Beyond the Ranting

Department of Peace Legislation Re-introduced in Congress:
Read the bill

Is War the Only Way?
By Jo Streit, January 2007
A company implements various strategies in the pursuit of its goal to make a profit. A successful company doesn't abandon its stated goal in favor of continuing strategies that fail. Instead it alters the strategy and monitors its effectiveness in boosting the bottom line. It's an ongoing process with measurable results.

This is a relevant lesson for the U.S. government which continues to cling to a strategy of military intervention and war to end terrorism and create peace despite the overwhelming evidence that this strategy is a colossal failure! Are we safer? Has the Iraq war reduced the number of terrorists? With a $7 trillion dollar deficit, is the daily cost of $1 billion to continue the current Iraq policy the best investment of taxpayer money? Can anyone who is not beholden to the current policy honestly answer yes to these questions?

The facts indicate otherwise. It makes one question whether global peace and the end of terrorism is the actual goal. If peace is the goal, then its time to implement scientifically proven and cost-effective strategies to end violence, terrorism and war.

“Change happens because of social movements not because of political parties.” - Tom Hayden
By Jo Streit, July 29, 2004

Grassroots In Action: Organizing For Change Within The Democratic Party

Although John Kerry was accepting their party’s nomination that night, Progressive Democrats met during the day to organize and advance the issues uniting them. Their goal is to elect Kerry while continuing to push the candidate and the party to embrace peace, justice, jobs, and universal healthcare.

“I want universal healthcare and I don’t care how we do it,” proclaimed Howard Dean. Dean acknowledged the campaign of Dennis Kucinich when he introduced him to the elated crowd of about 600 people. Both Dean and Kucinich ran for the party’s presidential nomination on a platform that opposed the war. Dean was unrepentant of his remarks earlier in the year when he said the country was not safer despite the capture of Saddam Hussein.

The consensus within the progressive movement is that they are up against an institutional structure that does not want change. Despite the opposition to the war from the base of the Democratic Party and a New York Times poll showing 9 out of 10 delegates at the DNC were also against the war, John Kerry promised to increase military spending during his acceptance speech. His policy pledge was met with silence. Clearly the party elite are out of touch with the views of the party members. Kucinich addressed the urgent need to remain hopeful. “Eight states have included the Department of Peace within their state platforms,” he said. "We are affecting change.”

Despite the challenges faced by the grassroots delegates of Howard Dean and Dennis Kucinich, all vowed to take back the party through direct action. “If we lead he (Kerry) will follow,” promised activist Tom Hayden who spoke about the history of progressive democrats. Hayden reminded the audience that President John F. Kennedy and his brother Bobby, the attorney general, were against the Freedom Rides and the March on Washington during the civil rights movement. It was the conviction of the people and their perseverance that gave JFK the political incentive to support equality for blacks.

The same commitment is required from those of us who want peace. Our efforts cannot be confined to one political election. Our work is ongoing, and like many activists of the past, it may be the work of a lifetime.

Our work now is to go out and tell everyone we know to support this legislation, to write our congressional leaders asking them to support the bill as co-sponsors, and to hold our political leaders accountable to the desires of the American people. Each of us must acknowledge that we can and must lead the way by giving three hours a week of our time to advance these issues or to pledge money to those who will work on our behalf.

“Why was this not on the nightly news in the Unites States of America, my home country. I report in exile.”
- BBC investigative reporter Greg Palast
By Jo Streit, July 28, 2004

In his book, The Best Democracy Money Can Buy, investigative journalist and author Greg Palast uncovered the stark voting abuses in the state of Florida during the 2000 election. Governor Jeb Bush authorized the use of an inaccurate felony list to purge Florida voters, most of them African-Americans, of their right to vote. The official line was to clean up the voter registration rolls, but the rules imposed for using the list by the Republican governor only required an 80% match by name. This allowed removing voters from the registration rolls if their names were similar but not exact to the ones on the felony list.

Other Jim Crow-like tactics used in Florida included intimidation and the blatant use of inaccurate information to keep blacks from voting presumably because they are more likely to cast their ballots for democrats than republicans. Filmmaker Michael Moore, whose documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 is convincing independents, swing, and nonvoters to remove Bush from office because of the Iraqi war, pledged to stop similar voting abuses in 2004.

