March 25, 2008
Philip A Farruggio
Senator Obama gave an excellent speech last week on race relations in America. It was honest, forthright and as candid as one could publicly get. The following day, the senator is gave another speech on Iraq, and the ( so called ) ' War ' . To those of us who actually study history and the constitution, we correctly label it as the ' Iraq Occupation ' .
March 19 was also the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq by (primarily) our nation and the Brits. Those of us who stood on that day on street corners throughout this great country ( and have been doing so for years ) ... we recognize March 19, 2003 as one of the most disgraceful days in the history of our republic. Our government committed an illegal and immoral attack and occupation, breaking Lord knows how many covenants of our own constitution and those of international law.
President John F Kennedy, before, during and after his brief presidency, gave stirring and intellectually stimulating speeches. He rallied many Americans through his calls for freedom and transparency. Then, he ' signed off ' on the Bay Of Pigs invasion of Cuba by exiles and mercenaries trained and financed by our government. He later ' signed off ' on the assassination of President Diem of South Vietnam. JFK hung many skeletons in his political closet.
One can only hope ( and pray ) that Senator Obama is a man of highest character and integrity on matters of truth in government. Yet, something about his ' foreign policy persona ' troubles me. First off, he continually speaks of how he " was against this war before it started, and against it afterwards.... and against it now!" Why then, for goodness sakes, would he continue to vote to fund it?
This is the primary check and balance put into the constitution by our founders: the ' Power of the purse '. It was purposely placed there to keep a leader, any leader, from rushing this nation into foreign entanglements AKA Wars. Senator Obama knows this. He is a highly intelligent, well educated man. Yet, he did what many politicians do, once in power: Go along to get along.
Secondly, the senator had a golden opportunity to make a statement about the ( so called ) war he did not support, when Ms. Rice was nominated to become Secretary of State. Now, mind you, an American Secretary of State is the liaison, if you would, between our government and other governments. This person reflects outward what we as a nation stand for.
The whole darn world knew, come on folks, that it was Ms. Rice who ran from news program to news program shouting the mantra " smoking gun being a mushroom cloud " about Iraq's supposed (and false) WMDs . She was part of the problem concerning the Bush administration, not part of any solution, and Senator Obama gave her ' a pass ' . Why?
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Look at Senator John Kerry. In 1971, as spokesperson for the Vietnam Veterans Against The War, Kerry gave a tremendously powerful and forthright testimony ( really an oration ) before the Senate Armed Services Committee. His " Who will be the last man killed for a mistake? " rings so true today, does it not?
Yet, where is John Kerry, where has he been, during this Iraq mistake? He also voted to continue funding the occupation ( I refuse to say War ) right up until ( and after) the Presidential election of ' 04. Why? To convince those swing voters we keep hearing about?
Well, folks, how about the 50 % of eligible voters who do not vote?
One would think that most in that demographic are people who are not doing so well financially. Maybe if candidates ( Kerry, now Clinton and Obama ) could have spoken ' truth to power ' , by their actions , they then could have stated: " OK, I did not vote to continue funding this mistake in Iraq.
That money, the money I refuse to send to Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney for their War, should be used to create more and better jobs, better roads and schools, and to find a way to lower your gas prices at the pump. I know that it is you, the 9 to 5 American, who uses more gasoline to get to and from work, pick up the kids at school and go shopping for groceries. Let's use that 10 - 12 Billion dollars a month to help the hundreds of millions of working Americans.
Haven't enough of your tax dollars gone into the coffers of Haliburton, Bechtel , General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Blackwater, and the other contractors making billions off of the blood and sweat of our soldiers and the Iraqi people... to the tune of over 600 Billion dollars?!!"
Alas, if only the American public realized just how powerful we are, as a mass consciousness. Whenever local town and city councils get even 15 citizens to come out to meetings and demand change in policy, things happen. I have seen it with my own eyes, right here where I live. The mayor is a reasonable man, as are many on the council.
They understand the fundamental principle that the voice of the people counts for something. Yet, it has to be a real voice, not the whisper of a handful. Reflect this Easter season on the many wonderful sayings of the New Testament . My favorite is : " As ye do to the least of mine, you do to me! " Actions...... speak volumes to mere words.
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Philip A Farruggio [send him email] is a free lance columnist, small businessman and activist. Since the 2000 elections, he has written over 80 op ed columns- few if any get published or posted. to review some which have been shown, just google his name.
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