Woman Wearing ‘President Bush You Killed My Son’ T-Shirt Disrupts Rally

Woman wearing ‘President Bush You Killed My Son’ T-Shirt disrupts first lady’s rally (SF Gate/AP)

A woman wearing a T-shirt with the words “President Bush You Killed My Son” and a picture of a soldier killed in Iraq was detained Thursday after she interrupted a campaign speech by First lady Laura Bush. Police escorted Sue Niederer of Hopewell, N.J., from a rally at a firehouse after she demanded to know why her son, Army 1st Lt. Seth Dvorin, 24, was killed in Iraq. Dvorin died in February while trying to disarm a bomb. As shouts of “Four More Years” subsided, Niederer, standing in the middle of a crowd of some 700, continued to shout about the killing of her son. Secret Service and local police escorted her out of the event, handcuffed her and placed her in the back of a police van.

Absolutely bizarre. And she didn’t even work in the words, “You Klingon bastard.” It’s a shame that 1LT Dvorkin was killed but he volunteered to serve his country as an Army officer; he knew the risk he was taking. I suspect he would be mortified by his mother’s conduct on his behalf.

The first lady continued speaking, touting her husband’s record on the economy, health care and the war on terror to those attending the rally in this suburban community of 90,000 people near Trenton. Mrs. Bush made several references to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks during her speech. She said that many in New Jersey, including some in neighborhoods near the firehouse, lost family members that day. “Too many people here had a loved one that went to work in New York that day,” Bush said. “It’s for our country, it’s for our children, our grandchildren that we do the hard work of confronting terror.”

Granted, the “we” is a bit generous in this instance, but yes.

FILED UNDER: 2004 Election, Iraq War, , , , ,
James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Mark says:
  2. Remy Logan says:

    I understand the grief that parents have when their son or daughter dies in a war. I will never say anything that would disrespect their grief. On the other hand, I don’t put much stock in what they say when tragedy occurs.

    My parents are both certified members of the loony left. If I had died when I was in the service my mother would have probably done the same thing. My mother didn’t care about my feelings of patriotism or sense of duty. What she wanted was a Mother’s Day card and phone call now and then.

    My heart goes out to the Dvorins, and especially the wife who is too young to be a widow. I have no idea why 1LT Dvorin joined the military, and won’t try to guess what his feelings about this situation would be. I do know I would not want my mother dishonoring my commitment, service, or sacrifice in this manner.

  3. turtlehawk robertson says:

    maybe some of your above comments mean that you haven’t been there or done that and that also includes being on the looney left and I sure don’t think his mother is dishonering him in any way she has THE RIGHT TO SO STRIGHT ANSWERS not the answers you get to shove you down the line because the real answer would point to the responsible people to stand up and be counted.

    turtlehawkr

  4. McGehee says:

    <reading preceding comment and scratching head>

    What is the frequency, Turtlehawk?