My response to Mike Rotkin’s letter
The sub-text of Mike Rotkin’s recent letter to the editor is an attack on the growing influence of the Green Party in local and national politics, based on their principled and active opposition to the war in Iraq - which has been in stark contrast to the actions of the Democratic Party at a national level and in Congress.
Sam Farr’s timorous and late developing opposition to the war in no way makes him a “leader” on this issue. The real leaders (local Green Party activists among them) have been out on the streets opposing this war since the original “use of force” authorization was passed. The real leaders have been against this war, regardless of whether or not Resident Bush managed to bribe or blackmail a majority on the U.N. Security Council into supporting it. The real leaders are still out on the streets actively opposing it.
As one of the “sectarian idiots” who had the temerity to cast a vote FOR Ralph Nader in the last Presidential election, I’ve certainly seen no cause to regret that vote as I’ve watched the performance of Democratic Party “leaders” over the past few months. The fact that only 11 members of the House (NOT including Sam Farr, who abstained - a choice not given our troops or Iraqi civilians) and not a single member of the Senate had the courage to vote against pro-war/pro-Bush resolutions praising the President’s “leadership” and justifying the war in Iraq is the “sectarian idiocy” Mike Rotkin should be attacking.
