Anti-War Activists Voice 'Tremendous Concern' Over Democratic Party

CNSNews.com ^ | 6/06/03 | Marc Morano

[kattracks]

Washington (CNSNews.com) - Anti-war activists gathered at a three-day seminar in Washington designed to move the Democratic Party to the left expressed "tremendous concern" over the party's current direction.

"Democrats have to understand that this (anti-war stance) is a position that resonates with the American people," said Medea Benjamin, a spokesperson for the peace group Code Pink. Benjamin, a panelist at a workshop called "Next Stage for the Peace Movement," said the anti-war community fears what it sees as the Democratic Party's shift to the political center.

"There is a tremendous concern about that," Benjamin told CNSNews.com. The workshop took place Thursday at the "Take Back America" conference sponsored by the liberal Campaign for America's Future. Several of the declared Democratic presidential candidates also addressed the group.

Philippe Chabat of the D.C. Anti-War Network lambasted the Democratic Party for trying to move to the political center to win the presidency in 2004.

"I am sick and tired, as a progressive American, of being totally taken for granted by the Democratic Party that has a leadership that wants to chip away at the" moderate middle of the electorate, Chabat said in an interview with CNSNews.com.

Ohio U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich and former Vermont Governor Howard Dean are the most acceptable Democratic presidential candidates to the anti-war movement, according to Chabat. But he spared no criticism of other candidates.

"Joseph Lieberman is a Trojan Horse for the Republican Party, and John Kerry is a warmonger, and he's from Massachusetts, so he'll never win," Chabat asserted. "Dick Gephardt is the biggest loser that the Democratic Party has had in the last 50 years."

Speakers at the workshop predicted the anti-war movement would expand.

"We are going to turn this country around within one year, and we are going to have peace and security on different terms," said Bob Musil, executive director of Physicians for Social Responsibility.

The participants slammed the Bush administration for its "occupation" of Iraq and its energy policy.

Benjamin warned of the "second invasion of Iraq" by U.S. corporations and called for a "real secure energy system that would force the automobile companies to give us cars that get 50 miles per gallon."

John Cavanah, co-founder of the group United for Peace and Justice, said: "The Democrats will be strengthened if they make [anti-war policies] the centerpiece of their [2004] campaign.

But Cavanah warned that if the Democrats do not oppose Bush's "reckless and unsafe" foreign policy, they will "likely lose millions of people who have been energized by the peace movement."

Chabat predicted that anti-war Democratic candidates would gain in popularity.

"Those candidates like Kucinich and Howard Dean who actually stood up and spoke out against this stupid, senseless war are going to find themselves the frontrunners," Chabat explained.

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Send a Letter to the Editor about this article.

[garbanzo]

Dick Gephardt is the biggest loser that the Democratic Party has had in the last 50 years.

Well at least they got something right here.

[MEG33]

Shades of McGovern!

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

Does progressive American = Communist pig now? these people switch sides more than a gulf oil sign !

[hellinahandcart]

"Democrats have to understand that this (anti-war stance) is a position that resonates with the American people," said Medea Benjamin, a spokesperson for the peace group Code Pink. Benjamin, a panelist at a workshop called "Next Stage for the Peace Movement," said the anti-war community fears what it sees as the Democratic Party's shift to the political center.

And I thought the liberals were flipping out!

The communists are barking mad.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

They figured out how America thinks and what is happening. The DNC got sucked in by the VRWC.

[MEG33]

Yes

[hellinahandcart]

Does progressive American = Communist pig now?

Congratulations, you've broken the code.

(It's meant that for quite a while now. :D)

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

Why shoot fish in a barrel? This is more theraputic.

[hellinahandcart]

"Code Pinko" alert. Medea Benjamin hasn't died of embarassment yet.

[gulfcoast6]

Don't you just love it? I do, to see them 'come together' as a party.

[MEG33]

hehe

[risk]

A massive capacity for warfare is an essential aspect of any thriving state, even one that requires liberty for its citizens. One could argue that most democracies require occasional engagements in warfare to protect their borders and political interests. Given the fact that America provided peace for the free world in the 20th century, and that peace was neither lasting nor acceptable in the face of Islamic jihad and communist aggression, we need to debunk the myth of a war to make the world safe for democracy. As long as there are evil people, there will be wars against those who live free.

In other words, NPR's view of the world is wrong. Americans will always fight for freedom, or America will cease to exist.

If Americans do not accept the notion of preemptive warfare for the defense of our nation and its revolution, the American revolution will soon be crushed.

[metesky]

He he he!

[bart99]

Any Dem that can juggle ALL the leftist special Interest groups various agendas and actually get them to support him/her deserves some special recognition. i would nominated Him or Her to be included on NewsMax's deck of weasels cards....... not as a clown, but as a Juggler.

I saw a brief news clip of the seminar and it seemed to be composed of every special agenda leftist group in the country. The poor Dem candidates who have to try to cater to all those folk- I feel sorry for all the candidates.

[bart99]

well said.

[bigghurtt]

"Democrats have to understand that this (anti-war stance) is a position that resonates with the American people,"

it sure does...a whopping 23% of them.

[BigWaveBetty]

"Democrats have to understand that this (anti-war stance) is a position that resonates with the American people,"

Uh yeah,, all 30% of them.

[bart99]

An interesting sidebar to the seminar - Lieberman wasn't there, and he's (according to National Polls) got the lead in their race - nationally. Interesting that he wasn't there. Perhaps because he's more of a centrist? Oh - I'm sure he had a scheduling conflict *snickering* OR simply realized this was a really really poor group of folk to be in front of stating ANY case for being the President.

Guess the only theme that won was anti-war, an even that's a losing proposition for the Dems. Wonder if anyone said "ALL the people represented here are just plain right and I support EVERY cause that's got an anti-bush banner attached to it and I"ll fight for your rights not to let anyone feel any differently about the cause YOU here represent." *sigh*

[aardvark1]

What can 3 people do for 3 days together?