"We Dissent!"
"It is not enough to allow dissent. We must demand it. For there is much to dissent from.
"We dissent from the fact that millions are trapped in poverty while the nation grows rich.
"We dissent from the conditions and hatreds which deny a full life to our fellow citizens because of the color of their skin.
"We dissent from the monstorous absurdity of a world where nations stand poised to destroy one another, and men must kill their fellow men.
"We dissent from the sight of most of mankind living in poverty, stricken by disease, threatened by hunger and doomed to an early death after a life of unremitting labor.
"We dissent from cities which blunt our senses and turn ordinary acts of daily life into a painful struggle.
"We dissent from the willful,heedless destruction of natural pleasure and beauty.
"We dissent from all these structures -- of technology and of society itself -- which strip from the individual the dignity and warmth of sharing in the common tasks of his community and his ountry."
-- Senator Robert F. Kennedy; Berkley; October 22, 1966.
While preparing for the grass roots pro-environment, anti-hydrofracking community's meeting with Robert Kennedy, Jr., next Monday, I came across my copy of RFK's promo-magazine from his 1968 run for the presidency. This powerful speech is included in its pages. (There is also a three page interview with Robert, Jr., then 14.)
It ranks among the best political speeches in our nation's history, in my opinion. It also serves as a stark reminder of what the leaders of the Democratic Party once stood for.
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hall monitors that pile on here. they are far too concerned with being sensible centrist to put up with his "black and white thinking" and "fabricated outrage widgets".
My money would be on him. 
he had real strength, not keyboard tapping strength.
We DEMAND that the following be acknowledged as Basic Human Rights, and protected by our Government of The People!!!
"In our day these economic truths have become accepted as self-evident. We have accepted, so to speak, a second Bill of Rights under which a new basis of security and prosperity can be established for all—regardless of station, race, or creed.
Among these are:
*The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation;
*The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;
*The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;
*The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;
*The right of every family to a decent home;
*The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;
*The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;
*The right to a good education.
All of these rights spell security. And after this war is won we must be prepared to move forward, in the implementation of these rights, to new goals of human happiness and well-being.
America's own rightful place in the world depends in large part upon how fully these and similar rights have been carried into practice for all our citizens. ---FDR, Economic Bill of Rights
At one time, not so long ago,
the above RIGHTS were Democratic Party Policy,
and voting FOR The Democrats
was voting FOR the above values.
Sadly, that is no longer true,
and the people who believe in these traditional Democratic Party Values
no longer have a voice or a choice in our government.
I miss THAT Democratic Party.
[font color=firebrick][center]"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans.
I want a party that will STAND UP for Working Americans."
---Paul Wellstone [/font][/center]
[center]
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[font size=1]photo by bvar22 at the Labor Day Picnic in St Paul
Shortly before Sen Wellstone was killed[/center][/font]
[font size=5 color=green]Solidarity99![/font][font size=2 color=green]
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