Cindy Sheehan - A Threat to National Security (with Update)

UPDATE: From DailyKos:

CODEPINK was just able to get through to Cindy and Diane Wilson in Crawford, and there was a miscommunication---the notion that Cindy and others would be arrested was only conjecture by a state representative, not any law enforcement official. Bush's motorcade will be driving down the road where Cindy is camped out en route to a fundraiser Thursday, and the representative told protesters that he "imagined" they would be arrested as a national security threat.

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From a diary at the dailykos:

Cindy Sheehan phoned me from Texas a few minutes ago to say that she's been informed that beginning Thursday, she and her companions will be considered a threat to national security and will be arrested. Coincidentally, Thursday is the day that Rice and Rumsfeld visit the ranch, and Friday is a fundraiser event for the haves and the have mores. Cindy said that she and others plan to be arrested.

And for those who don't know who Cindy Sheehan is, here's some info. Ms Sheehan is a member of the "Goldstar Families for Peace." Her son Casey was killed in action in Iraq on 4/4/2004. According to DOD records, there were 12 casualties that day.

She explained her reasoning at her diary at dailykos. Here's what she wrote:

George Bush said speaking about the dreadful loss of life in Iraq in August: (08/03/05): "We have to honor the sacrifices of the fallen by completing the mission." "The families of the fallen can be assured that they died for a noble cause."

In reaction to these two assinine and hurtful statements, members of Gold Star Families for Peace (GSFP) are going to George's vacation home in Crawford, Tx this Saturday, August 6th at 11:00 am to confront him on these two statements.

1. We want our loved ones sacrifices to be honored by bringing our nation's sons and daughters home from the travesty that is Iraq IMMEDIATELY, since this war is based on horrendous lies and deceptions. Just because our children are dead, why would we want any more families to suffer the same pain and devastation that we are.
2. We would like for him to explain this "noble cause" to us and ask him why Jenna and Barbara are not in harm's way, if the cause is so noble.
3. If George is not ready to send the twins, then he should bring our troops home immediately. We will demand a speedy withdrawal.

And for this, I guess the Bush administration considers her a threat to national security.

Here's more from her diary:.

By the way, the wingnuts have been doing their best to smear this woman. Here's what Drudge has to say:

The mother of a fallen U.S. soldier who is holding a roadside peace vigil near President Bush's ranch -- has dramatically changed her account about what happened when she met the commander-in-chief last summer!

Cindy Sheehan, 48, of Vacaville, Calif., who last year praised Bush for bringing her family the "gift of happiness," took to the nation's TV outlets this weekend to declare how Bush "killed an indispensable part of our family and humanity."

CINDY 2004

THE REPORTER of Vacaville, CA published an account of Cindy Sheehan's visit with the president at Fort Lewis near Seattle on June 24, 2004:"'I now know he's sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis,' Cindy said after their meeting. 'I know he's sorry and feels some pain for our loss. And I know he's a man of faith.'

"The meeting didn't last long, but in their time with Bush, Cindy spoke about Casey and asked the president to make her son's sacrifice count for something. They also spoke of their faith.

"The trip had one benefit that none of the Sheehans expected.

"For a moment, life returned to the way it was before Casey died. They laughed, joked and bickered playfully as they briefly toured Seattle.

For the first time in 11 weeks, they felt whole again."

'That was the gift the president gave us, the gift of happiness, of being together,' Cindy said."

CINDY 2005

Sheehan's current comments are a striking departure.She vowed on Sunday to continue her protest until she can personally ask Bush: "Why did you kill my son?"

In an interview on CNN, she claimed Bush "acted like it was party" when she met him last year."

It was -- you know, there was a lot of things said. We wanted to use the time for him to know that he killed an indispensable part of our family and humanity. And we wanted him to look at the pictures of Casey.

"He wouldn't look at the pictures of Casey. He didn't even know Casey's name. He came in the room and the very first thing he said is, 'So who are we honoring here?' He didn't even know Casey's name. He didn't want to hear it. He didn't want to hear anything about Casey. He wouldn't even call him 'him' or 'he.' He called him 'your loved one.'

Every time we tried to talk about Casey and how much we missed him, he would change the subject. And he acted like it was a party.

BLITZER: Like a party? I mean...SHEEHAN: Yes, he came in very jovial, and like we should be happy that he, our son, died for his misguided policies. He didn't even pretend like somebody...

Ah, well.

But it seems that (surprise, surprise) Matt Drudge is taking things out of context. Here's the story from RawStory.com. Here's the first three paragraphs from the Raw Story article:

An article by Matt Drudge quoting anti-war mother Cindy Sheehan whose son was killed in Iraq grossly took Sheehan out of context, RAW STORY has learned.

The Vacaville, California Reporter told of how Sheehan was invited to meet with Bush and given "VIP treatment" from the military. But even when the article was published, it's clear that Sheehan and her husband had serious questions about Bush -- and were not adulatory as the article by Drudge suggests.

The article by David Henson is not online and was acquired by RAW STORY.

Matt Drudge, what a guy!