I'm a new member to John Kerry Group . . .

[Klimmer]

I've been hanging out in the 2004 Election Results and Discussion forum since just after the election (I've been pissed about the stolen election like so many of us) where I could find solace and I have learned so much about election fraud (needed fire proof underwear at times), but I've been peeking in here from time to time also. It's high time to join, so I have. Looking forward to the hour long MTP interview tomorrow with JK.

I'll be honest, I didn't know squat about JK until he won in the primaries. At that time, someone in another forum I contribute to on free-flight, mentioned JK was an advanced rated H4 hanglider pilot and a member of USHGA; I'm a paraglider pilot and USHGA member, and very active in the outdoor sports and environmental activism. I was intrigued. The possibility of a President who cared about the issues I care about and someone who has the guts and gusto to free-fly! Wow! So I completely checked him out (read "Tour of Duty," "JFK: the Complete Biography by the Boston Globe," watched the DVDs "Going UpRiver: the long war of JK," and "Brothers in Arms" and any article I can find on the man) and I was really impressed, still am. I've been a JK loyalist ever since.

I didn't really learn in detail about his Iran/Contra/CIA/Drug investigations and bringing down BCCI until after Nov. 2nd. I wish this information was more public at the time, it would have placed more doubt concerning the Bush Crime Family in people's minds, and totally made any Neo-con argument that he didn't accomplish anything in Congress totally irrelevant. We all know better, he did do so much and sometimes allowed others to take the credit for it. Just another humble attribute of JK that I admire. Anyway, sometimes you just need to feel a personal connection to the candidate, and I certainly have.

Now I know no one is perfect. JK has his faults, but in every-way imaginable he is the right choice. I really feel he will be our President one day, and not just our shadow President, although I will gladly accept that for now, if it's all I can have.

I would like to meet JK someday. I would like to just sit down, talk and have a beer with the man. Not sure if he still flies his hang-glider, but I did learn that he took a tandem ride on a paraglider in Ketchum, Idaho not too long ago. My family and I we're planning a trip back east this summer (we're in San Diego), heading to Kitty Hawk (never been there and gotta fly it) and I want to take my family to DC where I got woken-up politically speaking. I was stationed at Fort Myers, VA. (think Arlington Cemetery), for 2 years '82-'84 (peace time---well the US Army Rangers did beat-up Grenada at the time and rescue students) in the "The Old Guard," US Army Honor Guard (Co. E). It was the Reagan/Bush admin. at the time (uuughhh). It was great though to see/witness all the activism in that city. Great place to be. Always something happening. I was at the Vietnam War Memorial dedication, wonder if JK was there? Though I wouldn't have known who he was.

Hope you'll all have me.:toast:

Some pro-Kerry posts I've done in the DU hot room:

I absolutely agree . . .
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x269281#270878

What Kerry said to 13 year old Syrian . . .
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x284407#284407

Kerry is on the job!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x300287#301166

[blm]

1. Couldn't agree more on the IranContra-BCCI point.

Too bad one of his main campaign guys didn't think most people would understand it. Shame on Shrum for that decision.

Glad you took the time to learn more about Kerry. He really is a well-rounded individual and modern day hero.

[JohnKleeb]

3. Greatest nominee of my life I thought

An excerpt from my community service essay for government.
"I decided to work for the Kerry-Edwards campaign because I wanted to see John Kerry be our next president. I personally admire Senators Kerry and Edwards very much, I was not of the Anyone But Bush crowd who supported Kerry only because he wasn’t Bush. I was a genuine fan of the Senator."

[JI7]

5. that is really frustrating to me also

it was a real asset he had. something which dealt with the "he did nothing in the senate" attacks and the "solf on terrorism" attacks.

and yet Shrum did not use it . what a fucking idiot. i do remember Kerry himself mentioning it at times. but it needed to be made into ads and used as part of the overall message.

[Sydnie]

2. Welcome Klimmer! Always room for one more!

Glad you joined us!

Hope you have a great trip to DC and Kittyhawk. Call ahead and maybe you can catch a glimpse of JK in his DC office. It could happpen!

[TayTay]

22. Call ahead and see if you can find out the schedule

This is not stalker stuff. Kerry is very dilligent at attending committee hearings and you can usually meet and greet at these things. (I saw him meet and greet people at the Condi hearings.)

Even the Boston Globe had to admit that Kerry is an unusually accessible politician. He likes to meet people. The national image is so screwed up. I know lots of folks who have met Kerry with relative ease. (Yeah, I know, I'm a constituent, but even so.) Just find out if Finance or Foreign Affairs are meeting, attend the hearing, then go up to the table and say Hi! This is routine stuff.

