Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Not A Joke: Grandfather Twilight Endorses Dennis Kucinich For President (The Left Has Lost It Folks)
http://www.kucinich.us/endorsements/endorsements/grandfather_twilight.php ^

Posted on 12/02/2003 6:30:46 PM PST by My Favorite Headache

Grandfather Twilight The classic children's book icon, Grandfather Twilight, broke twenty years of silence to endorse Congressman Dennis Kucinich for President in 2004. "In these extraordinary times we must act with extraordinary sincerity," he said.

The Pearl and the President An interview with Grandfather Twilight by Barbara Helen Berger

I met Grandfather Twilight for the first time in 1975. We became friends and he often visited my studio, where he helped me create a picture book (Grandfather Twilight, Philomel Books, 1984). Yet when he spoke out recently, endorsing Dennis Kucinich for President, I was stunned. For in all the time I have known him, Mr. Twilight has spoken very few words. His is a quiet wisdom. So quiet, in fact, that teachers and parents still remark on the hush that comes over children whenever they hear his story. Full of questions, I ran over to his house among the trees, to catch him before moonrise.

BHB: Hello my old friend! You haven't aged a bit.

GT: Well, it helps if you're timeless. (laughter)

BHB: Seriously now. I came to ask, why did you decide to speak out?

GT: Because of grief.

BHB: What do you mean?

GT: Every night, I see children snuggling with moms and dads who read them a story, and kiss them goodnight. They are the lucky ones. They go to sleep under the pearl of the moon, who spreads her light over everyone. But the world is not at peace. The air is full of smoke and sorrow. The trees tell me they feel it too, even the waves of the sea.

BHB: My heart is aching too.

GT: Children are dying from bombs and guns. The moon sees all of this. But she also sees something else. It is like a dream. Such a good dream, I could hardly believe it at first.

BHB: Tell me!

GT: There is a brave, truth-telling man from Ohio. His name is Dennis Kucinich, a Congressman who is running for President. As you know, I tend to be a calm old man, but when I heard Dennis speak, I got excited. He plans to create a Department of Peace. At last! Why has no one done it before? This is exactly how a wise President should think, what a good President should do! (GT thumped a gentle fist on the table.)

BHB: Yes! I agree.

GT: Whenever I hear Dennis speak, I feel the spark of hope again. He spreads the light in people. It reminds me of that night when millions of us lit our candles at 7 pm, and stood in silence, all over the world. All those little flames together, one light saying one thing: We Do Not Want War.

BHB: I saw you there. And I saw the golden light on children's faces...

GT: To my unspeakable sorrow, some leaders did not believe in that light. They believed in bombs. They said war is the only way to make us safe. But that is the opposite of truth. No child is safer. Anywhere.

BHB: Oh, my old friend, will it ever change?

GT: Not if we give up. I see someone who knows Peace is more than the absence of war--it is a positive power. Someone who is brave enough to stake his life on it. Someone who wants to lead us out of the nightmare. He is not afraid. He knows we can do it.

BHB: I hear a lot of people say they really like Dennis. They like everything he stands for. But they think it's a lost cause, "He'll never be elected," they say.

GT: Our highest dreams are real. At the end of each day, I take one tiny pearl in my hand and walk all the way to the edge of the sea. With every step, that tiny pearl keeps growing until it becomes the Moon. I see this happen. My job is to trust it. So, I know what is possible!

BHB: Do you have a message for young people?

GT: Yes. I want to say, Thank you. Many of you have been my friends since you were very small. Each of you is like a pearl to me, growing up and rising into the sky. By now, some of you are ready to vote. Feel the power of your own ideals and dreams. What kind of world do you want it to be, when you read my goodnight story to your children?

Please do not give up. Let's gather all our light together. Let's move on. Let's have democracy now! We can be kind to America and the world.

BHB: Three cheers to that! What about people who worry that Dennis is too short?

GT: Short is good. Gandhi wasn't so tall.

BHB: I heard the Gandhi Peace Award for 2003 was given to Dennis Kucinich.

GT: True. When the whole deep forest heard the news, what joy! From the grassy roots to the tallest trees, we had a standing ovation.

BHB: Thanks for taking the time to talk with me.

GT: My pleasure.

Barbara Helen Berger is an artist and writer, best known for her award-winning books for children. These include Grandfather Twilight, The Donkey's Dream, A Lot of Otters, and All the Way to Lhasa: a Tale from Tibet.

Creatures of Forest Sign on for Kucinich

Among the Trees, 7 pm--A sober mood here broke into a raucous celebration as creatures great and small followed the Bear's lead in signing a statement endorsing Dennis Kucinich for President in 2004.

"Pssst, spread the news. Tell a friend. Word of mouse!" said the mouse.

The Bear spoke with gruff authority, "Politics Shmolitics, you say. Well, I challege you. Go deep in the woods. Listen carefully. What will you hear? ... 'We want Kucinich! We want Kucinich!' "

This is a freedom of speech individual citizen's endorsement. It does not reflect the opinions of any organization.

You can help Dennis too! Make a Contribution

« Back to Full Endorsement List

Paid for by Kucinich for President, Inc.

11808 Lorain Ave., Cleveland, OH 44111 • (866) 413-3664 • Privacy Policy


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2004; endorsement; grandfathertwilight; kookcinich; kucinich; looneyleft; nuts
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121 next last
To: My Favorite Headache
GT: Every night, I see children snuggling with moms and dads who read them a story, and kiss them goodnight.

