NO REST FOR THE AWAKE - MINAGAHET CHAMORRO

After serving eight terms as one of the most progressive members of the US House of Representatives, Dennis Kucinich is leaving Washington D.C. next month. Kucinich was often the most reasonable voice in very unreasonable and irrational times. He ran for President several times, once I got to see him at a campaign stop in Atascadero, California. He was proud defender of the often time embattled and much maligned label of liberal. He will be missed. Below is the text for one of his most famous speeches given in February 2002. ***************** A Prayer for America by US Rep Dennis Kucinich February 17, 2002 I offer these brief remarks today as a prayer for our country, with love of democracy, as a celebration of our country. With love for our country. With hope for our country. With a belief that the light of freedom cannot be extinguished as long as it is inside of us. With a belief that freedom rings resoundingly in a democracy each time we speak freely. With the unde

Kao hoben yu’? Hekkua’. Anggen un kompara ham yan i manestudiante-ku siha, ahe’. Esta bihu yu’. Lao kao hohoben ha’ yu’? Lao yanggen un kompara ham yan i otro na manactivists siha giya Guahan, hunggan hohoben ha’ yu’. The conference in Okinawa is an Asia-Pacific conference, but in the International Forum, 10% of the delegates come from the Pacific. In the general Japan Peace Conference around 0.01% of the delegates come from the Pacific. We were incredibly small in terms of presence, yet we had a huge impact on the proceedings. Part of the reason why the Japanese were impressed and enamored with us is because or our youth. Looking around the conference, you might imagine that the average age of a peace-activist in Japan is somewhere around 50. This conference many many times felt like a Japanese version of the movie Cocoon . It was surreal to see so many friendly old Japanese men, talking about peace and love in such ways that you might expect them to be a hippie girl working

I often use militarism or militarization as negative terms, concepts which describe things that I don't like or wish to see less of, but in truth, the terms are not inherently wrong. Both are terms which are meant to describe a way of bringing into being aspects of a conversation all societies have, the key points of which deal with security, fear, love, peace, borders and other things which are fundamentally about trust and violence. Every community has to ask itself what will the nature of their "defense" be and what will the nature of their "offense" be to certain contexts, to crimes, to attacks, to threats or just general fear. Militarism and militarization are ways in which that debate manifests usually as responses which lean towards violence, fear, offense, death and so on. Every society creates a way of defending itself, and every society has a conversation about how best to do that. What their values are and whether or not said militarism reflects their

This morning three different trips were organized for the visiting delegates so that they could visit the facilities where hibakusha or people affected by the nuclear blasts in Hiroshima are being cared for. There are still tens of thousands of hibakusha left in Japan, the youngest being 66 years old now. I along with delegates from Vietnam, Nigeria, Norway, Brazil, Nepal and Fiji visited a nursing home where 97 hibakusha from ages 66 -99 were being cared for. We got to meet some of them, visit their cafeteria, social hall and even see pictures of some of the regular activities and festivities they celebrate. At the start of our visit we were given an overview of the work being done there by the superintendent. He spoke through a translator and as such, one always feels like you are watching a badly dubbed, constantly delayed movie. In this movie you politely look at the person speaking, as they speak, and nod politely even if you comprehend nothing of what is being said, and then you

One of the most frustrating things about being a liberal or a progressive person from Guam is that the only people in Washington D.C. who tend to know anything about Guam are "hawks." Although people on Guam may see their struggle for decolonization or demilitarization as being something liberals would see as part of their agenda, as part of their ideological struggle to make the US or the world a better place, this is rarely the case. Guam is primarily to the United States, and by this, I mean nearly all ideological pockets in the United States, defined through its strategic importance and the fact that it has two US military bases there. What this means, is that even though you may want to reach out to the progressive side of the US Government or ideological spectrum when advocating on behalf of Guam, the only ears that tend to hear any of these cries or even have some background in order to understand them are thsoe who are lords of war or lobbyists for militarism and the

Yesterday was a confusing and crazy day. Interviews were difficult to come by and when I was able to speak to politicians about Guam issues or Pacific Islander issues, their answers were generic or banal. Internet was also an issue, as I had trouble nearly all day finding reliable internet as I shuffled around from DNC event to DNC event all around downtown Denver. Today looks to be alot better. I woke up this morning to find in my email inbox a wonderful email from one of the blogger media people, letting us know that we can request spots on "podium roundtalble interviews." As speakers at the convention step off the stage and into the sea of media and delegates they will have a blogger/press roundtable waiting for them where we can ask a question or two. You can only request three a day from the list of speakers. I'm sure most bloggers would go after a spot speaking to the bigger name folks from today's schedule. For me, I'm just trying to find people who can sp

Olaha mohon na sina mumagahet este. Gi i fino' Pelosi yan Reid "ti gaigaige gi hilo' i lamasa " impeachment." Lao baba este. Kontat ki taigue este na " threat" kulang taichi i pusishon i Presidente. An taigue este ti sina macho'cho' maolek i sisteman " checks yan balances." Yanggen umisao i Presidente, i obligashon-na i Kongresu, para u na'luhan gui' yan na'tunas gui' ta'lo. Lao yanggen un laknos este na "threat" taimanu sina un atgoya i Presidente? *************************** Published on Thursday, June 12, 2008 by TruthDig.com Gore Vidal’s Article of Impeachment by Gore Vidal On June 9, 2008, a counterrevolution began on the floor of the House of Representatives against the gas and oil crooks who had seized control of the federal government. This counterrevolution began in the exact place which had slumbered during the all-out assault on our liberties and the Constitution itself. I wish to draw the

Hu pega gi pappa’, un mensåhi ginnen Si Dennis Kucinich, put i anten I Ha'anin Martin Luther King Jr. Olaha mohon na lokka'ña hao Dennis! Siempre yanggen lokka'ña hao siña manggana hao gi i botasion Amerikånu!!! Giya Guahan, in tingo' na yanggen umachånda Si Juan Malimanga yan Si Nano gi un botasion, siempre manggana' Si Juan. Lao ti manggana' gui' put suette, bininitu, minalate' pat pao'fresko. Manggana' gui solo put i etigo'-na Si Nano'. Gi i Comedy Shows guini (gi lågu) todu tiempo ma sångan na ginnen "The Lord of the Rings" Si Kucinich, kulang Elf pat Dwarf. Lao giya Guahån, guaha otro na fina'na'an para este na taotao: Duendes . Humanao yu' nigap para un dinaña' nai ma gof honora Si MLK, lao bai hu post mas put este agupa' pat agupa’ña. Para på'go, taitai este na palåbras, sa' kumekuentos Si Kucinich put i umababåk-ña i Intenon Demokratik giya i United States. Lao kontat ki ma gof dalalaki i ante