Text - Kerry’ Speech Today: A Right and Responsibility to Speak Out

John Kerry’ Speech at Boston’s Faneuil Hall : A Right and Responsibility to Speak Out
April 22nd, 2006 @ 7:31 am, pst

In a very short time, today, on 35th anniversary of John Kerry’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee testimony, John Kerry wll deliver a speech in Boston’s historic Faneuil Hall about patriotism and dissent at a time of war and the assault on free speech in America today.

Below are Kerry’s remarks as prepared for delivery:



FULL TEXT - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=2723

now didn't suffer for the Vietnam War, because they didn't go. They failed to learn the lessons of Vietnam, and instead are somehow trying to "win" now. It is very sad -- those who fail to learn their history are doomed to repeat it.

:thumbsup:

"We must insist now that patriotism does not belong to those who defend a President’s position—it belongs to those who defend their country. Patriotism is not love of power; it is love of country. And sometimes loving your country demands you must tell the truth to power. This is one of those times."

Absolutely!!

Great speech - going on right now!

"The true defeatists are those who believe America is so weak that it must sacrifice its principles to the pursuit of illusory power."

"..we are engaged in another fight to live the truth and make our own government accountable."

As usual, way exceeded my expectations. Just beyond excellent.

Did you read the OP/ED yet?

Went to sleep with the Op-Ed, woke up to the speech!! And tomorrow is another great day.

:woohoo:

Truth to power.

"Invoking bitter memories of the public tumult over the Vietnam War three decades ago, Sen. John Kerry is accusing the Bush administration of stifling dissent about its failed Iraq policies by branding critics as unpatriotic.

“The spirit of intolerance for dissent has risen steadily, and the habit of labeling dissenters as unpatriotic has become the common currency of the politicians currently running our country,” Kerry, D-Mass., said in remarks prepared for delivery Saturday at Boston’s Faneuil Hall." - http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060422/ap_on_go_co/kerry_iraq_1

Tay Tay over at dKos:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/4/22/11528/2823

This really is exciting!

One of the best!

for the the Bush-Cheney Doctrine comments

http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2006/4/22/11528/2823/81#c81

i backed Kerry during his Presidential campaign ... but I saw a tentative candidate that seemed so overly cautious that the medium became the message ...

not so today ... only time will tell if self-inflicted wounds have healed ... to me, reading his words, i sensed a very real change ... whether this reflects an evolution in thought and values or a new political strategy is yet to be measured ... perhaps it is both ... if so, Kerry is on a very positive path ...

truly, it has been a sad business, a very sad business, to have stood all this time where Kerry now stands and heard the relentless attacks of his minions ... perhaps this too will now be behind us ...

to those with the Senator's ear, hear this ... Iran is the expansion of madness to a new theatre ... the time for leadership and unrestrained truth-telling is NOW ... Congressman Kucinich has sent a letter to the WH demanding information about rumored US troop activities inside Iran (http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2579332&mesg_id=2579332) ...

you and I have both looked in horror at the Party's failure to stand with Kerry forthrightly on his calls to end the war in Iraq ... and so it is that Kerry himself, and you who support him, should align yourself with either Kucinich or his call for full disclosure on Iran or both ... please consider the ineffectiveness that results when such boldness remains unsupported ...

Kerry did a great job today ... to truly lead the nation will require someone with the vision, courage and platform to steer the country away from the imminent tragedy of war with Iran ... if the lessons of Iraq have been genuinely internalized, the battle to stop a war in Iran must be joined NOW ...

I'll check out the Kucinich thread. And will definately get behind it!

I wish I were there!

Can't wait for CSpan!

:thumbsup:

:kick:

truly inspiring. Ought to bring the haters out in the light, en masse.

on the anniversary of history! The man is so inspiring.

and threatening to some, as well.

I'm re-reading the speech! Wow, better the second time.

Go Kerry! :kick: :patriot:

This is FANTASATIC

John Kerry’s “Dissent” In The News
April 23rd, 2006 @ 12:03 am

I’ve yet to watch John Kerry’s speech at Faneuil Hall today on C-Span, but I’ve read it over a couple of times now and the words ring like a clear bell in my heart. Notable from the news on Kerry’s speech is this piece with some quips about the reactions of those attending, including a standing ovation at the begining of the speech and that there were atleast 20 more during…

“I have come here today to reaffirm that it was right to dissent in 1971 from a war that was wrong. And to affirm that it is both a right and an obligation for Americans today to disagree with a President who is wrong, a policy that is wrong, and a war in Iraq that weakens the nation,” Kerry said to a standing ovation yesterday at Boston’s historic Faneuil Hall…

“Lives have been lost to bad decisions,” Kerry said. “Not decisions that could have gone either way, but decisions that constitute basic negligence and incompetence. And lives continue to be lost because of stubbornness and pride.”

MORE - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=2727

again, NOW! :patriot: