Daniel Petry: Where, Oh Where Is Cindy Sheehan?

Three years and two more wars later, and vocal activists are suddenly silent

By Daniel Petry | Published on 08.19.2011

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Growing up I was always intrigued with the Where’s Waldo? puzzles. I mean, how fun is it to look at a huge mass of cartoon figures trying to find that one little Waldo figure? Then when you found him you shouted out, “There he is!”

Daniel Petry

Most games have a direct application to every day life. In this case, the Where’s Waldo? puzzle game is a perfect representation of progressives. I could spend hours writing about our Presidential Waldo, but that is so obvious that it would be just plain pointless. Kind of like his presidency. Now our California Cindy is another matter entirely.

When President George W. Bush was in office, we had daily incursions into the political fray from such stellar intellects as Cindy Sheehan and her Code Pink nags, and even had a weekly silent demonstration on the beaches of Santa Barbara by the totally relevant and irrepressible Veterans for Peace Santa Barbara.

Three years and two more wars added to the mix by the chosen one and where are they now?

Is Sheehan picketing the Obamas in Martha’s Vineyard, or following First Lady Michelle Obama to South Africa or Oregon during one of her many solitary vacays? Are Dexter and his valiant cohorts sneaking out every weekend and planting crosses on the beaches of Santa Barbara? I’ve been looking for those beautiful crosses that represent all those who have died during these wars.

Where, oh where did they go? Have they decided to spread them out all down the coast, or along the highways? Perhaps they are sitting in the backyards of the VFP so they can be tended to with loving care.

Now, I do love protests. And protests that make an impact are truly impressive — like our own crosses-on-the-beach, Veterans for Peace effort. But where did they go? The proponents of these protests surely would not be so vacuous and shallow as to come up with hollow excuses and say things like, “We’ve decided to take another route in our protests” or let people think they were no longer needed because one of their own now had the leash? Say it ain’t so.

Where is Waldo?

— Santa Barbara resident Daniel Petry is the CEO and founding partner of Petry Direct Inc., a 20-year-old management firm that specializes in content production and marketing management. He attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, class of 1976, and received a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Colorado.

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» mypup on 08.19.11 @ 06:06 PM

She and they are still out there, having run into them a few times across America over the past year and seeing them pop up from time to time. I think the big factor and the one you don’t address is that they don’t seem to have the cash to travel to the places to protest so why did that dry up.

Cindy Sheehan I’ve always thought was at the core a decent lady who suffered from a huge and unimaginable loss and then was used by groups like Veterans for Peace to push their agenda and discarded once the cameras stopped showing. She is still out there a but more subdued she is still speaking out and showing up at events that interest her or she is asked to come to. As for Code Pink they still show up here and there dealing with them or Veterans for Peace or any of the other extremist groups is about as much fun as chatting with someone from the Westboro church. If you are in a rush and have to get something on air they will do but not much interest in talking to them otherwise from a media perspective since they tend to be way to over the top.

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» GeeWillikersWally on 08.19.11 @ 07:14 PM

Right after I complete this comment , I will be checking in the yellow pages for a good therapist . That is because I agree with Petri. Anyone who consistantly agrees with Petri needs some help . I will just go for one little visit .
The greater point is that the left has been silent if not hypocritical in it’s abscence of criticism about Obama’s escalation of involvements overseas. Petri is right about this and we are backsliders for not holding Obama’s feet to the fire on this issue.

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» John Locke on 08.19.11 @ 08:24 PM

Silent because Obama is not Bush? Ya think???

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» JoeSixPac on 08.19.11 @ 08:49 PM

Daniel,
All of those crosses appear to be a troubling distant memory for you. Possibly they interferred with your own peronal justification for supporting the invasion and occupation of a country that we had no reason to invade and occupy. I can assure you that each and every cross that was placed on the beach represented someone very special. The loss was even greater when the cause of their loss was exposed.
You are one of those that probably believes that we had to stop the dominoes from falling in Vietnam.
Get a life…

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» Simone on 08.20.11 @ 07:29 AM

JoeSixPac you obviously did not read this article. Petry is just asking where are all the protests. So ask yourself where are all the protests?

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» Rambler on 08.20.11 @ 08:48 AM

A lot of those crosses represent people who went to West Point, then actually graduated and served. So many patriotic and talented people, willing to risk their lives for our country.

