It saddens me deeply to know that there are people who will support a candidate based solely on that candidate's gender or color. But it gives me hope to know that people of every color are discovering that Dennis Kucinich is a man of peace and compassion, and that he would be the kind of president we all dream about.

by Gail Davis (4 articles, 1 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 76 comments [3 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Jan 21, 2008 at 10:00:43 PM

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Martin would have loved Dennis Kucinich. Have you read Dennis' speech on MLK Day five years ago?

Peace as a Civil Right

by U.S. Representative Dennis J. Kucinich

Lakewood Ministerial Alliance
Martin Luther King Day Celebration
Lakewood Presbyterian Church
Sunday, January 19, 2003
Lakewood, Ohio


"Oh hear my song, thou God of all the nations, a song of peace for
their land and for mine." - - This Is My Song, Finlandia, Jean Sibelius
The life of Dr. Martin Luther King shines like the sun through the
clouds which hover over this nation, casting a beam of light whenever
darkness seeks to envelope us, illuminating our way over the rocky, perilous
ground until we can envision the upward path towards social and
economic justice.

This evening let us reflect on his challenge to America's prosecution
of a war in Vietnam as we ponder an America poised to once again use its
destructive power against a nation of people already broken by war, by
US sanctions, by an uncaring leader. America stands ready to
accelerate the bombing over major cities in Iraq, to destroy lives, families,
houses, buildings, water systems, electric systems, to light fires to
force populations to move, to engage in house to house combat. All in the
name of fighting terrorism. In the name of removing weapons of mass
destruction.

In his speech thirty five years ago at Riverside Church in New York
City, Dr. King created the synthesis of peace and civil rights. "Somehow
this madness must cease," Dr. King said then of the annihilation of the
Vietnamese people and their nation. "I speak as a child of God and
brother to the suffering poor of Vietnam. I speak for those whose land is
being laid waste, whose homes are being destroyed, whose culture is
being subverted."

Let us contemplate his words. "Somehow this madness must cease."

Tonight we call for an end to the pretext for war. Tonight we call for the
end of justification for war. Tonight we call for the end of a military
build up towards war. Tonight we call for the end of war in the hearts
of those who desire war. Tonight we call for the beginning of
compassion. Tonight we call for human dignity. Tonight we call for human unity.
"I speak for the poor of America who are paying the double price of
smashed hopes at home, and death and corruption in Vietnam," Dr. King
said.

Once again the hopes of people of two nations are being smashed by
weapons in the name of eliminating weapons. Let us abolish weapons of mass
destruction at home. Joblessness is a weapon of mass destruction.
Poverty is a weapon of mass destruction. Hunger is a weapon of mass
destruction. Homelessness is a weapon of mass destruction. Poor health care is
a weapon of mass destruction. Poor education is a weapon of mass
destruction. Discrimination is a weapon of mass destruction.

Let us abolish such weapons of mass destruction here at home. Let us
use hundreds of billions of our tax dollars, which some would cast upon
Iraq in bombs and warring troops, instead for the restoration of the
American Dream, to rebuild our economy and to expand opportunities for
all. We have a duty to assert our human needs as a people and not to yield
them for the base concerns of an unresponsive government: We have a
right to a job. We have a right to decent housing. We have a right to
health care. We have a right to food fit to eat, air fit to breathe and
water fit to drink. Peace is a civil right which makes other human rights
possible. Peace is the precondition for our existence. Peace permits
our continued existence.

"I speak as a citizen of the world," Dr. King said, "for the world, as
it stands aghast at the path we have taken. I speak as one who loves
America, to the leaders of our nation: The great initiative in this war
is ours, the initiative to stop it must be ours."

Today the world is watching, once again, aghast at an America
resolutely poised for war. The UN is already predicting a war against Iraq will
bring about at least 500,000 casualties among the men, women and
children of Iraq who are not foreigners, but are our brothers and sisters.
It is up to us to rally our countrymen and countrywomen to the cause of
peace, for the sake of peace, and for the sake of the innocents and
whatever innocence of our own we may rescue. For the sake of truth too.
No justification whatsoever exists for the United States, the United
Nations or any institution whose existence celebrates justice or human
unity to wage war against Iraq.

On September 12, 2001, a little more than 24 hours after the planes hit
the World Trade Center, the Secretary of Defense, in a meeting at the
White House, called for immediate strikes against Iraq. "Rumsfeld was
raising the possibility that they could take advantage of the
opportunity offered by the terrorists attacks to go after Saddam immediately."
(Source: Bush At War by Robert Woodward, Pg. 49, paragraphs one and two).

In sixteen months since America was attacked, no credible evidence has
been presented that Iraq perpetrated 9-11, or conspired in 9-11. Iraq
was not responsible for the anthrax attack on our country. Nor does Iraq
have missile strike capability against the U.S., usable weapons of
mass destruction nor the intention to use them against us.
It is more than strange that while no credible connection has been made
between Iraq and 9-11, that the Administration blocked efforts at an
early official inquiry into 9-11, while beating the drums to attack
Iraq.

Why is the Administration targeting Iraq? Oil. America has become
increasingly reliant on imported oil. The future of an oil-dominated economy
rests in the Gulf region. Instead of a new energy policy, we get a new
war of "good" acting against "evil".

To be sure, the dictator Saddam Hussein is an easy target, for murder
of his own people. He was an easy target, too, years ago when supported
by the United States, notwithstanding his cruelty.

