All over the nation people are talking about the issue of whether or not President Bush should meet with Cindy Sheehan. Why is there such a debate over this issue? Is it an issue of time? The president is too busy to meet with her. Well, Sheehan represents a growing number of mothers who want answers. Sheehan told the Associated Press Aug. 6, “(President Bush) said my son died for a ‘noble cause’ and I want to ask him what that noble cause is.” My response to that is: the President spent six hours bicycling with Lance Armstrong on the grounds of the Crawford, Texas ranch. Could he not afford to spend at least one of those hours to help alleviate this growing issue? Is it an issue of precedence? If he meets with Cindy Sheehan, he will have to meet with all parents who have lost their children in this war. President Bush met with Sheehan and other parents before, and he set the precedence. Except this time it’s not a Karl Rove public relations maneuver to bolster the waning polls. This time it’s real and it’s not a pro-war campaign maneuver. It’s a group of mothers that need to speak their minds and hear the answers from the president himself. This is after all his war; his administration started this war, he encouraged and marketed this war to us and to the world. So he alone should answer these questions. Is it an issue of ignorance? Does the president not want to hear his administration has failed? It is no secret that this administration has no clear resolution or answers on the war in Iraq and is being questioned by members of his own party and other countries. So does the President not know the answers to give her, or does he not care? For those who support the war and the president, don’t you think he should meet with her to end this issue? Shouldn’t the president concentrate on effectively handling this war? After all, no one wants to see us lose more soldiers. It is not a question of supporting our troops; we all support our troops. We hope and pray for their safe return home. I believe that President Bush should see Cindy Sheehan and prove that democracy is still our form of government. The president could prove that we are represented by those who have our lives and prosperity in mind. We don’t know all the answers to the questions concerning Iraq. It is time this president and his administration become accountable for the war and their policies. The president can’t hide inside his ranch, the White House or patriotism. It is time to appease the anguish we all feel. I and many others stand with Sheehan.
The Issue: Cindy Sheehan
August 31, 2005