In the end, their lives and dedication were, for the most part, wasted by Republican president and his corrupted cohort.

It seems like only yesterday the neoconservative imperialists were beating their drums and insisting that we could all go shopping while our servicemen and women fought wars that didn’t need much reason or careful consideration, much less funding.

Where are they now? Writing snarky op ed pieces.

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» Simone on 08.20.11 @ 10:20 AM

So Rambler where are all the protests? It has almost been 3 years. Now two more wars added but not by some neo whatever, added by your man. Have you ever asked yourself where the protests are? or are you just so angry at everyone that you can never interject without anonymous derision? It is a serious question and you are standing alone.

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» Rambler on 08.20.11 @ 11:45 AM

Why should anti-war protests continue when wars are being wound down? What are the “two more wars” added?

You have a problem understanding why people protested a policy that started and grew an unjustified war. In your mind, they could only have been protesting because they hated Bush, not because they objected to the war.

Of course, I hated the Bush presidency, and I was angry that such an incompetent and lazy-minded man could occupy the White House. I am still angry at the neoconservatives (look that up, dear) who elected him, and I’m disgusted with the latest Republican political fad, the Tea Party.

As for “anonymous derision” well, if you can’t take the heat, then stay out of the kitchen, “Simone.” You have no idea who stands alone or among the majority.

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» PGL on 08.20.11 @ 12:12 PM

Criticize if you wish W’s reasons for going to war against Afghanistan and Iraq, but The World’s Smartest Man made an absolutely incoherent “case” for going to war against Libya, which is only exceeded by his incoherent prosecution of that war. And why not Syria? What’s up with that?

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» R.Hoffman on 08.20.11 @ 12:34 PM

Perhaps call me obtuse, but I need clarification of exactly what Mr. Petry would like us to believe of Cindy Sheehan. Having lost her child to a military engagement which was, and remains, senseless and unjustified in the minds of (now) perhaps a majority of Americans, she protested the Bush administration to elicit an answer for its actions.

Back then there were many in this country who appealed for something more substantial than flag-waving and mindless reiterations of how we needed to purge evil from the Earth (would it be too much to hope for a response to 9/11 based more upon factual evidence, foresight and a modicum of intellect?)

Mr. Petry, what exactly is your criticism of Sheehan? Is it that, since she is no longer being as publically outspoken seven years after her son’s death she should now be exposed as a con artist and hypocrite for not continuing to protest a subsequent president who played no hand in our invasion of Iraq, but whom you do not personally like?

Please advise…

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» Simone on 08.20.11 @ 05:02 PM

So the protests have disappeared because the wars are winding down? By that logic you would have been out protesting the expansion of the Afgan war by Obama. Those crosses would have magically reappeared on the beach, Cindy would be following Obama around the country and camping at his favorite lux destinations while he eats lobster and plays his innumerable games of golf. It is truly amazing to what ends you libs will go to to explain your support for these wars. Maybe that’s why a primary keyword for a lib is hypocrite. But I’d love to have you on my Twister game team since you obviously can be so fleaxible with your morals. So where are the protests?

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» Rambler on 08.20.11 @ 07:49 PM

“Simone,” you don’t even know what a neoconservative is, by your own apparently shameless admission. Do the troop counts, the wars are winding down. You are too busy with keywords and not busy enough educating yourself. The fact that you even have a “twister team” pretty much says it all.

Here’s to a president (Obama) who actually works to end the wars started by his predecessor, the mentally late George W. Bush, who you, in all likelihood, voted for. For God’s sake, next election, please be too busy playing twister to vote.

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» Rambler on 08.20.11 @ 07:55 PM

This is pathetic. The margarita, twister, and fillet club going after mothers who lost sons in combat, and veterans, far braver than they, who now question our reasons for war.

What next, orphans? How about paraplegics? Ah, I know! Wounded combat vets! And whoever else might disagree with their anti-Obama agenda?

Simone, Daniel (maybe the same person): you should further this discourse along more sympathetic lines. Even your usual entourage is abstaining.

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» Simone on 08.20.11 @ 10:37 PM

Where are the protests?