Pointing to a laptop file of the felony roll still being used in Florida, Moore read an example of the voting injustices that occurred. “Thomas Cooper, male, black, convicted of a felony on the 30th of January 2007! The intention is to make sure that Thomas Cooper doesn’t vote. They will not get away with it this time,” he vowed, adding that he would be in Florida on November 2nd with his cameras and that lawyers were donating their time to monitor the election. Representative Corrine Brown who appears in Moore’s film and whose precinct was targeted for many of the voting abuses in 2000 has asked that international monitors also be brought in to watch the 2004 election.

Palast said that he first aired this information on the BBC in November of 2000, but couldn’t get this information published in the U.S. Moore called on every journalist in Florida to report this story.

Moore surprised Florida democrats with an appearance at their breakfast meeting this morning at the Marriott Copley House. My documentary crew covered the event and the press conference afterwards where Palast joined Moore and Rep. Brown. We provided a clip of the press conference to Democracy Now with Amy Goodman to air on tomorrow’s broadcast.

When Moore said that the majority of Americans opposed war, I asked him why the Democrats had not made this a defining issue. He said that wasn’t true, asking if I could imagine John Kerry rushing the nation into war. Trying to guess the future intentions of Kerry is hardly the measure on which I will cast my vote. The reality is the Democratic Party plank does not call for the withdrawal of our troops in Iraq and Kerry himself was quoted two weeks ago in the San Francisco Chronicle as saying he would not rule out a preemptive strike on a nation if intelligence reports found it was harboring terrorists.

Given the false intelligence, spin, and lies that lead us into Iraq this is hardly the reassurance we in the peace movement are seeking. But Moore, an independent voter, made his intentions clear noting that many voters have put aside their differences in policy to achieve a single goal. “We are on a mission to remove George W. Bush from the White House.”

“We are the ones we have been waiting for” -Rep. Dennis Kucinich
by Jo Streit, July 27, 2004

Congressman Dennis Kucinich was late, but when he arrived he was greeted with a standing ovation by the capacity-room crowd of 350 who had gathered to hear a panel at the Paulist Center near the Boston Capitol. The draw for progressives was an opportunity to hear distinguished activists, legislators, and policy analysts discuss efforts to end the war, mobilize peace advocates to advance legislation, and win back the White House in November. The draw for “Beyond Iraq and the Department of Peace” was so popular that hundreds of progressives were turned away because of limited space. The last luckily few to make it through the doors, including actor James Cromwell, stood against the walls.

Kucinich who authored the legislation to create a cabinet-level Department of Peace which has fifty co-sponsors in the House urged the audience to make peace a reality in their own lives. “It’s easy to talk about world peace, but just try creating it within one’s own relationships,” he joked. I’ve witnessed the challenge of that this week in Boston, watching peace activists engaging Bush supporters in a less than peaceful dialogue about the administration’s current policies. Kucinich will re-introduce the legislation to the new Congress next year and the audience was encouraged to visit their representatives and ask them to join other co-sponsors. Other suggestions were to ask local peace and women’s groups to endorse the legislation, circulate petitions, and to find sponsors in the Senate.

Medea Benjamin, Founding Director of the human rights organization Global Exchange and Green Party candidate for US Senate in 2000, called for peace activists to “treat each other with the same love that we want to spread around the world. Some democrats have vented their anger on other progressives who do not support John Kerry and the party's platform which does not offer much of an alternative on Iraq than the Bush administration.

"I’ve been receiving hate mail,” Medea explained. “Let’s build a movement full of joy and love so that the rest of our comrades who want peace can’t wait to join in.” She acknowledged that a deep political discussion about strategies was crucial because the current ones weren’t working. Progressives have different ideas about how to advance their issues while also ensuring that Bush is given the pink slip. Some say vote for the Green Party’s candidate in safe states and Kerry in swing states, others believe that Ralph Nader must be heard, while others including Dennis Kucinich are working to build the progressive movement with the Democratic Party.

Tom Hayden, California legislator and longtime activist, encouraged everyone to go to NYC and march in Central Park during the Republican National Convention. Peace activists have been denied a permit to march in Central Park and others will be herded into protest pens. “Fear is taking over this country and we have to increase the heat from the street if we are to reclaim our democracy,” he said. If we're not in NYC, then the FBI and the Republicans will see that their fear tactics are working.

