Thursday, February 10, 2005
The Legacy Is A-Building
Dahr Jamail has been talking to survivors of Fallujah. Remember Fallujah? According to Tony Karon in Time Magagazine from November of last year, “…the primary strategic purpose of recapturing Fallujah…was to facilitate Sunni participation in the January election, and more generally in the post-Saddam order authored by the U.S…” Yeah, that worked out real well, didn’t it? So, what has been happening in Fallujah since we were all so pissed off about the tactics used to destroy it last year? Oh, just an ongoing, boiling-over pot of resentment, as one Fallujah doctor interviewed by Mr. Jamail makes clear:
How, indeed? Pissed off, I would imagine. I can only imagine my reaction in similar situation.
Well, let’s be reeeaallly clear about this: 49% of us fought as hard as we could to run these lying thieves out of office, and most haven’t quit yet. There is a difference between the American government and a large chunk of the American people. But how to make that clear to the rest of the world? I vote for running as many of them out of their federal, state and local jobs as possible in 2006. That would send a message. And the time to organize is NOW. Of course, demonstrations, letter writing and so forth are great, too. But it starts in your local party organization. If you’re Green, and you can get a Green in a local office, great. Otherwise, let’s build our local and state Dem parties a spine. Two local counties have already elected new chairs (with spines), and my county elects next month (it looks like a lock for the candidate with a spine). Then, it’s on to start pushing candidates for public office. Yes, even candidates for the school boards and county commissions and city councils. Don’t think those jobs matter? Think again.
Let's send a message to the world. Bushco is not us. We are not Bushco. And we will not rest until they've been driven from office, exposed for what they are.
“You must understand the hatred that has been caused…it has gotten more difficult for Iraqis, including myself, to make the distinction between the American government and the American people,” he tells me.
His story is like countless others.
“My cousin was a poor man in Fallujah,” he explains, “He walked from his house to work and back, while living with his wife and five daughters. In July of 2003, American soldiers entered his house and woke them all up. They drug them into the main room of the house, and executed my cousin in front of his family. Then they simply left.”
He pauses then holds up his hands and asks, “Now, how are these people going to feel about Americans?”
How, indeed? Pissed off, I would imagine. I can only imagine my reaction in similar situation.
Well, let’s be reeeaallly clear about this: 49% of us fought as hard as we could to run these lying thieves out of office, and most haven’t quit yet. There is a difference between the American government and a large chunk of the American people. But how to make that clear to the rest of the world? I vote for running as many of them out of their federal, state and local jobs as possible in 2006. That would send a message. And the time to organize is NOW. Of course, demonstrations, letter writing and so forth are great, too. But it starts in your local party organization. If you’re Green, and you can get a Green in a local office, great. Otherwise, let’s build our local and state Dem parties a spine. Two local counties have already elected new chairs (with spines), and my county elects next month (it looks like a lock for the candidate with a spine). Then, it’s on to start pushing candidates for public office. Yes, even candidates for the school boards and county commissions and city councils. Don’t think those jobs matter? Think again.
Let's send a message to the world. Bushco is not us. We are not Bushco. And we will not rest until they've been driven from office, exposed for what they are.
