Surprisingly, There's Reason For Optimism

by Ed Garvey

For some reason, I have been hit with a large dollop of optimism. (Maybe, as the Irish say, "We've been down so long everything looks up.")
You know the negative litany illegal invasion, senseless occupation, over 2,450 dead soldiers, secret prisons, Katrina. Must I go on?

But something is happening and it feels good. Friday John McCain spoke at the New University in New York. Jean Sara Rohe, a 21-year-old student, spoke first. Maureen Dowd reported what Rohe said: "The senator does not reflect the ideals upon which this university was founded. I am young and although I don't profess to possess the wisdom that time affords us, I do know that pre-emptive war is dangerous and wrong."

Good for you, Jean Sara Rohe. And good for your classmates who raised hell that John McCain, a supporter of the war and a recent speaker at Liberty University, where he kissed up to Jerry Falwell, would be invited to speak at commencement.

Last week Russ Feingold pointed out the hypocrisy of Sen. Arlen "Flip-Flop" Specter, who purposely held a session of the Judiciary Committee in a room so small TV cameras were not allowed in to capture his vote to ban gay and lesbian partnerships. Russ told Specter that it was absurd. (Specter opposes the ban but voted to send the measure to the full Senate.) Russ walked out in protest and Flip-Flop said "good riddance." Good for you, Russ Feingold. You hold the Gaylord Nelson seat and you are living up to the challenge.

And good news in Wisconsin as hundreds of people started going door-to-door to urge voters to vote against the referendum to ban gay and lesbian marriages. Hate and discrimination are not Wisconsin values. Recall when Hitler ordered Danish Jews to wear a Star of David and the king of Denmark wore a Star of David and said, in essence, we are all Jews in the face of hatred. Let us, in Wisconsin, wear a pink triangle to demonstrate our solidarity with our gay and lesbian friends and relatives. (Frank Rich brings news of a Pew poll showing 43 percent strongly opposed gay marriage in 2004. Today the number is down to 28 percent.)

Judge Paul Beibel, a Cook County, Ill., circuit judge, ruled that the results of a report on police torture in Chicago must be released to the public. (Electric shocks and suffocation were used to gain "confessions.") Good for the judge, who may end this disgraceful activity in Chicago by shining light on some out-of-control police.

The United Nations Anti-Torture Commission told our country to close Guantanamo Bay prison, stop torturing detainees, and to close secret CIA prisons. Even the attorney general of Great Britain called on us to close Gitmo. Good for the U.N. and good for the British attorney general. Human rights are creeping back into focus.

Italian voters finally got rid of media mogul and Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, and his successor, Romano Prodi, announced that Italy will withdraw its troops from Iraq. Ah, the "Coalition of the Willing" is shrinking. As each country withdraws we edge ever closer to our withdrawal.

Latin Americans are moving toward economic justice and throwing off the yoke of multinational corporate exploitation in election after election. Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, Venezuela and quite possibly Mexico. They want the oil and gas companies to share gross revenues with the poor people of Latin America. President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, in addition to driving President Bush crazy, is providing oil at a discount for the poor in our country and others.

Meanwhile, the obscene profits of BP-Amoco and others have Americans in an uproar as they watch their pay increases go directly into their gas tanks.

Two million Latinos marched to awaken the country to the danger posed by Jim Sensenbrenner's awful attempt to make criminals of millions of undocumented workers. A show of quiet strength while President Bush wants to spend billions to build a wall. (Steven Colbert: "Tear down this wall, Mr. President!")

Almost no one supports the invasion of Iraq anymore, Bush's approval ratings are nearing rock bottom, and few believe we should continue to occupy Iraq. The $10 billion per month cost cannot be sustained. With our army stretched thin, an invasion of Iran is very unlikely without a draft. Start a draft and look out. Finally an end to the Dick Cheney pre-emptive war plans is on the horizon. No one around to fight.
Everyone has caught on to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, including the retired generals. Words like "incompetent" and "arrogant" are now used to describe him. I don't think Rummy will lead us into another war.

Finally, in Wisconsin, corruption took it on the chin. Former Speaker Scott Jensen will go to prison. Judge Steven Ebert's eloquent words will hit home soon. We are on the way to campaign and ethics reform. See you at Fighting Bob Fest on Sept. 9 for a celebration.

Ed Garvey is a Madison lawyer, political activist and the editor of the fightingbob.com Web site. E-mail to: comments@fightingbob.com