Speech for Democratic Rally in Abita Springs, LA, Sept. 20, 2008
I want to begin with a story that illustrates the different possible responses to trauma and stress we Democrats are enduring. It is called "The carrot, egg and coffee bean."
3 pots of water were put on the stove and brought to a rolling boil. Carrots were placed in one pot, eggs in another, and ground coffee beans in the last one. 20 minutes later the carrots were placed in a bowl, the eggs were placed in another bowl, and the coffee was poured into still another.
If you were to touch one of the carrots, it would be soft and pliable. It went into the pot hard and strong, but became weak.
The egg went in with a shell and came out with its insides hardened as well as its shell.
The coffee bean went in as one thing and changed the water to become something quite different---savory coffee.
All 3 were exposed to the same trauma—-boiling water or, in this case, corporate greed and dirty government. But each responded differently. What kind of American are you? Do you react as a carrot which loses its strength and will to go on and accepts everything as unchangeable and inevitable? Are you a softie carrot, crashing and burning in response to so much trauma, caving in and giving up? Self-pity, defeat and despair are yours. You probably will not even bother to vote claiming it would do no good as 1 vote does not count anyway.
Do you react as an egg with a fluid spirit that hardens and a heart that becomes so embittered that you whine but do nothing to change things for the better? Are you a hard-boiled egg convinced that life sucks as well as the people in it, becoming critical and close-minded? Crippling cynicism and paralyzing blame are yours. You finger-point, and nurse vindictive feelings. You talk the talk but do not walk the walk. You will only vote if it is convenient and not raining. Never mind how many heroes died to give you your privilege of voting.
Or do you react as a coffee bean, transforming hardship to produce aromatic taste and fulfilling reward with a passion to effect change? Are you a savvy coffee bean, using your blood, sweat and tears to enable self and others to reach potentials never considered before? Resiliency, optimism and hope are yours. You will knock on doors, phone bank or, at the least, spread the word among your neighbors and friends. Not only will you vote but you will bring others with you—-a true patriot.
The historian Charles Beard says, "When it is dark enough, you can see the stars." Lord knows the condition of our beloved country is dark enough. Because we are so threatened by darkness, let’s notice the brightness of the stars unnoticed before. And if perchance there is no starlight because the clouds are just that thick where you are, then remember ---‘Tis better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. How you pick up the pieces once calamity hits you, will determine if you indeed are a real survivor. Never be satisfied with accepting your misfortune as the final word. Do not allow yourself to use, or allow anyone else to use, the 4-letter forbidden word of can’t. Democrats can win and can turn this country and District 1 around.
As Shaw wrote in 1941:
You see things and you say "Why?"
But I dream of things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"
Go, Democrats, Go!
My fellow American patriots...
There is NO justification for a country as great as ours to have no universal health care, where millions upon millions are underinsured if insured at all, and elderly must choose between meals and medicine.
There is NO justification for a country as great as ours to have a shackled education system and an idiotic No Child Left Behind sham.
There is NO justification for a country as great as ours to have a constitution on paper, in name only and not in practice, where government lawbreakers are protected from prosecution.
There is NO justification for a country as great as ours to use terror as a whip to control us, as sheep, and keep us subservient and unquestioning.
There is NO justification for a country as great as ours to have world trade agreements that give our unions the shaft, shrink our middle class, export jobs overseas, and import inferior products here.
There is NO justification for a country as great as ours to have gasoline and groceries so outrageously priced, home foreclosures skyrocketing as never before, and unequal pay for women.
There is NO justification for a country as great as ours to have our sons and daughters sacrificed in a fabricated war, under-equipped in battle with benefits cut when they return.
There is NO justification for a country as great as ours to have pre-emptive war and torture IN and the Geneva Convention OUT, to have our honorable reputation trashed among leaders of the free world.
There is NO justification for a country as great as ours to neglect and deceive and kick in the teeth a whole devastated area of Katrina and Rita-land and then have the audacity to blame it all on us.
There is NO justification for a country as great as ours to be dependent on foreign oil, to drag our heels on alternative energy and to rape our environment.
There is no justification, my friends, for any of these atrocities-—all of which occurred under Republican rule.
Vultures and vampires of huge conglomerates became richer at the expense of working, everyday American families. What the fu--ddle duddle! Scared ya didn’t I?
I have had a belly full of the greedy ba--boons of the Republican Party. Their shameless idolatry of profit over people is going to end this November with the elections of Obama, Biden, Belsome, Harlan and Landrieu. These fine Americans are also fine Democrats. It’s time for change. Go, Democrats, Go! There is hope on the horizon!
Let me remind you that it is difficult if not impossible to be happy without hope. I quote someone much wiser than I, St. Augustine. "Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are anger and courage; anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are."
In the aftermath of living under Bozo Bush and his elitist cronies for 8 years, we must use our anger and courage to prevent another 4 years of the same with McCain and Palin. Don’t be fooled by Insane McShame, his partner in crime Miss Pain Goody-2-shoes, mealy-mouth Kennedy or Scumbag Scalise. These characters wouldn’t know truth if it hit them over the head. All they know how to do is spout brazen Rovian lies—-pure d crapola. It is time for REAL change—-for hope—-for promise.
Go, Democrats, Go!!