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» lou segal on 08.21.11 @ 01:57 AM

Rambler, Obama increased our troops in Afghanistan and started another war in Libya. He has also announced there will be a permanent contingent of troops left in Iraq. Even you would have to admit it is highly unlikely these protests would have ceased if a Republican occupied the White House. Why are you trying to defend the indefensible.

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» Redcatcher on 08.21.11 @ 05:20 AM

I get the impression, [since Mr. Petry can’t find the protests nor Cindy Sheehan], that he’s now turned against the ‘Global War on Terror’ declared by GW Bush, for some reason…perhaps because a Democrat now occupies the white house?
The war protests are ongoing, one only has to look honestly for them. The crosses are on the Santa Barbara water front each and every month, but again, one has to honestly look for them.
In my opinion Mr. Petry isn’t really interested in fact finding but rather his purpose is to deliver dishonest ad hominem attacks and engage in angry, partisan smear tactics.

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» Platapus on 08.21.11 @ 06:26 AM

As much as it pains me I have to agree with Mr. Petry. It is hypocritical for us progressives to scream and yell when Bush was there but now no word when President Obama has actually expanded our wars? Not cool. Mr. Rambler grow up.

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» Outside Lands on 08.21.11 @ 09:05 AM

Hey Simone: where was all the opposition from the right prior to 1/20/09? Nowadays all we see are cut and run Republicans.

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» John Locke on 08.21.11 @ 09:31 AM

@rambler: “You have no idea who stands alone or among the majority.”

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» jonkwilliams on 08.21.11 @ 10:39 AM

Uh, “growing up” Mr. Petry “was always intrigued with the Where’s Waldo puzzles”...

I see from his bio that Mr. Petry is probably only a year younger than I am, making him 57. The Where’s Waldo puzzles were introduced, according to Wikipedia, in 1987, making Mr. Petry 33 at the time and at least eleven years out of West Point.

So, while many of us who do still get out and protest America’s ill-advised military adventures were probably marching against black-ops and U.S.-sponsored death squads in Central America, he claims to have been amusing himself with educational aids aimed at sub-teens.

Danny Boy, why don’t you put your military skills and proclivities to use by taking a job with Xe Corporation and guarding civilian contractors in Iraq or Afghanistan? It’s fascinating work, I’m sure. Or you could join the Progressive Democrats and friends who picket Representative Capps office on the corner of Carillo and Garden every third Wednesday of the month for our Brown Bag Vigils, taking her to task for her support of President Obama’s war policies.

We were ignored under Bush and the Obama administration ignores us, too, but we get thumbs up from the majority of cars that drive past. No one wants these wars any more except the military-industrial complex and their boosters, but there doesn’t seem to be an “off switch.” We’d welcome your help, if you can put down “Where’s Waldo” long enough…

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» Dulcinea on 08.21.11 @ 10:49 AM

Arlington West, a demonstration of the true cost of war, is currently set up by the Santa Barbara Chapter of the Veterans for Peace on a twice-a-month basis (first and third Sundays, unless circumstances dictate otherwise). Through the years we have had more than 1600 family and friends visit the crosses down on the beach at Stearns Wharf. We will continue to put up crosses as long as there are unwarranted wars/invasions by our government, no matter who is in the Oval Office. We would appreciate volunteers to help with our project. We set up at 7:30 am and taken down at 3:30.

Mary Johnston
VP/Santa Barbara Chapter
Veterans for Peace

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» Rambler on 08.21.11 @ 11:25 AM

Father Lou, I hate to be the one who brings you facts, but Obama has reduced the total number of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan by 44% since he took over.

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/R40682.pdf

Personally, I would have liked to see that number hit 100% after Obama had successfully nailed bin Laden, but I am happy that the numbers are going down, not up. That’s an important distinction: during the height of the anti-war protests the number of troops was increasing every year. Now that it’s decreasing, protest is no longer really needed in the minds of many.

There are no troops on the ground in Libya, and from what I gather, there are 17 countries involved in air and missile strikes at Libyan military targets threatening Libyan civilians. Let’s not pretend that any Republican opposes this action for any other reason than purely to oppose the president.

As for hypocrisy, I don’t know how a Republican can use the term with a straight face. Where were the GOP deficit hawks of the 90’s when Bush began his spending spree? Where were they when Bush began two unfunded wars and cut taxes at the same time? Very quiet.

