Reply #167: Here's my letter to Barbara Boxer: [View All]

[Peace Patriot]

Dear Senator Boxer:

My profound thanks to you for your brilliant speech on the Condi Rice nomination today, and for all your efforts to empower the Democrats in Congress and transform them into the advocates of the majority of Americans that they need to be.

Your speech was extremely well-organized and well focused. You laid out the case about Rice's lies in a clearer way that I've ever seen it done before. And the props were an excellent addition to the speech.

You have a high and rough mountain to climb to pull the Democrats back to their progressive roots. I saw just how high, how rough and how difficult with the post-debate interview on C-Span of Bill Frist presenting Andy Young and C. Dolores Tucker. Tucker said "we don't like what's being done"--as if to say that Condi Rice should not be criticized or opposed because she is a black woman.

I was thoroughly shocked. I remember Andy from my time as a civil rights worker in Alabama in 1965. It's beyond me to understand how he or these other African-Americans could possibly support this war policy, the mass murder of a 100,000 Iraqis, the torture of prisoners, and the mockery of democracy that is occurring in Iraq right now, and that occurred in Ohio here on Nov. 2, 2004, and throughout the nation, if the truth were known.

All I can say is, the mountain IS worth climbing. The future of our country depends on it. And if there is bitter disappointment and sadness and tragedy along the way--such as former civil rights workers now currying favor with Bush--that is the price we all must pay for saving our democracy.

Thank you again for your powerful presentation. It was heartening to see something real happening in Congress--real information being provided, and genuine principles being stated.

You are an extraordinarily courageous representative of all of the people.