Some Son's Mother

The Times' Chris Hedges profiles the mother of a U.S. soldier killed in Iraq. The mother, Sue Niederer, was arrested last week when she confronted First Lady Laura Bush during a campaign rally for her husband in New Jersey.

As Mrs. Bush was lauding her husband's war on terror, Mrs. Niederer slipped on the shirt, which bore a photo of the lieutenant and the words "President Bush killed my son." Standing at the back of the crowd, she interrupted Mrs. Bush, shouting that if the war was warranted, "Why don't your children serve?"

"She did not answer," Mrs. Niederer said. "She looked stunned."

Suddenly, Mrs. Niederer recalled, she was surrounded by "men in dark suits with little earpieces" as well as angry Bush supporters. She was escorted from the hall, and as she tried to speak with reporters outside, she was arrested, handcuffed, taken to the Hamilton police station and charged with trespassing. She was released soon afterward, and prosecutors later dropped the charge.

Posted by Jim at September 22, 2004 11:27 AM