Open Letter to George
By Cindy Sheehan
From: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/112505Y.shtml
Thursday 24 November 2005
George,
My family is spending our 2nd Thanksgiving without Casey, thanks to you and your lies. I am spending the day crying on
a plane on my way to Crawford to again ask you for a meeting.
I had been to Crawford for three weeks in the summer and to DC several times, asking for a meeting with you, and now I
am returning to our vacation home to once again try to meet with you. I don't know why you like Crawford so much, but I
love it, because of the Camp Casey Peace Community that arose during August this year when you wouldn't meet with me.
When I arrived back here at the Peace House, I felt a sense of coming home and belonging to something that is far
greater than any of us: a community that is filled with love, acceptance and peace. Is this what you feel when you
return frequently to Crawford? Also, the beautiful Texas sunset stirred memories of our days at Camp Casey when we would
close our activities each day with ex-Marine Jeff Key playing Taps among the crosses that honored our fallen. August was
a miraculous time.
Since August - when I wanted to ask you the question, for what noble cause did you kill Casey and the others - over 200
more of our brave young men and women have been killed in the charade of Iraq. We can only guess how many innocent
Iraqis have been slaughtered. You still have not answered my question. Many people in our country who have had sons or
daughters killed, who have sons and daughters serving, and many concerned Americans want to know that answer to that
question, also.
Also, since August we have discovered that American forces are using chemical weapons in Iraq ... The Army admitted
that white phosphorous was used as an offensive weapon against "enemy combatants." Oh really, George, since when did a
weapon fired from a distance distinguish between enemies and innocents? Especially when it is so hard for soldiers on
the ground to differentiate between enemies and innocents? It is hard for one to ignore if not look away from the grisly
pictures of the burned citizens of Fallujah.
By the way, George, isn't the use of chemical weapons prohibited? Don't you always say that "Saddam is a bad man" for
using chemical weapons on his own people? So is it okay for you to use chemical weapons in Iraq because the citizens of
Iraq are not "your people?" Saddam should be on trial for killing so many innocent people. Bombing cities where innocent
civilians live and using chemical weapons are war crimes. Does that make you an alleged war criminal? Move over, Saddam.
There is a new bad guy in town.
George, for the sake of the Iraqi people, don't you think it is time to bring our military forces home from Iraq? It is
time to stop hypocritically and callously killing them to spread your brand of freedom and democracy. You know the kind
of freedom and democracy you like? Where no open dissent is allowed, where no one is able to petition the government for
redress of wrongs, where our emails can be read and our library reading materials checked up on and analyzed. Your kind
of freedom and democracy smears brave patriots as cowards and traitors for daring to speak out against your murderous
policies. A majority of Americans don't even want your brand of freedom and democracy. What makes you think the Iraqi
people want it?
George, also for the sake of our wonderful, brave, and very young people who proudly wear the uniform of the USA: it is
time to bring them home. They have done everything you have asked of them. They have also done things that make at least
one quarter of them very sick in their hearts and souls. Some of them have been so needlessly and avoidably killed, and
some of them are coming home with pieces of them missing. For what George? What noble cause?
George, you had everything handed to you on a silver platter. I don't blame you for using your family influence to get
out of serving in Vietnam. I don't blame anyone for trying to get out of that disastrous and totally evil war. What I do
blame you for is killing my son in another disastrous and evil war. Casey had nothing handed to him on a silver platter.
He was willing to serve his country and to even die to save his buddys' lives. You should be ashamed of yourself for
exploiting Casey's honor and the honor of everyone in our armed forces of which the post of Commander in Chief was also
handed to you on a silver platter. Ask your Vice President if he thinks that Casey may have had other "priorities"
besides dying at 24. Ask you mama if her "beautiful mind" is bothered yet. Mine is.
Did you have the sacred luxury of having your two daughters at home with you today for Thanksgiving dinner? Did you
proudly tease them during the meal like my family used to do? Did you tell old funny family stories and laugh about old
times? Did you, George? Our family did share a meal together and we tried to be merry, but you know what? It's not the
same with a very valuable family member gone forever. Casey's premature death puts a damper on all of our days, but the
holidays are especially hard.
Are you and Laura going to hit the sack tonight and toss and turn or stare out of the window worried that Jenna or
Barbara may be killed in Iraq? Are you going to jump at every single ringing of the telephone, will your hearts beat
wildly at every knock at the door, fearing the Angel of Death in an Army uniform? I didn't think so. Two soldiers were
killed today in Iraq, George. I hope to God their families aren't just sitting down to enjoy their meal when the grim
reapers come to tell them their holidays are ruined for ever. There is no good time for such horrendous news.
I ask you to again do the right thing.
Bring our troops home from Iraq. Don't kill others because your murderous policies have already killed so many. How
many deaths do you think will be enough before Casey's is "justified?" 58,000? One was too many.
I will tell you what noble cause Casey died for, George: true and lasting peace. Please dignify all of the deaths by
finally stopping the barbaric killing before you ruin too many more holidays for way too many more people.
Cindy Sheehan
ENDS