Cindy Sheehan Speech at Fat City, 6/28/08 from fogcityjournal on Vimeo.
By Luke Thomas
June 29, 2008
Independent candidate for Congress Cindy Sheehan yesterday called for a revolution in America to help bring to an end the domination of corporate influence over politics.
Sheehan made the remarks during a campaign fundraiser held at Fat City in San Francisco.
“We need a revolution,” Sheehan said. “Things have to change and they’re not going to change with the people that have been bought and paid for by the corporations.”
Sheehan’s comments were largely directed at her opponent, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose job approval rating has reached an all time low since failing to bring an end to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan as promised when Democrats took control of Congress in 2006.
“I will never let you down because you know what, Nancy Pelosi lives on the hill,” Sheehan said. “She is part of the corporate fascist elites – and I come from you. I am you. I am the people, and we have to get people who are people in Congress, not fake people.”
The fundraising event included performances by Travis Bilenski, Malcontent, and Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine who flew up from Los Angeles to headline the evening’s performance lineup.
Tom Morello
Malcontent
Travis Bilenski
Morello, aka “The Nightwatchman,” graduated Harvard University with a degree in political science and once served as former Senator Alan Cranston’s scheduling secretary. Morello announced during the performance his endorsement of Sheehan, the first time Morello said he has ever publicly endorsed a candidate.
“Cindy Sheehan is indeed the first political candidate I have ever publicly endorsed,” Morello said, “and the reason why is very, very clear – because I never really feel the candidates that run for office represent me, and she is the first one in my life, as an adult, that I felt was uncompromised, and uncompromising, and righteous enough for The Nightwatchman to fly up to San Francisco today to play tonight.”
“I hate having the choice of not just the lesser of two evils but the evil of two lessers, and that’s what we normally get in presidential and senatorial congressional elections which is very very different from Cindy because she really is, of, by, and for the people,” Morello added.
Tom Morello and Cindy Sheehan.
According to Sheehan, as many as 300 tickets were sold for the fundraising event. She said the grassroots campaign fundraising effort is “going well” and has so far raised more than $200,000. She said she would use the funds to help increase a signature gathering drive to get her name on the November ballot.
The campaign is required to submit 10,198 valid signatures by August 8. As of June 23, the campaign has submitted 3,500 signatures.
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Tom Morello plays in SF for Cindy Sheehan, 6/28/8, Pt1 from fogcityjournal on Vimeo.
Luke Thomas
Luke Thomas is a former software developer and computer consultant who proudly hails from London, England. In 2001, Thomas took a yearlong sabbatical to travel and develop a photographic portfolio. Upon his return to the US, Thomas studied photojournalism to pursue a career in journalism. In 2004, Thomas worked for several neighborhood newspapers in San Francisco before accepting a partnership agreement with the SanFranciscoSentinel.com, a news website formerly covering local, state and national politics. In September 2006, Thomas launched FogCityJournal.com. The BBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, New York Times, Der Spiegel, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine, 7x7, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Bay Guardian and the San Francisco Weekly, among other publications and news outlets, have published his work. Thomas is a member of the Freelance Unit of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39521 and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
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The Hunger Site
July 2, 2008 at 4:28 pm
At your leisure, check in and you will be given a number. Bring a magazine as you may have a long wait.
July 1, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Sorry, dude, but I can’t find it in me to kiss Cindy’s ass or even believe she has a clue. Since I dare to have my own opinion, what time do you wish me to report to the firing squad?
July 1, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Good answers Cindy. I vaguely recall this person who, rather pretentiously, labels himself el greco, he made some lame patronising comment to something I posted recently. I think he considers himself a ‘witty man about town’, I guess in our dreams we are what we think we be.
All love, peace and power to you in your righteous struggle to fire up these complacent ones, get the recubments off their fat arses and the incumbents out of our godamned way.
See you soon.
Pat Monk.RN. Noe Valley.
July 1, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Well, Ms Sheehan (or whomever is answering in your name), that is interesting that you wish to adopt McGovern’s plan. As a freshman congresswoman (not Speaker of the House), you will find it pretty difficult to get that plan to the floor of the House.
