In '68 I worked for RFK and was devastated by his killing.

[chieftain]

It seemed that the whole world was in flames and the hope that we felt after Johnson announced he would not run was clubbed to death in the streets of Chicago. I can still remember how much I hated Hubert Humphrey as he accepted the nomination as my contemporaries nursed their wounds and the Democratic Party was still in the thrall of men who would continue the tragedy of the Vietnam War. I vowed then as people vow now, that I would not vote for or support my Party in November. I was bitter and quite justified in my bitterness and alienation. But I knew in my heart that a Nixon Presidency would be a pluperfect disaster. I knew that his plan to end the war was a scam. And I knew that I would never forgive myself if I enabled, even in the slightest way, a GOP occupation of the WH. As everyone knows we lost, but I did not have to spend the next 6 years regretting sitting on the sidelines and allowing that earlier incarnation of Republican crooks and thugs to assume power.
I know that emotions are running high. And I understand in a close race with unprecedented sensitivities regarding race, gender and preferences being exposed, people can be enraged by comments and/or tactics of their opponents. I do not deny the legitimacy of anyone feeling such strong emotions. But my prayer, and it is a prayer, is that when the Convention has spoken , we can all unite around our nominee and go and defeat the RW of the Republican Party that is truly possessed of dangerous, unconstitutional and immoral policies. I would hate to have a McCain presidency on my conscience.

[gateley]

1. Beautifully presented, chieftain -- Thank you. nt

[chieftain]

4. Thanks, I really appreciate your reply. I post pleas for unity

every 2 or 3 weeks and they tend to sink like a stone. I understand that emotions are running high but the consequences of another 4 years of RW rule are so dire that I am truly fearful for our democratic government.

[Grown2Hate]

14. I try the same, if "pleas for unity" are the same as 'DEMANDING

everyone stop being so STUPID!" (I get a little passionate sometimes). ;)

I support Obama, but will vote for whomever gets the Dem nomination. Thank you for your post. Peace.

[chieftain]

15. You gotta love passion in pursuit of peace. n/t

[NC_Nurse]

2. K&R. A moving post. And a great message.

I reserve the right to pout for a while if my candidate doesn't get the nod, but
I'll be back and I WILL vote DEM.

[FightingIrish]

3. I was in a Navy survival school preparing for my first Vietnam

deployment. One of the instructors came into our class and announced in a matter-of-fact tone that RFK was dead. For the next three days I was in a mock survival-POW experience trying to deal with another horror that was ongoing in the real world. The hope I have this year scares me because hope can be a very fragile thing.

[chieftain]

8. From one Irish-American to another, I salute your service to our

country and I appreciate your kind words. Slainte.

[Lochloosa]

5. Done

You got it.

[grantcart]

6. what people a little younger don't understand that it was exponentially

expanded grief first John then Martin then Bobby.

My hope is that your prayer is heard.


90% of both sides seems like they have taken a dose of idiot juice in here tonight with all of the hatred.

[chieftain]

10. Thanks.

[JohnnyLib2]

7. I share those painful memories.

And the fact that we made a tough choice in a very tough time.

I'll vote for the Democratic nominee this year.
Recommended.

(RIP, all those whose names are on The Wall for 1968)

[chieftain]

12. It was such a horrible time. And here we are decades later

still doing similar stupid immoral things. Now it isn't communists, its radical islamists. When will we ever learn?

[rusty quoin]

9. This post I like. Unity. k&r

[chieftain]

16. Your reply, I like as well. n/t

[nebula]

11. The Dem party can never be united under the 2-party system.

Its members are just fundamentally different. you can't expect to place progressives and (right-leaning) 'centrists' in the same party and expect them to get along.

The 2-party system is far too restrictive. It is broken. A 2-party monopoly can never function well as a democracy. There is a tremendous need for a major third party option.

[chieftain]

13. To date, 3rd parties have either been absorbed by one

of the major parties either in whole or in policies or they have fallen by the wayside. It seems to me that the current disputed race is not very content driven. Without debating your post, I remain focused on November and retrieving the Executive Branch from the imperialists who occupy it now and their successor McCain.

[nebula]

18. Question.

Do you think corporate merging of all the major media is good thing too?

[chieftain]

20. Absolutely not. It is one of the worst things happening in

America today. It is turning journalism into the cheapest form of entertainment- witness the 24/7 exploitation of the murder of Jon Benet Ramsey. It has reduced serious reporters to the level of circus seals who bark on David Gregory's command.

