Today the Labor Temple of Seattle resounded with the voice of democracy. Nearly 500 commited citizens gave up their sunny Saturday afternoon for a sweltering packed hall in order to be witness to the birth of a movement. A movement to draft a resolution of inquiry in order to expose the lies and finally get to the truth about George Bush and his dirty little war. It was a true privilege to have been there among them.
Organized by Vashon Island-based Backbone Coalition [1], the Seattle event was headlined by Rep Jim McDermott, who also happens to be the sole congressional recipient of the Backbone Award given to "courageous community leaders, elected officials, and others in the public spotlight in recognition of their willingness to take principled progressive stands at politically lonely moments". If anyone in congress has earned this distinction, then McDermott has to be on anybody's A list if for nothing else then his telling it like it was on air from downtown Baghdad prior to the invasion. After being welcomed by a raucous standing ovation, the Congressmen's speech provided some color on that and other of his activities leading up to the war, activities now legendary among progressives and infamous among reactionaries.
McDermott's speech followed a dramatic, and rather humorous, reading of the Memo itself delivered by volunteer local activists. Done in the style of a Merry Prankster gag, the playful delivery belied the gravity of ominous and damning content that demonstrates the "fix" was indeed in regarding Bush's full intention to invade Iraq at least 8 months prior to invasion. This, surely, is the smoking gun and these events the beginning of the end of the Bush Administration.
PEACE