Obscenities

Actions Speak Louder than Words

Before my son Casey was killed in Iraq, I rarely said “fuck.” I was a Youth Minister at St. Mary’s Church for five-years, and I raised four children. After my oldest was killed by the obscene US war machine, though, my language became decidedly “fuck-i-fied.” It’s just a word, and sometimes it’s a very good word.

I mean, what will the swear police say if they see a mushroom cloud in the distance? “Oh, fudgesicles, I guess our doodoo is fracked, now.”

Even though I didn’t say, “fuck,” my vocab was liberally sprinkled with many “damns,” “goddamns,” and “shits.” My mother had quite the swear word vocab, but she, also, never said “fuck.” In fact, I don’t think I ever even heard that word until I was about 9, or 10.

Anyhoozy, before I went to Crawford, Texas in August of 2005, I sent an email to my email list detailing that I was going to go there to confront the vacationing Bush and ask him for “What Noble Cause,” he killed so many people in Iraq. I got a response saying, “Cindy, maybe if you didn’t use so many obscenities, more people would be sympathetic to your message.”

Swearing Is Actually a Sign of More Intelligence – Not Less – Say Scientists

That floored me! It never even crossed my mind that words were worse than coming home from walking the dogs and seeing two stiff Army men in my living-room and knowing that meant your dear son was killed in a country thousands of miles away and life as our family knew it was over. My “fuck” flag was unfurled, and as little as three-months after Casey was killed on April 04, 2004, I was on a campaign for truth, accountability, and peace.

So, almost 19-years later, I have tears running down my cheeks thinking about, and writing about, that awful moment of my life. I’ve come to terms with the fact that escaping that kind of shock and grief is not possible, or even desirable, but most of the time, I am so immersed in life, the pain is just in the background, but can obviously flare up at anytime.

Why do I bring this up at this time?

Well, even as I have been erased from MY action Rage Against the War Machine, and ghosted by the organizers, I was invited to speak at the event in SF, but I was told I cannot “swear” during my speech.

I don’t swear 24/7 because I have six grandchildren who don’t need to hear their Gigi saying “fuck” as often as I think it. I am not a savage and I do “read the room” so to speak, but as the world is on the brink of destruction, I am pretty sure that I would have cussed during my speech at the rally on Sunday, if given the opportunity.

I just can’t with this movement, anymore. Why would you call something “Rage,” then tell a speaker not to swear? “Tea party” Against the War Machine? I’ve seen the poster for the one in DC on Sunday and it looks like a rogue’s gallery of nicely garmented people who wouldn’t say “shit” if their mouths were full of it. I wonder if they’ve ever heard a Rage Against the Machine song? (However, I do have some good friends speaking and I know they know how to say “shit.” You know who you are Ann Wright!)

I think protests and marches are valid if our goals are to raise some awareness and express our solidarity with suffering and oppressed peoples around the world, but giving nice talks about the evils of war will not change the minds of the profiteers and stone-cold killers. The war machine they claim to be raging against is relentless and remorseless.

The powers-that-be-but-should not-be are absolutely delighted with polite and peaceful protests, because they know we are not serious about change, and they know they can count on our votes come election time.

I feel like the only revolution left to we the people when we are “raging” against institutions that have nukes, with people who have proven callous disregard for life, is a revolution of community.

If we haven’t already started, we need to grow as much of our own food, as possible; generate as much of our own energy as possible; create communities of co-operation, etc.

I have detailed this in my 2009 online book called:

Myth America, The 20 Greatest Myths of the Robber Class and the Case for Revolution

Become a paid subscriber to Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox Newsletter for your copy of Myth America.

I have been trying to do my podcast, videocast, and articles on an ancient laptop that keeps crashing. About a year ago, I bought a new laptop, but broke it when I spilled water. My funding was withdrawn because of my outspoken opinions about Covid and the Magic Needle Juice™

I have raised 2/3 of the $300 I need to get my new laptop repaired, if you can donate to help me get my laptop repaired (I promise I won’t smoke crack and forget that I dropped it off for repair) here are the options, and I would greatly appreciate this!

Paypal: CindySheehansSoapbox@gmail.com

SEND CHECK/MONEY ORDER/CASH/DARK CHOCOLATE:

CINDY SHEEHAN’S SOAPBOX, LLC

PO BOX 6264

VACAVILLE CA 95696

or become a paid subscriber