The opinions expressed on this blog entry or any other blog entry by me, are my opinions, and my opinions only, and they are not necessarily the opinions of anyone else in this group, or anyone else on the face of this earth.

This was not going to be the subject of my next blog, but...

I got involved in a conversation with someone who actually caused me to be taken aback; shocked; and speechless almost to the point of stuttering.

There was a person who was making an inferrence that this group should fall in line with Democratic Party policies ...

... my jaw almost hit the floor.

You've got to be kidding me.

It was inferred that our/my beliefs should be set aside for the good of the party.

That it's not pc:
To be against the war
To be a progressive
To not volunteer for electable candidates
To be pro sustainable agriculture
... etc.

That we won't be viable as a group unless we become sheep for the corporate wing of the Democratic Party.

That we're not insiders and not able to change things

That we need to go along to get along.

That you can only change things by compromising our core values and that we need to take orders like good little eunuchs.

I'm sorry, that's not who I am. And that's not what this group has been about. You're in for a rude awakening if anyone thinks for a second that I'm going to be a lapdog for the duopoly of the Corporatacracy Party aka DNC/RNC.

And the fact that there is an inferrence that we haven't accomplished or done enough civic duty and that somehow we're impotent without taking orders from the aristocracy, is specious and laughable.

Howard Dean came along and said "The Emperor has no clothes" and he didn't just mean Chimpy McFlightsuit.

Here is a list of just *some* of the things this group has stood for and worked on since I joined in July 2003:

* We were there - the first meet-ups I attended we were asked to write letters to Iowan voters and also to Jesse Jackson and Al gore. We filled the Fox and Goose - it was standing room only. Then we moved to the Sierra Two Center and the room they gave us was still packed full of people who wanted their country back!

* We were there - The second anniversary of the 9/11 attacks Peace Action (of which I'm also a member) held a candlelight vigil in front of the California State Capitol (maybe you saw us on tv). There were at least 30 Sacramento for Dean people there and at least twice that many Peace Action people and a significant amount of Kucinich supporters - Not ONE Kerry person - Not ONE Bush person - not one person who identified themself as a member of either group of the Corporatacracy. There was a guy there with a US flag that flew over the WTC - he was given it because his brother was a member of the NYFD who died in tower two, and ...I... as a member of both goups held that flag and a candle for over two and a half hours to honor these people.

* We were there - We were asked to attend a "NO on 54" rally at Sac. State in which Jesse Jackson was speaking in opposition. I wore my Dean Buttons and had a Dean sign. I talked to people about opposing it.

* We were there - We were asked to attend a "No on 54" rally at the State Capitol to show our unity in opposition. We were asked to man phone banks and go door to door, and we did.

* We were there - We were asked to attend the one and only California Recall debate at Sac. State and hold up "No on the Recall" signs along with our DFA signs. It was a circus, people with signs; carricatures; music; people yelling slogans at each other. When the debate started I went into the student union to watch on tv, and Dave Walker and Lois Hart come walking in with their daughter and sat down at my table, we made a little small talk in between the questions and answers - crazy night.

* We were there - I'm also a member of the Sacramento Coalition to Stop the Patriot Act (the Patriot Act is a blog for another time) and I participated in drafting a resolution to ask for the City of Sacramento to call for a repeal of USAPA. The lines stretched out the door and down the street. I was told this rarely happens that a resolution passes on the first try - And WE did it - without the Democratic party or Republican party or anyone else telling us what to do.

After the recall election and the upcoming Iowa caucuses we slowed down some to rest.

Then Iowa happened.

We were there - We were asked to attend at least four emergency meetings in a span of five days to get out the vote.

* We were there - Howard Dean suspended his campaign after Wisconsin and we still came to the meet-ups and committee meetings.

About then some of the initial members got tired of being in charge and Karen Bernal and Bill Lackemacher took over - They were there (aplause, aplause).

* We were there - Last year in May we had a meet-up attended by about 15 people. Karen, Bill, Amy Price, Roanna Krisko, Al Baguio, his wife, myself and others. We had a Democratic Congressional Candidate - Gabe Castillo from the 3rd district come to speak to us to ask for our vote and to volunteer. Incidentally, he couldn't get any help from the Democratic Party. Let me repeat ... they ... would ... not ... help ... him. I'm not naming names but someone local controlled millions of dollars for Congessional campaigns, *none* of which went to Gabe Castillo who happened to beat Joe Trippi for student body president at San Jose State. We signed up to volunteer for Gabe.

* We were there - we decided it was important to register peole to vote and Amy volunteered to head that committee (aplause, aplause). Even though *our* candidate Howard Dean was out, we decided the election was too important to leave to chance.

We went to the Friday night concerts at Caesar Chavez park to register people to vote. Not for Howard Dean, Not for our group, but for whomever *they* wanted to vote.

*We* were outside the Tower theater registering people so they could be able to use their constitutional right to vote in the upcoming election and vote. It was a great time and a zoo, and I got to know good people even better, and met people who appreciated what we did.

* We were there - Last at our July or August meet-up Kristine Lang McDonald came to ask for our help in her race against Dave Cox. *She didn't receive any money or any help whatsoever* from the insiders of the Dem Party and she asked us for help and WE volunteered. I think at the same meet-up is when Pat Driscoll of the Green Party attended and asked us for our help and those of us that could, did.

* We were there - We knocked on doors and spoke to potential voters for Gabe, Kristine, Barara Boxer, and even Kerry. I got a stress fracture in my foot from all the volunteering I did. I and others even went to Reno to register people there.

* We were there - We put on TWO GOTV concerts (look on the left side of page scroll down to POLLBOOTH KNOCKDOWN) to get people registered and politically involved. Karen, Amy, Bill (standing ovation) organized and ran this. We had bands from all over No. Cal. and even L.A., and TWO movies - to get people involved.

* We were there - We worked until the election in Nov. and Ohio turned into Fla.

* We were there - There was evidence of fraud AGAIN. So what group organized a voter rally to recount the votes in Ohio which would benefit John Kerry and all American voters? Sacramento for Democracy, that's who. *Where were the insiders?* This rally was attended by hundreds of concerned citizens who deeply cared about DEMOCRACY. And had nationally and internationally known speakers. Thanks Karen, and Bill, and Kevin Greene.

* We were there - About that time Robert Matsui unfortunately passed away. So we had ANOTHER campaign to worry about. We put on a candidate forum, where all progressive candidates were invited to participate for our endorsement. We had IRV and chose a candidate. And we participated in the process.

* We are there - We were asked to participate in constituent meetings regarding privatising Social Security. And we are there.

We now have 80+ coming to our meet-ups and speakers who want to have a voice in their community. And we have become that community. Not because we say, "You can't" but because we say, "You can". Robert F. Kennedy frequently quoted George Bernard Shaw when he said, "Some men see things as they are, and say 'Why?'. I dream of things that never were and say, 'Why, not?'". Martin Luther King in responding to a letter from Alabama clergymen, said something to the effect of, the time to do the right thing is is everytime, and all the time; how standing up for freedom and righteousness was now and always.

So you see, I guess, we really are lax and apathetic and can't accomplish anything without the approval of the people who represent the atrophic aristocracy in the ivory tower of the Democratic party.

John