This insipid article by Mr Petri is a grotesque example of the mental decay within the Republican party. Attacking the mother of a fallen soldier and impugning the motives of American combat veterans who oppose war? It’s indecent.

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» Rambler on 08.21.11 @ 11:39 AM

Jonkwilliams, don’t bring up West Point with Pope Bogus. It’s a sore point.

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» lou segal on 08.21.11 @ 12:12 PM

If there have been any demonstrations at the beach or on State St. by anti-war protestors during the Obama Administration, there has been no coverage of it by the media. I certainly do not see any of our liberal politicians in SB (Capps) attending any of them. It seems like I heard a lot more about these demonstrations during the Bush years.

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» lou segal on 08.21.11 @ 12:20 PM

Rambler, please don’t try to manipulate the statistics by consolidating Afghanistan and Iraq. I said that Obama increased the number of troops in Afghanistan, a fact you cannot dispute.

As a result of our bombing of Libya, hundreds and some say thousands of Libyans have been killed by our bombs. You don’t deem they worthy enough to continue your protests.

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» David on 08.21.11 @ 01:20 PM

You are right Simone. Twister. Where are the protests?

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» Daniel Petry on 08.21.11 @ 02:05 PM

Dulcinea. After reading your post Kris and I decided to ride on down to the beach. I am glad the crosses are up. I stand corrected with your groups efforts. Thanks for the correction. Keep it up. Give our best to Mary and the VFP.

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» AHamilton on 08.21.11 @ 02:46 PM

Now that the Petry/Simone question has been answered (Thank you Mary Johnston and others), if I were Simone I’d start worrying about what happened to the other Cindy, namely Cindy Rivers. Mr. Petry is pretty hard on his sock-puppets: Cindy seems to have been thrown in the same old sock drawer as Randy Thurston and the others. How much longer for you, Simone? Have you thought about escaping while there’s still a chance?

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» GeeWillikersWally on 08.21.11 @ 02:53 PM

Notice that Petri instructed his ghost writer not to address the propiety of these wars.

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» Redcatcher on 08.21.11 @ 04:59 PM

“Where are the protests?”

Thousands Protest In D.C. For Withdrawal From Iraq, Afghanistan
MATTHEW BARAKAT 03/20/10
WASHINGTON — Thousands of protesters – many directing their anger squarely at President Barack Obama – marched through the nation’s capital Saturday to urge immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.

At least eight people, including activist Cindy Sheehan, were arrested by U.S. Park Police at the end of the march, after laying coffins at a fence outside the White House. Friday marked the seventh anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

“Arrest that war criminal!” Sheehan shouted outside the White House before her arrest, referring to Obama.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/20/thousands-protest-in-dc-f_n_507159.html

Anti-War Protests Against Iraq, Afghanistan Ignored By The Media
7/25/11
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/25/anti-war-protesters-media-iraq-afghanistan_n_908438.html

Milwaukee protests wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
By Daniel Ginsberg-Jaeckle |
March 23, 2010
http://www.fightbacknews.org/2010/3/24/milwaukee-protests-wars-iraq-and-afghanistan

March 19 protests mark eight years of Iraq War, protest attack on Libya
From coast to coast, actions demand: ‘End all U.S. wars!’
March 22, 2011

On March 19, thousands of people took to the streets to demand an end to U.S. war and military intervention abroad and funding for people’s needs at home. Mass demonstrations took place in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and many other cities across the United States and the world. Below are some first hand reports.
http://pslweb.org/liberationnews/news/march-19-protests-iraq.html

San Francisco Protests War and Occupation in Iraq, Afghanistan
Mar 20, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PPkgYiFpkg

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» Platapus on 08.21.11 @ 05:10 PM

Mr. Petry as a life long progressive I can say that I rarely have agreed with any position you have taken. That has been your right. That said I certainly appreciate your recent posting about the crosses erected on the beach by the VFP shows a true level of integrity. Thank you. As for those that have taken your comment and derisively attacked you I can only tell you that these people are the same far left zealots that used Cindy Sheehan’s grief to their own end and then cast her aside. As for you all I say shame on you. We are not all like these people.

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» scottblanks on 08.22.11 @ 12:47 AM

Try following her comments on Facebook if you really want to know. She’s very anti-Obama and his wars. You smell like a tool to me.

