and vile. Your hate is the reason this occupation is allowed to continue, she did her son proud and his memory is only enhanced by her love and devotion to his memory.
Comment by Mysticl — May 29, 2007 @ 10:35 am
With undaunted courage, Cindy Sheehan spoke truth to power. Our childrens’ deaths in an unjustified war does not make that war just.
Comment by Lois-ellin Datta — May 29, 2007 @ 10:35 am
She’s packin’ it in b/c the liberal media hasn’t given her the time of day in a looonnng time: proof she’s always been in it for the pub. and nothing else. I’m sure she’ll pop up again, though, somewhere…unfortuneately.
Comment by Rayn - Army brother — May 29, 2007 @ 10:36 am
If there were more people like Cindy we would not be in this mess. Where are the college kids protesting this war?
Comment by John Staton — May 29, 2007 @ 10:38 am
Why is it that she can’t see her own president? Isn’t there something wrong with that? this is the USA! at least a two minute phone conversation. Why is there such a wall between the people/taxpayers and the political chosen? It seems only when elections are coming up that politicians have time to listen. And don’t tell me they are too busy.
Comment by stan — May 29, 2007 @ 10:39 am
It is our job as citizens of this great Nation to question it’s leadership, once that leadership has demonstrated the inability and incompetence to lead. If you need an example of our ability to question the authority of our leaders, I give you the Declaration of Independence. Our Nation was founder by those who decided not to follow convention. If her methods were considered phony, rash or ill conceived to some, I urge you to first go to the gravesite of her son, then try to question her patriotism to our great Nation.
Comment by Ken — May 29, 2007 @ 10:42 am
Unfortunately, this country does all too often need people to point out when it has gone horribly astray. I am certain that Cindy Sheehan’s son did serve proudly, but as the cause in Iraq was not just, he did indeed die in vain, and his memory is not well served by allowing the death and suffering to continue in both Iraq and the US. The majority of people in both Iraq and the US want our involvement ended. It is well past time to support our troops by bringing them home. You may not like Cindy Sheehan, the messanger, but her message was correct. The cause of the US and the cause of peace are not furthered by our continued presence in Iraq. I am sorry for all the families of men and women killed there, as I am for the innocent victims among the people of Iraq as well. It is well past time to honor our dead by bringing the remaining soldiers home alive and return them to their families.
Comment by Glen Bosshart — May 29, 2007 @ 10:43 am
Cindy will be missed, she fought a valiant fight. Cindy is a true American. Hopefully others will be able to step up and carry on the fight for truth and justice. This is truely a sad day for America.
Comment by Mary Alice — May 29, 2007 @ 10:45 am
Let me get this straight:
Cindy is a media whore cause she used the death of her son to protest the war, right? Well, how do you people feel about all these Republicans that constantly invoke the deaths of 9/11 as way to scare people into voting for them? “…..Dear Jesus? Can you make people stop being so dumb?”
Comment by Donnie Stewart — May 29, 2007 @ 10:47 am
Hank and CCC are need some schooling. Cindy lost her son. I personally disagree with her but I respect her right to say what she beleives. That is what America is about. And she has certainly earned the right to do so. Has Hank or CCC lost a child in war? I’m guessing not. The self-righteous distain they demonstrate toward a woman who sacrificed her son in defense of this country clearly shows that they don’t have a clear understanding of what we are fighting for. They are like the terrorists in that they believe that their’s are the only opinions/ideoligy,values that matter and that all other ideas/opinions/values are heretical and should be squashed. This is not what our brave and courageous souldiers fight for. Freedom is the right to express your sincerely held beliefs, Hank and CCC have a right to say what they want, just as does Cindy. The difference between them is that Cindy lost her son. And while she voluntarily subjected herself to public scrutiny, this doesn’t and shouldn’t deny her the right to be treated with dignity and common courtesy that we all must display toward those with whom we disagree. So Hank and CCC and all those others of you that claim exclusive ownership to the flag and patriotism, I say, give it a rest, and give Cindy a break. She was wrong but she was only fulfilling her moral obligation to speak out against the policy that took her son’s life. That is her right, that is what he died for.
Comment by Jim — May 29, 2007 @ 10:52 am
Lost in all of this is the fact that Sheehan DID meet with Bush, in 2004. What she was asking for was a SECOND meeting.
Comment by John Retzer — May 29, 2007 @ 10:56 am
It is a shame to America for ignoring the mother of a dead soldier. She is already the leader of antiwar movement. This war is the White House fraud. Where the WMD no body ask about any more. Who is taking advantage of this war and who is suffering? Are Americans fool and hysterical people for not understanding that behind the rhetoric of the president is always a lay.
Comment by PB — May 29, 2007 @ 10:59 am
YAWN!!!
Who cares!
Comment by Matt — May 29, 2007 @ 11:24 am
About time that anti-American went home! Her son was a hero. It was a shame she had to ruin the legacy of her son.
