patrickmurfin

Just in case you didn’t notice, there is still a war on.  The members of the Student Peace Action Network at McHenry County College have not forgotten.  After a hugely successful re-launch of the Current American Issues forum last month with their Road to Gaza presentation (Northwest Herald coverage here), they are back with two days of activities focusing on the War in Iraq.

We held our annual Memorial Day Sunday Service at the Congregational Unitarian Church yesterday.  I nearly earned a Purple Heart covering the event.  I tried to climb up on one of old pedestals around the monument on Woodstock Square that supported Civil War cannons before they were melted down for scrap in World War II to get a good angle for pictures.  Being well past my agile years—if there ever were any—I managed to slip off and fall into a bush and then onto a pile of fresh mulch.  Nothing was injured except my dignity and that is an item in such short supply that any diminuization is insignificant.

A scroll with more than 4080 images representing the American dead in the Iraq War stretched across one wall of the sanctuary.  Dave Drayer, who made the banner pointed out that more than 50,000 Americans have been wounded.  Upwards of 300,000 Iraqis are believed to be dead.  That would require a banner 70 times the length of this one.  Drayer is an Air Force veteran of the Vietnam War who piloted some of the last evacuation flights from Saigon.


Tom Skiba, The Rev. Dan Larsen, and Peace &  Justice Committee Chair Ray Eberhardt (with flag) lead the silent march from the church to the Civil War Monument on Woodstock Square.


Members enter the Square and lay flowers at the base of the Civil War Monument.  For about ten years the Congregation has been laying flowers, a symbolic echo of an old Woodstock tradition.  In the 19th Century Woodstock residents would bring flowers to the railroad station and a special train would take them to Chicago to be left on the graves of Civil War veterans on Decoration Day.


Rev. Larsen leads a moment of silent meditation.


Leaving the Square.


Flowers lie upon the names of McHenry County’s Civil War dead.  A few years ago the name of all the known dead were added as an apron around the towering monument, which was donated to the city by the Grand Army of the Republic in the 1890’s.


Back at church the Unitarian Universalist Flaming Chalice burns underneath the Tree of Life symbol of the congregation.  At right is the flag donated to the congregation in memory of Thomas Loundsbury who was killed on the USS Arizona on December 1, 1941.  The son of the manager of the local A&P market and the town librarian, Loundsbury graduated from Woodstock High School just months before his death.  He was the first local casualty of World War II.  The day of his death Florence Loundsbury and the ladies of the church went ahead with their long planned winter diner.  They would not let a little thing like war interfere.  Mrs. Loudsbury didn’t learn of her son’s death until January.

 

Joan Skiba was an Army nurse in Vietnam.  She is an annual participant in this service.  This year she cited neglect of wounded troops by the Veteran’s Administration.   She demanded full and fair treatment of the injured instead of lip service to “supporting the troops.”  As always she ended with her remembrance of a dying young soldier “I called Red.” And as usual there was hardly a dry eye in the congregation.


Harold Rail, Joe Heinen, Sam Jones, and Dave Dreyer perform George Jones’ Fifty Thousand Names Carved in the Wall.


Rev. Larsen asks “How Do We Support Our Troops?”  He argues that, for him, the best way to support the troops is to end the war so they “don’t have to be killed and don’t have to kill.”  Like many other participants in the service, he wears a black arm band of mourning. 

We closed by singing the peace hymn This is My Song, words by Lloyd Stone to Finlandia by Jean Sibelius.

THIS IS MY SONG

This is my song, O God of all the nations,
  A song of peace for lands afar and mine.
          This is my home, the country where my heart is;
             Here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine;
But other hearts in other lands are beating
              With hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

My country's skies are bluer than the ocean,
   And sunlight beams on clover-leaf and pine.
But other lands have sunlight too and clover,
 And skies are everywhere as blue as mine.
Oh, hear my song, O God of all the nations,
  A song of peace for their land and for mine.

Wednesday the five year anniversary of the War in Iraq slipped by before I had an opportunity to comment.  Believe me, it was not because it does not weigh heavy on my mind and soul.  But I had work to do and I had a lot on my plate getting ready for the McHenry County Democratic Party meeting and preparing press materials (see the post below.)

About mid-afternoon I got a call from Tom Musick, a reporter for the Northwest Herald.   He was working on one of those “round-up” stories in which local folks with strong opinions share their views.  We had a nice conversation for about ten minutes or so.   This is how my portion of the story came out in the paper.  (click here for the full article.)

Patrick Murfin

McHenry County Peace Group members gather every Thursday evening near Route 14 and Main Street in Crystal Lake for a vigil.