I think the left would rather see children snugging with their 2 dads.
21 posted on 12/02/2003 6:46:54 PM PST by xyggyx
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Joe Hadenuf
Don't you worry. Grandfather Twilight and Hong Kong Phooey are keeping out the Mexicans.

HR Pufenstuf and The Transformers are knocking back the Canadian onslaught.

22 posted on 12/02/2003 6:48:42 PM PST by dead (I used to believe in a lot of things. All of it! Now I believe only in dynamite.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: RJayneJ
Willie Nelson also endorsed him. That makes two so far.

Actually four-don't forget the cat and the dog and he is pretty popular with the animals in the forest.

23 posted on 12/02/2003 6:49:06 PM PST by Larry381
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: xyggyx
I think the left would rather see children snugging with their 2 dads.

Except Heather. Heather has two mommies.

24 posted on 12/02/2003 6:49:13 PM PST by Petronski (Living life in a minor key.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: Petronski
If you start a "WTF" list...count me in.....lol...ROTFLMAO
25 posted on 12/02/2003 6:49:30 PM PST by 2nd amendment mama
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: dead
LOL!

I just couldn't remember which party was speaking out and fighting against this titanic invasion of our borders. I know it's got to be one of the two.

26 posted on 12/02/2003 6:51:18 PM PST by Joe Hadenuf (I failed anger management class, they decided to give me a passing grade anyway)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: cgk
Ever heard of this nutjob? (Grandfather Twilight, not Kucinich, obviously).
27 posted on 12/02/2003 6:51:59 PM PST by WhistlingPastTheGraveyard (Curb Your Seething, Murderous Rage)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
Water sprayed all over the keyboard...LMFAO
28 posted on 12/02/2003 6:52:07 PM PST by My Favorite Headache (I Want A Girlfriend)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: My Favorite Headache
Grandfather Twilight, huh?

What's next? A fundraiser hosted by Wavy Gravy?

29 posted on 12/02/2003 6:52:20 PM PST by Freebird Forever
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Petronski
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Even Cheech would be like...WTF?
30 posted on 12/02/2003 6:53:09 PM PST by My Favorite Headache (I Want A Girlfriend)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Harmless Teddy Bear
I wouldn't call it a "classic" or the character an "icon", but I do have a copy of the original book.

It's a new take on the twilight allegory - with Grandfather Twilight standing in for Hesperus, the Evening Star. Here's Burne-Jones's version - he's a better artist of course.

I liked the illustrations and bought this for my now 15 year old when she was about 5 or 6. It's a nice little book to read at bedtime.

Like so many artists, though, the author thinks that getting her work published qualifies her to speak on political matters. Never have figured out why so many of them think that. All they do is prove themselves to be loons . . . "don't quit your day job, honey."

31 posted on 12/02/2003 6:54:14 PM PST by AnAmericanMother (. . . sed, ut scis, quis homines huiusmodi intellegere potest?. . .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Harmless Teddy Bear
Grandfather Twilight is an old time Marxist. Kucinich has got the Marxist vote locked up!
32 posted on 12/02/2003 6:55:09 PM PST by My Favorite Headache (I Want A Girlfriend)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: My Favorite Headache
Those are well-illustrated drawings, but for a silly cause. Then again, if the creatures of the forest support Kucinich, how can he lose?
33 posted on 12/02/2003 6:55:40 PM PST by NYCVirago
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Harmless Teddy Bear
Well, dang, it showed up on preview!

Here's another try:


34 posted on 12/02/2003 6:56:37 PM PST by AnAmericanMother (. . . sed, ut scis, quis homines huiusmodi intellegere potest?. . .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: My Favorite Headache
BHB: Hello my old friend! You haven't aged a bit.

GT: Well, it helps if you're timeless. (laughter)

If he's timeless how did he become an old man? This type of logic makes no sense at all, no wonder the liberals like it.

35 posted on 12/02/2003 6:59:14 PM PST by WhatNot ( B.I.B.L.E, Basic, Instructions, Before, Leaving, Earth.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: My Favorite Headache
Good grief. When I read that article, it occurred to me that I have been wrong for years about political struggle. The goal we should be seeking is not merely to defeat the RATs, the goal we should be seeking should be to sterilize them and deport them to a far, far away place. These people are completely insane!
36 posted on 12/02/2003 6:59:33 PM PST by WorkingClassFilth (DEFUND NPR & PBS - THE AMERICAN PRAVDA)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: My Favorite Headache
You can send a peaceful Kucinich e-card to your lefty friends, too, or to conservative friends for a laugh.

Kucinich e-cards

37 posted on 12/02/2003 6:59:53 PM PST by jwalburg (You're not moderate just because you know leftier leftists than yourself)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dead
Post of the day..hands down.
38 posted on 12/02/2003 7:00:17 PM PST by My Favorite Headache (I Want A Girlfriend)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: My Favorite Headache
Maybe it's my screen resolution, but it appears that one of those "gentle creatures of the forest" took a massive dump on Dennis's petition.
39 posted on 12/02/2003 7:01:59 PM PST by Billthedrill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Harmless Teddy Bear
And BTW I love The Black Arrow. Great book.

I have a copy with Wyeth's illustrations. He could tell a story in paint!

40 posted on 12/02/2003 7:02:30 PM PST by AnAmericanMother (. . . sed, ut scis, quis homines huiusmodi intellegere potest?. . .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson