Dear Cindy Sheehan:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/5/28/12530/1525

"...when I started to hold the Democratic Party to the same standards that I
held the Republican Party, support for my cause started to erode and the "left"
started labeling me with the same slurs that the right used. I guess no one paid
attention to me when I said that the issue of peace and people dying for no
reason is not a matter of "right or left", but "right and wrong."

I am deemed a radical because I believe that partisan politics should be left to the wayside when hundreds of thousands of people are dying for a war based on lies that is supported by Democrats and Republican alike. It amazes me that people who are sharp on the issues and can zero in like a laser beam on lies, misrepresentations, and political expediency when it comes to one party refuse to recognize it in their own party. Blind party loyalty is dangerous whatever side it occurs on. People of the world look on us Americans as jokes because we allow our political leaders so much murderous latitude and if we don’t find alternatives to this corrupt "two" party system our Representative Republic will die and be replaced with what we are rapidly descending into with nary a check or balance: a fascist corporate wasteland.

The most devastating conclusion that I reached this morning, however, was that Casey did indeed die for nothing. His precious lifeblood drained out in a country far away from his family who loves him, killed by his own country which is beholden to and run by a war machine that even controls what we think. I have tried every[sic] since he died to make his sacrifice meaningful. Casey died for a country which cares more about who will be the next American Idol than how many people will be killed in the next few months while Democrats and Republicans play politics with human lives."

Ah Cindy, I completely understand. I've been a protestor of this war since before it began. I too am becoming disillusioned with the Democratic Party and most of those who represent us.

It sickened me to watch so many Democrats vote to hand Bu$h everything he wanted on a silver platter without any timelines or even any milestones. Yesterday - Memorial Day - was the bloodiest day in Iraq since early 2004. Why don't people care about that? Why do they care more about who wins American Idol? I could sit here and point fingers all day and it wouldn't do any good.

You have given more to this cause than anyone else I know of. You fought the good fight but they have beaten you down. I've tried not to let them do the same to me but it's so very hard these days. I will be calling my Democratic Senator's office as soon as she returns from her little break to let her know that she'll not get any more support from me because she chose to side with those too worried about winning elections than how many more lives are lost. I applaud those who chose to stand against the Emergency Spending Bill last week. Those are the Democrats I will focus on and help keep in office. Mark my word - this will be a very bloody summer over in Iraq and they will come back from their summer break filled with the angry protests of constituents sickened by this war. Then I pray we will begin to see a change.

On Sunday during yet another beautiful sermon, Rev. Steve Crump at our local Unitarian Church said it best...

I am in the midst of a lovers' quarrel with the country of my birth."

I'm afraid my quarrel will not end any time soon. But I continue to persist in hopes that one day we may live peacefully.

Godspeed, Cindy Sheehan, and thank you for carrying the banner for so long.

Godspeed, my friend.

Her name was Paula and I met her three or four years ago when she arrived on a message board that I've been frequenting for about five years now. A group of us from Louisiana had our own thread there where we checked in on each other and talked about life and mostly talked about food. Paula was originally from Louisiana and was living in Austin, Texas. When she arrived at the message board and saw the Louisiana thread she introduced herself and jumped right in.

The Louisiana gals bonded together easily. We had tons to talk about because we all love this state passionately. We learned that Paula was a wife and mom, a year younger than me, with a wonderful husband from Venezuela and two great kids. We also learned that she'd won a battle with non-hodgeskins lymphoma just months earlier and was about to get her medi-port removed. We celebrated with her.

But within six months during a routine scan, her oncologist found another spot. That's when Paula realized that she was involved in a war rather than just a battle.

Paula was one of the toughest women I've ever known. She battled long and hard with her cancer and she was determined not to let it beat her. She was determined to be a mom to Maddie and John and a wife to Carlos and a friend to all of us. She was candid about her struggles and would tell us when she was having bad days. We gave her a place to vent that was full of love and friendship.

Many of us never met Paula in person although a blessed few actually did. But every one of us knew her heart and what a good woman she was.

Paula lost the war yesterday morning. I got the news today from one of our good friends. I couldn't stop crying for over an hour after we hung up the phone.

Paula, you will truly be missed but you will always be in our hearts and minds. We know that there is a new angel tonight watching us from above. Godspeed, sweet friend.

The Stupidist Thing I've Read Thus Far...

Seen this morning on my way to work this little pearl of wisdom air brushed on the tailgate of a crappy GMC pickup:

My Heavenly Father...isn't a deadbeat dad.

There you have it, folks. Apparently God is current on his child support payments.