The group’s size varies, but its mission stays the same: To call for an end to the U.S. war in Iraq and to prevent a future war with Iran from happening.

“Early on, we’d get mixed reviews,” said Patrick Murfin, a member of the group. “The longer this war has passed, the number of supportive honks and waves and peace signs has mounted. It’s really remarkable.”

Yet Murfin worries whether the Bush administration notices such changes.

“I’ve been giving this some considerable thought,” said Murfin, who watched the president’s speech Wednesday, a speech that urged patience and determination in Iraq. “It’s both astounding to me and totally wearisome that we find ourselves in this position after five years.

“To hear the Bush administration talk about no end in sight within a decade or longer ... the American public has long since made it clear that they regard the war as a mistake to begin with and want us to get out now.”

And all of that is fine, as far as it goes.  But understandably this snippet left a lot out.  Also—and I don’t mean to bite the hand the fed me—I was the only person of  those interviewed who was an outright opponent of the war.  The others were a recently returned solder; Rep. Don Manzullo whose own account shows that he gladly drank the Bush Kool-Aid about the war; the father of a soldier who was killed who now regards the war as a “mistake” but doesn’t take a position on getting out; and an Army recruiter.  That left the burden of speaking for the majority of Americans who oppose the war and want a way out sooner than later on my own inadequate shoulders.

This is what I wish I had the time and space to say.

It’s hard, very hard to match the unrelenting drum beat of war and more war propounded by a maladministration that will not allow itself to be fettered by Congress, Courts, or the People and which feels it has a divine right to do what ever it damn well pleases.  In five long years ever mounting casualties are compounded by daily atrocities (committed freely by all sides);  the very soul of the nation is stricken by a cynical embrace of torture;  our civil liberties are silently stripped from us;  our national reputation is sullied beyond repair;  unimaginable debt is saddled on our children, grandchildren, and their progeny;  we are plunged into a “war of civilization” without end;  our very democracy is threatened by an uncrowned king who brooks no limits on his power.  And we in the anti-war movement get tired, bone tired.

We have marched, vigiled, petitioned, organized, written and ranted.  Our ranks have swelled.  But year after year nothing we have done has saved one 19 year old Marine or one Iraqi child.  Small wonder that the spirit sometimes flags, that we get tired, that we are tempted to slip into simple resignation.

Worse, evidence mounts daily the Resident and the Dark Sith Lord Cheney will not rest until the launch another war, this time against Iran.  The recent resignation and retirement of Admiral William Fallon, top commander of American forces in the Mid East and the only high level commander to dare publicly warn about the danger of launching another war, may have been the clearest signal yet that the Neo-Con junta is determined to have another war.  Add the domestic political calculation that launching a war before the election will rally the public “be hind the troops” and put John McCain in the White House.

Peace activists a worn out trying to get us out of one war and now have to keep us out of another.

Regular readers of this blog may have noticed that there has been a fall-off of coverage and commentary about the War and the movement to stop it in recent months.  Instead, it has been increasingly concerned with electoral politics, support for Barack Obama for President, and for Democrats in general.  Some might take this as evidence that I have given in to war weariness and like a bored two year old turned my attention to some other toy.

Nothing could be further from the truth. In point of fact my immersion in politics and my support of the Obama campaign in general now represents the most effective way I can work to end one bloodbath and prevent another.

I know there are folks in the Peace Movement who believe that this abandons the demand for immediate withdrawal, and trims sail in against the gale of adversity.  The taunts of “sell out” to others like MoveOn.org, who have advocated the same approach have been loud and raucous on the part of many in the purer-than-thou left.

But like it or not we cannot “Bring Them Home Now!” or throw our bodies in front of Naval launched cruise missiles or snatch possibly nuclear armed B-1 Bombers from the sky to stop an attack on Iran.  There are no prospects, despite our most ardent fantasies, that we can mobilize a Peoples Revolution to surround the White House with pots and pans clanking and bring down this regime as others fell in Moscow, Manila, Kiev, or Beirut.  There will be no General Strike to stop the war cold like the hands of a clock.  Richly deserved impeachment will not happen.

Our only real chance to bring the war to an end is—like it or not—to elect a Democrat President of the United State and large enough Democratic margins in the House and the Senate to prevent disciplined Republicans from ruling in the minority.  And I obviously believe that Senator Obama, a consistent opponent of the war, is our best chance to achieve such a victory.  But make no mistake about it, I will, even if it pains me, support Hillary Clinton if that is the hand we are dealt and then hold her to her promises to end the war.

The inevitable result, even with victory, will be for a phased withdrawal that insures the safety of American troops.  It’s not fast enough for many, but the war will finally end.

