Question the president, not Cindy Sheehan

Patrick Frey’s misguided efforts to vilify Cindy Sheehan (“Peacenik paper fawns over antiwar mom,” Current, Aug. 21) are about as far off the mark as Michael Ramirez’s grotesque aberration (editorial cartoon, Opinion, Aug. 20) depicting Sheehan as a political dupe. Neither quite understands that though Casey Sheehan marched off to battle voluntarily, and volunteered willingly for a dangerous mission, and although Cindy Sheehan may have attempted to accept this administration’s initial justification for this war, she -- like millions of Americans -- has seen through the deception. She no longer accepts the ever-changing excuses for remaining in a deceptively justified and mismanaged war that costs innocent lives. Frey and Ramirez should forget about impugning her integrity and ask the hard questions of President Bush.

MICHAEL CHILDERS

Westminster