Comment by Brian — May 29, 2007 @ 11:25 am
Cindy Sheehan would be a well-deserving candidate for the next Nobel Peace Prize. I hope someone nominates her. She is a true heroine of the people who has taken way too much abuse at the hands of idiots. Too bad so many families of our troops are seeing the light too late to stop their children from buying into the lies. Teach your children well, and start long before the recruitment vultures get to them.
Comment by LL — May 29, 2007 @ 11:29 am
Thank you Ms. Sheehan,
If the comments you have received over the years are even close to those I have read here, I apologize for the small mindedness displayed.
Personally, I thank you for your strength and determination. You have done your job, it is time we, including the small minded look down and see the pile of doo we now find ourselves in. When will it end and how will it end. “You break it, you own it” said Colin Powell…how true he was.
Comment by Cindy — May 29, 2007 @ 11:30 am
I can’t say it any better than Alan Wright did:
“Cindy Sheehan is an American hero and patriot of the highest order.”
God bless you, Cindy, and thank you for all that you did and tried to do.
Comment by JimBrown — May 29, 2007 @ 11:30 am
Her departure is mostly symbolic — she’s been out of the news for months. I suspect her departure is more a realization of fact than a change of policy. Her hate-filled rhetoric has largely fallen on deaf ears lately.
I hope she spends a little more time with her family — and perhaps reconciles with her husband. Altho’ we disagree on the war, I wish her the best in her “retirement”.
Comment by Jeff S — May 29, 2007 @ 11:31 am
God Bless Cindy and her bravery. So sad to see the radical right fight so meanly and desperately against anyone who seeks peace and the end to war.
Comment by Susan — May 29, 2007 @ 11:31 am
Cindy will go down in HERstory as a “woman who dared.” I will always admire her courage to stand up and say what needed to be said in spite of the hatred and villification she received. My husband and I heard her in person. Even though he is a two term Marine and strong on “defense” he understands what Cindy was about and applauds her. Peace and thanks, Cindy!
Comment by B. A. Hannon — May 29, 2007 @ 11:33 am
I am sorry to hear she is thowing in the towel but I understand. To all the a..hole that are chastising her, I saw get a life. I spent 20 years in the navy serving my country and that a..hole that is currently in office did not even serve his time. do NOT even try to tell me that serving in the air national guard counts. She is not a media whoe as you make her out to be. She is a mother that cared for her son. This schmuck /oil puppet that you red state weirdo’s put into office has not done anything he has promised. He preached about weapons of mass destruction.. where are they. he even said in a speech that he would restore integrity to the oval office….. I still have not seen that happen. Get a life people
Comment by alan — May 29, 2007 @ 11:35 am
I think she finally got a job in a burqa factory. She’s certainly done all she can for the burqa business!
Comment by J.R. Phill — May 29, 2007 @ 11:35 am
She’s not going anywhere. This is just a new angle.
Comment by PEG — May 29, 2007 @ 11:36 am
I take excemption to the coment by Jim, guessing i never lost a child, yes i have lost a son, but unlike Cindy i never gave him away as a baby, and not had contact with for most of his life, i was with my son till the day died from his wounds, and he is still with me in my heart, how dare Jim make such a stupid statement.
It was that this is a whitehouse fraud, you forget congress started this war by voting for it. Lay blame where it belongs. I am a democrat but that doesn’t mean that i agree with everything thay do, but being an american i back our President. So Jim before you state comdeming you maybe need some schooling.
Comment by ccc — May 29, 2007 @ 11:36 am
Wow. I can see people agreeing or disagreeing with the war but the personal comments on this person.
Mal is right. “And what you say about her and how you say it says more about you than it says about her.”
I am just disgusted reading the comments knowing these are my fellow Americans and neighbors.
Comment by Rich — May 29, 2007 @ 11:38 am
My sister’s son, my nephew, is in Iraq right now. He does not believe that he’s fighting for freedom of speech, or democracy in Iraq or any of the other lame excuses for invading and occupying a country that did not attack the US. I believe he’s there because he thought it would be glamorous to fight bad guys, fire weapons and be a hero. I think he’s over that now. His tour is extended and duty modified to place him in greater danger, we think, than before. He has about 6 weeks to go on his tour and enlistment. I support Cindy Sheehan who reacted in a very justifiable and understandable way to the callous way that her elected government consumes human life. I hope that my sister’s family and I do not have to face the same personal horror as Cindy Sheehan. But it could happen. And it can and does happen to nearly anyone.
Comment by Greg Chesson — May 29, 2007 @ 11:44 am
’bout time she decided to take care of her surviving children and her marriage…
Comment by Carrie — May 29, 2007 @ 12:06 pm
When asked what we should do, Cindy Sheehan said we should just bring the troops home and let the politicians sort out the rest of it. So after we come home - terrorists will leave us alone? Or as long as we change our culture we’ll be just fine? We brought this on ourselves because we’re un-Islamic? Cindy Sheehan has a wonderful but naive idea that we can just wave these people away and all will be well. Reason will prevail. Love conquers all…sure. Doesn’t apply to Al Quida. Just look at their “diplomatic efforts” in Baghdad. As for, “did we belong in Iraq”…even Ms Sheehan would have to admit that the ONLY country on the planet that was shooting at us, almost daily, before 9/11 was IRAQ!! A reasonable person might suspect they’d be involved in wanting to do us harm where and whenever they could. Bringing back the troops without a clear victory won’t fix a thing except to give Islamic terrorists a terrible resolve that we can be defeated as long as we 1st lose the fight at home. Ms Sheehan has done
a good job in that regard.