[nebula]

21. Then I think you can see why

the 2-party system is so antithetical to the principal and functioning of a healthy democratic society. Just as having the entire mainstream media controlled to by a handful of corporate entities is antithetical to a free press.

Because what is the closest thing to a one-party state? A two-party state: that is,

On one hand we have the GOP which calls all the shots. On the other hand we have the Democrats, which serves as the faux opposition party. The latter of which allows us to pretend that we actually live under a genuine representative government. It's a charade.

[chieftain]

25. I don't buy the idea that the Democratic Party is a faux

opposition party. I do believe that there are fundamental differences between us and the GOP. I acknowledge that the Democrats are not as liberal as I would like, but to write them off as a sham is not close to correct. Does anyone truly believe that 8 years of a Gore Administration would resemble even slightly the years of thuggery, immorality, stupidity and down-right meanness that characterize the RW regime? I don't think so.

[nebula]

19. Don't get me wrong

I do appreciate your sentiment.

Unity would be a good thing for the party if it can be achieved,
at least long enough to serve us in November.

[chieftain]

22. Agreed. I am for unity in this case not for its intrinsic value,

but because the stakes have never been higher. The GOP is dedicated to militaristic empire expansion. McCain will lead us further down that road.

[SaveAmerica]

17. Thanks, a very good reminder.

[PATRICK]

23. In retrospect

rallying back to HHH seems easily justified but those decrying dirty politics now have no idea how awash in actual bloodshed, assassinations and betrayals the party was back then.

Yet this time there are the same emotions. granted. What IS different is the extreme nature of the consequences of voting for the Bush party- even if by absent proxy of sitting it out and empowering one of his dupes, loons or shadow voters a number against destiny. We will literally die. Not in Iraq or SE Asia or merely suffer a forbidden to name Depression. Not just a loss of liberties, but by merely wasting our time on following the escapades of untouchable looters, we will be condemning the chances of billions to withstand several global crises not only imminent but well underway.

To our horror, as was never intended, the Dem primary is the only election, the last expression of vestigial democracy in our tattered, shamed nation. By not facing that simple fact and playing gamely under the enforced illusion this is a routine exercise in turning over legitimate political officeholders we can easily let suppressed emotions run right down the distracted path to absurd, suicidal trivialities- as is intended by the Grand Old Dictatorship. We are the chump suckers of disaster economics and politics for merely letting the "disgruntled" conversation exist according to hostile punditry parameters. It is not childish but in context and in comparison to wider reality it is in scale and much worse. It is a death sentence not just for a percentage of victims of a future GOP administration(s)(Bush ad Armageddon) but for you and your presently enslaved family tree. The old ideas of revolution, "let it all rot out" have no time to brutally pass the buck to future street fighters nor to go through another rotting Dark Ages that fostered still a continuity of lies, delusions, chaos and divisions up to an including the present.

In November(and now) we are facing an establishment onslaught of lies, misdirection, cheating, disenfranchisement, falsified elections, war for political ends, manipulation of any upcoming disaster,
and weakness inside the party itself and an inability for the masses no matter what to fairly and together and with uninhibited flow of information merely to make their voices heard.

The long stretch of the primary stresses and leaves the heart full and awestruck like a huge mountain barrier one had just crossed. All of it looking back years from now will shrink to shameful, fearful absurd proportions in the face of what will happen, for good or ill. Since that future, for real this time, does not necessarily have a place reserved for our individual survival or necessarily depend on some idiot's finger on nuclear Armageddon, I suggest everyone take their mind off the pain and keep climbing. Behind us, dragging limply or digging in their heels against the lead rope are non-voters, post-apocalyptic dupes, Grudge haunts and the Misfortune 500.

It is no more about merely voting than election reform was about a paper trail(the grudgingly allowed mainstream focus). The path demands voting Dem, working progressive, making one into clout by money, work and voice. Party is not about balloons and celebration parties, but revolution, a long struggle, and a rapid evolutionary change in everything that bodes very ill for powerless spectators.

The sixties could have been a turning point. Today IS the turning point, the last bend in a dangerous road.

[JohnnyLib2]

24. This would make a powerful OP. Great piece.

Perhaps it would appeal more to older Democrats, but how about putting it up? :thumbsup:

[applegrove]

26. Great post! Thanks for your sage advice.

[chieftain]

28. Thanks.

[ramapo]

27. HHH seemed so awful

I was so happy when Nixon won. I was a stupid 13-year-old but in my defense, Nixon did seem like the anti-war candidate. Nixon's secret plan to end the war was to make sure it went on for four more years so he could use it in his reelection campaign. (sound familiar).

