Cindy Sheehan: "They Are Not Numbers" (she shares emails)

[Hissyspit]

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/102205X.shtml

They Are Not Numbers
By Cindy Sheehan
t r u t h o u t | Perspective

Saturday 22 October 2005

I received this email the other day. I have removed the names:

Dear Ms. Sheehan
I wasn't sure how else to contact you, so am sending this thru the gsfp website. I just want to thank you for posting your essay entitled "A Peaceful Day," dated October 17th on the commondreams.org website, a site I visit every weekday.

My cousin, "brave soldier," 30, originally of Indiana, was one of the five US soldiers killed on Saturday, October 15th - Iraq's "peaceful day." He is survived by his wife, his two children, his parents, his sister, our grandma, his aunt, his two uncles and his two cousins. We are currently awaiting confirmation per DNA identification.

- snip -

I received this email today from a distraught Gold Star Mother:

How?
I have so many questions ... How I do I stop the vulgar pain in my chest? How do I do this? How I do I continue to breathe but cannot live? How do I do this? How do I keep my soul in my body? How do I do this? How do I close my eyes wondering if sleep should come but yet knowing if I sleep I will awaken to know this is not a nightmare but my life? How do I do this? How do I love someone with my very being but cannot ever hold him again? How do I do this? How do I go on without that sweet face that brought more joy to my life than I ever deserve - never to be seen by my eyes again? How do I do this? How do I stop the scream that no one hears but me? How do I do this? PLEASE TELL ME ... how do I live without my child, my son, my heart, my soul, my joy, my validation to my life ... Please tell me ... how do I do this? How does the world go on without Steven ... how do I do this?

- snip -

The 2000th tragically appalling death of American troops is, unfortunately, coming up rapidly in Iraq. The official death count today from the War Department's Casualty site is 1992. The toll could reach 2000 within a couple of days.

MUCH MORE AT LINK

[AirmensMom]

1. Thanks for posting this.

So sad. :cry: :cry: :cry:

[Hissyspit]

2. I'm kicking it. It's not the kind of post people respond too, but it is

the kind people need to read. Please keep kicked if so inclined.

[AirmensMom]

3. Will do.

I agree.

:kick:

[AirmensMom]

4. Oops.

Posted twice. :shrug:

[proud patriot]

5. "They Are Not Numbers" That will be my sign at the vigil

:cry:

[nookiemonster]

6. K & R!

:thumbsup:

eom

[derby378]

7. Hey, Nero! You're finally living up to your billing...

Remember that "I'm a uniter, not a divider" bullshit you pulled in 2000? America is finally united now - against you!!

[wakemewhenitsover]

8. Kick

[Gronk Groks]

9. I think I will print a few copies of this out...

...and hand them out to any reporter with enough guts to come to the vigil. Want them to understand WHY we are there...

[PatriotMom]

10. I was just about to post this same letter...

This shit makes me sick. I hate this administration and the God Damned fuckers that run this country. Who the hell are they that they can continue to do this to us??? I am so pissed off. I don't believe their children or grandchildren should go there and fight, I have made that statement but of course it is not what I would ever want. I would not want one more person going there to kill or be killed. I do believe however that these Sons of Bitches in the White House should be thrown to the lions, taken out and flogged in public, etc etc. Enough is just enough. This has to end.:mad: :mad: :mad:

[chalky]

11. Kicking.

n/t

[tavalon]

12. kicking for the morning crew

[soup]

13. So much pain. Unbearable.

kicked and recommended because it's all I can do right now.

[soup]

14. A void in the universe

The death of a soldier leaves an empty space.

By KELLEY BENHAM, Times Staff Writer
Published October 23, 2005


Army Pfc. Roberto Baez, 19, was killed Oct. 3 in Iraq. He sent this cell phone picture to a friend from Fort Bragg. Now his friends tell what they’ll miss about Roberto.

TAMPA - When a mine exploded in Iraq, Roberto Baez disappeared from CiCi's Pizza on Hillsborough and the Lucky Buffet on Waters, from the passenger seat of his best friend's Sentra and from PlayStation cyberspace. He was 19 and grew up in Tampa.

One girl dug for a letter she hadn't thought about in forever and pinned it to her wall; another girl put his picture on her dashboard and talked to him in her head as she drove.

He left a text message on a cell phone and an unworn T-shirt in a closet. He left a hole in places he hadn't visited in months and in people he hadn't seen in years. He has become the places they can't go back to, the rituals they can't relive, the things they can't throw away, can't forget, are afraid of forgetting.
http://sptimes.com/2005/10/23/Floridian/A_void_in_the_universe.shtml


No, they are not numbers. :cry:

[Chi-Town Exile]

15. They're only numbers to those motherf'ers in power.

Thanks for this post, thank you for reminding every one what we're all about.

Just because the leaders that sent these brave and trusting souls to their deaths won't acknowledge them as people doesn't mean we will stop talking about this until every last soldier comes home!!!!

It's gut wrenching... :cry:

It is so sickening that the people that support this "war" are the last to make ANY sacrifice. I hate those f'ing bastards that are the first to say ... "Freedom isn't free" and giddily stick their "Support the troops" ribbon on their SUV. That's it ... that's their sacrifice for their glorious war.

They're the ones getting the "free" ride when they are all too content to send someone else's child. Man, I hate those fuckers!!! :nuke:

[egadsbrain]

16. "call for peace anti-war action"

1996 (10/22)
:(

http://www.unitedforpeace.org/

[Amonester]

17. "These rivers of blood should be stopped," (Iraqis no #'s too).

Iraqis were victims under SH.
Iraqis are now victims under GWB.
Americans (and foreign troopers) were not victims under SH (and never would have been...).
Americans (and foreign troopers) are now victims under GWB...

Grieving Iraq family sees no end to "rivers of blood"
(Reuters)

-snip-

As these events unfolded, Adel's mother received condolence visits from friends and relatives in a mourning ritual that has been repeated day after day in countless homes around Iraq.

Adel's cousin Abdullah Hussain, a doctor, said it should have been clear that Adel was mentally ill. "He was very innocent. Anyone could tell he was ill from the first moment."

"The Americans are spreading terror in Iraq because they are terrified," he added. "These are not the qualities of liberators but criminals."

Adel's older brother Ali said the Americans should leave Iraq. "These rivers of blood should be stopped," he said.

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/focusoniraq/2005/October/focusoniraq_October145.xml§ion=focusoniraq


Like s/he says.
Like the world says.
"Not one more."

Why would God not tell the chimperror? NOW.

[Amonester]

18. Behind every statistic is a grieving family (Pls read full article) n/t

:cry:

[CalmMan]

19. kick