Even more critically, there will not be, if one has not already been launched, a war with Iran and the inevitable region-wide conflict that would ensue.

Is there any guarantee that this strategy will work?  Of course not.  Right now we see how cynically race is being used to divide the American people from their own best interests.  McCain, for the first time, is now polling better nationally than either Clinton or Obama—a direct result of the political strategy of the Clinton campaign, in my opinion.  But there is plenty of time to reverse those numbers and Obama has the persuasive skills to come back strong.

A plausible causa bellum can always be dug up like Hitler’s Polish raid on a border radio instillation post or LBJ’s phantom attack in the Gulf of Tonkin to justify an attack on Iran just before the election.

And there are the twin dangers that if faced with loss the election the Oligarchy will simply and boldly be steal it again or—more drastically—that a “national emergency” might occur that would “force the government to suspend the election.”  Feel free to conjure in you mind your most paranoid fantasies of what that emergency might be and it has probably already been gamed in some dark recess of the Pentagon or the Vice-President’s old secret bunker.

So, no, the electoral strategy is not perfect.  It’s just the last, bet hope we have.

SENATOR BARACK OBAMA outlined his plan to end the WAR IN IRAQ in a long anticipated speech delivered today in Clinton, Iowa.  This afternoon the plan was posted on his web site and e-mail asking for supporters to sign on in support was flooding computers from coast to coast. 

In plain bullet points, Obama’s plan is simple:

“My plan for turning the page on Iraq is clear:

• remove our combat troops from Iraq’s civil war by the end of 2008
• take a new approach to press for reconciliation within Iraq
• escalate our diplomacy with all of Iraq’s neighbors and the United Nations
• confront the human costs of this war directly with increased humanitarian aid”

In application, of course, it is far from simple.  And like all proposals to wind down the war it is fraught with peril.  The criminal policy of the current maladministration has been so disastrous that no options are easy or painless. 

It goes without saying that the plan is being denounced in hysterical tones by Republicans and their media operatives.  It has also drawn fire from some of Obama’s opponents for the Democratic Presidential nomination for not being “Now” enough.

I sympathize.  I yearn for a quick end to the war and bloodshed.  But I’ve known for a long time that there is no way to just blow a whistle and trot off the field.  Withdrawal, even if it begins tomorrow, will take time.  Obama’s plan recognizes that fact.

So when the Senator, whose candidacy I endorsed as soon as it became official, I was willing to do so.  But not without some reservations.  This is how I put it in the comments section: 

Your draw down plan with a firm exit date of the end of 2008 makes good sense.  While I would like us out yesterday, I understand that for the safety of the troops and best interests of the Iraqi people there must be an orderly withdrawal that takes with it all of the munitions and ordinance with which we have flooded that country, cleans up at least part of the environmental devastation we have unleashed, and attempts to restore as much civilian infrastructure as possible.  This will likely be a retreat under fire, the most difficult of military operations, so care must be taken.

This plan is unenforceable, however, unless Congress enacts strict timelines, limits military funding to facilitating the withdrawal safely, and specifically withdraws from the President authority to conduct continued offensive operations.

It is also critical that Congress act NOW to explicitly deny the President the authority to launch yet another war—against Iran—without the consent of Congress.

It is not the only plan out there.  Other Democrats are advancing theirs.  And they deserve consideration as well.  In the end the war will wind down when Congressional Democrats decide they truly do have the power to make it happen.  The particulars will be thrown together from many suggestions.  A messy compromise will satisfy few.  But the troops will start coming home and Iraq will have he chance to work out its own destiny.  And that is more than we can ever expect from this Administration, Republican jihadists, or those Democrats too timid to lead.

Senators BARACK OBAMA and DICK DURBIN of Illinois at earlier event on vetran's issues.

CAROLYN QUINN has done it again!  This is the letter she sent to Senators DICK DURBIN and BARACK OBAMA in support of the all night session to discuss the LEVIN-REED AMENDMENT forcing Senate REPUBLICANS to defend the indefensible.

Dear Senators:

You are making me immensely proud today. Hang in there! We cannot allow the Republican Caucus to morph into The Incredible Pit of an obstacle course, because if we do, the rest of the Senate, and indeed the rest of the country, will be mired in the muck right along with them.

I am a teacher in McHenry County who has participated in school sponsored "lock-downs" where we have great groups of students stay overnight in the gymnasium to have Reading Marathons. Sometimes we organize for them to do 24-hour runs outside on the track. These are always huge events,and I know well how that kind of work can be both grueling and rewarding.

