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That was a splendid post :-) I wrote a blog post back home comparing Ms. Sheehan with the Russian journo Politskovskaya, an ardent critic of the war in Chechnya who was shot down by unknown men in her doorway. It is of course differences between Ms. Sheehan and Ms. Politskovskaya, both in their destinies and their reasons for getting involved, but one thing Politskovskaya said made me think. In an interview she said that more than 70% of the response back home was negative, and a lot of it threatening. Being a high profile figure taking a stand against the mainstream view will put you in focus among those that want your voice silenced, one way or the other. (Mainstream is here defined as the official view promoted by mass media and government, not necessarily the opinion of the majority of the population) The frustration and personal cost for such a person, the way they feel desecrated by their own people for just saying what they do (and in Ms. Sheehan's case; because the losses they have suffered), must make each day that goes a little more difficult to endure. The continued arrests, the harrassment by your own government. The slander and campaigning against you by anonymous people, often in the disguise of so-called 'fair criticism' of your political opinions. 'Does Cindy serve the liberal movement any longer?' The mere question suggests not, and if you are already sacrificing most of your life to bring about change, the insult must be staggering. Internet posting comes cheap, we all know that. It can contain nuggets of gold, but also veiled threats or slander to make your struggle go uphill. I don't know if Ms. Sheehan read this, but if you do; you are a great inspiration and a marvellous woman. Keep up the anti-war work or do something else - any way you choose, it will be interesting to follow your life from afar. You have started something, a path to change, that can never be taken away from you. I am proud that my name was on a poster at Camp Casey. I am not very well trained in politics and have learned a great deal from both you and the DU. One thing we often forget is to tell the people around us that their sacrifice means something, that they are doing the right thing and that we care how they are doing. It is in some ways taken for granted that they'll go on, and there are so many other things to do that seems more important, that get's the forefront. Kudos to Cindy and David, both persons involved thru different ways in bringing about the change so sorely needed.
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