It takes a special kind of person to mow down a makeshift memorial honoring the memory of American troops killed in Iraq. It takes a cowardly special person to do it in the dead of night. More than likely, as the cartoon below depicts, the vehicle used for this heinous act was emblazoned with “Support the troops” stickers and/or magnets, topped off with the Stars and Stripes displayed somewhere. This is the typical mentality of the Republican automatons that infest the state of Texas.

See, I’m a Texan – a real Texan – born and raised. I used to take great pride in that. For obvious reasons, it is increasingly more difficult to express that sentiment on a daily basis. In addition to being a Texan, I’m a liberal – and damned proud of it! I’m also a registered Democrat and used to be proud of that too. Because the Democratic party leaders seem to be afraid of their own shadows, let alone pushing issues that most certainly need to be pushed, it is very hard to even admit to being a Democrat these days. Why are they so afraid, save for a few (like Conyers, Boxer, Dean) to tell it like it is? Why are they so afraid, save for a few (38 congressmen), to support Cindy Sheehan?

Stupid is as stupid does

The coward who ran over “Arlington West” is probably too stupid to realize the irony and the hypocrisy of his deed for Dubya as his vehicle was possibly sporting the previously mentioned patriotic paraphernalia. The right-wingnuts incessantly howl when the Cindy Sheehans of America gain any traction. They cry, “she’s lowering troop morale…” or some other line of Texas Longhorn bullshit. Spinmeister Bill O’Reilly dared to call Ms. Sheehan’s actions treasonous. As if  mowing down crosses erected in the names of military personnel KIA would boost military morale.

You cannot serve two masters

Those “Support the troops” stickers are generally accompanied by a “Bush/Cheney ‘04” or “W ‘04” sticker. They (the drivers of said vehicles) fail to realize that it is impossible to truly support both. You see, the Bush Administration has easily snookered these types of people. Bush says, “Support the troops!” They buy stickers and magnets. However, at the same time he approves legislation that cuts the financial and medical benefits of the troops. Several thousand of America’s military personnel have been severely injured as a result of the war in Iraq. Untold numbers of our military personnel will undoubtedly need some serious psychiatric care upon their return to the world. So, my dear right-wing friends, how do you suppose they will acquire the much needed medical assistance and/or psychological rehabilitation when their benefits have been drastically reduced – by the man you so vehemently endorse? Maybe they’ll find some solace in your stickers.

Sure, that’s a fair trade: You get to drive around and falsely proclaim your support for the troops and they get to return home minus an arm to extend to reach for the assistance Dubya has dangling out of reach.

And why, again, are there more than 1,850 military personnel dead and thousands more maimed? Not to mentioned the innumerable dead and maimed Iraqi civilians living in constant fear of the next bombings. Do you remember what it felt like September 12, 2001? I do. I remember waiting for the other shoe to drop. Most people I know were wondering when and where the next attack on our country would occur. For the Iraqis, it’s September 11^th and 12^th every single day. Where’s the compassion? Especially since none of this had to happen. And all of this is because of the man – and I use that term loosely – you voted for in  2000 and again in 2004. Remember, the President was too busy clearing brush for photo-ops at his “ranch” to be bothered with the memo warning of imminent attack.

Also remember that the Connecticut Coke-a-Cola cowboy is currently cowering at the “ranch” because the mother of one his growing number of victims has the gall to ask why her son and nearly 2,000 other sons, daughters, husbands, wives, brothers and sisters have died for his lies. Cindy Sheehan has indeed given the anti-war movement a voice and a face. Some have suggested it is for political gain. I doubt that. But even if her motives serve to politicize the issue… so what. Republicans have been hypocritically crying wolf on that front for some time now. Newsflash, dear neo-con artists, it is political! Just like outing an undercover CIA operative.

A real man wouldn’t keep a grieving mother out in the relentless Texas sun because he’s too afraid to face the music. Then again, the only people who think Bush is a real man are the clowns who voted for him.

And as for the coward who drove his truck over the crosses at  “Arlington West” in his personal protest against real courage… I suppose the yellow streak running down your back is something you and your president have in common.
 

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