Humphrey seemed a much more benevolent fellow a few years later.

I'd be happy to have the pre-March Hillary or Barack as my president. I'll do anything to make sure that the Republican rule of America ends on January 20, 2009 at 12 Noon. Think about four more years of Republican rule vs. the very worst thought that you can think of concerning either Clinton or Obama.

Our goalpost is January 20, 2009, 12 Noon. Lets not miss it.

[chieftain]

30. I think of Humphrey as a tragic figure. He was a true liberal

who fought for so many good causes until he became enmeshed in the web of Vietnam. Some of it had to do with the hold that Munich had on the WWII generation coupled with a fundamental misunderstanding of the 3rd World's desire to free itself from imperial rule. But his support of LBJ also had to do with personal ambition. He was able to ignore the atrocities in Vietnam just as he was able to turn a blind eye to the police riot happening under his window in Chicago because he wanted to be president. Nixon did proclaim himself to be the peace candidate. It would have been asking a lot of any 13 year old, no matter how bright, to see what a venal man he really was. And yet the empty suit from Texas has gotten away with so much more that Nixon even dreamed of.

[Sparkly]

29. Yes indeed.

:thumbsup:

[H2O Man]

31. Great post.

"Democracy" implies struggle. Sometimes the struggle brings wonderful rewards, and sometimes it breaks your heart.

(I saw the Chieftains with Eileen Ivers & Immigrant Soul. Great music.)

[chieftain]

33. The Chieftains are one of my favorite groups and Irish music

and history borders on an obsession. Luckily politics intrudes often enough that I can't slip completely into Ireland's past.

[PA Democrat]

32. Thanks, chieftain.

Passions are running so high, that too many of us forget that what we have in common is greater than what sets us apart.

I think everyone here knows how devastating a McCain presidency would be to this country, indeed to the entire world. I would plead with people, that even if they are having a bad time overcoming their personal bitterness about the primary season, to think about what we are leaving for future generations. I think we are running out of opportunities to do the right thing on so many levels.

[chieftain]

36. You are so right about running out of time.Torture is becoming

accepted behavior. Spying on Americans is routine. Preventive war is policy. Most empires require the stifling of democracy. That is where we are headed. We better get our message out soon because if we don't the USA will be the most dangerous fascist power in history.

[tabasco]

34. Humphrey would have been infinitely better than Nixon

and ended the war sooner.

Any Dem would be infinitely better than McCain.

[chieftain]

37. Absolutely true.

[blogslut]

35. kick

For a good post

[chieftain]

38. Thanks

[AmericanUnity]

39. I remember 40 years ago tonight when Bobby stood on top of the car with the megaphone and

urged nonviolence following MLK's assassination. I remember the heartsick feeling that overcame me when Bobby was gunned down in L.A. I had so much hope for the future.

That feeling didn't return for 40 years until Barack Obama entered this election as a candidate.

I really hope we can heal the bad feelings among Hillary and Obama supporters and elect a Democrat to the WH.

These times are so analogous to 1968. We're at war, the nation is divided, and the unfinished work of national reconciliation needs to be complete so America can feel young and hopeful again.

God Bless Martin Luther King, Jr., Bobby Kennedy, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton

Most of all, let's as Him to help us heal this nation.

[chieftain]

40. I often think of Bobby's courage and eloquence that horrible

night.Somewhere along the way the Left seems to have misplaced its spine. I caught clips of Dr. King's speech the day before he was gunned down exhorting his followers to walk if they could not run; to crawl if they could not walk but to keep on moving toward the prize. I think of Goodman, Schwerner and Chaney (oh the bitter irony) Viola Luizzo and Medgar Evers. The marchers at Selma. John Lewis and the Freedom Riders. The students who sat down at the Woolworths in North Carolina. The young people who braved the crazed white mobs to walk into Central High in Little Rock. And James Meredith defying Ross Barnett and the rioters in Oxford.
We of the Left have allowed ourselves to be marginalized as latte sipping wimps. I believe that neither Barack or Hillary will permit themselves to be turned into caricatures of themselves. We supporters of each ought not participate in the pattern of personal destruction that Lee Atwater pioneered. We need to harken back to our heroines and heroes of the Civil Rights and Anti-War Movements. Those martyrs deserve better from their spiritual descendent's.

[redqueen]

41. It makes me sad that I missed the opportunity to recommend this.

:applause:

[chieftain]

42. Well I take that as a great compliment because I enjoy your

posts. Thanks.