Cindy Sheehan, Alicia Ross
Two mothers’ grief
By Arthur Weinreb, Associate Editor,
Tuesday, October 4, 2005
On
the evening of August 16, 25-year-old Alicia Ross disappeared from her family’s
home north of Toronto. The last person to see her that evening was her
boyfriend of seven weeks, 29-year-old Sean Hine. Hine had spent part of the
evening with her in her home and when he couldn’t reach her at home or at work
the next morning, he called the police.
From
the outset, the police suspected foul play and a massive search was undertaken
to try and find the young woman. York Regional Police consistently said that
Hine was not a “suspect” but was rather “a person of interest”.
The
conventional wisdom during the time that Ross was unaccounted for was that she
was murdered and that Hine did it. This would be in keeping with the high
profile case of Scott Peterson who, following tearful pleas for the return of
his wife Laci, was charged and convicted of her murder. Peterson is currently
on death row in California. Scott Peterson was on the mind of Canadians this
summer when a distraught Michael White of Edmonton faced the media and pleaded
for the safe return of his wife Liana. White participated in a search and his
group found his wife’s remains. Michael White was charged with murder and is
currently awaiting trial. It seems much like the proverbial butler, the husband
always did it whenever a woman mysteriously disappears.
So
it seemed like it would only be a matter of time before Sean Hine would be
arrested. A month after Alicia Ross disappeared however, her next door neighbour,
Daniel Sylvester, 31, went to the police accompanied by his lawyer. He told
police where Alicia’s remains could be found and was charged with murdering the
young woman. Sean Hine obviously had nothing to do with her disappearance and
tragic death.
Sharon
Fortis, Ross’ mother, later told the media that Sean Hine would not be welcome
either in the family’s home or at Alicia’s funeral. Fortis was extremely
critical of the way Hine had acted since her daughter first went missing.
According to Fortis, Hine was not very cooperative with the police and didn’t
do enough to help the family and others look for her missing daughter.
Fortis’
anger at Hine, to the point of refusing to allow him to attend her daughter’s
funeral seems to be irrational. Sean Hine was not only forced to deal with the
grief that resulted when his girlfriend disappeared without a trace but also
had to face the reality that, whether the police used the word or not, he was
the prime suspect in a criminal act. Hine told the media that he feared not
just being arrested but being wrongly convicted of a crime that he did not
commit, a feeling that could hardly be described as exaggerated. Who knows what
would have happened had the neighbour not confessed and the police were
pressured to solve Alicia’s disappearance. Hine can be excused for not acting
in a way that Sharon Fortis and her family thought to be appropriate.
But
irrational or not, Sharon Fortis’ anger at Hine and her refusal to allow him to
attend her daughter’s funeral is understandable. She is grieving. It is easy to
understand why she is taking her anger out on the boyfriend that she never met
prior to her daughter’s disappearance and she deserves to be shown compassion
as a grieving mother.
Now,
contrast Sharon Fortis with the world’s most famous grieving mother, Cindy
Sheehan. There’s no comparison. Yet those on the left keep on making excuses
for Sheehan as if she is simply a mother who has lost a child. Whereas Sharon
Fortis is motivated by grief and love for her daughter, Sheehan is motivated by
pure hate. Had Sheehan limited her criticisms to George Bush and the war, it
would be understandable. But she went way beyond that. She blamed the Jews.
And, when her starring role at the anti-war demonstration in Washington failed
to get media attention because of Hurricane Rita, Sheehan referred to the
hurricanes as simply a little rain and wind. She showed absolutely no
compassion for the thousands of her fellow countrymen who lost everything as a
result of the devastation. Cindy Sheehan is nothing more than a self absorbed
piece of scum.
Arthur Weinreb is an author, columnist and Associate Editor of Canada Free Press. His work has appeared on Newsmax.com, Men's News Daily, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, Glenn Beck and The Rant. Arthur can be reached at: letters@canadafreepress.com
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