October 12, 2002
Pete Stark, Congressman with Guts
Congressman Pete Stark, a Democrat from California was one of the few who stood up against Bush's war resolution. Quoted in Salon, Stark said, "The bottom line is I don't trust this president and his advisors."Make no mistake, we are voting on a resolution that grants total authority to the president, who wants to invade a sovereign nation without any specific act of provocation. This would authorize the United States to act as the aggressor for the first time in our history. It sets a precedent for our nation -- or any nation -- to exercise brute force anywhere in the world without regard to international law or international consensus.
"Congress must not walk in lockstep behind a president who has been so callous to proceed without reservation, as if war was of no real consequence...
"What is most unconscionable is that there is not a shred of evidence to justify the certain loss of life. Do the generalized threats and half-truths of this administration give any one of us in Congress the confidence to tell a mother or father or family that the loss of their child or loved one was in the name of a just cause?"
This is an amazing speech, check it out. It could restore a little faith that there are still congresspeople with guts and heart and who speak in plain English.
-- By David Cogswell