Comment by Bud Andrews — May 29, 2007 @ 12:08 pm
If Cindy Sheehan and all you other that followed her think the US has becoming “fascist corporate wasteland”, Then get out uf the US. You want to live in a FREE country but you don’t want us to defend our country. My guess is that most of you are getting free hand outs from the goverment and not doing a thing to protect this GREAT COUNTRY of ours.
Comment by Skyles — May 29, 2007 @ 12:16 pm
It is so sad that discourse in our country has declined to calling the woman who did a huge amount to energize the peace movement filthy names. We are in this war because so many Americans have been trained by the media to react to emotional triggers (hate and fear) instead of analyzing the intellectual content and responding by reason.
Bush/Cheney/Rove have been very good at stirring up fear and anger in order to drown out reason. Some of the above writers have demonstrated how easy it is to get thoughtless people to support them. All it takes to get someone to vote against their own interest is to bypass reason and invoke mindless passion (again fear and hate being Rove’s most-used tools)
For many of us who have given up much of our time and money to save our Constitutional rights from the current Administrations predations, this last vote by the Democrats who were elected from our efforts has been a punch in the gut.
I fear for our Democracy when the citizens can be manipulated hate and fear so easily.
Comment by Karen Chun — May 29, 2007 @ 12:20 pm
Thank you Cindy and everyone who cares and takes the time to read and keep updated on the world, as painful as it may be. Who does what they can to intelligently make a change. Cindy has been as much a hero as our children who’s lives are on the line in Iraq. I have family who have spent years there fighting because they are honorable all the while confessing that the cause is only to stay alive and make it home. They believed, in the beginning it was about liberation of the repressed and tortured citizens.. Now, they see it isn’t. They just want to come home. They are honorable and brave but disillusioned. No one is listening in this quickly fading democracy.
She did the right thing, I am grateful someone spoke loud at least for a while.
Comment by kesqy — May 29, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
Is pretty sad to see Cindy retiring from this fight, but this just makes me think that we are a lost cause as a country anyways. I am an Army Soldier, and I shed my blood for my country many times, but what I see is that our problem is not on our external foes, but on our society. Just look what we did to ourselves: drugs, teenage pregnancy rates, children born out of the wedlock, iliteracy rate (I mean English literacy, as they still are able to write and speak in spanish). Is like we accepted alien elements within our culture that destroyed the foundations of our nation. They come from places where they dont respect each other, they dont know what democracy and liberty is, they dont like to work, so they just bring this same way of life to our country. I mean, just spend 1 month in Miami and you will see. This cuban-latin community doesnt care about America, they just want to get drunk, use drugs and have unsafe sex. They dont even know we are on a war. So, I just quit myself as well, there is no point to fight for a country that doesnt want to change anymore, and is dying day after day…
Comment by Bill A — May 29, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
I want to tell you how sorry I am for the great loss you have suffered by the death of your son, Casey. You have demonstrated great courage, strength and integrity by standing up for what you believe, and at great sacrifice to yourself and your family. You have given us all pause to think, and it will take ALL of us to change the course America has taken. I believe that Peace begins within, and requires a conscious choice and positive action. I wonder how any one of us have contributed to Peace in our world today? Thank you for your sacrifice, Cindy and I honor you and wish you Peace and Healing.
Comment by Leslie Dollar — May 29, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
Greg,
Your nephew obviously joined the military for the wrong reason. Most military members are proud to be serving their Country and know why they are serving. The war is a political football for the politicians and many Americans are joining the fracas for different reasons. To the military members, they know why they’re there and are proud to do their jobs - no questions asked. They may not like being there, but they know what they have to do.
Comment by Mke — May 29, 2007 @ 12:43 pm
….and now what?
after all of the pantiwaists
retreat from the battlefield
and run home to ‘mother’ leaving the enemy to run amok,
….now what, you dumb
asses ???
Comment by bill — May 29, 2007 @ 2:10 pm
Makes me proud to serve and see someone use her right to protest.
Comment by Robert Steiner — May 29, 2007 @ 2:12 pm
Cindy Sheehan has been an engine of division in a country that desperately needs unity. For the war or against it, we are in one. The Monday morning quarterbacking coming from the Left is serving only to further divide us. It’s apparent from many of the above comments that the Left in America still feel in their hearts that Islamic Fundamentalists hate Conservatives. Unfortunately they don’t distinguish at all. We were at war before 9/11 with a doctrine of intolerance, arrogance and aggression; Iraq has merely given us a battlefield. As for the President… is he a cunning and diabolical liar who manipulated the entire free world or is he a bumbling moron who has no idea what he’s doing? You can’t have it both ways. Thank you for going home Ms. Sheehan.
Comment by Foster — May 29, 2007 @ 9:34 pm