Should Laura have listened?

[cati]

xx

 

[TDC Nala]

I believe the Secret Service would have been nervous about letting her anywhere near Mrs. Bush.

 

[Pugdog007]

No. And the woman was in jail by the time the First Lady ended her speech anyway.

 

[disney4us2002]

Shortbun, I don't understand your quick temper at JimB. How dare he assume? Haven't you assumed as well? Why is his assumption that communication w/LB was not this mother's desire any less accurate than your assumption that it was? Wearing a shirt accusing GWB for killing her son and then yelling out during a speech translates to "I want to talk to you calmly."? I don't see it that way and I doubt that the secret service or Ms. Bush would either.

 

[shortbun]

Originally posted by disney4us2002
Shortbun, I don't understand your quick temper at JimB. How dare he assume? Haven't you assumed as well? Why is his assumption that communication w/LB was not this mother's desire any less accurate than your assumption that it was? Wearing a shirt accusing GWB for killing her son and then yelling out during a speech translates to "I want to talk to you calmly."? I don't see it that way and I doubt that the secret service or Ms. Bush would either.

Thanks for posting your opinion. Very interesting.
I don't think I assumed anything. The woman was there and
she attempted to speak to Laura Bush. Simple facts. Why
would she need to be calm? I agree with her shirt. how else
does one get to speak to the President or First Lady? Got any
ideas? All the campaign events around here have required a
ticket, a signed pledge and scripted questions to be asked.
IMHO, these people need to be available to the citizens of this
wonderful country in this time of strife. If you had to scream at
an open meeting to talk to be heard about the lost life of your
child and that was your only source of contact-what would you
do? To call that "disrupt"ion is a disgraceful cold way to
look at a mother who's child was dead. It made me sick to
my stomach. It made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.
It was dismissive, mean and I responded likewise.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

This woman is from our community. It has been reported several times (before this incident) that she wrote to President Bush and he has never responded. Maybe she felt this was her only chance. BTW she was wearing that shirt when they admitted her and she did have a ticket, the people at that event heckled her also. I would think that a mother of a soldier who gave their all should have been shown more compassion. Even staunch Republicans that I've talked to think the whole thing was handled very badly.

 

[Kendra17]

Originally posted by LScot
I agree with Carla. I don't think wearing a shirt that says GWB killed my son is going to open the doors to communication. GWB didn't kill her son. I'm sorry he died. But serving our country was the job he signed up to do. I'm sorry he died during that service and I'm sorry she lost him while he was serving.

I'm sure that LB felt terrible seeing that mother. Any mom would have. And I'm sure the statement on her shirt probably brought back some horrendous memories for her.

The woman with the shirt was angry and purposefully disruptive.

I think Laura Bush is a warm caring person. Choosing not to speak to the mother whose son was killed doesn't indicate otherwise, at least to me.

 

[Microcell]

Originally posted by disney4us2002
First, given what I've seen of AP reporting, I would not rule out that any part of the story was left out or just plain wrong.

Second, I guess I don't see this woman as wanting to 'talk' to LB. She was wearing a shirt that said GWB killed her son. It seems her mind is made up and there is little LB could say to give comfort. She wants to speak out against the war and against the current president which is certainly her right but this wasn't the place to do it.

Do any of you who want to make a personal attack on my husband (aka wearing a shirt that said he killed your son)? I think I would sell ocean front property in Arizona to you before sitting down to talk about how awful you think he is.

As for the letters she wrote to the White House, I would love to see what those were like as far as tone. I bet not very open to communication but perhaps more likely to call him a murderer or something of the sort?

That woman went in there with an agenda to disrupt, not to engage in open discourse!

 

[SplshMtn99]

I too was thinking the Secret Service removed her for the saftey of LB. Not implying that she would have done anything...but that's their job. Remove potential harms ---just in case.

Even if LB said she wanted to talk to her; seriously doubt they would have "let" her.

 

[ZachnElli]

I wonder if Laura Bush even knew what the commotion was about? I mean she probably saw someone loud and disruptive and then taken away, right? Could she hear what the woman was saying? Could she even read the shirt? She probably didn't have a clue as to what it was about until after it was over.

 

[MelessaG]

Originally posted by ZachnElli
I wonder if Laura Bush even knew what the commotion was about? I mean she probably saw someone loud and disruptive and then taken away, right? Could she hear what the woman was saying? Could she even read the shirt? She probably didn't have a clue as to what it was about until after it was over.