I am also the mom of a Navy Man recently returned from "Operation Enduring Freedom." We want our troops home now - not because we are tired of fighting, although we are. Our sense of desperation comes because it is not possible to EVER have a sense of having won this war. That could only happen in the situation where we were doing an honorable deed, which in this case we certainly are not. What we have is this: honorable warriors are fighting as honorably as they can while the commander in chief wages this war in a tapestry of dishonor. The original warp was established on lies, deceptions and a perverted sense of profit. Woven across that was established a pattern of further dishonor that blankets the very soul of our country. It casts a shadow on the sacrifices made by all our boots on the ground AND our boats in the depths of the ocean.

Never did I imagine the day would come when the Red Cross would identify my country as the perpetrators of torture. I'm sorry, but there is no honor in the torture chamber. This has festered far too long, and we have got to put a stop to the entire fiasco.

Slam on the brakes!

Don't give up! Don't lose heart! Don't miss your families and feel lonely in the Senate Chambers tonight! We are with you, we are behind you, we are proud of you. We are honored to be represented by you tonight.

Carolyn Quinn

Crystal Lake, IL

Wanna bet this is a "before" picture?

            Remember EARTHA KITT?  The White House surely does.  Way back when, the sultry voiced chanteuse was for some obscure reason invited to tea with LADY BIRD JOHNSON.  During the usually un-newsworthy photo-op, Eartha lit into Lady Bird’s husbands VIETNAM WAR policy.  A fire storm of controversy followed.

            Every administration since has live in terror of a repeat performance.  Folks invited to the White House are “vetted” out the yin-yang.  Any one likely to raise a ripple should not hold their breath waiting for an invitation not matter how eminent or important they may be.

            Of course handlers of  RESIDENT GEORGE W.  take even greater pains to make sure he or his wife are never told what they don’t want to hear.  During the run-up to the WAR IN IRAQ, LAURA BUSH canceled a planned meeting with top American poets when word got out that some of them would protest the coming conflagration.  It became the incident that gave birth to POETS AGAINST WAR.

            SHRUB is reported never allowed to read newspapers, only sanitized—and simplified—news summaries prepared by a staff who knows what’s good for them.  The many petitions against the war, to end torture, or preserve the BILL OF RIGHTS which are presented at the White House Gates are never accepted.  The White House e-mail system is designed to block organized protest campaigns, and, reportedly able to send even individual e-mail with criticism in it to the trash bin.

            When every few month he gets the itch to go out “among the people” to promote the war, some crack pot SOCIAL SECURITY scheme, or to shake down the fat cats for REPUBLICANS, he goes only to tightly controlled, ticket only venues where demonstrators and dissenters are kept far out of camera range. 

            In short, would-be Emperor George never has to hear that he is standing naked.

            So sing the praises of 50 high school seniors, PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARS, who took their ceremonial opportunity to slip him a hand written note urging and end to the use of TORTURE by the United States government.

            Way to go, guys and girls!

  
McHENRY COUNTY PEACE GROUP vigil.                            Counter protestors.


            

            Spurred on by recent controversy, twenty or so members and friends of the McHENRY COUNTY PEACE GROUP gathered for the weekly vigil at the corner of Rt. 14 and Main Street in CRYSTAL LAKE.  Although the forecast called for possible early evening thunderstorms, the weather turned sunny and pleasant. 

            Controversy over the vigils, which have been maintained by the Peace Group through most of the WAR IN IRAQ, has intensified recently.  Counter protestors have appeared and tried to claim the Group’s usual spot.  A letter to the editor in the NORTHWEST HERALD denounced the gathering as traitorous and called on peace supporters to “Love it Or Leave It.”  Comments posted on line, though mostly supportive of the Peace Group, included additional calls “to meet us on the corner and bring our flags.” (See earlier post for details.)

            The political forecast was for possible storms of controversy and confrontation.  That prediction proved as erroneous as the weather forecast.

            Perhaps moved by press reports of the Peace Group’s banishment from the CRYSTAL LAKE GALA PARADE, motorists were more supportive than ever.  Signs of approval—honks, peace signs, thumbs up, friendly waves, and cheers out numbered the hecklers, bird flippers, and thumbs down better than five to one.  Support came from all ages, sexes and races.  We even carried the day among the pick-up truck TOBY KIETH crowd and professional drivers in big rigs and box vans.  About the only demographic we didn’t do well with were bikers.  But we did get the approval of a middle age guy on nifty little SPRITE scooter.

            In addition to the previously mentioned “Love it or Leave It” line, “f*ck you,” was heard along with “Get a Haircut!” (I’m not kidding) and “Get a Job!”  One biker snarled that it “isn’t the Sixties anymore.”  Maybe not, but their insults seem caught in a time warp of their own.