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» GeeWillikersWally on 08.22.11 @ 04:50 AM

AHamilton , you’re not suggesting that Petri has some imaginary “friends” are you? Why, ..that would be so , whats the word…hmmm…. deceitful.
Are you are suggesting that Petri’s other friends ,who seem to have moved on, are illusory? Friends such as “Perez” from Petri’s editor shortened period of animus spewing at the Independent. Other “friends” include Sharon , Sharons mom and Charlene Davis. My all time favorite ” good friend”, as he put it, was Randy Thurston. Remember that it was Thurston who told us that Petri could not be a racist because ” his girlfriend is African American.” Petri can be quite entertaining if you just take him for what he is.

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» monteith on 08.22.11 @ 05:25 AM

The anti-war movement may be disorganized, but people are still in the streets, including Cindy; this is a lazy article, and the real story would be about why the media completely ignores us, then denies our very existence in pieces like this.

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» MJPhoenix on 08.22.11 @ 07:19 AM

Yes, Cindy DID picket Obama outside Martha’s vineyard. And chained coffins to the White House fence to end his Drone Wars in Pakistan, and she protested his “Peace Prize” acceptance. She’s been one of the biggest activists protesting Obama,and the mainstream media isn’t giving her any credit for it. You obviously know nothing of her work. Please alleviate your ignorance on the matter by reading through her blog.

http://cindysheehanssoapbox.blogspot.com/

Peace,
~Matt

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» rodeored on 08.22.11 @ 08:33 AM

Do you even try to check your assumptions before you make a complete fool of yourself? Sheehan never stopped opposing Obama or the wars. She is just as active as she has ever been. But you think it somehow makes you sound clever to imply that she somehow doesn’t mind these totally insane, totally unnecessary wars now that they are Obama’s wars. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, she is even more vehemently against them than ever. But of course, the facts don’t matter to you. If you had any shred of integrity you would apologize to her.

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» Platapus on 08.22.11 @ 08:42 AM

I find myself defending Petry. At least he admitted he was wrong about the crosses. I find the discourse above really disturbing. No wonder there is no meeting of the minds and our nation is beyond compromise. This sock puppet stuff sounds like something that comes from people that spend their lives commenting in forum and chat rooms. Way to wonky. You are being childish immature and venal. We have been protesting the wars and the loss of life and you have sat on the sidelines writing your incredibly self centered commentaries.

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» Rambler on 08.22.11 @ 10:56 AM

Platapus, you feel that it shows true integrity to write a hostile opinion piece demeaning the grieving mother of an American soldier KIA? How about insulting the integrity of the Veterans For Peace, a group of people who actually fought for this country and certainly base their position on honest first-hand experience?

Do you feel that, having been corrected after the injury is done, Mr. Petry’s admission of guilt gives him integrity? A man with integrity is not so careless in the first place. He finally apologized only when the proof of his intellectual laziness and unfounded hostility became overwhelming.

You preface by asserting your progressive stance, as if that mattered and gave you automatic credibility. The fact that you don’t understand the wantonness of this type of writing makes me doubt you ever were a progressive.

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» Ron Dexter on 08.22.11 @ 11:04 AM

Hi Daniel Petry,

Thanks for coming to check Arlington West on Sunday.Please come and visit next time Sept. 4th. I would love to meet you as I am sure that we agree on many things. America has many problems and fighting about them will not accomplish anything as the comments about your letter have shown.

Ron Dexter (The Dexter you mentioned) I am only one of the group that have been there for 8 years.

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» Rambler on 08.22.11 @ 12:05 PM

Bravo, Ron Dexter!

You have true integrity, and humanity. Thanks for constantly reminding all of us what it looks like.

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» publius on 08.22.11 @ 01:40 PM

Petry is right, this time.

People are still dying in Iraq. Obama is now secretly negotiating to extend our
deployment there way beyond his latest version of his final-deadline.

But a lot of folks like Sheehan have gone invisible lately. Lots of the news media
who publicized her under Bush seem to have lost their interest under Obama.

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» Daniel Petry on 08.22.11 @ 09:12 PM

Ron. I’d love to. My schedule should have me in Santa Barbara I’ll call your office to set up a time to meet you at the memorial. Daniel

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» Ron Dexter on 08.23.11 @ 08:17 AM

Hi Daniel,

You and I are not afraid to put our names on this forum, but it gets a bit nasty by people afraid to use their own names.

