In the last month I have often been asked “Who will you vote for, Kerry or Bush?” My answer is “Neither of the above.” My answer brings a howl of protest from people who feel that not voting for Kerry is voting for Bush. It seems I am a swing voter and my friends think people like me will hand Bush the election by default.
I am a one issue voter and that issue is stopping the Iraq. John Kerry equivocates and justifies Bush’s war. At the moment Kerry is a weak candidate. Bush and his campaign managers are mocking Kerry who is caught between his conscience and patriotic fervor. As long as Kerry goes along with the Iraq War, Bush has nothing to worry about. The Bush re-election muckraking team, all flush with corporate war profit campaign funds will claw, malign, marginalize, shred and steamroll an opponent perceived as too feeble to think on his own.
People with great political influence have a great responsibility to lead the world to a future of peace and hope. At this time no one in the world has a better chance to lead the people to a future of peace than John Kerry. All Senator Kerry has to do is say what needs to be said and demand an immediate end to a war that is illegal under international law. If Kerry just stands up for truth, justice and what is right, he will win the election.
In the meantime I plan to vote for the Green Party candidate David Cobb. His message is clear and simple. Mr. Cobb states, “I always said the Iraq war is illegal and immoral. I favor ending the war and bringing the troops home now.” Here is someone I can vote for enthusiastically. So If John Kerry has a change of heart and takes a strong stand of conscience he can win my swing vote. If John Kerry takes a stand now it will be considered one of the great acts of political courage and great moments in history. I will even make it easy by writing the speech for him. Here is the speech John Kerry should make
A CHANGE OF HEART, A STAND Of CONSCIENCE, AND A CHALLENGE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
Citizens of the United States and People of the World,
Today I announce a major policy change in my campaign for the office of President of the United States. My words may seem startling to you, but please consider them carefully, for the future of humanity is in danger and these words are a plea for major change. I must admit that I made a big mistake in voting for George W. Bush’s war on Iraq. Like many other people I was mislead by Bush and I apologize for believing his deceptions that sold a war to the American people. That war has brought great suffering to people in a distant land and threatens to engage the world in a perpetual conflict that no one can win. Bush’s policy of aggressive militarism will lead only to increasing misery and diversion of the world’s resources to the military industrial complex that President Eisenhower warned Americans to control.
Our great nation is being torn apart for war and war profits. The people of the world are dismayed at the American people for giving over to militarism by conquering and occupying Iraq. Our own country was once occupied by a foreign army and mercenary soldiers. The people of the fledgling United States fought the occupiers by shooting at them from fields, behind trees, bridges and trees. We consider the resistance of the Minutemen insurgents patriotic. But the British Throne occupiers called Washington’s army traitors to the foreign installed government of George IV.
Now in Iraq, people with rifles are fighting an occupying army equipped with tanks, helicopters gun ships, bombers and rockets that kill people to enforce the foreign installed government of George II. What kind of picture does this present to the world? To deal with this dilemma the people of the United States must look to themselves for answers and have the courage to face the truth. Every one knows that this hideous war is America’s reaction to 9/11. All Americans remember the feelings of shock and horror they felt on that fateful day. Those feelings were overtaken by rage, patriotism, and a demand for victims’ justice and revenge for this evil deed.
The full hammer of American military might was pounded on the people of Iraq who had nothing to do with 9/11. The Federal Government held 9/11 hearings and found no link between Iraq and 9/11. Saudi Arabian dissidents are accused of plotting 9/11. That tragedy was used to justify the turning Iraq into a state of carnage. This is lynching a crowd of innocent bystanders
The 9/11 Commission asked everything but the right question, “Who makes the terrorist enemies for Americans?" This question is so important I am going to ask it three times. For if the American people can answer that question honestly we can turn the future from becoming a bottomless military nightmare of unending war and restricted freedom to becoming a time of Peace and Hope.
“Who made the terrorist enemies for the American people?”
“Who made the terrorist enemies for the American people?”
“Who made the terrorist enemies for the American people?”