When war is already in the hearts of those who lead this nation,
because our leaders aspire to dominate oil markets, or expand arms trade or
desire world empire, or to distract from failures domestically, what are
the American people to do? Do we just sit and watch while the United
States moves next to declare war against North Korea, or Iran?

In the spirit of Dr. King, we must reject this White House war
mentality and the unfortunate energy policy which spawns it, or we are facing
endless war over diminishing resources. The Administration has made its
intentions for war known. Now the American people must make our
intentions known for peace.

We must reject war with Iraq. We must not let it happen. We must insist
that the UN inspection process continue. As long as the UN inspection
presence is at work in Iraq there is the possibility that Iraq can be
disarmed, rebuilt and reintegrated into the community of nations.
Yet predictions of war swirling around the Capitol involve not if, but
when and whether America "goes it alone." The question is not whether
we shall go to war with the UN or without the UN. The question is why
should we go to war at all? Some have made a cause of twelve empty "war
heads" recently discovered. There is something lacking in the war heads
as there is something lacking in the heads of those who want war.

The narrow-minded drive for regime change will have severe
consequences. Regime change means war. Regime change means invasion. It means
occupation. It means colonization. It means the death of countless Iraqi
citizens and the deaths of countless American service men and service
women. And the waste of up to $1.9 trillion in our tax dollars, wrecking
our economy while, at the same time, the Administration gives out a
trillion dollar tax cut to the wealthy.

If the goal of our leaders continues to be regime change, then let
regime change begin at home. We must be prepared to continue to provide
lawful, nonviolent, civil resistance in this nation. We must be prepared
to exercise our constitutionally protected rights to assemble, to free
speech, to free press, to challenge the government in the streets, on
campuses, in town halls, in labor halls, in churches, wherever people
gather, wherever people meet, in a manner consistent with the finest
democratic traditions.

If we are successful in disarming Iraq nonviolently, then our nation
needs to hasten our efforts to lead the way for disarmament world wide.
Seventeen nations are seeking, have or are capable of acquiring nuclear
weapons of mass destruction, twenty nations -- biological weapons,
twenty six nations -- chemical weapons.

Over twenty nations have or are at work on missile technologies to
deliver those weapons. America has much work to do as a nation among
nations, furthering peace through disarmament.

We are at a transformational opportunity in this nation. It is no less
significant than the spirit of the times which gave birth to this
nation over two hundred and twenty six years ago.

In his exploration of the philosophical underpinnings of America, in a
work entitled "To Begin the World Anew," Bernard Bailyn writes of that
long ago moment of democratic ferment which produced the world's
grandest experiment with democracy through ". . . the recasting of the world
of power, the re-formation of the structure of public authority, of the
accepted forms of governance, obedience, and resistance, in practice
as well as in theory."

Such was the creativity of our Founders. They used the creative energy
of their hearts and spirits to change the world. Why has our creativity
turned destructive? We need no longer to be destructive with war. It
is time to be creative in peace.

Dr. Martin Luther King had a dream. It is time to make his dream a
reality. It is time to take the evolutionary life of Dr. King and make
non-violence an organizing principle in our society. It is the practical
and pragmatic thing to do in order to continue life on this planet. We
can do so. And we must do so. Legislation to create a Department of Peace
would build not only a structure for peace within our government, but
infuse a consciousness for peace within our society, as has the
Department of Defense reflected a consciousness of war.

It is time to create new possibilities in human relations, in
economics, in governance, in politics and in all areas of endeavor. We can make
war and poverty archaic and usher in a new era of human dignity by
making peace and prosperity our daily work.

This day is a day to reflect on the ability of one person to make a
difference. This day is a day to reflect on how one person can change the
thinking of a nation and the world. This day is to celebrate our human
potential to transform any condition, to change darkness into light,
slavery into freedom, poverty into prosperity, war into peace, let us
honor America's apostle of non-violence by truly rededicating ourselves to
his work. Let us make the vision of Dr. King, that vision of liberty
and harmony, a reality. Let us confirm our commitment to all civil
rights and let us declare peace a civil right in a democracy, a human right
in this world. Thank you.

by agapi (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 3 comments) on Monday, Jan 21, 2008 at 10:07:39 PM

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This is a breath of fresh air! It is nice to have confirmation that the people of color in America are looking out for their best interests when choosing a candidate and not choosing the candidate based on color or even gender. American is not nearly progressive when it comes to the rights of immigrants and people of color as we like to think we are. We have come a long way in many aspects, but the rights of Native Americans and Immigrant Americans are still up for debate by many prominent politicians, but mostly (and most tragically) they are flat-out ignored, especially by the mainstream media. I'm glad to see that folks are voting Kucinich because he is the ONLY candidate that is brave enough to demand equal rights for ALL despite color, citizenship status, or socioeconomic position.

by c s (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1 comments) on Monday, Jan 21, 2008 at 10:51:35 PM

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I find it reassuring that there are people out there who can see that Rep. Kucinich would make a wonderful president. Unfortunately he isn't a name brand, or attractive enough , or exciting enough for some voters. He has the views that most American's are searching for to repair the damage from Bush/Cheney.   The American people shoot ourselves in the foot when they don't stop to really listen to candidates and are fooled by simple slogans like hope...change etc.  Yeah---change--we'll bomb Iran instead of Iraq. Or invade Pakistan searching for Bin Laden who Bush let run and hide for years now.

by shanti (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 43 comments) on Tuesday, Jan 22, 2008 at 8:31:19 AM

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