Speaking Truth To Power
On July 15, I had the privilege of testifying before the first International Truth Commission on poverty in the United States. More than 500 people gathered in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio at Lincoln Park to hear the testimony of nearly fifty panelists. The commissioners were accomplished members of the national and international human rights movements and included independent UN experts, Union Leadership, and clergy. Likewise, the panelists were also from locations around the United States. We heard from immigrant workers from California and Florida, farmers from Kansas, victims of Hurricane Katrina from the gulf coast and many others. The stories told by panelists were truly heart breaking. I spent the day amidst disadvantaged and poor people who only want the things many Americans take for granted: a job that pays a living wage, a solid education, healthcare, and the opportunity live a comfortable life. Unfortunately, for millions, the American Dream is just that: a dream. One woman told of a dear friend who died of an aneurism while waiting for the state to decide if she was qualified to receive state healthcare benefits. Another man told of losing his family farm when big conglomerates took over his community. “Farming is big business in Kansas. Farmers are an endangered species,” he said. Another testified about a family that had their natural gas turned off because of non-payment during the coldest winter months. That family was one of two that burned to death within a single month due to fires started by kerosene heaters. We also heard of youths who chose militarism over prison when they could find no other path out of the desperation in which they lived their lives. Each story was heartbreaking and highlighted the disparity between the American Dream and the American Reality. .
The most emotional moment of the Commission for me came after the Right to a Living Wage Panel. The war came home when I held a woman who had just testified about her son’s service in the Marine Corps. Her son, like me could find no other way into a college classroom except through the battlefields of Iraq. Her description of him reminded me of myself when I joined the navy. He was Young, well intentioned, frustrated by his chances of going to college or finding a good job. He chose to gamble his life as a marine on the battlefield of Iraq in order to fund his college education. He lost that gamble. I cried as I held his mother in my arms, because I know that but for the grace of God, her son could have been cradling my mother in his arms. I cried because his death in Iraq is meaningless. It’s meaningless because the war is not being fought for our national security. The death of this poor immigrant boy is meaningless because his life was laid not on the alter of freedom, but on the alter of corporate greed and the military industrial complex. In an action that is no consolation at all, he was posthumously awarded American Citizenship.
The experience was heartbreaking because of the utter desperation of those in attendance. In one of the wealthiest nations in the world, no one should have to work three jobs just to provide for their family. No one should have to take the path of the drug addict to escape the horror of their life and no one should have to sacrifice their humanity on a battle field for the bottom line of Halliburton and Bechtel for a college education and a steady job. Yet, the commission was filled with these stories and so much more. This was only a small sampling of the testimonies shared at this historic event. However, I left filled with hope. The Truth Commission is a vital first step in reclaiming America. Average citizens with seemingly little power have begun to gather together to change this country. I was reminded of the old saying, “Never doubt the power of a few thoughtful, caring people to change the world. For no one else ever has.” One of the things that I learned in the military is that if you put one foot in front of the other, you eventually get where you need to go. The road ahead is long, but we will keep marching together and together we will change this world.
The most emotional moment of the Commission for me came after the Right to a Living Wage Panel. The war came home when I held a woman who had just testified about her son’s service in the Marine Corps. Her son, like me could find no other way into a college classroom except through the battlefields of Iraq. Her description of him reminded me of myself when I joined the navy. He was Young, well intentioned, frustrated by his chances of going to college or finding a good job. He chose to gamble his life as a marine on the battlefield of Iraq in order to fund his college education. He lost that gamble. I cried as I held his mother in my arms, because I know that but for the grace of God, her son could have been cradling my mother in his arms. I cried because his death in Iraq is meaningless. It’s meaningless because the war is not being fought for our national security. The death of this poor immigrant boy is meaningless because his life was laid not on the alter of freedom, but on the alter of corporate greed and the military industrial complex. In an action that is no consolation at all, he was posthumously awarded American Citizenship.
The experience was heartbreaking because of the utter desperation of those in attendance. In one of the wealthiest nations in the world, no one should have to work three jobs just to provide for their family. No one should have to take the path of the drug addict to escape the horror of their life and no one should have to sacrifice their humanity on a battle field for the bottom line of Halliburton and Bechtel for a college education and a steady job. Yet, the commission was filled with these stories and so much more. This was only a small sampling of the testimonies shared at this historic event. However, I left filled with hope. The Truth Commission is a vital first step in reclaiming America. Average citizens with seemingly little power have begun to gather together to change this country. I was reminded of the old saying, “Never doubt the power of a few thoughtful, caring people to change the world. For no one else ever has.” One of the things that I learned in the military is that if you put one foot in front of the other, you eventually get where you need to go. The road ahead is long, but we will keep marching together and together we will change this world.
posted by Charlie at 4:18 PM
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