Share the truth--teach democracy

[ray of light]

Since I discovered D.U. in 2004, I've seen a lot of posts talking about democracy and fascism. I've seen even more posts talking about how the schools don't teach democracy anymore, since people clearly don't realize how close Bush's regime and these corporatist Republicans (and some Democrats) have taken us away from democracy.

Well, last week, Reprehensor posted a terrific article on Jesselyn Radack. Do you know who Jesselyn Radack is? Click on the link to read about her. (Reprehensor describes her story so much better than I can!)

Jesselyn Radack suffered from too many reprisals at the Bush administration's hands, and after five years of fighting for her very livelyhood, she has written a book. I have read the book and it's a story that sounds like it could have been written by John Grisham instead of a real-life, fact-based series of events.

Bush and his buddies don't let dissenters off easy.

Read her story and you'll find out why so few have dared to cross his path. But furthermore, give it to friends who think that Bush is a "good Christian". As Jesselyn said, "We don't have to trade fear for freedom, confuse dissent with disloyalty, and replace democracy with despotism. I am a mother of three, not a "Turncoat," as the government has branded me.

Jesselyn's story is about ethics in government and democracy. I learned about her through Camp Democracy when Ray McGovern was telling us who she was and that she fought like hell to stop the torture of the FIRST American tortured--John Walker Lindh. You can listen to Ray's comments here.

At any rate, to give full disclosure, I am the person who helped Jesselyn get her book published. She's a wonderful honest person who didn't deserve to be attacked by the government and all its resources--yet she was. Ray McGovern, Sibel Edmonds, Ann Wright, Anthony Lewis, Nadine Strossen, Dan Ellsberg, and Allan Giles are just a few of the people who have read The Canary in the CoalMine and recommend it to others.

Her story could be any one's story.

This is why I'm asking all of DU to send Democracy on the march through our own country--the good ole' USA! Please click on this link to buy a Camp Democracy DVD and Jesselyn Radacks book and send it to your local high school and local library. Camp Democracy was three weeks of solid workshops and had so many wonderful speakers there. Listen to Ray McGovern and then realize that there were many other wonderful speakers who attended as well like Elizabeth Holtzman, Helga Aguayo, Jeff Chen, Ann Wright, Howard Zinn, Jeff Cohen, and David Swanson.

Besides, how can we complain about kids not understanding democracy if we're not willing to give them the tools they need to 'get it'?

Allow me to tell you the story Ray McGovern shared with us Ray McGovern relayed this sonnet at Camp Democracy as he explained about the short window of time we have to save our democracy. It was by Albrecht Haushofer, called "Guilt".

Albrecht Haushofer was at the University of Berlin. He thought he made it. Everything was coming up roses for him. Yet when the war came he stood silent because he was doing well. Eventually, he started speaking out. His voice was finally being heard when the Germans caught him. The day he was to be executed, the Germans were demanding a signed confession from him as they did to all who dissented. He refused to give any confession. So as they shot him a piece of paper flew out of his pocket.

This is what it said (translated to English):

Guilt
I am guilty.
But not in the way you think.
I should have recognised my duty;
I should have more sharply called evil evil.
I reined in my judgement too long.
I did warn
But not enough and not clear;
And today I know what I was guilty of.


Just because we won the election in November doesn't mean the fighting is done. Send the truth to your schools and libraries.

For a special price, you can send the book and the Camp Democracy dvd to your local library and school (send it to the history teacher.) If you save your receipt and save the donation receipt you can probably even take a tax deduction too.

I'm ordering the book/dvd combo to send to the 3 high schools in the city where I grew up and I am ordering an additional 2 to send to the schools in these little 'red' towns where my children have gone to school.

The DVD and the book are just one way to make sure civics education and democracy isn't being forgotten where you live.

So please take advantage of this one time special price.

Thanks.