            The vigilers, most on the down hill slope of middle age, I afraid, well barbered and gainfully employed, remained serenely unruffled by the occasional insult and instead basked in the support of most drivers.

            Just before 5:30, half way into the hour long vigil, two guys set up shop a couple of hundred feet down the block carrying American flags and another banner “Support our Troops.” After a while the counter demonstrators swelled to—4.  The Peace Group outnumbered war supporters about 5 to 1. But, hey, who’s counting?

            Expecting controversy, the press did show up.  They spent most of the time snapping photographs of the counter demonstrators.  I understand.  The red, white, and blue flapping in a brisk wind makes a gorgeous picture.  And several photos of the Peace vigil have appeared in the paper over the years.  Without seeing tomorrow’s morning papers, I am confident that the photo will be of the smaller group.  Hopefully the reporting will put it in context.

            All in all a great evening on the corner.  And literally come Hell or high water the vigil will continue every Thursday from 5 to 6 pm until this mad war comes to an end.

McHENRY COUNTY PEACE GROUP Marchers in the 2006 CRYSTAL LAKE GALA PARADE

            CRYSTAL LAKE, my home town, has done it again.  It has embarrassed itself with a ridiculous display of bigotry and prejudice once more.  You may remember the brou-ha-ha over the GAY GAMES use of Crystal Lake for its rowing regatta, which held the city up to public ridicule nationwide.  And there was the recent bizarre arrest of student for completing a writing assignment as directed which “alarmed” the teacher by Crystal Lake based HIGHSCHOOL DISTRICT 155 (check my archives for background on that.)  You would think folks here would want to take a breather on acting like boobs and bigots.  You would be wrong.

          This time the volunteer for ridicule is the CRYSTAL LAKE GALA. 

            The Gala Committee announced this week that they were barring the McHENRY COUNTY PEACE GROUP from participation in the parade because—get this—last year one person carried a sign with the cost of the WAR IN IRAQ, which, according to the organizers constituted an illegal “political statement” and offended and alarmed those with families serving in the military.  See the NORTHWEST HERALD article and the accompanying vigorous on-line debate that ensued.  (Disclosure—I am a member of the Peace Group and have marched  with them in the past in this parade.)

            This is not the first time a group has been excluded from the parade.  Two years ago the LIBERTARIAN PARTY was banned for staging mock arrests along the parade route.  The Peace Group was “warned” about the content of their signs.  Although some commentators have accused Peace Group supporter of not speaking up when the Libertarians were barred, I wrote a letter to the editor that deplored both that and the threat to the Peace Group.  That threat has now been carried out, even though the Peace Group was careful last year to carry “generic” peace messages, quotations and paper doves to comply with the Committee’s capricious demands. 

Several years ago a committee was formed to take over responsibility of what was then a modest annual FOURTH OF JULY parade and the fireworks display shot over the Lake.  To finance these activities they added a “Taste of Crystal Lake” with entertainment by former mid-level one hit wonder groups and “tribute” bands and a carnival, all on the grounds of the historic DOLE MANSION overlooking the lake.  The festival, and particularly the Parade, grew like Topsy.  The parade, now held on the Sunday before INDEPENDENCE DAY, is by far the largest one in McHENRY COUNTY.  With hundred of units it takes more than two hours to pass any point along the route.  Tens of thousands of folks line the route from Dole and Woodstock Streets to the festival grounds.

The Gala now runs up to a separate festival, THE LAKESIDE FESTIVAL, which benefits restoration of the Dole Mansion and the adjacent LAKESIDE CENTER ARTS CENTER and which moves into the same grounds for another week of partying.  The Lakeside Festival folks have no part in the Gala’s outrageous actions.  Unfortunately they may be the victim of guilt by association.  Even most Crystal Lake residents are confused by the two festivals running back-to-back.

Here is what I added to the on line discussion about the NORTHWEST HERALD article:

Galvavol [a Gala official who attempted to justify the committee’s action] and other festival mouthpieces fall all over themselves trying to justify the indefensible. None of their arguments hold water. Defending against disruption? There has been no disruption. In the years that the Peace Group (hint: notice the name, it is not the Peace Party) has marched, some observers clapped and cheered, a handful booed and most folks smiled and waved. Not a riot in sight. Public safety? The only mishap I know that occurred in conjunction with the Peace Group happened to me two years ago—I stepped in a pot hole and badly sprained my ankle while listening to a parade volunteer complement us on our giant dove float. The tender sensitivities of those who may be offended? What about the tender sensitivities of all of us who are morally offended by the committee’s high handed arrogance? But of course we don’t count. They don’t agree with us so our voices are “political and disruptive.” Most ridiculously, the Committee has not avoided offence or controversy. They have insured it. By the way, what was it a former editor of the NORTHWEST HERALD called the committee? I remember—“Parade Nazis.” He didn’t know the half of it.

