Peace, and Eric Clapton
On issues of war and peace, it looks like there's going to be this whole new thing from now on, called "democracy." Remarkably, we seem to have seized this authority away from the Permanent Foreign Policy Establishment, and the Military-Industrial Complex. It's hard to believe, but going forward, "We, The People" may have a chance to weigh in on war and peace – at least through our elected representatives in Congress. Which makes it very important that those representatives are pro-peace.
Here's a funny thing: before someone actually is elected to Congress or the White House, he or she never actually has to make a decision on whether to go to war. The most experienced state representative, county commissioner, school board member, lawyer, businessman, doctor or even general never has to make that call. So it's a conundrum: how do you know whether a candidate for Congress will be pro-peace, when they've never had to vote on it?
All we've got to go on is what they say. But sometimes, that's enough.
There will be a special election soon in Massachusetts to replace Rep. Ed Markey, who has taken a seat in the U.S. Senate. There are seven candidates. During the recent debate over U.S. military intervention in Syria, six of those candidates decided that the safe thing was to avoid taking any position on the issue, apparently concluding that the shortest route to immense popularity is to stand for nothing. (This "logic" is all-too-common in public life, unfortunately.)
There was one exception: State Rep. Carl Sciortino. Carl Sciortino held a news conference, with me, to announce his opposition to U.S. military intervention in Syria. That news conference received very wide coverage, including a prominent story in the Boston Globe.
Some people wear their hearts on their sleeves. In Carl's case, that sleeve is embroidered with a peace sign.
Here's another funny thing: after Carl Sciortino held that news conference, the other candidates in the race announced that they, too, were against U.S. military intervention in Syria. Maybe they did that to try to demonstrate that they are right on the issue. But what they actually demonstrated is that Carl Sciortino is a leader – a leader on war and peace.
I hope that that is enough to motivate you to support Carl Sciortino's campaign. But in case it is not, there is something more: a chance to receive the custom plaque for Eric Clapton's diamond album, "Unplugged." Here is Blue America's Howie Klein, explaining how that works:
"Contribute any amount – no amount is too small – to Carl's campaign here and you will become eligible to win. You probably know what a gold record is – an award for 500,000 RIAA-certified sales in the U.S. For a platinum award, the number is a million. In recent years, the music industry created a new category: diamond, to mark 10,000,000 in domestic sales. Eric Clapton's ‘Unplugged' album was one of the first – and only – albums to achieve that status. What we're giving away is one of the original award plaques for 10,000,000 sales of ‘Unplugged,' which was made for the President of Eric Clapton's record company, who is a big fan not just of Eric Clapton, but also of Carl Sciortino. This stunning 30" x 30" custom plaque isn't something you can buy in a store, no matter how much money you have. Only a handful were ever made, and they were never sold."
So that's the deal. I'm asking you to contribute to Carl Sciortino's campaign because he is a champion for peace. Or because you like Eric Clapton. Or both.
Will you help?
Peace,
Alan Grayson
= new reply since forum marked as read
Hiya Congressman!
And for all you do everyday! 