I am easy to find on the internet. You can E- Mail me.

I plan to be at Arlington West from 7:00 to noon on the 4th and 1:00 to 3:00.

Please come by if you can make it. If not, we will be there on the 18th.

ron dexter

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» Daniel Petry on 08.23.11 @ 09:24 AM

Ron. Isn’t that the truth. I’ll touch base this week. Thanks.

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» surfsb on 08.23.11 @ 11:26 AM

Where did all the Daniel Petrys go? What happened to all the cheerleaders reaffirming invading Iraq was the right idea? Telling us we have to fight them there rather than here? Mainstream media was wall to wall with neo-cons but now no one on the right wants to even remember that any of that occurred. Instead they all fled to the Tea Party label of small government so they can sound like populists.

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» Platapus on 08.23.11 @ 12:06 PM

surfsb there seems to been a good result in this discussion thread. So there is no more place for your type of divisive commentary. I’m sure there are other threads you can chime in to. But this particular article has brought together the writer and a group he wrote about. That’s a pleasing step forward. Go away.

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» Rambler on 08.23.11 @ 03:36 PM

Ooo. The hall monitor, aka Platapus, is giving out demerit slips? Who are you, Dan’s mommy?

Surfsb brings up a good point. Where, oh where, have all the neo-cons gone?

Gone to teabags, every one.

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» AHamilton on 08.23.11 @ 05:04 PM

I agree with Platapus, and also welcome his first postings to Noozhawk (per the search engine, anyway). He wrote the damn column, he had the courage to sign his real name (or anyway the name he advertises his business under), even though the public would see he hadn’t put much care into writing it. Anyone who has been paying attention to this discussion knows what the story is, so Petrypus can damn well have the last word as far as I’m concerned.

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» GeeWillikersWally on 08.23.11 @ 06:10 PM

Platapus (platypus?) chooses to support Petri and scold surfsb about divisive commentary?!? Ha! Where have you been ? Perhaps the peculiarities of your species make you a good match with our resident loon.
FYI , Petri ranks as Noozhawk champion of offensive comments and divisive rhetoric. A few of the slurs he has slung my way include - Marxist, socialist ( make up yer cotten pickin mind), hippie , commie , stupid ( he finally nailed one) and selfish. There have been lots of other names but we dont have all day here. Don’t lecture us about devisiveness until you have read one of Petri’s inebriated rants.
BTW , Petri is right( theres that damn word again} in pointing out that we are not holding Obama’s feet to the fire on the endless warfare issue.

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» passing-by on 08.23.11 @ 09:45 PM

There would be protests a-plenty if there were an equitable distribution of the emotional, economic and social burdens of serving in the Armed Forces. The ruling elite, regardless of political party, prefer us to drink another brewski and watch ESPN or Real Housewives of Hope Ranch and leave the important stuff like wars to the experts.

Most Americans are happy to take W’s advice from 10 years ago and just go shopping (to whatever degree their ever-shrinking finances allow!) or go to Disneyland, blithely ignorant of the bloody realities going on thousands of miles away. They don’t get it that a huge chunk of the inconceivable trillions in national debt went to financing military adventures hatched in the fevered brains of neo-cons and prolonged by Democrats and Tea Partiers who can’t think of anyway out without looking foolish for having supported the whole mess to begin with, and no one but the families of our troops think much about the sacrifices involved.

Once in a while, as when bin-Laden was finally iced, the public takes notice and demands some new video games and movies about our men and women in uniform.

No American politican today would ever let the words Selective Service escape his lips. Just talking about the draft is political suicide. Demand courage and sacrifice from the children of politicians and the privileged wealthy and even the comfortable, educated middle-class, put their kids at risk of pain, death, and life-long disabilities and we’d see the 1960’s protests on steroids.

How long can we ask a brave, selfless but tiny minority of the population to fight decades-long wars half-way around the world for reasons no one can quite grasp? It is not a sustainable situation.

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» emptynewsroom on 08.25.11 @ 02:06 PM

Where, oh, where is Osama bin Laden? Oh, that’s right, President Obama, a far more effective Commander-in-Chief than un-elected waste of space George W. Bush caught and killed him. Good to see that the adults are in charge again, huh?

