THE CANARY IN THE COAL MINE:

What Cindy Sheehan does is less important that the reaction she provokes. She has become the Iraqi Occupation's John Wiley Price. Price is a County Commissioner here in Dallas, the only Democrat and the only African-American in that position. He has often sparked violent hatred just by picketing, demonstrating, and marching against what he sees as instances of racism in the community. Even some white Democrats displayed their indoctrination by the reactionary establishment here, accepting the propaganda that he was pro-crime because he dared to accuse the Dallas Police of racist actions. He goes on witnessing for the truth as he sees it, giving rednecks a chance to show their own true colors.

Sheehan already met with Bush many months ago, and there is nothing either of them can say that will change the other's mind. Her demand to meet him again has become a symbol for both opponents of the Occupation and blind Bush chauvinists. What is most revealing is the venom which those Bu'ushistas have heaped on her head, in a campaign to vilify her as traitorous, as though that refuted the obvious failure of his policies abroad. You can read the tale of just one of these "Swift Boat"-style attacks on her at Media Matters for America's Cindy Sheehan "changed her story on Bush"? Tracking a lie through the conservative media.

One of the leaders of the rabid crusade against this possibly silly but justifiably mourning mother is a far right columnist named Michelle Malkin. (No, I won't link to her, but there is a wonderful parody of some of her old rants at this page by Rox Populi, who is still on her case.) Most noted for a book supporting the internment of Japanese-Americans in World War II, Malkin is still practicing her verbal tar-and-feathering of any who dare challenge Our Maximum Leader's policies while we are at war. She not only still pushes the disproven claim of Sheehan's change of heart (as though that would be relevant if true to whether she is correct now), but today she added more flames to the fire, passing on a charge that Sheehan's long-separated husband is finally filing for divorce (again, as though that is relevant to her views: implying "she must wrong about the futility of her son's death, because she can't keep her marriage together".)

A generally neutral summary of the whole affair is at The Moderate Voice, which comments:

The vehemence of the criticism aimed at Sheehan (who, as you can see is no political shrinking violent) is bound to have a backlash in some quarters. Why? Because this kind of massive effort in going after someone who takes on the administration has happened many times before. Rightfully or wrongfully, the image that's coming across is that if you cross the administration, whether you deserve it or not, you could get nailed to the cross. And that's the danger: Sheehan's foes are giving her the image of a martyr.

She has now become, like our sacrificial troops stationed in South Korea, where they are intended to die and arouse righteous wrath at home if the north ever attacks again, a trip wire that is activating the anti-war movement. If Bush had either spoken to her quietly early, or his minions had just continued to ignore her, she would not have become a symbol. Now the vile war against her is sparking support across the country for an end to all the lies behind the Occupation. When the next Democratic President is elected, she may just award a Presidential Medal of Freedom to Cindy Sheehan.

UPDATE: Former Senator and would-have-been Democratic Presidential candidate Gary Hart just posted an item about this today that is magnificent. Go read it all now at "A Voice Crying in the Wilderness". As Democrats, we should be embarrassed by the truth he states; as Americans, we should be inspired by the alternative he presents.