The real definition of a traitor.

Language is the most powerful tool the human race has ever had at its disposal . It has also been referred to as a virus because it can infect the mind if used inappropriately. It seems that the words traitor and treason are being tossed around at anyone that even questions the current situation our country is in. I have seen it done to people in power, politicians, and members of the media people whose job it is to speak out and give a point of view no matter what the perspective. Now these words have fallen down to one of us, more specifically someone whose son had been taken by this questionable war. Cindy Sheehan lost her 24-year-old son, Casey, last year in the war in Iraq. She has set up a vigil outside of the Crawford ranch where my president Bush enjoys his 5 week long vacation. This simple act of protest has branded this bereaved mother the terms of traitor and treasonous. So I though I might be time to take a look at these words and see if the accused deserve the labels.

First let’s look at traitor. The two basic definitions for traitor are:

noun: someone who betrays his country by committing treason.

noun: a person who says one thing and does another.

So ok for the most part the accusations are not about a person that whose words and actions are in opposition to each other. Most accusations of traitor focus around, “betrays his country by committing treason” I’ll get into “betrays” a little later but first lets look at the root issue here the definition of “treason”.

noun: a crime that undermines the offender's government

noun: disloyalty by virtue of subversive behavior

noun: an act of deliberate betrayal

Ok we have a lot of options here but go at them in reverse until we get to the meat of the matter. First betrayal:

noun: the quality of aiding an enemy.

Well since she is simply protesting the death of her son, and the war he died in, outside my president Bush’s vacation ranch, in the middle of Texas, not blocking traffic when he wants to go out for ice cream or anything. I wouldn’t call that aiding an enemy; it is still just expressing her point of view. Ok next up, subversive.

noun: a radical supporter of political or social revolution

adjective: in opposition to a civil authority or government

Ok this is getting better, but still I wouldn’t paint Cindy Sheehan as a radical. If you do then you don’t get out very much. She is not calling for the overthrow of the government or acting in opposition to civil authority. But hey I’m no mind reader so maybe that is what she is planning to do but let’s hold off judgment until she gets around to something more than holding signs and talking to the media. Ah but here is the biggie, “crime that undermines the offender's government”.

“Crime”

noun: an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act.

noun: an evil act not necessarily punishable by law.

“Undermine”

verb: destroy property or hinder normal operations

verb: hollow out as if making a cave or opening

Ok so she hasn’t broken any laws, and I don’t see her as particularly evil but that’s only my opinion. She hasn’t destroyed any property of hindered normal operations; my President Bush can still get out for an ice cream or whatever while he is on vacation. Are we talking about her digging out caves or tunnels, I really don’t think so.

So can we let Cindy Sheehan off the hook as a traitor committing treason? She is a grieving mother, which is protesting a war she finds unnecessary and unjust. Come to think of it most of the other people labeled as treasonous don’t seem to fit the word either. They might be digging illegal caves but I think I would want to see the proof first.

For the record, Casey was recruited to join the U.S. Army before the Sept. 11 attacks. Casey was convinced that while in uniform he could help people, Casey wanted to be a chaplain's assistant and perhaps make a career out of the Army. Casey was killed in a Baghdad slum. He died in an ambush while trying to rescue other soldiers who were under attack. Seven other soldiers perished with Casey that day.

Since Casey cannot speak for himself anymore, Cindy Sheehan feels she must speak for him. In one ad, Sheehan spoke directly to President Bush, saying about Casey, "He died in his best friend's arms in Iraq. I imagined it would hurt if one of my kids was killed, but I never thought it would hurt this bad. Especially someone so honest and brave as Casey, my son, when you haven't been honest with us, Mr. Bush. When you and your advisers rushed us into this war. How do you think we felt when we heard the Senate report that said there was no link between Iraq and 9/11?"

I’m not going to toss around a lot of other overused words at Cindy Sheehan like hero or patriot because they do not apply either. This is a grieving mother that is engaging in peaceful protest because she needs to. Cut her some slack you bastards.

-Roblem