I think I will leave it at that, entertaining as this little exchange has been and as unlikely that Ms Sheehan is actually the one responding to me. Best of luck to you.
July 1, 2008 at 12:09 pm
PS
Oh yeah….our deepest National apologies to the people of Iraq and reparations…in the form of money and any material they need to rebuild their country.
AND: Iraqi oil in the hands of the people of Iraq, not US and British oil companies; Plundering the country that they ruined, isn’t that a war crime?
Absolutely disgusting.
July 1, 2008 at 11:47 am
Gee, Mr. The Greek,
I like Senator McGovern’s plan
A Practical Plan for Withdrawal Now.
I think you can google it and read it online, or buy it from Amazon.
I have a copy if you want to borrow it.
I have written extensively about withdrawal from Iraq.
Complete withdrawal, not redeployment (so the troops can be there to attack other resource rich countries…like Iran).
It’s all in the Senator’s book check it out.
I also know something that I wouldn’t do: give 163 billion dollars to a homicidal maniac so he can walk scott-free from the tragedy he has wrought on this world.
Just because you aren’t “enthused” about my campaign doesn’t mean other people aren’t.
I gotta run now, you have a fabulous day, Mr. The Greek.
Peace & Victory
Cindy
July 1, 2008 at 10:11 am
Gee, Cindy, I think you missed my point. Most San Franciscans, including me, do care about the points you made. It’s just that many San Franciscans don’t seem to be enthused enough about your candidacy to sign up.
Since we’re chatting now, I’d like to hear how you would bring the situation in Iraq to some kind of conclusion. Please don’t go on about how Nancy has screwed it all up, tell us how you would do something positive about it. I’m all ears.
July 1, 2008 at 6:50 am
Dear Mr. The Greek
Yeah, you’re right, maybe people don’t care that I am running.
Or maybe they don’t care that the Pelosi’s live in a mansion while thousands of people are starving in the streets. Maybe they don’t care that thousands of people are losing their homes while Pelosi bails out the mortgage companies and sends us pennies. Maybe they don’t care that over 4 million people have been killed or displaced in an occupation that Pelosi funds. Maybe they don’t care that gas is almost 5.00 a gallon when over 4000 American soldiers have died in Iraq; tens of thousands are maimed, and the oil companies are getting a record deal for privatization in Iraq like she was instrumental in privatizing the Presidio. Maybe people don’t care that Pelosi was briefed on the inhumane torture policies in 2002 and she recently murdered our 4th amendment rights against illegal search and seizure. Maybe people don’t care that BushCo has committed at least 35 impeachable offenses and impeachment to Pelosi is “off the table,” as she has taken so much of our Constitution off the table.
You are right, apathy is rampant but Cindy for Congress is not apathetic. Don’t worry, we will get our signatures, because, unlike you, there are thousands of San Franciscans who do care.
Peace
Cindy Sheehan
June 30, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Yet another good reason for San Francisco to claim Cindy Sheehan as our representative this November!
While Nancy Pelosi (who won’t meet with antiwar activists) dishes out offensive euphemisms like ‘off the table” or ‘redeployment”– Cindy tells us the unvarnished truth in words that could only confound a quibbler.
Here in San Francisco the choice is clear:
Pelosi or Sheehan.
What could be simpler? Or consequential?
Let’s put ourselves back on the map!
Let’s show our country and the world what San Francisco really values.
June 30, 2008 at 9:49 am
A breakneck pace of 3.500 signatures, huh? Do ya think fascist Nancy is intimidating citizens? Or could it be…no, it can’t…that…that no one cares that you’re running, Cindy? Oh, say it ain’t so, say it ain’t so!
June 29, 2008 at 7:32 pm
There will never be another Revolution in the U.S. because Americans will never be hungry and self-aware enough to demand one. The best we can hope for is to establish a parliamentary form of government that promotes proportional representation. Thankfully, I do think that this is innevitable — sooner, rather than later.