Kucinich Speech given before Miami Haitian Community

Kucinich Speech given before Miami Haitian Community
March 9, 2004

Dennis Kucinich was scheduled to give a major policy speech yesterday in Miami's "Little Haiti" community. Because of illness, he was unable to attend; however a surrogate delivered an excerpt from his speech, which follows:


Peace. Democracy. The bicentennial commemoration of the end of slavery and the beginning of a Constitutional Republic. Freedom from fear. Equal rights. And hope for the future.

That's what we should be here celebrating today. But we're not.

Instead, armed foreign soldiers are patrolling the streets and cities and countrysides in your homeland. U.S. troops. French troops. Chilean troops. A country that should be proud of its history and its triumphs over oppression and brutality is instead an occupied nation. Again. And the people of Haiti are living in fear and uncertainty. Again.

And unless the United States of America is willing to demonstrate the same strength, the same courage, and the same respect for the principles of freedom on which both our nations were built, what has happened to Haiti in recent weeks and recent months will happen again.

The reason I am here today is to tell you that if I am elected President of the United States, that will never happen again.

You see, I believe in democracy. I don't believe in overthrowing democracies. I don’t believe weapons should be a tool of U.S. foreign policy. I believe humanitarian assistance and foreign aid and honest negotiations and cooperation, including international cooperation through the United Nations and the OAS and the Caribbean community should be the tools of foreign policy. Peace, not war. Assistance, not aggression. And respect for the sovereignty of a proud people and a proud self-governing nation. Not arrogance.

I am not here to defend or to criticize President Aristide and his government. The issues that we are confronting and struggling with are far greater and far deeper than any one person. Those issues are at the heart and soul of what we believe. What we want the world to believe. What we want our children and grandchildren to believe so that they learn from our mistakes and enjoy the legacy of our successes. So they can live in a world where they aren't afraid, they don't wake up in the middle of the night to the sounds of gunfire and bombs exploding.

But that dream will be nothing more than a dream unless the leaders of this country and every other country begin to think about the world in an entirely different way. That's why I'm running for President. Because I do see that world. I see it in your eyes. And in your pain. I see it all over this country in the eyes of children. The eyes of factory workers and farmers and decent, honest, hardworking people everywhere who believe - who know that this nation and this world can be better.

And how do we make it better? Not by denying financial assistance to help a struggling nation trying to restore democracy and build schools and fix roads and provide jobs for its people. Not by invasion, and not by providing overt or covert assistance and even weapons to people who want to overthrow governments rather than build governments.

And certainly not by treating some immigrants and some refugees as second-class people because of the color of their skin or the fact that their homeland is not important from a strategic military perspective. Or a natural resources perspective. Or a corporate interest perspective.

I asked this question the other day: would the United States have abandoned Haiti, blocked financial assistance to Haiti, refused to participate in a meaningful way in mediating disputes, and in effect turned its back on Haiti if there were oil in Haiti?

If we as a nation truly cherish freedom and democracy, shouldn’t we as a nation nurture freedom and democracy? Help it and allow it to flourish? Do everything in our power to protect and defend it?

The power of democracy is an awesome power. Many of you have harnessed that power to become elected leaders in your communities. Successful business people and civic leaders. Labor union officials. And successful parents and providers who teach your children every day the values of education and hard work and respect for others and pride and hope that come from self-worth that you can achieve because of our freedoms.

I am honored to be in your presence because you represent all the good things, the remarkable things on which this country was founded. We are a nation of native Americans and of immigrants, and that’s where our strength lies. If we close our doors and close our eyes and close out hearts to the people of Haiti or any other country, we are denying everything that is right about our nation and embracing everything that is wrong.

Now let me be specific:

There have been calls by my friends in the Congressional Black caucus and elsewhere for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding President Aristide’s leaving the country and the events leading up to that. I concur. There are too many questions about the role the Bush Administration may have played in supplying weapons, encouraging and even promoting civil unrest, and creating a political situation designed to bring about turmoil.

But that investigation should not be left in the hands of the Bush Administration. I don't trust the Bush Administration, and I don't think you do either. That investigation must be undertaken by the United Nations, the OAS, and the Caribbean community. And I would further suggest that that investigation extend to the roles that the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund played in creating the framework for failure.

Order must be maintained while the leaders of Haiti, through their Constitution, can restore a Constitutional government through the electoral process. That must be the role of the United Nations. It cannot be the role of the United States or any other one country. And that same U.N.-led coalition of nations must provide whatever support, mediation, and monitoring of elections that are deemed appropriate. That process has begun with the appointment of a seven-member council to begin forming a transitional government. The international community must take its responsibility seriously to ensure the success of that process.

The U.N. has already begun providing humanitarian assistance. That is a vital undertaking, and the U.N. peacekeeping forces must see that as a priority.

