Gary Qualls Challenges Cindy Sheehan to a Debate

I just saw a commercial featuring Gary Qualls. The father of a fallen marine would like to challenge Cindy Sheehan to a debate.

This is allegedly the letter he wrote to Cindy Sheehan. (I don't doubt it, I just don't know if it is verified.)

Here is an article on the topic:

Bush supporters create opposing camp
'Fort Qualls' built in Crawford to counter protesters' 'Camp Casey'

CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) -- A pro-Bush camp with a "God Bless Our President!" banner sprung up downtown Saturday, countering the anti-war demonstration started by a fallen soldier's mother two weeks ago near President Bush's ranch.

...

Qualls' frustration with the anti-war demonstrators erupted last week when he removed a cross bearing his son's name...

Qualls called the protesters' views disrespectful to soldiers, and said he had to yank out two more crosses after protesters kept replacing them.

He and others at "Fort Qualls" have asked for a debate with those at the Crawford Peace House, which is helping Sheehan.

It's unclear if that will happen. But a member of Gold Star Families for Peace, co-founded by Sheehan and made up of relatives of fallen soldiers, said her group would not participate.

"We're asking for a meeting with the president, period," said Michelle DeFord, whose 37-year-old son, Sgt. David W. Johnson, was in the Army National Guard from Oregon when he was killed in Iraq last fall. "We don't want to debate with people who don't understand our point of view."

First, it is awful that they are using the names of dead soldiers without even their implied consent. Unless a soldier has said otherwise, I would assume that he chose to be in the military knowing about the war and, even if he doesn't support the war, doesn't consider terrorists to be freedom fighters.

Second, it is even worse when the family of that fallen hero has asked them to stop and they won't.

As for the debate, DeFord's comments seem to make clear that they are not trying to have a "dialogue" or "ask questions," as the group asserted when Utah refused to air their anti-war commercial.

This is just a manipulative publicity stunt.

Mothers who hate Bush and have fallen sons must be heard but fathers who have fallen sons who support the word are not relevant.

Part of me wishes Bush would just meet with her to end their ridiculous charade.

Then I realize, though, that she would just claim he has to meet with her every time she changes her mind again or every parent who, mad with grief or with a political agenda, wants to demand multiple meetings.

The President's schedule should not be held hostage to this sort of thing.

I am sorry for Cindy Sheehan's tragic loss... but she is exploiting the ghost of a hero. I hope that one day she does not hate herself for what she has done in the grip of the terrible grief she must be feeling.