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» someguyinsb on 08.26.11 @ 10:23 AM

Petry is a troll. He is not nearly as smart or clever as he thinks. Providing him a platform to spew his hate and partisan ignorance does Noozhawk no good.

Just read through the plethora insipid comments he leaves across this site and you’ll see the man’s true character.

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» lou segal on 08.26.11 @ 12:11 PM

someguyinsb

You got to be kidding accusing Petry of spewing hate. You, a flame thrower extraordinaire, are a hypocrite of the first order. As an expert in personal attacks and name-calling, no one can compete with you.

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» AN50 on 08.26.11 @ 04:23 PM

Come on Lou, Dan does tend to pick at these guys. Of course as a first class flame thrower my self I don’t have a problem with it. What I do have a problem with is the hypocrisy on the left as you pointed out. These guys come unhinged when things don’t go their way; they spew the worst hatred, personal attacks and bigotry. Their ideology is an example of institutionalized hypocrisy, just look at the embedded racism in their most cherished social program, affirmative action. Another example is in Passing by’s comment. Oh there would be protest aplenty if we had a draft. Ya well the only thing that changed in the last 4 years is the president, not the draft rules you rube, jeeze-a-lou what a loon.
No Lou, Dan does throw a bomb or two now and then, but he is not a hypocrite, that the left owns lock stock and barrel.
Now not all libs are a bunch of basement dwellers like empty and these other nit wits. I noticed Hammie making an effort to stay clear of the rank partisanship as well as Publius, maybe even Rambo on a good day.
As for the article Dan wrote, very well said. For my liberal friends, I believe Dan was making a statement about principles versus opportunism. It seems most of the protests on the left tend to be based on political opportunism (right out of the Alinsky radical playbook) not on any principle or they would still be out there working the street.

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» rodeored on 08.26.11 @ 05:27 PM

Man AN50 , you are bending over backwards to miss the point. Dan didn’t just say the anti war activists are opportunists, he specifically called out Cindy Sheehan as an opportunist, and its wrong wrong wrong. She is definitely definitely definitely not one of those who only speaks up when the wind is favorable. He owes her an apology.

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» MJPhoenix on 08.26.11 @ 07:10 PM

I agree. Dan, you definitely owe Cindy an apology. Obama may have silenced much of the anti-war movement, but Cindy’s been on his case since day one.

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» lou segal on 08.26.11 @ 08:35 PM

Actually, there is a reason why even the liberal media has ignored Sheehan. She is nuts. Besides denying the killing of Bin Laden, she is also an anti-semite. She has called the war in Iraq, “a war for a Jewish Cabal”. Here is a quote by her:

“I am sorry, but if you believe the newest death of OBL, you’re stupid. Just think to yourself—they paraded Saddam’s dead sons around to prove they were dead—why do you suppose they hastily buried this version of OBL at sea? This lying, murderous Empire can only exist with your brainwashed consent—just put your flags away and THINK!”

To be honest, she is really a disgusting person.

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» MJPhoenix on 08.27.11 @ 08:14 PM

First of all, there’s still absolutely no physical evidence of Osama’s death. He could have been dead for years as far as we know. Second, if Cindy Sheehan is an anti-semite, Mother Theresa was a mass murderer and Stephen Hawking is a moron.

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» passing-by on 08.27.11 @ 09:18 PM

Re An50: It’s not worth mentioning the difference between war protests now and during the Bush administration because there was no significant resistence to the on-going wars by anyone since 9/11.
Lou Segal makes the argument that Sheehan is at worst unstable and at best peripheral because she does not represent any viable social/political movement. And Segal is correct.
The vast majority of Americans don’t have any emotional investment in the wars or in our armed forces and they haven’t since the end of the Vietnam fiasco, which coincided with the end of the draft.

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» lou segal on 08.27.11 @ 09:27 PM

MJPhoenix,

You’re drinking the kool-aid too. Sure, Osama is living in Santa Barbara; I hear he is thinking of running for city council. Maybe he is part of that Jewish Cabal, Sheehan seems so fond of.

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» Rambler on 08.28.11 @ 08:33 AM

Petri will never show. Hopefully, Dexter’s gentle smack-down will shut him up for a while. Probably not his sock puppets, however.

