Cindy Sheehan in the 'boro

When we heard Cindy Sheehan speak at the March on the Pentagon in March, she spoke with serious brevity - it was inspiring but didn't really give any real insight. Today, Rob and I had the opportunity to hear her speak twice, both times at greater length.

The first was at a press conference at the Beloved Community Center (The walls at BCC are lined with Civil Rights-era photos, grainy black-and-whites that show the Greensboro Four at the Woolworth's lunch counter among other inspirational scenes); The second was at a fundraiser for tomorrow's anti-war (or as Cindy said, pro-peace) rally at a private home on Willoughby. Both times, what struck me most was how rational she is. She spoke with great clarity and compassion, and in both instances she reminded people that the Gathering of Eagles counter-protesters had the same right to "peaceably assemble and raise their voices" in support of what they believe as we do. She also reminded those assembled that we have more in common with them than we have in differences - a useful reminder as the harmful policies of this administration drive wedges increasingly deeper between the American people.

I had hoped to ask Cindy what she thinks will motivate the majority of Americans into action, all those people who tell pollsters they disagree with the war but have yet to turn that belief into activism. A draft? Four-dollars-per-gallon gas? A child, like Casey Sheehan, killed in an amoral war? The crowd at the fundraiser was (fortunately) much larger than I anticipated so my brief conversation with Cindy was limited to thanking her for her great work - and a hug.

This sane woman, this amazing woman who took what must be the most horrible tragedy a parent can suffer - the loss of a child - and turned it into the most important movement in America today while reminding us of the power of each individual to make change - this is not the woman portrayed in the media. Why?

Incidentally, the fundraiser was the picture of America: people of every shade of brown and white, every age, every sexuality, in all kinds of clothes with, likely, every imaginable background. I hope that someday, this will be how all of America will look.