“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”?-Mahatma Ghandi
Each generation, and each individual in each generation, has a choice: What role will we play?
The Democratic Primary for perhaps the most important Presidential Election in recent history has arrived in our young lives. Do we feel the greatness of this opportunity or do we feel disillusioned and powerless? I urge you to allow yourself the former.
From my year and half of ‘real life’ experience, I have realized that I have an extraordinarily long and open-ended life ahead of me; that I will be a member of various communities, and a self-conscious member of the world; and that I have become scarily and incredibly aware that anything really is possible.
Before I go on, I think it’s important to tell you who I am. I am a Queer woman. I am a Wes Grad (2002). Since graduation I have lived in the SF Bay Area and NYC. I have Coordinated Kucinich LGBTQ outreach in NYC since September. I am a Sociologist and community organizer. I am cynical about everything and irritated by activism. But I am also excitable and passionate and percolating with a desire for sexy and courageous action.
Just under a month ago I arrived in a busy office in Cleveland, OH – the Headquarters of the Dennis J. Kucinich Campaign for President.
I want to ask you, members of one of my many communities: What do you want?! When you graduate, do you want guaranteed healthcare coverage for you and your family? Do you want the US to repeal NAFTA and pull out of the WTO to secure workers rights and environmental sustainability? Do you want Americans to have access to free pre-k through college education? Do you want the right to marry whoever you choose? Do you want to bring our troops home, re-assign billions of occupation dollars to national programs, and transfer the administration of Iraq to the UN? Do you want the Democratic Party to represent these ideals of freedom & justice?
If your answer is yes, I urge you to Vote for Dennis Kucinich in the Democratic Primary.
I am one of many who support the Dennis Kucinich Campaign. Why? Because, Dennis Kucinich has the vision and the courage to believe that we can all have what we want! And he knows how to get us there.
Kucinich volunteers and supporters stay passionate and our campaign grows at a slow but steady pace. We have different backgrounds and motivations, but most of us are in a long-term and multi-faceted movement for positive change.
Change happens in many different ways; we make it happen in many different places–in our homes, schools and workplaces, in rallies and picket lines. We take it to our classrooms, we take it to the streets; now, let’s take it to the ballot boxes! Altogether, our voices will be heard.
March 2 is the day.
Are you planning on voting? What choice are you making? Is it a strategic choice? Is it a choice about what role you will play as a part of our generation? In this world?
The Dennis Kucinich Campaign represents a truly progressive voice. Dennis Kucinich is running for President with the aim of expanding the language and content of political debate within the Democratic Party. That is why Dennis Kucinich is staying in this race—the movement is not over.
Ghandi’s words stay present—on the whiteboard in the Kucinich headquarters, and inside of me—First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.
Which stage is this campaign in? Even as the media ignores us, the ‘front-runner’ candidates continue to appropriate Dennis’ language; people might be laughing at us, asking: what are they thinking? why is he still in the race?!; some fight with us, saying Dennis is a spoiler or even crazy. For sure, we have not won yet, it is true. But does this mean we should give in and submit that change is not possible? That war is inevitable? And poverty? And homophobia?
The Dennis Kucinich Campaign is a vehicle for change within the 2004 Primaries.
We will get delegates to the Democratic National Convention. Candidates who Turn Out 15% of the votes in a given congressional district get delegates. Delegates committed to a given candidate go to the National Convention where they determine the platform, and select the democratic presidential nominee.
?I urge you to consider that a collaborative progressive movement is larger than the individual candidates—it is about vision and it is about voice. I hope you will use your voice, as a part of the campaign that is a part of the movement. I know that we, conscious members of the Wesleyan community and of the world, have the courage to show the Democratic Party what we, the grassroots, want our party to stand for!
Join me, for a rally cry at the polls to demand what we want! Vote Dennis Kucinich on March 2nd 2004.
Call HQ (866-413-3664) if you want to discuss any issues I have brought up or have any questions about Dennis Kucinich.
YOUR VOTE. YOUR VOICE. YOUR COUNTRY. DON’T BE SILENCED.
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