Is Dennis Kucinich still a Democrat? Doesnt sound like it

[reddread]

35. for what its worth

damn. I guess its not that easy to post a picture, and I dont have a usable link. What my pictures show is Elizabeth Kucinich kneeling and talking to a homeless woman in a wheelchair. Im going to avoid using names that arent necessary and apologize for not having a link to post here. I guess I will try to do in a thousand words what that experience did to me in 20 minutes.
I can always count on AnnM, or others familiar with the many notable horrors of Fresno's staunch conservative policies and practices that have somewhat famously impacted the homeless and the peace community that Peace Fresno represents with so much dignity, to back up the facts I will try to present here in shorthand.
Sometime close to my birthday in December of 2007, a very special guest of honor was directed to our weekly Food Not Bombs serving at Roeding Park here in Fresno. Apparently a friend of mine was contacted by her appointment manager looking for something to do while coming into Fresno for a fundraiser meet and greet that Saturday night. Lucky for us, we were on the menu and she was able to come out to the park and see what was what.
Unluckily, from a personal perspective, attendance at these meals fluctuates, and as that day proved perfectly, when you need to impress people with the importance of the work, nearly no one showed to eat, when it would be most fortuitous from a PR POV. In fact I would be willing to say it was the least attended meal I have witnessed, although a good number of "volunteers" and other would be attendees turned up. But, there were a few reliable friends present, one of them being a very unhealthy woman named Sherrie, often called "wheelchair Sherrie" an erstwhile comfort person, with severe physical complications, and a recent history of betrayal and disservice by the local Community Hospital which received something like $20 million dollars a year to deal with indigent people and their health problems.
I was personally involved in demanding and receiving promises of real care for her conditions from doctors working for this institution, and although they hold full responsibility for their failure to uphold, I feel ultimately responsible for failing to perceive her husbands inability to protect her interests in a life and death matter. In fact, she died perhaps a month later.
All of that is simply background for what I would like to convey about Elizabeth Kucinich.

For almost her entire time there, and from the moment she got out of the car and walked towards Sherrie, she kneeled and talked with her, listened and cared. I would estimate 20 minutes passed before she got up and shook hands with people.
Its important to realize that although pictures were taken, perhaps video by her fellow travelers, those things were not the point of her actions. She was not going to exploit the situation, if only because practically no one was there, certainly no formal media, and very few observers. She simply saw Sherrie and went straight to her, listening and perhaps trying to comfort. I knew nothing of her background, but immediately sensed a combination of Mother Theresa and Princess Diana.

The saddest part for me, was a few months later when she returned to Fresno and met a packed room of supporters at the Denny's near where I live. A woman who has since departed made the bad decision of informing Elizabeth of Sherries passing.
Elizabeth broke down crying, and I could have strangled the lady who pushed that button.

Really, all of this is simply a way of me trying to convey that the GENUINE heart and compassion of this lady certifies Dennis Kucinich, in my mind as being the real thing, as much as any human can be. Otherwise, I dont think she would be with him.

and that is a really short shrift of a very long story that involves many abused and dead homeless women, including Pam Kincaid.
I suppose I could try and document and emphasize what I saw and how it was more real and IMPORTANT to someone literally dying on the streets, but its hard to get past the fact that I failed to prevent that untimely and horrific departure.
Ms. Kucinich, you will always have my deepest gratitude and admiration.
Snarky scumbags who dismiss Dennis for trying to make a living after what the Democratic National Committee did to this fearless spokesperson for peace and justice?
enmity.