            This is not the end of the Peace Group’s problems.  Since the beginning of the War in Iraq, the Peace Group had been holding weekly roadside vigils.  After moving around the county to various locations, the vigils settled in regularly at the busy intersection of Rt. 14 and Main Street in Crystal Lake every Thursday evening from 5 to 6 pm.  In freezing temperatures, raging blizzards, pouring rain, and tropical heat Peace Group volunteers have stood witness against the killing.  Participants might range from two dozen to two, but they are always out there.  

Over the years participants report more and more positive responses of people waving, flashing the V sign, or honking as they pass.  Of course there are always a few offering the single digit salute or who shout obscenities from their windows.  There have even been folks who have veered their cars as it to run down the viglilers.  Once and a while a heckler will even walk up the to group.  But the Peace Group folks have always remained serene and calm.

A few weeks ago a crowd of pro-war demonstrators arrived to counter the Peace Group.  The group has no objection to them making their own statement, but are now appealing for reinforcements to show that the yearning for peace is stronger than the fever for war.

Today (June 20) the NORTHWEST HERALD published a LETTER FROM JAKE WYSE  which attacked the Peace Group and the weekly vigils.  In the on-line several folks echoed that old Vietnam era refrain—“Love it or Leave it.”  This was my response to Wyse:

Mr. Wyse belongs to that class of citizens who claim to “love” America but don’t understand it very well. They recognize and worship the Flag (by the way worship of a symbol over substance has a name—idolatry), but they are ignorant of the Constitution. They rave about “freedom” as long as it is the freedom to agree exactly with them. These folks aren’t a new phenomena. We’ve seen their likes before. Sometime they even temporarily carry the day and they plunge this nation into a period of suppression and repression. Somehow the nation survives and looks back at periods like that with revulsion and shame. No where are the perpetrators of the madness and shame held up as heroes. Those who had the courage to stand up to them are. But then Mr. Wyse and his ilk are as ignorant of history as they are of the Bill of Rights. Mr. Wyse is on the wrong side of history. The American people recognize it. That is why a large and ever growing majority of our citizens now oppose this wretched war. Are we all traitors? Must we all get on a boat and leave the country we love a depopulated desert ruled by incompetent ideologues? What is most alarming is the perpetual state of rage in which Mr. Wyse and his fellow true believers dwell. Menace and a barely concealed threat of violence rise in their throats the more isolated they become. Truly we live in dangerous times.

Although I was a regular at these vigils for a long time and over a couple of miserable winters, I have not been attending lately because of work commitments.  But I plan to be there with bells on this Thursday at the corner of Rt. 14 and Main Street at 5 pm.  And I will make a point of keeping coming.  Hope to see you there!

CONGRESSWOMAN MELISSA BEAN and JUSTICE FRANCIS LORENZ chat.  STATE REPRESENTATIVE JACK FRANKS in the background.

            An enthusiastic crowd filled a Crystal Lake Holiday Inn ballroom on Saturday night for McHENRY COUNTY DEMOCRATATIC PARTY’S second annual THOMAS JEFFERSON DINNER. 

The event featured two moving video presentations by the talented MICHAEL BISSETT.  The first was thematic introduction to the evening featuring a montage of photographs and quotations from folks as diverse as Jefferson himself, Justice THURGOOD MARSHAL, ELANOR ROOSEVELT, GEORGE McGOVERN, and HELEN KELLER.  It reminded us of our traditional Democratic ideals and commitments to the poor, to working people, to peace, justice, and civil liberty. It called on us first to dream, but then to act on that dream.  It was a perfect keynote for an evening that was considerably elevated above the tone of simple crass partisanship one might expect of such an event.  One astonished observer noted, “There are real ideas here.”

Former County Chair PAT OUIMET suggested to me that I post the video on this blog.  I had to explain to him that the steam-powered technology here would melt down with a lengthy video.  But I am so eager to share it that if it is posted on the local party web site or elsewhere, I will post a link here.

Later another Bissett video saluted JUSTICE FRANCIS LORENZ, recipient of the evening’s prestigious THOMAS JEFFERSON LIFE TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.  The video featured vintage photo’s of the Lorenz’s long and storied career and charming excerpts from a discussion he had one afternoon with COUNTY CHAIR THOMAS CYNOR. 

