It just occurred to me: Cindy Sheehan was the first #Occupier.

[WilliamPitt]

I know some here are done with her, and that's fine; everyone is entitled to their opinion.

But remember 2005: the war had been raging for three years, but the media basically hid the war, so it wasn't part of the public consciousness.

Until Cindy Sheehan sat down in the mud outside George's ranch in Crawford and refused to leave until she got some answers.

I was there, and it was a privilege to be a part of. When she was done, the war had a face...and from that point on, support for the war went into the tank.

She was the first one.

[valerief]

1. Kick!

[sinkingfeeling]

2. I guess you could say that except she had a single issue at the time.

[WilliamPitt]

4. Yup.

[gopiscrap]

3. Good point...

that also to me in August of 2005 what when the Bush administration was starting it's slide downhill.

[barbtries]

5. she's earned her place

in the history books.
i marched with her in los angeles and saw her speak in culver city oh so long ago.

i'll never forget gw's response to some reporter about why he would never sit down with her: "i have to get on with my life." bastard.

[phantom power]

6. recommend

[southernyankeebelle]

7. Sorry I just don't know why I can't stand that woman. I have always been a supporter of protests.

But she rubbed me the wrong way. The thing is she didn't help living outside of Bush's house. Sorry I just think she took advantage of a situation. I think many people felt that way.

[WilliamPitt]

8. She didn't help?

You are profoundly wrong.

[southernyankeebelle]

22. I respect your opinion to disagree. I just felt different. Right cause, wrong person to lead it.

[donheld]

57. She was the right person to lead it.

Mainly because she was the only person to lead it. If someone thinks they could do better then they should step up.

[MedicalAdmin]

17. I didn't feel that way.

She shone a light on that entire travesty when it wasn't being considered at all in the wider society.

She made a difference.

[southernyankeebelle]

21. I am glad you felt that way. I didn't. The protest was

right but I just feel she was the wrong person in front.

[sabrina 1]

29. She was a mother who lost a son in Bush's illegal war. She turned their 'noble cause'

claims upside down when she demanded an answer from Bush as what was that noble cause and he refused to answer. She went off their carefully managed script and was the first to do so, as a victim of the war, undoing all their propaganda.

There is no one who could have done the job better and even the MSM could not ignore her.

She took the smirk off Bush's face and showed him for what he was, a swaggering, faux 'hero' who did not have the guts to face the mother of one of his victims. The Emperor had no clothes and no one, up to that point, had more effectively demonstrated that.

[southernyankeebelle]

30. She sounds like someone who I could have followed. Thanks for the information.

[frylock]

32. you've failed to elaborate why

[roguevalley]

19. she was the first brave person to say no. She did help. Living there was genius

and the first OWS thing. She didn't take advantage of anything. She is the bravest woman on earth. She stood up to a tyrant alone that cowed the entire fucking world.

[WilliamPitt]

20. +1

[redqueen]

34. +1

Well said.

[Zalatix]

43. -9,000,000,000 !!!

I was there during her protest in Vacaville when some neo con bald head frakturd started shoving people and the ladies fought back. I'm glad I wasn't close enough to get in on the shoving or hooboy.

She is totally awesome and I totally admire her courage.

Cindy Sheehan has what many liberals do not: COURAGE!!! Hoorah!

[southernyankeebelle]

44. Ok.

[_ed_]

62. "took advantage of a situation"

You mean the "situation" of having her son die the in war? Your post makes me vomit.

[proud2BlibKansan]

69. She helped immensely

Will is right.

[Motown_Johnny]

9. Nobody ever had a sit in before her?

You honestly believe this?

[2pooped2pop]

14. How about Consuela at the White House

that little old lady has been camped out in front of the White House for over 20 years? I'm thinking her name is Consuela. I loved her. She may not be the very first but man is she tenacious.

Anyone know her name or have a picture. I have one of her somewhere..

[southernyankeebelle]

25. I have never heard of her. I am from Maryland area. But I say good for her. I don't know what her

issues are. That doesn't mean I wouldn't support her. Tell me about her. She sounds interesting.

[2pooped2pop]

59. Her name is Concepcion

and she has been there since 1982. I don't know her whole story buy you can google the White House Protest Lady or something like that to get more info on her. We thought she was both remarkable and adorable.

Don't know how to post links so you will have to cut and paste

[southernyankeebelle]

60. Oh now I know why I did hear of her. I was living in Germany during that time frame. Now this

is a woman I can respect.

[2pooped2pop]

63. I believe she is still there

We met her in 05.

[southernyankeebelle]

64. Now that is a lady I could stand with and contribute money to. God bless her. I have been by the

white a couple of time since I've been home to visit however I never noticed her around. Of course I wasn't really paying attention either.