Just as there are three questions, there are three answers. I ask my countrymen and countrywomen to be honest and look in your heart when you answer this question. You must be brave and admit the truth even if the truth hurts. It is easy to swallow lies and deceptions, but difficult to take a dose of bitter truth.
The first answer to the question “Who made terrorist enemies for Americans?” is the export weapons industry. Your second answer is the Executive Branch of the United States Government that authorizes the distribution of military weapons beyond the U.S. borders. The military-industrial complex created the terrorist enemies by distributing hundreds of billions of dollars worth of weapons to dictators like the Shah of Iran, Saddam Hussein and Manuel Noriega. They shipped weapons to power factions lead by people like Osama bin Laden and brutal thugs like the Contras. All around the world, people have been killed and maimed and had their lives destroyed by weapons that were made in the United States and exported for financial gain. From Central and South America to Asia and Africa poor and defenseless people have been slaughtered by arms made for profit in the USA. America is not alone in the arms profiteering business. Great Britain, France, China, Russia, all Permanent Member Nation States of the UN Security Council, are among the greatest exporters of military weapons that cause great suffering to the people of the world. This practice of exporting weapons is immoral and wrong.
Here is the third answer to the question “Who made terrorist enemies for Americans?” The answer is the American People made enemies for themselves by allowing their government to distribute hundreds of billions of dollars of weapons around the world, paid for by their tax dollars. It is a time for major change.
When elected President I pledge to restore the honor of the people of the United States in the eyes of the people of the world. On the day I am inaugurated, I will sign an order as Commander in Chief of the United States Armed Forces that the United States military not transfer or cooperate in the sale of weapons to any other nation. I will work to enact legislation banning the export of military arms from the United States. I will speak at the United Nations and propose a worldwide ban on the export of weapons. If international organizations can outlaw whaling to save marine mammals and ban the ivory trade to save elephants, they can ban the export weapons trade that results in the slaughter of human beings. This is not much to ask of the United Nations. It is time for the people of the world to keep the military industrial complex from destroying any hope of peace for humanity.
When I am elected, the path of peace and hope will be open. I am taking a stand of conscience here and now. I stand strong and with all my might I will call out. “Americans offer the world peace. Americans offer the world peace. …
I am making this perfectly clear and will give this promise in writing to the people of America. Here is a chance for peace Americans. Embrace it and take it to your hearts. I have had a change of heart. I admit that is was wrong to vote for Bush’s war. I apologize to the people of America and the people of the world for believing Bush’s lies and deceptions.
The war plotters turned the people of America against the people of Iraq. George W. Bush told the American people lies, deceptions, exaggerations and fabrications to sell a war. Beware of this deceiver. No matter how smooth are the words of his war justifications remember he lied to us to get his war. Nothing he says will bring back the lives of the tens of thousands of people killed in a war he sold with deceptions. Bush deserves to be impeached, not reelected.
Now we see how a war sold with deceptions is bringing profit to military industrialists who are looting the U.S. Treasury. I admit that I, too, have been responsible for going along with the increasing militarism. I have had a change of heart and now I stand tall and confront George W. Bush The measure of a man is in his willingness to admit mistakes. It would be much worse to compound a stupidity by refusing to admit a mistake and continuing on a path of war and loss of freedom.
When I am President, I will defend America by strengthening our infrastructure and economy, using our resources to spread health, education and economic improvement instead of destruction and misery. The United States military will stand ready to defend our country and not be employed for launching attacks on other countries. The Department of Defense will not be the Department of Offense and that will make us all safer.
America should be taking the Nuremberg Principles to heart. Those precious principles were formulated after World War II to protect the people of the world from wars of aggression. The Nuremberg Principles are written on the bricks of a wall of civilization. That wall stands between human beings and hundreds of millions of historical corpses, victims of war of aggression. Articles VI and VII of the Nuremberg Principles make it a "crime against peace and a crime against humanity to conspire to engage in, wage or be complicit in the waging of a war of aggression.” The Iraq War is illegal under International Law. Bush deceived us all by calling his war of aggression a preemptive war.