That's what I think too. People forget just how big these venues can be. It's likely that the woman was too far from LB for her to see the shirt or, with the noise of the rest of the crowd, hear what she said. Personally, I think LB would have talked to the poor mother had she known the situation, but as others have said, I doubt the Secret Service would have allowed it.
And for the record, I'm sure Teresa Heinz Kerry would have talked to her too. What mother wouldn't?

 

[rcyannacci]

I think it would be a nice gesture for LB to release some sort of statement about the incident. Whether she was aware of what was happening at the time or not, she certainly knows about it now. Of course, I seriously doubt that will happen because the campaign wouldn't allow it- they never acknowledge the opposition or of dissent. It's a shame, really, that politics has become so predictable and canned. Which is why this incident made news- I think this woman accomplished a lot and hopefully helped a lot of grieving families feel that their position had been heard. I hope that she and others can find some semblance of peace in their lives.

 

[TDC Nala]

Of course, I seriously doubt that will happen because the campaign wouldn't allow it- they never acknowledge the opposition or of dissent.

What campaign does?

 

[disykat]

Originally posted by JimB.
The mother in the story did not want to talk, she wanted to disrupt.

In that context, I think further communication is highly unlikely or productive.

I agree.

 

[rcyannacci]

Originally posted by TDC Nala
What campaign does?

Exactly- "they" meaning a campaign for an incumbent. The challenger, of course, needs to play up dissent for current policies. It's just a shame that nothing is truly a dialogue between camps. All statements and positions are written long before a public unveiling and live events don't really read as "live." Until you have something unexpected happen. This is what continues to make protest effective.

I think it's a shame that activism has gotten such a negative connotation to it lately. This is a huge part of our history and what makes us strong as a nation. When people can't respond with compassion to a woman who's lost her son because she takes an activist stance, it really says something about how far perceptions of activism have fallen.

 

[shortbun]

Originally posted by Microcell
Do any of you who want to make a personal attack on my husband (aka wearing a shirt that said he killed your son)? I think I would sell ocean front property in Arizona to you before sitting down to talk about how awful you think he is.

As for the letters she wrote to the White House, I would love to see what those were like as far as tone. I bet not very open to communication but perhaps more likely to call him a murderer or something of the sort?

That woman went in there with an agenda to disrupt, not to engage in open discourse!

Laura-is that you? Or are you some other woman who's husband
is holding the highest office in the land and running for re-election? Let's hope Laura Bush is more open about talking to
people who disagree than you are!! it's just not that hard to
start a dialogue with people who are emotionally charged or
being irrational. I do it every day. I'm a school bus driver.
I'm not being facetious. Try it.

 

[shortbun]

Some of you people actually dislike this woman because she
had the gall to react to her son being killed in an action that
more than half the American people do not believe is legitimate
anymore?
I can't think of any greater life disruption than having my child
blown up by a bomb. There's your basic disruption. OMG,
I am insensed at your lack of understanding and sensitivity.
And some of you actually think I am a bad guy for calling
you on it. Good bye.

 

[dmadman43]

The lady is ignorant. Yes, it's sad her son was killed, but it's not Bush's fault. And why did she bring this up with The First Lady? I agree with JimB that she didn't a dialog, she wanted attention.

If Laura were to talk with her, and we all heard about it, then that would open the doors for every kook to get their agenda in front of her. Where would it end? Is The First Lady supposed to speak with the mother of every soldier that was killed and wounded or only those that choose to make spectacles of themselves?

 

[rcyannacci]

Originally posted by dmadman43
The lady is ignorant. Yes, it's sad her son was killed, but it's not Bush's fault. And why did she bring this up with The First Lady? I agree with JimB that she didn't a dialog, she wanted attention.

If Laura were to talk with her, and we all heard about it, then that would open the doors for every kook to get their agenda in front of her. Where would it end? Is The First Lady supposed to speak with the mother of every soldier that was killed and wounded or only those that choose to make spectacles of themselves?

Please be considerate and realize that using a term such as "kook" could be perceived as insensitive in this case.

And I think an event sponsored by the administration that acknowledged the mothers of all the killed soldiers would be an amazing event, a true example of "compassionate conservativism." Why would it be wrong to acknowledge the tragedy of their loss?

 

[dmadman43]

Please be considerate and realize that using a term such as "kook" could be perceived as insensitive in this case.

Well, I'm offended by political correctness.