NYC Letter: Grieving For Attention, V

When support is modest, inflate your numbers. When support is eccentric, protest your virtue. When you are all but forgotten, plead symbolism.

MOTHER'S IRAQ PROTEST PLAYS TO SMALLER CROWD
Fewer Take Part Than During August

CRAWFORD, Texas November 26, 2005 (WaPo) - Unlike [August], when hundreds came from all over the country for major events at the two campsites named after Sheehan's son, who was killed in Iraq, [Cindy Sheehan] found herself addressing a crowd of only about 100 Saturday afternoon. The large tent where supporters had erected a stage hung with the banner "Speak Truth to Power" was only partially full. In the morning Sheehan signed copies of her new book, being published this week, for an even smaller crowd.

"It's a pretty good turnout," she said. "It is Thanksgiving weekend. People spend it at home with their families or shopping, getting ready for Christmas."

Ann Wright, a former U.S. diplomat who resigned in protest of the war and now organizes antiwar events in Crawford... "What was important for us was to have a symbolic presence here now," she said. "Numbers are not important -- the numbers are out in the country."

"It's pretty obvious what's been happening since August," Sheehan said. "It's miraculous. The American people were on board. Now it seems like more of our leadership are getting on board."

Cindy Sheehan waits for people at her book signing
near the president's ranch in Crawford, Tex.,
where she spoke to a crowd of about 100 people.

Photo Credit: AP Photo

What is obvious to us is that Ms. Sheehan's 15-minutes of celebrity has tick-tocked away.

And try as we might (here, here, here, and here) to keep Ms. Sheehan afloat before our ever curious readership, we cannot prevent her from sinking into oblivion from her own encumbrances: messianic delusions, self-righteous pomposity, irrational argument, and a risible worldview spiked by mean-spiritedness.

Ms. Sheehan was a crank with headlines. Without the headlines Ms. Sheehan is, well, just a crank. As Ms. Sheehan, who abandoned her family for the celebrity of political opportunism, recedes into the backpages of yesterday's news where will she find the attention she craves?

Not to worry. Ms. Sheehan has found a welcome hearth at the Huffing-and-puffing-ton Post.

Camp Casey Thanksgiving, Crawford, Texas - Today we dedicated the Casey Sheehan Memorial Peace Gardens at the Crawford Peace house and we unveiled the memorial stone. It was a very poignant and moving event. Tomorrow we are having a rally here at Camp Casey, everyone is invited. There is great info at the Crawford Peace House website or www.MichaelMoore.com

Like Cindy says, everyone was invited.

Posted by Damian at November 27, 2005 08:15 PM