The Iraq War was sold with lies and deceptions so it is evil in nature.
The Iraq War is illegal under international law. I stand firm on this point of conscience now.
Here is my stand of conscience and my written promise to the American people. I am going to sign this now and hold it up for the people of the world to see. I will show that America offers peace to the world.”
( John Kerry’s written promise ]
“I promise the day I take office, if any American troops are still in Iraq, I will order them home .”
“I will declare an absolute embargo on the export of military weapons from the United States.”
“I pledge to work with the United Nations to impose a worldwide ban on the export of weapons.”
“I stand for the Nuremberg Principles and will respect international law.”
(Mr. Kerry holds up signed pledge for the world to see his intentions and continues…}
“Recently the Chief of Staff of the United States Armed Forces announced that the military will keep at least 145,00 troops in Iraq for a minimum of five years. He has no authority to make such a statement. He made this pronouncement as though the Congress didn’t exist, without regard for what the people want or who will be President. I object to his statement as a member of Congress. I object to his statement as a candidate for the Presidency. My strongest objection to his statement is as a free citizen of the United States of America.
The implications of a military leader making long term policy pronouncements are unacceptable in a republic of free people. That is why the Founding Fathers of America insisted that the Commander in Chief be a civilian. I will be in charge when I am President, and the generals will answer to me. Any soldier who does not have the Nuremberg Principles emblazoned on his mind will not be an officer in the military during the Kerry Administration.
Americans cherish Freedom. Our right to live as free people is what makes America great. But the freedom of the people is being threatened. Domestic security is used as an excuse to limit and prohibit demonstrations of protest against a President who misled his own people to sell a war. Beware of any person or group who compromises the freedom of assembly of peaceful protestors anywhere.
Look at how Bush and the war plotters are squeezing the people between foreign war and domestic security. On the streets in New York and Washington security agents carry machine guns, stop and search cars and people on the streets and hover in the background. Is your city or town next? Surveillance cameras are being installed in public gathering places. Senator Kennedy was stopped from boarding an airline five times for being on a federal government terrorist security suspect list. He tried to get off the list but couldn’t do it. Think of how an ordinary citizens life could be ruined deliberately or mistakenly this way. You could be put on a suspected terrorist list with no way to get your name off it.This should be frightening to all Americans. Federal agents can track every word you say on a phone now and trace every keystroke of your computer or use of an ATM or credit card. The Homeland Security Agency could easily implement a system that tracks the location of you every moment of your life. It seems like a 1984 nightmare, but look how it works against innocent people today. Just ask Ted Kennedy. He asks with justifiable rage ‘Where is this thing going?” The freedom of the people is being threatened to protect people from terrorist enemies that the export weapons industry created.
On the city streets of America, government security forces are given fearsome equipment to disperse crowds and make mass arrests. How does this make you feel? Does this make you feel safer? Or do you feel increasingly nervous, like looking back over your shoulder? Does it seem like something is just not right?
Daily news stories are speculating that shadowy enemies will set off a suitcase sized bomb in a “major terrorist event.” That would lead to a state of emergency decree and a round up of people on suspected terrorist lists. Government by the people would be replaced with government by decree.
If one bomb goes off, that will be the excuse to conscript a massive army for an all out war on foreign and domestic terrorism The people have to face up to the hard reality of this happening in our country. Do not look away from this or you can lose your freedom.
Look what is happening in the world. Bush is making terrorist enemies for Americans. faster than he can condemn them.. The Homeland Security Agency has people living in fear, afraid of their own shadows now. People carry gas masks in their purses and brief cases for fear of a biological attack. If one big explosion occurs there goes all your rights.