Lorenz rose from Depression era poverty as the son of butcher and service during World War II to a law degree and distinguished career of public service.  He was elected as Clerk of the Cook County Circuit Court and Illinois State Treasurer.  Although he lost a bid to become Attorney General, he fondly remembered his service as Illinois Director of Public Works during the years that the Interstate Highway and Chicago Expressway system was being built as his greatest achievement.  He capped his career with long service as an Illinois Appellate Court Judge whose legal opinions are admired and frequently cited to this day.  Although 93 years of age and slowed by arthritis one audience member marveled how he seemed to transform himself into the vigorous and handsome young man in the video photos as he spoke in acceptance of his award.

It has been my pleasure to work closely with MARTI SWANSON, recipient of the BOB McGARRY AWARD FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE (named for the late, beloved McHenry County Party Chair) for many years.  In her acceptance remarks she noted that BOB GIBSON (last year’s award winner) and I were among just a handful of elected Committeemen (that’s what we were called then) listed in the McHENRY COUNTY YEARBOOK for 1995, the year she started her service with the party.  She waited until she retired as a high school English teacher and union officer to take on party work.  Since then not only has she faithfully worked her own precinct and aided others, but offered her skills in many areas to the party.  She worked on an extensive revision of the Party by-laws and worked to keep it up to date—and to make sure that we followed our own rules.  She was active with Illinois Democratic Women and with other regional groups to help build the party.   Marti was a highly effective Party Secretary and my personal choice to be elected chair after my brief tenure filling the end of Bob McGarry’s term.  She lost to JOHN BARTMAN, but did not slacken her dedication to the party.  A John will testify, Marti kept him on the strait and narrow if he over stepped his authority or circumvented party rules.  It may have irked John at the time, but it made him a better, and eventually more effective, chair. 

Marti also served on the RINGWOOD VILLAGE BOARD, at the time one of only a handful of local officials who an open Democrat, and was proud to elected as a Delegate to the DEMOCRATIC PARTY NATIONAL CONVENTION.   She also served as lobbyist for the McHENRY COUNTY RETIRED TEACHERS and for the organization's regional and state bodies.  She knew all the players in SPRINGFIELD and was tireless in her efforts to keep teachers from being screwed out of their pensions.  Yet there was also time for other commitment like the McHENRY COUNTY GENEOLOGICAL SOCIETY and the DEFENDERS WILDFLOWER COMMITTEE. 

Of course it wouldn’t be a political event without speeches from politicians.  STATE REPRESENTATIVE JACK FRANKS, once called the 800 pound gorilla of the local Party, and 8th DISTRICT CONGRESSWOMAN MELISSA BEAN both spoke.  I understand as both worked the room after dinner Jack got an earful on the state budget and Melissa was frequently counseled to vote against continued funding for the IRAQ WAR. 

The biggest splash of the evening, however, came from the man who introduced Bean, ROBERT G. ABBOUD, the mayor of BARRINGTON HILLS and now a candidate for DON MANZULLO’S 16th DISTRICT Congressional seat.  Abboud, a nuclear engineer, businessman, and son of ROBERT A. ABBOUD, legendary former chair of FIRST CHICAGO bank, displayed intelligence and gravitas as he talked at length and in depth on economic issues like the deficit and the de-industrialization of the U.S.  He convinced everyone in the room that he had what it takes to successfully challenge the entrenched, but ineffective incumbent.

Abboud will have to hone his message for the campaign trail, but he can raise the significant sums necessary to mount a meaningful challenge and to hire professional campaign people who can help him.

Long after the dinner ended he was at the center of large knots of enthusiastic listeners—and a few folks ready to give him advise.

The evening’s principle speaker was SHEILA SIMON, daughter of the late SENATOR PAUL SIMON, probably the most beloved Illinois Democrat since ADALI STEVENSON.   Simon is herself active in politics, and has been since childhood helping her father’s campaigns.  She related how her parents—at the time both members of the Illinois House—honeymooned at the Democratic National Convention lf 1960 and how she and her husband honeymooned “in Iowa and 16 other states” during her father’s bid for the Democrat Presidential nomination.  Two years ago she was elected in grass-roots style campaign to the city council of CARBONDALE.  This fall she was narrowly defeated for Mayor of the city.  Yet she has a bright future and will surely emerge again to run for office.

Simon mentioned that she favored SENATOR BARACK OBAMA for president while allowing that any of the Democratic candidates were obviously superior to any of the pathetic Republican hopefuls.

           Melissa Bean and Jack Franks also expressed support for the Senator.  Judging from the reaction of the crowd, I would say that Obama has solid support throughout the Illinois Party--bad news for HILLARY CLINTON, who thought that her PARK RIDGE connections and the loyalty of activist party women would at least bite into his support.  Absolutely no evidence of that at the dinner.  I know some local party folks have also been partial to JOHN EDWARDS, BILL RICHARDSON, or DENNIS KUCINICH, but even many of those folks like Obama just as well or better.

