Alan Grayson in my inbox. He talks about the State of Our Union - and is going to run again

[Mira]

The movie Green Lantern opened on Friday, to mixed reviews. Maybe the reviews would have been better if the movie had included this powerful exchange, from Green Lantern #76:
African-American Man: I’ve been readin’ about you . . . How you work for the blue skins . . . and how on a planet someplace you helped out the orange skins . . . and you done considerable for the purple skins! Only there’s skins you never bother with – the black skins! I want to know . . . how come?! Answer me that, Mr. Green Lantern!
Green Lantern: I . . . can’t . . . .

I may never have the chance to talk to George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, or any of the other Masters of the Universe who led and misled our country for eight long years. Nor may I ever have the chance to speak to Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich, Rush Limbaugh, or any of the other savage right-wing loons who want to finish the job that Bush et al. started. But if I could, I might say:
Me: I’ve been readin’ about you . . . How you work for multinational corporations like Big Oil. . . . And how you say you built all those roads and schools and bridges in some country in Asia. And in some other country in the Middle East someplace you got rid of some dictator. Only there’s one country you never bother with – America! I want to know . . . how come?! Answer me that, Mr. Flag-Waiving Patriot!
Them: I . . . can’t . . . .

Well, I can answer that. For a generation now, we have seen the heartless, callous erosion and destruction of all the things that make you a member of the middle class in America:
A job.
A home.
A car.
The chance to see a doctor when you are sick.
A pension or retirement account.
Social Security and Medicare.
And we’ve seen them replaced by endless war, falling home values, no pensions, lower wages, and now what Karl Marx called a “reserve army of the unemployed” – to keep wages down forever.
Even after only two years in office, as one out of 435 in the House, I can point to a lot of things that I did to preserve, protect and expand the middle class in America, and to help those of us who were falling through the cracks.
I look at our so-called leaders on the other side of the aisle, and I see nothing like that. Only a perverse delight in eliminating programs that help my fellow Americans in need. They’ll lead us, all right – they’ll lead us straight to ruin.
The next time you see one of them -- at a town hall meeting, in their plush offices, or just on the street – ask them this: “What have you done to help the people? Answer me that!”
If they’re honest, they’ll say what Green Lantern said: “I can’t.”

Courage,
Alan Grayson

In brightest day,
In blackest night,
No evil shall escape my sight.
Let those who worship evil’s might,
Beware my power: Green Lantern’s Light.


https://secure.mydccc.org/o/30019/t/270/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=77

[NYCGirl]

1. That's really from his office? It's…well…loony. Quoting the

Green Lantern, really?

:hide:

[theaocp]

2. It's just a connection

to a larger point. The ultimate point he's making is valid and understandable.

[NYCGirl]

3. Yeah, I get that, but the comic book stuff is looney. NT

[IDemo]

4. repubs can handle quotes from cartoon characters. See - GW and Palin

Now, Karl Marx might send them into a tizzy, though.

[NYCGirl]

6. That's insulting to cartoon characters. NT

[Angry Dragon]

7. It is a form of literature, not much different from political cartoons

People read political cartoons and say, 'Yes, they said what I was thinking.'

One man's dream is another man's thought, is another man's action.....

[starroute]

10. That issue is considered history-making by people who care about comics

Heck, I remember it being talked about 40 years ago -- and I wasn't even reading comics then.

http://dccomics40.blogspot.com/2010/02/green-lantern-76.html

Green Lantern #76 (On Sale: February 24, 1970) is an obscure, little-known book of no real importance. Not! ... "No Evil Shall Escape My Sight" is the classic Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams revamping of the ailing Green Lantern franchise that changed the direction of comics for years to come and introduced the word "relevance" to comics. . . .

Green Lantern is in the area of Star City and decides to drop in on Green Arrow to see how he is doing. Once in town he sees a guy in a suit being accosted by "a punk" on the street. Lantern does a little green-ring razzle-dazzle and sends the "punk" off to police headquarters. He then picks the accosted man off the street and dusts him off accepting his gratitude. Then the crowd gives Lantern their opinion of his performance as they begin to pelt him with bottles, cans and other assorted garbage.

Green Lantern grabs the nearest punk and is about to work him over when Green Arrow arrives with the classic lines, "Touch him first, Green Lantern, and you'll have to touch me second...and I'll touch back!--Believe it chum!" "I was almost tempted to throw a can at you myself!" Arrow takes Lantern aside and explains that the accosted guy was Jubal Slade, the fat-cat landlord who owns these tenement slums, and who is now evicting everyone to turn the buildings into parking lots.

Up on the roof of the building, the straight-laced Green Lantern says he was only doing his job and Arrow accuses him of being a Nazi. Then in one of the more powerful moments in comic history an old black man asks Green Lantern a question . . .

[elleng]

5. Received the same.

Not an announcement, exactly, but looking up, imo.

[haikugal]

8. Thanks!

I'm glad to hear he will run again, he does good work.

[felix_numinous]

9. Good news!! K&R

Art and music are powerful medias for truth to come out. It is not silly or looney to lean on archetypal symbols to make a point.

We cannot be afraid to be ourselves, make mistakes, be foolish or original--because the RW culture character assassinates the most unique and effective people. They are slowly trying to make people conform to become narrow, plastic, predictable and obedient zombies--and ALAN GRAYSON is not one of these people!!