Sunday, March 07, 2004

It's kind of staggering to think tonight, as I call 411 on my cell phone, after making relatively huge amounts of cash taking care of the needs of even richer people, to get the number for a pizza place on Grand, that delivers pizza until 1am, from my Japanese made car, get my pizza, make a rootbeer float, type on my computer, that there is someone halfway around the world with my same genetic code, same inherent intelligence, same charisma, same everything other than the good fortune to be born in the U.S. who is starving to death, being shot by soldiers from our army, shooting someone else, dying of AIDS, living in poverty, building a bomb, living an exile from his own spirit, except in much poorer surroundings. 1:11:48 AM

I was thinking on the way home that I should at least call Jeff Smith back, or even write him a letter. But I feel like I should write everyone who's running against Russ Carnahan in the 3rd District primary to tell them the same thing. That you're a nice guy and I like your politics and I think you'll contribute wonderfully to the Democratic party in some capacity, but that right now, running against Russ is working against both the big D and the little d democratic idea. That even if you win the primary, which is highly unlikely, you will not win in the general. You will be carrion for the Republican vulture, flesh for them to pick on to pick up a seat in what was formerly a safe Democratic district. You have neither the organization nor the name recognition nor the national connections to succeed. The Carnahan name alone may be garlic enough to keep the right-wing vampire away. Even runnning in the primary is draining precious dollars and organization away to the degree that it may make the district winnable by the republicans. Plus, Russ is a good guy too. Have you met him? Have you discovered that he is not only committed to the same political views as you, but has experience working towards those goals? If you want to do something for the Democratic party, and yourself, run for local office. Move to a potentially winnable state rep district. Not only are you hurting Russ, hurting the democratic party, you're hurting yourself and your own long term political prospects - at least in this state. Don't be a vanity candidate, for in doing so, you serve the shadows, and not the light. Not that I think there is some magical formula for social justice in the Democratic party - I just see the radical right, and the religious right, and the fascist corporatist wing of the Republican party as wearing today's face of evil, well beyond the power of the individual actors within the party. Someday, it may be something called the Democratic party, right now, it's here and now and chipping away at our shared humanity operating under the big R. That's the target, if you believe in something good. 12:32:14 AM