Moderated by actress Mimi Kennedy, the panel also included Phyllis Bennis, a Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies in Washington D.C and Steve Cobble a political strategist for three decades who has worked with George McGovern, Jesse Jackson, and Ralph Nader.

Jo interviews activists in Boston
by Jo Streit, July 26, 2004

Roaming the streets of Boston on this first day of the Democratic National Convention, the activists were out in force eager to share their political views. Yet the “Free Speech Zone,” set-up for protesters adjacent to the Fleet Center where the DNC is taking place, resembled a holding pen for convicted criminals rather than a beacon for the First Amendment. Fenced in with double walls, enclosed overhead with barbed wire, and guarded from the outside by military personnel, the reality of the Free Speech Zone reminded me of the irony of promising peace through war.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the Right of the people to peaceably to assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

There’s no law that prohibits activists from voicing themselves in Boston, they’re just relegated to a holding pen at a distance from the entrance to the Democratic Convention. Apparently those in attendance have sensitive ears and the cages are to protect them from the babbling of those voices not allowed on the inside. A protester or two with signs was tolerated on the street by the guarded main entrance, but not assembled groups of people. One navy veteran tried to enter the “Free Speech Zone” with an American flag, but was denied access by police because it was on a flagpole, which is now considered a potential weapon.

Other protesters were allowed access to the open air of the public streets as long as they remained out of sight and sound of the DNC. However, a permit was required. The Socialist Party gathered at the barren Government Center by City Hall it makes its case for workers. I interviewed Mary Alice Herbert, a former teacher and current Vice Presidential candidate of the Socialist Party. She carries a pen with a scroll detailing the military spending of the USA and how the “Axis of Evil” nations spend 7% of what we spend on weapons. Given that I could barely read it and I was standing right next to her, it’s a safe bet that she could have waved it in front of the convention center entrance without incident.

Kucinich Delegates in Boston
By Jo Streit, July 25, 2004

“I promised people back home that I would vote for you and that’s what I have to do.” - Kucinich Delegate

Delegate after delegate stood up and pleaded with their candidate Dennis Kucinich regarding this week’s convention vote for the Democratic presidential nominee. On Thursday, Kucinich endorsed Senator John Kerry despite having continued to campaign for the nomination up until that point. In his announcement, he called for party unity, but delegates resisted the idea of voting for Kerry on the convention floor without having their first preference known.

“This is my first vote in my first election and I’m asking you to not ask me to vote against my conscience,” pleaded 20-year old delegate Jessica Beckett from Seattle Washington. Jessica’s speech drew tears and a standing ovation from the other delegates. Her words also touched Dennis who rose from his seat to embrace her.

“I will vote for Kerry in November, no doubt, but progressives need to know that we are not folding to party pressure or big money,” explained another delegate. Another added that if the progressive voice was not included at the national level of the party then there was little incentive for people to stay involved.

Working at the local and state level to build coalitions and reach out to independents and nonvoters, Kucinich acknowledge that their efforts had influenced eight states to take a position within the state platform in support of a Department of Peace. Kucinich first introduced legislation to create a cabinet level position within the executive branch two months before 9/11.

“You’ve made it clear what you want and I’m going to appeal directly to the Kerry campaign to integrate these points of view,” promised Kucinich. “I understand that you need to be visible.” He also acknowledged that the presence of Kucinich delegates at the convention would help Kerry at the November polls by showing diversity within the party especially to those constituents who are not traditionally democrats. If not, those voters might support independent candidate Ralph Nader.

“We are the party and the party is becoming us,” said Kucinich. Citing a New York Times poll in today’s paper, he noted that 9 out of 10 delegates oppose the war. “We are connected to the heart and soul of the party. We have to use our influence to reinforce the peace movement.” The candidate decided not to drive a wedge in the party over the issue of Iraq, despite having little influence in the platform. Kucinich said that they were working to reshape the party from the inside and that he would continue to challenge the war and the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq.

Kucinich will address a primetime audience Wednesday night with a seven-minute speech broadcast live from the convention.

Liberty and Union Now and Forever
By Jo Streit, Saturday July 24, 2004

The enormous painting presiding over the stage at Fanueil Hall bears the motto “Liberty and Union Now and Forever” on the bottom of the frame. It is a powerful reminder of our founders' vision. The painting of a town hall meeting reflects the heritage of this historic structure as “The Cradle of Liberty” and the power of gathering together to discussion political action.

