Remarks on the new book, American Assassination: The Strange Death of Senator Paul Wellstone On the second anniversary of his death.

Four Arrows

 Presented at the National Press Club, Washington, D.C.,

On October 25, 2004

Mitakuye pi, my chante ata wo wogala ke, na nape chiuso pelo. My relatives, I offer each of you a warm handshake. I speak from my heart today and want to begin by commending you who have come sincerely to learn what we have to say about our book, for in this city there are pressures to stay within acceptable boundaries of critical commentary that make your presence here, unfortunately, an act of some courage. In fact, the strong-arm strategies of our national leaders that frighten journalists into compliance are becoming legendary. Film documentaries and books like “Unprecedented” or “The Hammer” continue to reveal the unscrupulous tyranny of Karl Rove, Tom Delay, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, and other top officials who believe emphatically that the “the end justifies the means” and that the end is all about American power and dominance.

One thing often overlooked in the debate about same sex marriage is that gay people are PEOPLE too. They have a mother, father, siblings. A great deal of the time, they have children too. Are their children less worthy of all the protections that marriage brings?

I am also tired of hearing about if gays can marry, it "demeans" the institution. How? No one ever answers this and yet ignores blatant contradictions - convicted felons can marry while in prison. Thousands of people don't pay child support leaving their own flesh and blood destitute in many cases and they can still marry again. Divorce is against many religions, but is allowed by law.

We often help other countries obtain freedom and democracy - let's have some here too. If a union negotiates DP benefits, or a school board or city decides to offer benefits, is it someone else's right to decide it can't be done? This is exactly one of the things that will happen if Michigan's constitutional ban on same sex marriage occurs. Vote no and also contact your Senators to say NO to prejudice and discrimination being amended into our Federal Constitution for the first time!

The Columbus Dispatch's editorial in the August 21st issue stated that the ACLU was addressing a nonexistent problem and an unworthy cause. Perhaps we should reconsider.

Can anyone cite one instance where GW Bush voiced concern about the welfare or liberation of the Iraqi people BEFORE his war, and before he was sworn in as president?  There is no evidence that Bush has demonstrated any concern for any other person except himself through his entire life.  Bush never spoken out for the rights of the common man.  Bush never spoken out against injustice, oppression, or genocide.

Where was Bush when 500,000 Kurds were being killed in Iraq by Saddam when his father, GHW Bush was president?   Where was Bush when 500,000 Iraqi children were dying of hunger due to the allied bombings in Iraq after the Gulf War?  Where was Bush when the massive acts of genocide were occurring in Rwanda? Where is Bush now while a million Sudanese people are being killed? 

Dr. Howard Dean paid a visit to the Vote Mob headquarters on Wednesday, October 20th, where he spoke and answered questions for almost 200 excited but cramped progressive youth who were packed tightly into a small office space on North High Street.

Dean, after dropping out of the Democratic primary race, is focusing on helping the Democratic Party achieve success in the election. He founded the political action committee Democracy for America, which is part of the recent onslaught of groups that is committed to getting progressive voters to the polls. Vote Mob and its parent organization, 21st century Democrats, are allied with Democracy for America under the umbrella organization America Votes, along with thirty or so other groups such as America Coming Together, the League of Conservation Voters, and MoveOn.

The purpose of Dean's visit was to "take an opportunity to thank the volunteers of his partner organization and to stress the importance of the youth vote," according to Rose Steller, a Vote Mob worker.

Vote Mob is dedicated to mobilizing the bloc of voters between the ages of 18 and 30. It is a 527