Speech for the Women’s March 2020

I long for Peace with all my heart.  Peace is a word bandied about on Christmas Day when everyone pays lip service to it saying, “Peace on Earth and Good Will to Men.”  But what about the other 364 days a year?  Do Americans really want Peace?

There are 2 ways to achieve Peace.  One is for a repressive dictator to brutally kill all the dissidents.  We wouldn’t like to see that here. The other is for there to be Justice.  That’s the one I want.  There can be no Peace without Justice.  I had to reach university level education to even learn what Justice means.  It isn’t just retaliation for harm against you.  There are many kinds of justice: social justice, racial justice, economic justice, environmental justice, and more. 

Yet, in today’s world, there is no Justice in the Justice System.  We see multitiered justice different for Whites, Browns and Blacks; different for males and females; different for rich and poor.  How did it get this way?

There’s no Justice in a system that cuts school funding, cuts public assistance to the poor, cuts funding for women’s health, cuts funding for contraception, then provides no other career avenue for the resulting youths other than being cannon fodder for unending wars.  How did it get this way? 

There’s no justice in a system that allows giant corporations to exploit our natural resources desecrating the Earth and polluting the water, air and soil on which all life depends.  Meanwhile, we see our children’s health become damaged, sacred burial sites unearthed, and our property values destroyed.  How did it get this way? 

Don’t believe a word if someone says, “There’s nothing we can do about it.”  BULLSHIT! 

We still live in a Democracy; a Democratic Republic.  That means the PEOPLE RULE within the limits of the Constitution.  The President is not a king and the United States of America is not for profit!  The government derives their just powers from the consent of the governed!  Our public servants exist at our pleasure to serve us, the People.  And especially the least of us, the children, the poor and the disabled.  And to justly manage our public lands for us, the People. 

Incidentally, did you hear?  Talk about gender justice!  Virginia just became the 38^th State to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. Finally!  After 97 years! Women might become equal to men in the eyes of the law.  Believe it or not, it’s still not a sure thing! How about that? 

So, what can we do to achieve Justice and Peace?  A lot! We can march in the streets.  We can join groups of like-minded people and together we can storm the offices of our elected representatives.  We can demonstrate on the steps of the capitol.  We can write letters.  We can run for office.  We can pass local ordinances to protect our cities and county.  We can make sure everyone gets out to vote.  Or we can join a phone bank and call people, like we did for Virginia a few months ago, to turn the Virginia House of Delegates blue so they could ratify the ERA.  We are the People.  Let’s grab the bull by the horns and Rule!  Now is the time to take action!

Fascism has spread like a domino effect

From today's New York Times:
"It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation. There are big countries and small countries, rich and poor, those with long democratic traditions and those still finding their way to democracy. Their policies differ, too. We are all different, but when we ask for the Lord’s blessings, we must not forget that God created us equal."
Vladimir V. Putin  
NYT_2013/09/12/opinion/putin-plea-for-caution-from-russia-on-syria
 
This quote brings to mind Obama's recent speech in which he referred to American Exceptionalism. 

I don't know much about Russian politics, but fascism has spread like a domino effect.  From the USA to Britain to Israel to Chile to Myanmar to Indonesia, and on and on.  The fascists are taking over the world.  Whatever euphemisms you want to call them: lobbyists, special interests, corporations, big banks, big oil, big pharma, big agra, war profiteers, neo-cons, neo-liberals are currently in power and the Constitution has been relegated to memorabilia. 

The fascists plan to gain as much power and wealth as is possible and exploit all natural and human resources to depletion without regard to havoc they will wreak.  The elections are bread and circuses to keep the public pacified as they "privatize" all the public assets.  Now is the time to choose sides and act!  Fight the fascists or become a whining victim! 

We who fight use non-violent weapons.  The fascists would love us to start shooting, because that would justify their using their mighty military and intelligence to eliminate us.  No!  We fight with PEOPLE POWER!  Get educated about the issues!  Educate your friends and neighbors!  Take control of your local governments.  GET INVOLVED!!!  Join the political action group of your choice.  Unite with like-minded other groups and communities. 

Liberty is not free.  The price we pay for freedom is participatory democracy.  It isn't a sacrifice to march in the streets or visit the office of your elected representative, it is our obligation as sovereign citizens of a democracy! ACT NOW!