Today there was a ‘Voters Guide’ in the newspaper sponsored by the local Peace Action group supporting Democratic candidates for President and Wisconsin Senator. When I received an email asking for funds for the ad I was shocked and called the ad in a brief email “biased and silly”. I was attacked by some ‘liberals’ for my comments but today was able to take the time to respond in a meaningful way. So far there has been no response. Being ignored these days might mean you said something ‘true’ but something people do not want to hear.

With all due respect to my old friend Art Heitzer and his apologies and explanations, to my “highly esteemed grass roots Catholic activist” friend Joe Radoszewski and to all those who criticized me for sending the email Amy Goodman and Denis Moynihan Explain the Past Four Years, I feel compelled to explain my brief remarks last week that the Peace Action ad in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that appeared today as “biased and silly”.

I received the appeal for money for the ad from Peace Action last week when I blessed to be in Central America again. I received it on my phone and at first was going to ignore it but after seeing Rick Kissel’s response to the Voter’s Guide felt compelled to respond only if it was a few words my fingers could punch out on my cell phone.

When we protest against war often people approach us saying that we are not supporting our military and their good intentions for risking their lives. I felt similar as you might have felt when my brief criticism of the Voter’s Guide of PA I was accused of not respecting the good will and good intentions of the people working on the election and this ad. This is not true. I feel out of love and respect we must be honest and truthful with our friends as well as our enemies. Creative conflict civilly done is the way to progress of our cause.

Art and Joe response were respectful and appreciated. Like Joe, I am a Catholic. I had 21 years of Catholic educations. One of the key moral principles I was taught over and over again was that the “end does not justify the means” and we cannot justify immoral means for good ends. Choosing the lesser of two evils is not an option for me.

Also I have been blessed with the opportunity to learn from great practitioners of Nonviolence, like Dorothy Day, Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi. I learned that creative nonviolence means “striving nonviolently to the point of sacrifice rather than fighting to attain one’s vision of truth.” (Judith Brown in her book on Gandhi). If we are to be nonviolent we cannot choose the least objectionable candidate when both endorse and act on values contrary to our moral values and practice of nonviolence. It is not like watching the least objectionable TV show.

The so called PA “Voters Guide” in newspapers in swing states is selective and biased toward the Democratic candidate.

I believe that Democrats and Republicans officials, no matter how liberal or conservative, are just two faces of the same power source, the “powers that be”. When I was at SOAWatch in Fort Benning the year after President Obama was elected I heard a representative of the union workers of Columbia, who have been deeply suppressed, speak. He was asked if there was a difference in the oppression of the workers now that President Obama had been elected. He said ‘no’ and went on to explain there has been no significant difference in Columbia between a Republican and Democratic administration. He did add that the policy and oppression of Columbia people was more overt and direct under Republicans and more subtle and indirect under Democrats but the results were the same. Shortly after this event President Obama had the US military take over seven military bases in Columbia.

Last week while in Central America I read an article in the New York Times called Earthquake Relief Where Haiti Wasn’t Broken. It talked about how former President Clinton and Secretary of State Clinton presided over opening a ‘sweat shop’ in a rural area of Haiti that was producing agriculture. Read it and weep again for Haiti. If you can handle it read Haiti: Seven Places Where Earthquake Money Did and Did Not Go by Bill Quigley and Amber Ramanauskas.

Have we forgotten about the Obama’s administration overthrow of the democratically elected government of Honduras and the ongoing suppression that goes on in this country?

When Nixon had an ‘enemies’ list we were upset; now that Obama has a ‘kill list’ is it okay? Secret ‘Kill List’ Proves a Test of Obama’s Principles and Will

What about the rise of Killer Drones and the Drones Creating a New Global Arms Race of the last four years, supported by our ‘liberal’ congresspersons like Gwen Moore.

What about the President Obama ignoring the poor of this country and his moves to support the suppression of the people of Palestine?

What about the new nuclear bomb plants President Obama is building?

What about the The Lily-Pad Stragedy of this administration and the teaching of reflexive killing that is literally killing our soldiers?

What about the neglect of environment and climate change the last four years?

I could go on and on with this list of evils. However, if they are just a point of discussion and talk for you and you do not hear the cry of the poor, marginalized, innocent in this list I am wasting my words and just making myself sicker.

I am not supporting Romney or Ryan. They are of the same movement that has shifted our country away from peace and justice. Remember the days we talked and acted on to stop preemptive wars, struggled for universal health insurance; stop the growth of military industrial educational complex, resisting evil and immorality, acted on campaign reform. With Obama or Romney as President we will continue to play defensive and move away from our values and principles.

God Bless all in Peace Action. I am sorry if you are hearing things you rather not hear. But I have been ‘ruined’ by my Catholic-Christian education and in conscience cannot support the re election of President Obama. (I predicted three years ago that he would win a 2nd term and see nothing that would change that prediction.)

If any of you would like to sign a local “Cry of the Poor Petition” it is below. (See .

With love and good will,

Bob Graf

Comments

(:commentboxchrono:)