[ginnyinWI]

4. welcome to you, Klimmer

Another one who just joined us today is "holiday". I'm really glad JK is keeping a core of loyal supporters! He's still on the job and we've got his back. :thumbsup:

[angrydemocrat]

6. Welcome To The Greatest Group At DU!

All you will find in here are Kerrycrats. Everyone here loves John Kerry thats for sure.

Welcome:toast:

[sandnsea]

7. Welcome Klimmer!!

Great post. I couldn't agree with you more on Kerry's record, and even more than Iran/Contra and BCCI. The environment, SBA, women's issues, crime, education, health care, Vietnam veterans, Vietnam normalization, international money laundering, and on and on. It's the biggest frustration I had with the campaign. His real record was the answer to every charge against him. I don't know how they let him be spun as a do-nothing Senator.

[paulk]

8. welcome

do you mean the band "Yes"? in your profile?

[Klimmer]

13. That would be a very affirmative --- YES

I don't want to start any band wars, but I believe YES is the BEST progressive rock band in the universe. I'm a huge fan since 1974. I guess I like my music like I like my politics --- progressive!:headbang:

[paulk]

21. I was way into them in high school

I still pull out "fragile" every now and then...

there was a PBS fund drive locally - they were showing all these live concerts - can't remember the name of the show - soundstage? - anyway - they had a yes concert - pretty recent - they did some acoustic versions - pretty cool - bought back some good memories...

[Klimmer]

26. Yep, saw the same KPBS fund drive here in San Diego . . .

They came through San Diego 2X for the "35 Year Anniversary Tour." First time through took my family and after the concert I got Steve Howe's autograph on the program.

Second time through at the end of the tour almost 6 months later, bought two tickets to the concert, got the latest CD set, and a forth coming DVD called "Songs from Tsongas" and extended our PBS membership all at the same time. Great concerts. They just keep getting better and better believe it or not. They are incredibly tight, on, and smooth.

Went to the concert with a friend who has his own band and I respect his opinion musically, he knows so much about it all, and he hadn't seen YES since "Relayer" tour in the early 70's. He was blown away! That night after the concert, he couldn't wait, he got home and ordered many of their CDs and latest works. Next time they come to town you should go. By the way, Wakeman is back in the band. Also they have a recent DVD out with just acoustic versions of some classics, believe it or not, that concert was satellite "live" fed from LA to many movie theaters last year throughout the US as a special concert. Went to that with my daughter. Pretty neat experience. They're doing great.

Edited to add this link to YES:
http://yesworld.com/

[Pirate Smile]

9. Welcome, you can always come hide in here when things get

to nasty other in other forums. I'm just returning from a dangerous trip to LBN. I need a medic.

:hi:

[JohnKleeb]

10. medic here

lemme get my helmet on so they don't fire on me.

[Pirate Smile]

12. You know me, have you missed how close my politics are to Ann Coulter?

:eyes:

[JohnKleeb]

14. is it because you realize complexities

that things aren't so black and white, if they're attacking you because of that, its they dude who are like Coulter. Life and politics are complex things. I learned last night abotu the four different kinds of conservatives.

[Pirate Smile]

15. I know, I realized I am WAY too NUANCED. That nasty, nasty word.

No wonder I like John Kerry.

[JohnKleeb]

16. You want a bandage?

I can't fight with those irrational fools anymore but I can be a medic and still help out. I see things in shades of gray too.

[Pirate Smile]

17. Thanks, John. You are a sweetheart.

:)

[JohnKleeb]

19. I gotta help out even though Ive stopped fighting myself

[Klimmer]

11. Thank you everyone for the very warm welcome . . .

:grouphug:

[seito]

18. And another welcome

I have enjoyed your posts in the Election forum. Welcome to the JK group. :hi:

[TayTay]

20. Welcome and you warm my heart

I have a link to the speech JK gave at 'The Wall' in 2002. I believe he was the keynoter at the 20th anniversary.

http://www.vietnamwar.com/JohnKerryNov112002.htm

You know, sometimes I think we in Ma are dolts. We know so much, but take it for granted. Everybody in the State knows that JK suffered a lot from his Vietnam experience. He had the whole nightsweats and dreams about his killing experience in Vietnam. Part of that got him elected. Part of that is what has made him such an intriguing guy for all these years. I knew that. I forgot that. I guess, each time someone posts something like this, I re-learn it.