We must address that problem above all others. Where might the bomb news reports talk about come from? It doesn’t matter. Once it goes off it is all over for freedom. Like the Sinking of the Maine or the Reichstag fire the people may never know who set it off. Go down the list of nations that have nuclear weapons programs. Think how clandestine military or ideological operatives could slip out a bomb in a suitcase and set it off for reasons of power, economics or revenge. The motive might be to unleash the United States military to take out another country’s enemies. Israel, Pakistan, India and China have clandestine bombs. The former Soviet Union has scattered nuclear inventory records. Just one bomb carted off in a suitcase from any military base could throw the United States into a military nightmare and totalitarian security state.
But I declare there will be no preemptive power grab after “a major terrorist event” in the United States. I will see to that if you will stand with me now against Bush and the war plotters. Bush’s path of deceptions leads only to more war and less freedom. The way to prevent it is to make peace with the world, not spread violence and create revenge seeking terrorists.
If America expects any nation to open its nuclear bases, we must insist that all nations be required to open nuclear bomb records and facilities to United Nations inspectors. The way out of this dilemma is to face up to it and work for peaceful solutions through the United Nations. The only way to have the secretive nuclear facilities opened and monitored is to make peace with the world. I tell the world that as President John Kerry will be a peacemaker not a warmonger.
One basic problem is that the balance of power of the United Stares Government has tilted dramatically to the Executive Branch. This usurpation of power must be checked by the Congress through the action of an alarmed citizenry. Too much power is now in the Executive Branch. The Supreme Court and Congress are deficient in their responsibilities. The Supreme Court should be the guardian against the Executive Branch taking power from the Legislative Branch. If the Congress is not vigilant in keeping its responsibly to check the Executive Branch the Court must restore the balance of power. United States Presidents have taken too much power unto themselves. That is dangerous to the people of the world and the rights of a free people. The Executive Branch relentlessly accumulates usurped power. How can the Supreme Court Justices let U.S. Presidents act above International Law like Roman Emperors?
Now we must face something together as a people. Look in your hearts my fellow citizens and ask. “Is all the oil in the Middle East worth one drop of blood from an innocent child on the scales of justice.
Atrocity after atrocity is being committed in the name of freedom and democracy. All that the war has done is replace one dictator with another. Iraq was put through hell because one man. George W, Bush desperately wanted a war, and he lied to get that war.
Why was the press asleep on their duty? The Washington Post and New York Times have timidly apologized for not questioning the accuracy of Bush’s fabrications and war justifications. But what is the obligation of the press to the families of the tens of thousands of people killed who might be alive if the press had been vigilant in its duty to seek and report truth? The press has allowed the Executive Branch of Government to control the flow of important information necessary for people in a free society. George W. Bush rarely faces the spotlight of truth. He avoids press conferences and prefers to disseminate policy directives with no one to question his motives or judgment. I call on the newspapers of America to demand free and open access to government information. I promise to work with the press, not manage manipulate it. I pledge to return to an open Oval Office in the tradition of Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy. I tell all editors and journalists. I will not hide from you. There will be weekly press conferences during the Kerry Administration. I will insist that all my cabinet members have as their motto, “Just the truth and only truth for our people.”
I call on the American people this day to join me in my change of heart and stand of conscience.
Your Congress is weak from the transfer of powers and responsibility to the Executive Branch. I call on you to visit your congressperson’s local office and make yourself heard. Overwhelm your Representative with your determination to be a free person. Demand an end to weapons and war profiteering. The American people must sound the alarm and overwhelm the Legislative Branch that is supposed to stand up for them and check the out of control Executive Branch.
So I challenge the American People to demand an end to the increasing militarism that is tearing the world apart. I like to think that the good people of the world didn’t come this far to lose the future to war plotters and arms merchants I invite you to have a change of heart and take a stand of conscience with me. We must work for peace in the world.
To restore the honor of the United States People in the eyes of the world Congress should impose an absolute embargo on the export of weapons from America. On Inauguration Day I will ask all Congress members to join me on the steps of the Capitol and tell the world "I stand for the Nuremberg Principles." Then shout it out to the world, America. "WE STAND FOR THE NUREMBERG PRINCIPLES.” Let the world know that America stands for freedom, justice, peace, and hope.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I ask that you please vote John Kerry for a better future.”
(The end)