Yet, in the mid-1700s, when protest meetings against the British Empire were held at the Hall, the “Sons of Liberty” often spilled into the streets afterwards to engage in acts of violence. The current second revolution or evolution for Americans is to restore “Liberty and Union” without violence.

To that end, five hundred of us gathered last night to hear veterans address the nation in a commitment to “defeat militarism and the politics of fear.” Hosted by Veterans for Peace, the four hour gathering featured veterans and survivors from WWII, Vietnam, and Iraq as well as military families as they shared the horrors of war and the need for peaceful resolution of conflicts.

Declaring “war is terrorism,” Howard Zinn reminded us that “we cannot rely on political leadership to rectify injustices. Democracy does not come from the government, democracy comes from the people.” This week in Boston is a testimony to the will of people to restore our nation’s promise of liberty and union, a union with people all over the world in a vision of shared humanity, peace, freedom and equality before the law.

The founders who gathered at Fanueil Hall in Boston over two hundred years ago carried their messages of unity and independence throughout the colonies. We too must take our messages of peace and justice into our local communities. We cannot depend on the Democratic Party to alter the shameful history of violence as a tool in foreign policy. Instead we must continue to gather together and share the tears, laughter, songs, and fiery political speeches that give us the energy to continue our commitment to peace beyond the 2004 presidential election.

Nader and Ballot Access - Why is political competition such a vile idea in the land of democracy and free markets?
By Jo Streit, July 20, 2004

Across the country, the media reports that by running for president as an independent candidate Ralph Nader will “steal” votes from Democratic contender John Kerry. There are so many problems with this assumption that it’s hard to give it credence. First, this erroneously assumes that every vote that is not for President Bush is “owned” by John Kerry. In a democracy we the people own our votes not the candidates. This is the principle idea of one person, one vote. Instead we’ve tossed this founding wisdom for the rhetoric that coddles and protects the political status quo by marginalizing voters who don’t agree with it. We're basically invited to disregard the entire point of representative democracy by not voting for the candidates who best represent our policy preferences. Reform will never be achieved by voting for the lesser of two evils. And by not voting, one is actually supporting the status quo.

Given that half of Americans typically do not vote in elections, it would seem obvious that the major two parties do not represent the views nor address the important issues of every American. Having political alternatives on the ballot might engage these voters by giving them a voice in the political process. Why do we protect our ability to choose among 26 brands of toothpaste, but protest more than two political choices?

The other fact overlooked by the hysterical proponents of “a vote for Nader is a vote for Bush” is that to date Nader has ballot access in one state, Nevada, making it impossible for voters in any other state to cast a ballot for him. While it may boost ratings or make interesting copy to blame Nader for the failures of Al Gore and the Democrats in 2000 and to scare the electorate with a predicted reprise in 2004, at present it’s NOT possible because Nader lacks ballot access! Instead of this “stealing” election fantasy, why aren’t we talking about the suppression of political competition and educating voters on how to influence the major two party platforms before the election?

It seems that fear and opinion journalism maintain a grip on the national dialogue and we the people buy into it without evaluating the truth. The dialogue swirls around the irrelevant and erroneous conclusions of those who prefer to thwart democracy. Perhaps if more of us understood the historic role that third parties have played in this country, we would spend our energies promoting political competition instead of condemning it. Without the active efforts of third parties, the United States might still have slavery, child labor, and women who are denied the right to vote. The pressures exerted by third parties alter the dialogue and facilitate policy changes. In 1992, the Republicans and Democrats started talking about the debt and deficient because of the millions of voters who embraced Ross Perot's candidacy; one that emphasized this issues. When millions of voters back an alternative candidate signing petitions to get him or her on the ballot the major two parties start paying attention to the issues advocated by that candidate and adjust policy to win back those voters.

The United States may have signed the Helsinki Accords promising to ensure ballot access and free airtime for political candidates, but in practice we do neither. Instead of honoring our commitment to free and fair election practices, we allow Democratic and Republican legislators to write state laws barring their political competition from the ballot; we buy into the “wasted” or “stolen” vote spin of the media, and accept the illegal exclusion of third party and independent candidates from public debates.

Frankly the United States doesn’t have the moral authority to thrust democracy on other nations nor to ask our troops to sacrifice their lives so that the Iraqi people can have a voice in their government when we openly undermine these same principles at home. Perhaps we should bring the troops home and put them to work restoring democracy here.