As you know my son, Kenny, and I had an interview last night with “The People Speak Radio“. I started to not do it once I saw the “causes” that they say they support. But then I got to thinking. How can I say that I have made a difference if I am not willing to stand up and tell my story? So I agreed to do the interview.

I told Kenny to go look at their web site adn do a bit of research. He didn’t know who “Code Pink” was and I wanted him prepaired if he was going to do this with me. He called me back a few minuets later in disbelife after looing at “Code Pink’s” web site. I told him that I didn’t like the way this was going already. Though all the interviews I have done with the book and other things, I have never had a real reporter not want to call me themselves and talk to me. They always want to give me a run down of how things will go and what some of the questions would be. It makes things go much easier for us both. But it didn’t happen this time.

All the things Mike and I had talked about were barley touched on. Basima didn’t even mentin that I was the author of “Cindy in Iraq: A Civilains Year in the War Zone” throughout the whole interview. If I had not mentioned that I wrote a book, it would not have been mentioned at all.

Needless to say, I was not totally happy with the interview. I hope that my son and I did our family, friends, and you proud. I emailed Mike after the show and told him that it didn’t go as I expected. I told him that “I didn’t want to get into the political stuff. I just wanted Kenny and I to tell our story and let people make up their oun minds.” This is what I got back….

“If you want to support the troops,
demand their return from Iraq.”
- Sgt. Kelly Dougherty, Iraq veteran

Cynthia…

I support our troops and oppose the war.
We had on Kelly as a guest. She is
now national director of
http://www.IVAW.org which is the
Iraq Veterans Against War. She summed
it up best about what supporting the
troops means at this time. We don’t
need one more mother’s son dying or
being injured over there. The
consecutive repeated tours of duty
have taken their toll and the statistic
of 120+ Iraq vets committing suicide
every week when they return home is
tragic.

Your interview was fine. I think you
and Kenny presented a great view of
what it is like for families who have
actually been to Iraq and know what
it’s like to be there. And the fact
that you have differing points of
view gave the audience things to
think about.

Thanks again, don’t worry, we’ll
get the archive up as soon as possible.

Mike

This is what I wrote back…

Well, I wondered why no one called me to go over things before the interview. I had NEVER had an interview with a reporter, till now, that didn’t talk to me before. I feel a bit set up. I really believd that ya’ll wated an inspiring stroy of a woman that pulled herself out of a mess of a life to become a stronger woman. The fact that I went to Iraq is only PART of the story & ya’ll didn’t even bring it up.

This was his last email….

I’m sorry Basima didn’t call you she
just told me her computer was down
apparently she never got the message
to call you before the interview.

I’m sorry. We would never set anyone
up. You told at least a part of your
story in Iraq, perhaps at another time
we can have you back for a follow up
when your film comes out.

Mike

But you can listen and find out on your own. I hope we did ya’ll proud.