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» emptynewsroom on 08.28.11 @ 09:21 AM

Its interesting to hear Petry wax nostalgic for the healthy and nearly universal dissent that fermented during the two un-elected terms of Bush-Cheney, the nation’s first two-headed president. Petry’s columns from those carefree days seemed to drip with venom for those who questioned the disastrous policies of the incompetent and deceitful W. Seeing the military-industrial monster doing the bidding of a Democrat seems to have sharpened his senses.

Perhaps as a fervent libertarian, he’s finally wised up to the usefulness of having a citizenry with critical thinking skills and the ability to develop an immunity from the steady diet of propaganda fed to us by a thoroughly co-opted news media. Could it be that Petry now applauds the ability of the unwashed masses to detect the policies of self-interest that corporations and the ruling class are forcing upon the middle class? Petry, I’m starting to think you might be capable of being a patriotic progressive after all. That would be a step up in the world from being a bitter conservative.

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» someguyinsb on 08.29.11 @ 10:07 AM

You three men are children. In fact I know children with more maturity than you three morons. Not only do you play the classic game of “projection” you’re only about half as correct as a broken clock.

Petry is a shill and an idiot to boot. Lou is a angry liar who spends all his time on this site yelling and pointing - like the insane old man on the corner, he is neither sane nor worthy of respect.

Its hilarious that you guys call me the flamethrower yet every single thread contains you three calling all other people idiots and such… every single one!

The lack of self awareness among the right is astounding until you look at who these people are, then it all makes sense.

Insecurity always breeds fear and fear is the basis for their selfishness, myopia and greed.

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» AN50 on 09.02.11 @ 04:35 PM

If you jumped the back fence and cut in front of all those waiting for legal entry then one of the consequences is that your children get crap. Actions have consequences. You cannot have immigration laws then turn around and ignore them while rewarding the violation of those laws indirectly. That means no benefits for illegal aliens, their children or families. No dreams are fulfilled on the back of felony immigration violations, felony identity theft and fraud committed because you are not legal. To do so rewards the bad, illegal behavior, encourages the slave trade and is a moral affront to all those waiting to get in legally and abide by the law.

The phony compassion of those seeking to skirt the 900 pound elephant in the room is exposed. The children of illegal immigrants will suffer because their parents made a bad decision, period. If you want to help those children then convince their parents to go back where they came from and come through the front door and become legal citizens of the US and enjoy all its benefits and opportunities. Screw the coyotes and smugglers; they should all be shot on site, worthless scum they are.

Those companies who employ illegals should be shut down and all assets confiscated. The decision makers should all enjoy a good long hard life in prison.
You cannot have a sovereign country with no borders. That is what we have today. If you want to be a sovereign country then you need to enforce border control, period, no excuses and no looking the other way because you need votes for your stupid political party or cheap slave labor for your stupid company.

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» AN50 on 09.03.11 @ 07:09 PM

I don’t know why my above comment which I tried desperately to send to the Joe Guzzardi article ended up here. Sorry for the confusion.

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» Rambler on 09.05.11 @ 07:30 PM

So, did Pettery make it to the meeting?

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» Ron Dexter on 09.18.11 @ 06:19 PM

Danial Petry came by Arlington West today to say hello. We had a great chat and are going to have lunch soon. We had a lot in common.

ron dexter

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» Daniel Petry on 09.20.11 @ 10:21 AM

Ron, it was great speaking with you and some of your volunteers. It’s amazing the effort you guys are showing in pointing out the waste of war..especially these wars. It’s a shame the same effort is not exhibited by the media or the fair weather volunteers that used to help you. When we meet let’s talk more about the suicide rate. That is really disturbing. Have a great week, see you soon. My best. Daniel

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» TheTruthLiesInTheContradictions on 10.18.11 @ 09:11 AM

10.16.11 Cindy Sheehan arrested at Wall Street protest in Sacramento
Anti-war mother Cindy Sheehan was arrested along with 18 other demonstrators at Cesar Chavez Park in Sacramento early Sunday, police said.

Sheehan, 53, was booked into Sacramento County Jail at 3:15 a.m. for unlawful assembly in the park and failing to follow police orders to disburse, police said. Sheehan became famous after taking a visible role in the anti-war movement following the 2004 death in Iraq of her son, Casey.http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world/ci_19127346?source=rss

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