Thanks! I want to remember some of this stuff. It's for my new Iraqi Vet guys. They are always on my mind.

[Klimmer]

24. Thanks so much for this link to Kerry's speech for 20 Ann. of Vietnam Mem.

I hadn't seen this site before. Reading Kerry's speech my eyes got misty.

When I was there in 1982 at the original dedication, it was incredibly moving. For a week prior and after, Vietnam veterans were all over Washington D.C., and my unit "The Old Guard" . . .

http://www.mdw.army.mil/oldguard/index2.htm

did many ceremonies in their honor at Ft. Myer and at the Colosseum at Arlington Cemetery. You can see the Honor Guard Co. E, "Color Guard" just above JK in the last image while giving his speech. I was in a different platoon but same Co. E. I will always remember the large parade that the Vietnam Veterans were finally honored with in D.C., that day in '82. It was like the nation finally woke-up and realized these veterans served honorably believing in their country and government. They fought with that belief and commitment, and love of fellow soldiers, even though our government lied. We owe them a great honor and gratitude and it finally happened. Vietnam veterans could finally hold their heads high. They finally got the honor and parade that they always deserved.

Now the veterans of the Iraq war are going through the same turmoil, same pain, same disabilities, same nightmares, same suicides, same divorces --- the same lies are being told from above --- but at least now the nation has learned to honor their duty and direct our anger at the government. So when are we going to take to the streets to end this unholy war?

[TayTay]

25. It's coming, my friend, it's coming

I remember thinking last fall that if Kerry didn't win that this would signal the growth of the biggest anit-war movement in 30+ years. There are already plans to have massive multi-city protests on March 19th, which is the 2nd anniversary of the start of this abomination.

You know, you bring back memories. When I was just a kid, we would have these big 4th of July parties. We had this big back yard and this crappy above ground swimming pool. My uncle, who lived on the Cambridge/Somerville line would bring over strays he found in the neighborhood. Kids with hard pasts. Anyway, one year he scooped up a bunch of Vietnam vets and brought them over to party with us. Great fun. It being the 4th, we wanted to make loud noises to celebrate the occasion. The Vietnam vets were amused at us stupid-kids and decided to teach us how to make hand-held cannons that would make really loud booms. (It involved used Bud cans that you took the tops and bottoms off of, tapped 'em toegther with duct tape and then lite with lighter fluid. Big damn boom.) My mother was not happy that we were learning how to make explosive devises, but the vets had a blast. I loved those guys.

I think my favorite part of Kerry's '71 testimony is his plea for the vets to be taken care of. I cry each time I see that. So true. He knew first hand what it was like to be dismissed and distrusted by the public when he came home. The public may have learned something about how to respect a veterans service, but the current Pres has not. His treatment of vets is a crime. Oooh, I dislike that man more every day.

You were there when The Wall was dedicated? Wow! That is such an incredibly moving public momument. It just goes right to my heart. And the Vietnam guys deserve that so much. I knew those some of those guys. Their service was every bit as noble as the WWII guys. I was so pleased when they were finally recognized.

[vinessa4freedom]

23. Welcome

This is a great place. I'm glad you're here. :hi:

[elshiva]

27. Welcome Klimmer!

Thanks for the post and the one about the Syrian boy.
Kerry has been the most exciting presidential candidate of my life (this is only my second prez election). I just think it's awesome to think people like Kerry and Dean have been fighting for my rights as a queer American for nearly as long as I've been alive.
Note: I'm a Derryiac!

[TayTay]

28. Rights for all aAmericans to be who they are

I have always liked his support of GLBT folks. (Ahm, we kinda have a history in MA in terms of dealing with full rights for all citizens including GLBT. Have you heard? It might have come up in the last election.) The only committment he is not ready for is full support for Gay Marriage, but that will clome in due course. The rest is rock solid.

[elshiva]

29. I've heard of "Boston Marriages,"

which was the nineteenth century version of lesbian shacking up. And I know Boston is still a great place for GLBT people. Provincetown, MA or "P-Town" is known as the vacation spot for queer families. There is a great lesbian romance called "Provincetown Summer," which I hope to find and read today.
As for Gay Marriage, as a religious person, I understand his angle on it. As a Roman Catholic, Kerry's fully aware of the sacramental nature of marriage, so he doesn't think it's his job as politician to force the change in religious ideas of marriage. That said, he is for civil unions, which is partnership rights and equality under the law, if not the church, where politicians should not have any jurisdiction.
That said many of my co-religionists are organizing for the right to marriage. See Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry at
www.rcfm.org