Nader Blasts Bush's War at S.F. Rally
By Jonathan Nack
October 12, 2001


SAN FRANCISCO - Former Green Party Presidential candidate
Ralph Nader roundly criticized the Bush Administration's war
on terrorism in a speech before an enthusiastic paying
audience of approximately 2,500 at the San Francisco Masonic
Center last night.  Nader called for a democratic debate
over the Administration's policies saying, "the mindless
bombing of Afghanistan's infrastructure will not end well
for Afghanistan and, I fear, it will not end well for us."
"We are entitled to ask what this war will cost: what it
will cost Afghans, what it will cost our rights and
democracy here, and what the huge shift of money into the
military and corporate bailouts will cost our domestic
programs?"

Nader called for, "sobriety in these moments of
impetuousness, restraint, and to move forward under
international law to apprehend the criminals."  "This is an
international crime and we've got to find ways to bring
these criminals to justice."

Nader said that, "grief and mourning for the victims must
eventually give way to honoring their memory," and quoted a
statement by President George W. Bush that the terrorists,
"hate our freedoms: our freedom of religion, our freedom to
assemble, our freedom of speech, and our freedom to
disagree," in justifying the appropriateness of his own
remarks. Nader said that the best way to honor the memories
of those lost on September 11th was to exercise and defend
our democratic freedoms and to, "make sure our government
doesn't slaughter the lives of hundreds of innocent people."

Nader charged that, "thought police in Washington dismiss
all critical analysis a as justifying the terrorist attack,"
calling for a rejection of that notion while describing the
terrorists' act as, "criminal butchery, a massacre more than
an attack, and with no justification".  He urged the
audience to, "never allow Washington to tell you to shut up,
get in line, and waive the flag."  "Never let them take your
flag away from you." Nader urged the audience to think for
themselves, to not inhibit what they have to say, and asked,
"how many times have we been told that they were dropping
bombs only on military targets?"  Nader concluded that there
was no such thing as limiting bombing to only military
targets and that, "we are not going to be able to bomb our
way to a solution of this problem."

Nader described the Administration's rationale for the
bombing as "cheap propaganda", which is, "going to get more
rancid and grim."  "U.S. attacks on Afghanistan will spread
more hatred of our country and our allies."  He also worried
that 7.5 million Afghans face starvation this winter, which
he said was only four weeks away in Afghanistan, while the
U.S. has dropped only "135,000 snacks."

Quoting approvingly Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's
assertion that, "poverty, disease, and illiteracy are
breeding grounds for tolerance of terrorism," Nader proposed
a profound reorientation of U.S.  foreign policy to support
democratic forces and to, "side with the millions and
millions of workers and peasants rather than with dictators
and oligarches."  He proposed a, "balanced approach to
resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," and an end to
economic sanctions against Iraq which he said was taking the
lives of 5,000 Iraqi children a month.  "You do not
destabilize a dictator by destroying the lives of innocent
children and adults," said Nader.
    

Nader also called for a renewed defense of civil liberties,
opposition to unwarranted curtailment of them, and reform of
intelligence agencies, including making them "leaner and
more efficient" by reducing their bloated budgets and
bureaucracies.

The focus of speech was a major departure from the usual
agenda of the longtime consumer activist who usually sticks
closely to themes concerning how corporations have gained
too much power and are subverting democracy. Nader did draw
a connection to those themes, noting that corporations are
taking advantage of the tragedy of September 11 for their
own greedy purposes.  He pointed to corporate lobbying for
government bailouts, even by industries in trouble long
before the terrorist attacks, for the limiting of
regulations, including the opening up of the Alaskan Arctic
reserve, and opposing benefits for workers who are losing
their jobs.

The event was billed as a "People Have the Power" rally in
support of San Francisco ballot initiatives for a Municipal
Utility District, which would create public control of power
in response to California's failed electricity deregulation.
Nader, and numerous speakers before him, called for
volunteers for a grassroots campaign which could overwhelm
the big money being spent by Pacific Gas & Electric to
defeat the initiatives.  However, Nader and other speakers
clearly felt compelled to address the war.  The event was
also organized as part of a series of "super rallies" being
held around the country by Nader's new Democracy Rising
campaign.

For more information on Democracy Rising:


-End-

This article was electronically published at
http://www.indymedia.com