[Fwd: us rep kuchinich’s speech]

Ia actually sent this out to a friend the other day. Here’s the links I
mentioned in class, that I would send out.

—–Forwarded Message—–

> http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0308-01.htm
>
> ” Kucinich, whose working-class district elected a conservative
> Republican before him, is confident Democrats from even the most
> competitive districts can safely join him in questioning the war. “The
> key,” he says, “is to recognize that there is a great deal of unity in
> America around some basic values: peace and security, protection of the
> planet, a good quality of life for themselves and for others. When
> people express their patriotism, they are not saying–as some would
> suggest–that they no longer believe in these things. There’s nothing
> unpatriotic about asserting human values and defending democratic
> principles. A lot of Americans are telling me this is the highest form
> of patriotism.” ”
>
> http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0226-09.htm
>
> “The trappings of a state of siege trap us in a state of fear,
> ill-equipped to deal with the Patriot Games, the Mind Games, the War
> Games of an unelected President and his unelected Vice President.
> Let us pray that our country will stop this war. “To promote the common
> defense” is one of the formational principles of America.
> Our Congress gave the President the ability to respond to the tragedy
> of September 11. We licensed a response to those who helped bring the
> terror of September 11th. But we the people and our elected
> representatives must reserve the right to measure the response, to
> proportion the response, to challenge the response, and to correct the
> response.
> Because we did not authorize the invasion of Iraq.
> We did not authorize the invasion of Iran.
> We did not authorize the invasion of North Korea.
> We did not authorize the bombing of civilians in Afghanistan.
> We did not authorize permanent detainees in Guantanamo Bay.
> We did not authorize the withdrawal from the Geneva Convention.
> We did not authorize military tribunals suspending due process and
> habeas corpus.
> We did not authorize assassination squads.
> We did not authorize the resurrection of COINTELPRO.
> We did not authorize the repeal of the Bill of Rights.
> We did not authorize the revocation of the Constitution.
> We did not authorize national identity cards.
> We did not authorize the eye of Big Brother to peer from cameras
> throughout our cities.
> We did not authorize an eye for an eye.
> Nor did we ask that the blood of innocent people, who perished on
> September 11, be avenged with the blood of innocent villagers in
> Afghanistan.
> We did not authorize the administration to wage war anytime,
> anywhere,anyhow it pleases.
> We did not authorize war without end.
> We did not authorize a permanent war economy.”
>
> “This has everything to do with fueling a military industrial machine
> with the treasure of our nation, risking the future of our nation,
> risking democracy itself with the militarization of thought which
> follows the militarization of the budget.”
>
> “Let us pray for our children. Our children deserve a world without
> end. Not a war without end. Our children deserve a world free of the
> terror of hunger, free of the terror of poor health care, free of the
> terror of homelessness, free of the terror of ignorance, free of the
> terror of hopelessness, free of the terror of policies which are
> committed to a world view which is not appropriate for the survival of a
> free people, not appropriate for the survival of democratic values, not
> appropriate for the survival of our nation, and not appropriate for the
> survival of the world.”
>
> etc …