by Editors

Mr Chairman, I rise to speak in favor of the Revolution…

I have jumped feet first back into the political fray. I have done this grassroots politics thing before and now find myself leading a group whose name includes “action”, so I can’t be still.

I was active when Ronald (and Nancy) Reagan served as president. The reality of “supply-side economics” meant very little “trickled down” to the common folk. The war on the poor was in full swing and still rages today. Reagan broke the PATCO [Professional Air Traffic Controllers] union in July 1981 — a slap labor hadn’t had in almost 50 years — and the people began to lose their voice. The “bosses” embedded divides and factions that, 25 years later, are chasms between those WITH and those withOUT. Our differences — money, skin tone, status, ideology, political leaning, spirituality, power — are pushed at us like evil street drugs so we cannot coexist as the wonderful “stone soup” that makes
US America.

Enter Bush II and a new level of audacity; an administration steals an election and is blatantly handed the White House. The usurpers verbally beat their critics and call them crybabies. Mainstream media, bought up and sold out to the controlling interests of the administration, have skewed what is regarded as important news: no one discussed the economy or the (s)election or dishonesty. “Hanging chad” was vilified, so the people stopped speaking out.

When the war drums began beating, we took to the streets. We didn’t want to wage war on the Iraqi people. The UN wanted us to wait 30 days, but the administration said we couldn’t — they were gonna “git” us if we didn’t “gitRdone” first. It is now obvious to most of the nation that we could have waited those 30 days, but the Bush Administration had already planned to start this war and profit from it.

People lose jobs while corporate fat cats continue to profit. Yet WE allowed NAFTA and CAFTA to happen. Have we ever held our representatives accountable, really? Trails of corruption and deceit accompany this administration, trickling down to others in the Grand Oil Party, but they still have the power. No Orange Revolution here.

There is plenty to be upset about: comprehensive health care (how many people don’t get any because they can’t afford the doctor visit, diagnosis or treatment?); job loss; housing costs; inflation and the cost of fuel. The government Beast, deaf and blind to environmental destruction, and with palms greased by the gas and coal industries, has a snail’s pace of research and development into sustainable energy. Religious fundamentalism has taken hold in this country like the Taliban elsewhere, driving further divides based on silly things that don’t really matter and on important rights that have no business being legislated or restricted. There is no freedom FROM religion.

It is time to feed, house and employ our people! It is outrageous that we promote democracy and civil rights elsewhere when our own people are hungry and homeless. I would have made that statement before Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, but now I underscore it. Mr. Chairman, I rise to speak in support of the Revolution, but ONLY if it is bloodless. I’m afraid, however, that the hate and fear mongering of the last five years have made that impossible.

For now, we must exercise our duty and VOTE. Register to vote, get your neighbors and friends to register by October 13, and then vote this fall. Early voting (October 19 – November 4) makes it easy. Call for a ride if you need one. There are no excuses for complacency. We have settled for too long.
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Kirby Heard is Chair of the High Point Democrats in Action, a non-profit social change group promoting full participation in democracy. Visit www.highpointdems.org.

Kirby Heard

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