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Southern
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by Rebecca Knight
"The notion that a radical is one who hates his country is naive and usually idiotic. He is, more likely, one who likes his country more than the rest of us, and is thus more disturbed than the rest of us when he sees it debauched. He is not a bad citizen turning to crime; he is a good citizen driven to despair."
-- H. L. Mencken
What makes them do it? What is their motivation? Why would average hard-working American citizens turn to activism, devote hours upon hours of their time pursuing causes for change in government, travel hundreds of miles, expose themselves to the elements, make signs of protest, and walk miles with thousands of others? There can be only one answer. They do it for love of country!
Love of country is currently on display in immeasurable ways. Hundreds of thousands protested for peace and against the Bush administration push for war with Iraq last Saturday throughout the nation. Internet activism is raging throughout the land. People are coming together in unprecedented numbers and by unprecedented means to oppose what they consider to be a gradual destruction of American values and an erosion of American civil liberties by the Bush administration. Blessed are those Americans who take a stand and say enough is enough!
Internet web sites of activism are popping up everywhere covering every cause. They are too numerous to mention them here for fear of leaving out any of critical importance. Suffice it to say that whatever your cause, you can find others who believe as you do simply by doing an Internet search.
What does this all mean? It means that getting involved is easier than ever before. It means that taking a stand on the issues has become critically important for progressives. It means that when frustrated with elected officials who acquiesce to the Bush regime push for dictatorial power, every single American has at their finger tips a way to fight back.
Think about the power that comes from fighting back. Think about the fear it instills in those of the right wing, those who push for war and so easily and willingly give up their civil liberties. Think about how they respond. Think about how the mainstream media only gives passing interest in hundreds of thousands of Americans coming together in a single day of peace activism. The tide is turning and soon it will be simply impossible for the media to ignore.
On Internet web sites and forum boards the right uses their most disgusting tactics to silence Americans from fighting back. They call us anti-American, traitorous, liberal commie pinkos! They can call us whatever they would like. Granted, that is their right. When they do so, they are simply exposing their fear of our strength in numbers.
Numbers, oh yes, numbers. Evidence of our success and the failures of the Bush administration exist in the latest Bush poll numbers. His approval rating is hovering around sixty percent. A freefall from his high of around ninety percent. Sixty percent is still good, but it is no better than Bill Clinton's rating during the heat of the impeachment controversy! Can it be that George W. Bush will suffer the same consequences as his father?
That can only occur if the Democratic Party fields an extremely strong and viable candidate against George W. Bush in 2004. Are there any currently announced candidates capable of accomplishing that task? That is a matter of opinion, but don't forget to consider whether or not they have shown their willingness to take on the Bush administration.
In this space, I have frequently written of my support for Al Gore. I am an unabashed supporter! I have no qualms in admitting that I will advocate for Al Gore at every opportunity. As a native Tennessean, having watched his political career from the beginning, I believe in him. I strongly feel that Al Gore is the right man to lead this nation out of the quagmire Bush has created for us, which will only worsen between now and 2004.
As a result of my support for Al Gore and my belief in activism, I have gotten involved in a Draft Gore Movement. Today is an important day for this movement, as the first public display of our intentions will be launched with a full page, color ad in the Carthage Courier, Gore's hometown. A PDF version of the ad will be placed on the Draft Gore web site later today here: http://www.draftgore.com/index.htm
Members of the Draft Gore 2004 Committee are being interviewed by the press and the wires published a story last night here: http://www.knoxstudio.com/shns/story.cfm?pk=GORE-01-21-03&cat=WW
This same story appeared in the Knoxville, Tennessee newspaper this morning here: http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/politics/article/0,1406,KNS_356_1689060,00.html
CBSNews.com picked up on the story with a small blurb yesterday here (scroll down): http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/02/26/politics/main502099.shtml
This Draft Gore Movement is a grassroots effort born out of frustration with many facets of contemporary politics: the 2000 election, the blatant right wing bias of the mainstream media, the wimpishness of the Democratic Party, and the unhealthy influence of wealth. It is also born out of determination to have our voices heard and to be allowed the due process of choosing a strong Democratic candidate to run against George W. Bush in 2004.
The Draft Gore Movement believes in political activism. It believes in the right of the average American citizen to pursue goals beneficial to this country. It does not ask anything of Al Gore at this point in time, but merely attempts to focus the upcoming primary season on having all options available to all candidates, including Al Gore.
However,
the Draft Gore Movement is not just a symbolic effort. Columnist
William Safire wrote in The New York Times on Jan.
6, 2003, that given the right circumstances, Gore could be
drafted.
Now, you may be asking yourself why on earth would I get involved
in such an effort. I do it for the same reason I write in this
space for BuzzFlash without compensation. I do it because it
is a cause I believe in, but mostly I do it for love of country!
Whatever your cause may be, get involved.
Do it for love of country.
* * *
Rebecca Knight is a native Tennessean, who grew up in Nashville, and currently resides in a small town near Nashville. Ms. Knight's political awareness evolved through the civil rights movement, the Vietnam era, the Watergate era, and the cold war. The debacle of the 2000 election increased her sense of responsibility for political activism. You may contact Rebecca Knight via e-mail at tennessee_gal655@yahoo.com.
© 2002 by Rebecca Knight