[2pooped2pop]

67. Yes, she appreciates donations.

Look for her next time you go. She camps out there all year long. Incredible lady.

[southernyankeebelle]

74. Thanks I will am going for a visit this summer and I will make sure I go out of my way to see her

and make a donation.

[WilliamPitt]

15. Fair point.

I suppose I'm speaking of the 21st century Bush/post-Bush phenomenon of Occupy, dealing specifically with the issues of these days. But your point is well-taken.

I didn't say she was the first "sit-in." I said she was the first #Occupier. A fine hair to split, but there it is.

[southernyankeebelle]

24. Yes, I do. I feel the protest was right but she was the wrong person. She even managed to have

marriage problems over the situation. But your and the others are great to stand by her because you feel positive about her so you should. I don't feel positive about her. I'm sorry I wish I could feel different but I don't. Like I said right cause, wrong person.

[U4ikLefty]

28. You keep repeating this "wrong person" bullshit.

Explain why you mention it three times & offer no reasons as to why she was the "wrong person".

I await your wisdom.

[southernyankeebelle]

31. You know what? I don't have to explain myself to you or any other person here. I don't like

her. That is good enough reason for me. You have an opinion and I have mine. I am not trying to change your opinion. I don't like her, she was a pushy loudmouth person and I just didn't like her. Period. It is my personal feelings.

[frylock]

35. this post right here is so full of irony that everyone needs to take a look

just wow. pushy loudmouth?! did your son FUCKING die in an illegal and immoral war. great, you don't like her. guess what? whole lotta people around prolly don't much care for you.

opinions are like assholes, and your entitled to yours, as wrongheaded as it may be.

[MedicalAdmin]

36. Disclaimer. This is a joke.

[southernyankeebelle]

37. I guess someone doesn't like me.

[U4ikLefty]

39. Good joke, but I have a penis.

sorry more like a dog-cat fight.

[southernyankeebelle]

41. I see how if you want to get along here you have to play nice and go with the flow. I still liked

your cat poster it is really funny. This comment was meant for the comment above yours sorry.

[noamnety]

40. A lot of people think she wasn't the right person.

Also worth noting: a lot of people think that men who speak out are heroic or brave, while women who speak out in exactly the same way are whiny, unfeminine, or pushy.
A lot of people prefer men as leaders in general.
A lot of people prefer that women in the public eye meet some kind of porn/model standard, and if they look like "normal" real life women they should stay at home.

I suspect if she had been a deceased soldier's father and looked like JFK and done everything else exactly the same, there would be an entirely different attitude about her. We say we hate privilege, but many of us are still attracted to it in some form.

[U4ikLefty]

42. I have to agree.

I (unfortunately) find that I am vulnerable to this prejudice as well...and I know better.

Conditioning is a hard thing to overcome.

Thx for this reality check.

[SammyWinstonJack]

61. You forgot "loudmouth" Someone here thinks Cindy Sheehan is a 'pushy loudmouth'.

[easttexaslefty]

47. It's likely she "had marriage problems"

because she has as dead son. Loosing a child can do that to a couple.
I met her in Crawford. She was a genuinely nice woman. She was doing what she did because of her child. I saw the sorrow in her eyes and believe me, I know the look.

[southernyankeebelle]

48. Yes, that could very well be.

[proud2BlibKansan]

70. What do her marriage problems have to do with this topic??

[CTyankee]

73. Sometimes the "wrong" person is best for this type of thing.

The unreasonable, contrary, argumentative angry person that is hard to like. But I think she saw her job as being not to please people but to piss off certain people and get her point across.

Frankly, I didn't want Sheehan to "be my best friend." I have plenty of nice friends. But Cindy got under the skin of the very people I believe should have been bothered.

I am not saying you are in that group and she just may not be your cup of tea. That doesn't make you a bad person. It's just that she rubs you the wrong way...

[Avalux]

10. You're absolutely right; regardless of how one feels about her. I was there too.

Met at the house then headed out to the ranch; Code Pink was there, so were Iranian dissidents; lots of comraderie, music and free food. And the markers for all the dead soldiers......moving.

It was an occupy-type of protest that became a lot bigger than Sheehan.

[Jackpine Radical]

11. Damn, I think you're right, Will.

[WilliamPitt]

12. I took this picture at her camp

[2pooped2pop]

13. I was there too.

support for the war was something like 66% for it. Then after the encampment and the following protest in DC, the numbers pretty much reversed with about 66% now being against the war. Cindy Sheehan and the war protesters became the most dangerous thing to the *regime's dominance.