            At the end of the evening the local party was united, a little richer, and eager to tackle next year’s elections.

            Below are more pictures from the evening.  

MARTI SWANSON accepts the BOB McGARRY COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD.


ROBERT G. ABBOUD makes an impression introducing Bean.


SHEILA SIMON wins over the crowd.


JUSTICE FRANCIS LORENZ draws a chuckle from PARTY CHAIR TOM CYNOR.


ABBOUD chats with local Democrats after dinner.


Three great Democrats:  last year’s McGarry Award Winner BOB GIBSON, former county chair PATRICK OUIMET, and current chair TOM CYNOR.


FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE CHAIR PAULA YENSEN, the impresario of the evening and her  husband MICHAEL BISSET (standing clapping,) who produced the videos that wowed the crowd.

On Tuesday, April 10th MOVEON.ORG will offer an extraordinary opportunity to hear first hand from the top Democratic candidates for president their views on the WAR IN IRAQ.  The leading organization for integrating local activists into a national movement via the web is sponsoring house parties across the country.  Participants (in alphabetic order for fairness) will be SENATOR JOSEPH BIDEN, SENATOR HILLARY CLINTON, JOHN EDWARDS, REPRESENTATIVE DENNIS KUCINICH, SENATOR BARAK OBAMA, and GOVERNOR BILL RICHARDSON.

MoveOn members, gathering in living rooms from coast to coast will ask candidates the tough questions about their Iraq plans and will hear the answers directly. There will be time for group discussion at each meeting and on line across the country. The next day, all MoveOn members will vote on who we think will do the best job in Iraq.

Unfortunately, I have to work that night (Rats!) But most of you have a chance to attend.  The parties are scheduled to start at 6:30 Central Time, but I imagine that it will be 7 before the candidates log in.  The discussion is bound to be lively—and pointed.  This is you chance to separate the sheep from the goats.

To find a house party near you, or to host one (it’s not too late) follow this link:  http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/index.html?action_id=80      

ALTERNET is one of my go-to sources for alternative news and views on the net.  I also deeply appreciate how easy they make the give and take conversation over their postings.  I urge every one who might not be familiar with them to check them out.

Last week they ran an INTERVIEW with MOVEON.ORG founders WES BOYD and JOAN BLADES which explained how the grass roots/net roots organization works and responded to the torrent of criticism MoveOn has gotten for supporting the House Democratic Iraq War funding bill which included a set withdrawal date.  You can read the interview via the link above and decide for yourself if MoveOn is a sell out or a tool of the Democratic leadership.

Naturally, given the recent controversy, this article elicited a ton of responses, counter responses, taunts and jeers.  That is to be expected.  Folks are passionate about ending the war and often divided over the best message.  Even those of us who ended up supporting the House bill and worked through MoveOn to help secure its passage, wish that it were stronger.  Most of us heartily would prefer an absolute cut off for funds to continue to prosecute the disastrous and illegal war.  Others, myself included, were even more alarmed that text explicitly denying the Resident the right to unilaterally launch an attack on neighboring Iran, was jettisoned from the final bill.

It was not surprising that the dialogue and rhetoric responding to the interview as passionate and often very negative.  What was alarming was how vituperative much of it was, how vicious in attacking the motive of any one not willing to press an all-or-nothing agenda, and, frankly, how unhinged.

What follow are comments that I  posted almost at random in the stream of invective.

Ok. I know there are a lot of frustrated, angry and well meaning folks out there. There is a need to blow off steam, a need to call the wayward back to the one true path. That’s fine. Go ahead, if it makes you feel better. If it energizes you to do something, even better.

But after reading some the hysterical diatribes unleashed in response to this article  I cannot help but wonder how many of these are from folks that are well paid to sow as much dissention in the ranks as possible? How many from lunatic right volunteers who know just how to push our buttons and enjoy watching us go for each other’s throats.

Call me paranoid, and some of you will. Accuse me of being the agent my self. But I have been around for a very long time and have actually seen these kinds of operations done by pros from the FBI plants among the organizers of the Democratic Convention actions in 1968, to the old Chicago Red Squad, to the Nixon dirty tricks gang. And now the anonymity of the e-mail and the blog-o-shere makes it ridiculously easy.

Hold fast to your values and opinions. Speak your mind. But before you march off to burn down the barn of “Those People” down the road, make sure the guy handing you the torch doesn’t have an entirely different agenda on his mind than you do on yours.