Pressure must also be brought to bear on the World Bank and the IMF and donor nations to unblock badly needed financial assistance. The head of the World Bank has said a donor meeting to begin a "needs assessment" for Haiti will be held in three weeks. Three weeks is too long. This situation has been festering for three years. According to published reports that meeting "would focus on urgent social and economic support" for Haiti. Urgent? Three weeks?

Next, we must all be mindful and very, very aware of the attempts that will be made - as they were in Iraq - to install the Haliburtons and the Bechtels as the "rebuilders" of Haiti. There may not be oil, but there will be cash. And whenever there is, you know who will be the first ones to cash in. If the United States is in control, that means George Bush is in control. And we’ve seen over and over again what that means.

Finally, but perhaps foremost, the United States must change its immigration policy toward Haiti. "Equal treatment for Haitians." People fleeing for their lives, seeking refuge or asylum or simply opportunity should not be thrown in immigration jails and the forced to return to face the dangers and the turmoil they are trying to escape. It is an absolute outrage to the principles of human rights that the Bush Administration has singled out Haitians from among all other peoples for "special" treatment. It is discrimination. It is racist. It is unconscionable. And it must end.

Resolving the issues in Haiti, if it's done the right way this time, will be a long process. This country and the other members of the international community cannot be allowed to abrogate their responsibility by walking away. Again. We, all of us, here and throughout the Caribbean and throughout the hemisphere and around the world need to make sure that our commitment is strong and enduring. It is a process and it will take time. But building peace is a process, too. And peace - not coup d'etats, not regime change, not invasions and not wars - Peace is the real answer. Someday, I pray, it will be a way of life and we'll wonder how we ever survived without it.

link

feeling strong, soon.

We need to hear what Dennis has to say. No one else will say it.

A great example of the kind of honesty he displays.

is anyone listening?

remember? They were supposed to have ballots in French, remember? They were supposed to be allowed assistants in the voting booth if they did not have ballots in French, and they couldn't have them, remember?And heavy police presence was there to intimidate them because they remembered the police brutality of Pap Doc and Baby Doc, and the brutality of the Miami police?

OOOH, I hope they come out in HUGE numbers for the general election so that Jebbie cannot get away with disenfranchising them again!!

He never fails to impress me.

"There have been calls by my friends in the Congressional Black caucus and elsewhere for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding President Aristide’s leaving the country and the events leading up to that. I concur. There are too many questions about the role the Bush Administration may have played in supplying weapons, encouraging and even promoting civil unrest, and creating a political situation designed to bring about turmoil.

But that investigation should not be left in the hands of the Bush Administration. I don't trust the Bush Administration, and I don't think you do either. That investigation must be undertaken by the United Nations, the OAS, and the Caribbean community. And I would further suggest that that investigation extend to the roles that the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund played in creating the framework for failure.

(snip)

Pressure must also be brought to bear on the World Bank and the IMF and donor nations to unblock badly needed financial assistance. The head of the World Bank has said a donor meeting to begin a "needs assessment" for Haiti will be held in three weeks. Three weeks is too long. This situation has been festering for three years. According to published reports that meeting "would focus on urgent social and economic support" for Haiti. Urgent? Three weeks?

Next, we must all be mindful and very, very aware of the attempts that will be made - as they were in Iraq - to install the Haliburtons and the Bechtels as the "rebuilders" of Haiti. There may not be oil, but there will be cash. And whenever there is, you know who will be the first ones to cash in. If the United States is in control, that means George Bush is in control. And we’ve seen over and over again what that means."

"And how do we make it better? Not by denying financial assistance to help a struggling nation trying to restore democracy and build schools and fix roads and provide jobs for its people. Not by invasion, and not by providing overt or covert assistance and even weapons to people who want to overthrow governments rather than build governments.

And certainly not by treating some immigrants and some refugees as second-class people because of the color of their skin or the fact that their homeland is not important from a strategic military perspective. Or a natural resources perspective. Or a corporate interest perspective."

At one point in our history this was just considered common sense, now...it's perceived by many as extremist, wacky, unpatriotic name-calling!

Jeez, you'd almost think the media were a tool of the corporatocracy.

Get a clue, moran!

:tinfoilhat:

/sarcasm

It'll be so nice not to have to think anymore. Then I'll be able to watch teevee all the time, as God and our rulers intend we do!

"Ahhhhh, television.... eases the pain."

:boring: lesson learned...

I guess knowing stuff makes one "unelectable."

thats our Dennis!!!!

Incredible man. Incredible speech.

Yeah, why isn't this all over the news...almost makes ya think maybe someone else is writing the script, don't it?!

Peace
DR

The press are just doing their jobs, you tinfoil hatter!

/sarcasm