Cindy Sheehan Quits Anti-War Activism

May 28 - KGO (KGO) -- Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan is calling it quits. The woman who pleaded with President Bush for a face-to-face meeting at his Crawford ranch now wants to part of the fight. She is resigning as the face of the anti-war movement.

Some bloggers are saying good riddance, but most anti-war activists say they are sorry to see Cindy Sheehan go. They credit her for galvanizing the anti-war movement.

Cindy Sheehan became the face of the anti-war movement not too long after her son Casey died in the Iraq War in 2004. She is perhaps best known for leading a protest in front of the president's Texas ranch dubbed "Camp Casey."

Nothing seemed to stop Sheehan, even a well-organized group against her called the "You Don't Speak for Me Cindy! Tour."

But now the mother from Vacaville has had enough. In the liberal blog, Daily Kos, Sheehan wrote, "I have invested everything I have into trying to bring peace with justice to a country that wants neither."

Medea Benjamin is co-founder of the anti-war group Code Pink and a friend of Sheehan.

Medea Benjamin, Code Pink Co-founder: "She does break down from time to time, and it's totally understandable. She's been attacked for violating her child's name when who would know better but her what her son would have liked."

Sheehan is not only relinquishing her role as one of the leaders of the peace movement, she is also leaving the Democratic Party.

Friends say all of this was triggered last week when Democrats on Capitol Hill failed to tie a troop withdrawal timeline to a war funding bill.

In a letter to Democrats, Sheehan wrote, "it used to be George Bush's war. You could have ended it honorably. Now it is yours. We gave you a chance. You betrayed us."

Although Sheehan now says she'll retreat from activism, others, like anti-war activists Stephen and Virginia Pearcy, believe her departure could spark a new movement. The Pearcys made headlines themselves when they displayed an effigy in front of their Sacramento home two years ago.

Virginia Pearcy, anti-war activist: "I think Cindy is leading the way to show us that the answer to ending this home is not going to be found in the Democratic Party, it's not going to be found in the Republican party, and so we're going to have to look elsewhere."

We tried getting a hold of Sheehan herself, but she is in Crawford, Texas, honoring what would have been her son Casey's 28th birthday.

Related links:

>> Daily Kos
>> Cindy Sheehan's resignation letter

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