Tuesday, July 24, 2007

John Conyers Is No Martin Luther King

By Ray McGovern
July 24, 2007

What do Rep. John Conyers, D-Michigan, chair of the House Committee on the Judiciary, and President George W. Bush have in common? They both think they can dis Cindy Sheehan and count on gossip columnists like the Washington Post’s David Milbank to trivialize a historic moment.

I’ll give this to President Bush. He makes no pretence when he disses. He would not meet with Sheehan to define for her the “noble cause” for which her son Casey died or tell her why he had said it was “worth it.”

Read on.
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4 comments:

Elizabeth Ferrari said...

Dear John, Ray, Cindy and David

I followed as closely as I could yesterday the conversation you tried to have with each other. And first, I want to thank you for your work. Without you, our national conversation on the topics of war and peace, accountability and human rights would be in a deeper ditch than the one Cindy camped out on in Crawford that first year. So first, thank you. You all give me hope that the welfare of our people is important to someone.

And maybe, that's all I should say. Our people have been victimized in so many ways these last seven years. We've been slaughtered at our desks, and drowned, and killed by IEDs, killed by preventable disease and by poverty. Today, it seems like a breakthrough that people who agree, as much as you all actually agree, would go to all the trouble of having a fight over us.

I will never forget the first time I heard each of you speak. Because you never promised solutions for all our ills -- instead, you each raised questions, important ones. And you evoked a vision of an American electorate that could locate its inherent power to care for itself. That is the strength that you fostered, that is the muscle we need to tone, flex and use.

Today, I felt downcast because my comrades in struggle have fallen out with each other. Peace. What movement hasn't met this moment? And we, being human, will have these moments. They are inevitable. Our challenge is to counter them despite the last upset, the last reaction, the last angry word, with the profound knowledge that our work is before us and that we share our commitment to that work. You all know that better, more deeply, than I do.

I submit, we can meet this moment with the strength and the respect and the history of struggle we share. The pressures that swirl around you all are mighty -- more than I will ever know in my small sphere. But, I trust you all to manage those currents and to continue to stand up for us.

Solidarity,

Elizabeth Ferrari

San Francisco

Wed Jul 25, 03:13:00 PM 2007
Anonymous said...

The federal juggernaut rolls on, and over, the bodies of everyone in its mindless robotic path. It cares for, and feels, nothing for whomever it ignores, lies to, or destroys. It, and its enablers, will mewl about how it hasn't the "votes" when all it really means to say is that it isn't easy enough for them. Thats just a limp wrist excuse as usual from the mouth of an utterly corrupt congress. Only fear or greed motivates these goons into any sort of action.

Tue Jul 31, 11:34:00 AM 2007
Rauha (Peace) said...

On hearing of the arrest of the group at John Conyers Jr.'s office I sent him a subject line email: Martin Luther King Jr. says "Shame on you!"

I am saddened by John Conyers Jr.'s attitude which forget selectively the humiliation he was subjected to when he was dealing with Sensenberger.

I only wish you all will concentrate on the primary issue rather than get unnecessary flack by flying off to meet with Castro, Chavez and others.

Get your country back from the tyrants!

Tue Jul 31, 10:59:00 PM 2007
Anonymous said...

You write very well.

Mon Nov 10, 08:50:00 AM 2008

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