I personally believe we stopped the draft. Seems like they were starting to nudge into that direction but the whole anti-war movement put too much spotlight on it and they backed off.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

16. Bravo for her and the others who were there.

[riderinthestorm]

18. She was tireless and fearless. It was a privilege to be a part of her movement. Great OP. nt

[bemildred]

23. Indeed. nt

[U4ikLefty]

26. I've got a hug from Cindy twice at two different events, four years apart. Last time at Occupy the

Rose Parade. Both times I took note of the mom-like feeling when she hugged me. I felt safe & comforted in her presence.

She is a very cool person & I admire her courage in the face of ignorant fools...including those on DU.

First Occupier? I don't know, but she was there risking it when few had the guts...thanks Cindy!!!

[T S Justly]

27. Cindy was antecedent and inspiration to Occupy, no doubt. K&R (nt)

[bigwillq]

33. K and R

[tawadi]

38. A courageous woman, but not the first

http://www.core-online.org/History/sit_ins.htm



http://foundsf.org/index.php?title=Fleming_on_Segregation

[maximusveritas]

45. Warped view of history

As others have pointed out, she was far from the first. And the support for the war was already in the tank before she had her protest. The levels of disapproval in June 2005 are the same as they are now. I supported her at first, but she gradually became more and more extreme and turned off many who were on her side, much less those in the middle. I don't have feel anger towards her, just sadness.

[JitterbugPerfume]

46. yes she was

and it took a huge amount of bravery for her to do it

[Mira]

49. Huge Kick for the thread - and

ever lasting admiration for Cindy Sheehan. One of the s'heroes of the last years.

[dembotoz]

50. whether she was first or not is not important

for a time she was the face of the anti bush anti war movement is this country and for that she deserves credit

[rustydog]

51. I'm sorry to say I had forgotten Cindy...She is the first occupier

When people were placed in free speech zones miles removed from Shrub, she planted herself outside the "ranch" and stayed there!

[denbot]

52. Thanks for that moment of clarity.

K&R

[Honeycombe8]

53. I don't see her as that. She was an anti-war activist, not a protester for fairness.

And she went about it differently and not effectively.

[MADem]

54. The first OCCUPY site was the Tent Assembly in Australia. Forty years ago and still going strong.

http://www.aboriginaltentembassy.net/

[lonestarnot]

55. Yes she was.

[randome]

56. Don't forget to credit OWS with the civil rights movement while you're at it.

[radhika]

58. Cindy called herself the First Occupier when she spoke...

to the assembled marchers at the 'Occupy the Rose Parade' event in Pasadena on January 02, 2012. I haven't searched but there should be some Youtubes and Livestream of it online.

As for the W years, Cindy was a one-note activist, but her timing was impeccable. She was camped out in Crawford for weeks, drawing the world's press to the Bush vacation site. Katrina struck during late August of 2005. While she was still camped there, if I recall.

It helped show the world how ineffective that President was - hiding in a 'ranch' dodging the press and eventually just heading off to John McCain's B-day party.

[LizW]

65. I had not thought of Cindy in a while

Interesting that you should mention her right now, Will.

I just finished Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried. It was assigned to my high school son by his English teacher, and I was a little surprised. Then I remembered that I was asked to read Dalton Trumbo's Johnny Got His Gun when I was in high school and the Viet Nam war was still going on.

So I picked up a new copy of Johnny and found that Cindy Sheehan wrote the forward to the recent edition. It is wrenching to read. It brought back so much anger and guilt and helplessness that I had pushed down and forgotten. While I've been blithely raising my two sons to young adulthood the last seven years, Cindy was still mourning her lost one.

I think a lot of people recoil from Cindy (as one said above "she rubs me the wrong way&quot because she forces us to face how angry and helpless we were, and are, about Iraq.

[karynnj]

66. Nowhere near the first

I do agree that her technique of standing in witness to something very wrong is the same - but I think that she follows in a tradition of peaceful protest that has been used throughout our history and the history of the world.

I do not know US history well enough to know the first, but I can list earlier attempts that used the idea of camping out to make your plight and opinion known. Here is a link that speaks of the Army ejecting war veterans who were demanding a promised bonus payment that could have helped them as the country fell into depression - http://www.historynet.com/the-bonus-army-war-in-washington.htm

Many of the civil rights actions were similar - and their quiet dignity in the face of repression was amazing.

As to trying to change the course of a war, there was the Dewey Canyon encampment in DC that was led by John Kerry. Now before you say that it doesn't count because it was shorter, you might consider that the pre announced end actually enabled it to be successful, because they controlled their story's end, while getting their message out.

[bvar22]

68. Thanks, Will. DURec.

They will be remembered for their WORKS,
not for their excuses.
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[proud2BlibKansan]

71. I was proud to be there with her

And proud to call Cindy my friend.