Minneapolis Mayor signs "Department of Peace" petition!

[no name no slogan]

I just came from marching in Minneapolis's annual May Day parade. A group of us Kucitizens marched with our brothers and sisters from the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party, and received lots of kind support for our efforts.

As part of our ongoing mission to redefine the DFL as a party of jobs, justice, peace and equality, we've been circulating the five petitions from Dennis Kucinich's website, collecting signatures to be submitted to the DNC at the convention to influence the party platform.

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Ryback was also in the parade, greeting constituents and generally being a good elected official. R.T. is a solid Democrat who backed Howard Dean in the caucuses. One of our Kucitizens talked to him about our petition efforts, and he graciously agreed to sign on to the creation of a cabinet-level Department of Peace.

First, it was our Congressman Martin Sabo, agreeing to cosponsor the bill in the house. Next, it's the mayor of Minneapolis, our CD's largest city. And it was all done by a dedicated group of volunteers with almost no funding who quite simply don't know the meaning of the word "impossible".

THREE CHEERS FOR MAYOR RYBACK!

FEAR ENDS. HOPE BEGINS.

[DFLforever]

1. Way to go RT!

I'm more and more impressed with the mayor of Mpls. I met him for the first time working on the Dean campaign in Iowa.

And congratulations to you and all the DK people for the great work you're doing.

[no name no slogan]

4. Hey, thanks! We're still going forward, and working in the party

A lot of us have gotten positions within the party, as precinct chairs, senate district officers, state central committee delegates, etc. We've even got one of ours as vice-chair of CD5!

Most of us are newbies to the whole party politics thing, but we're all in it for the long haul.

R.T. is a decent guy, and is pretty easy to support. My only concern is with the new police chief selection process, but I think it will work out for the best.

Now, if we can just send Pawlenty back to Burnsville and Norm Coleman back to wherever he's from these days, we'll be set!!!!

:hi:

[digno dave]

2. "Department of Peace"...oh brother

Can we have a reality check, please?

[DFLforever]

3. Yeh, it's a long shot for the world's #1 imperial power

But it's the sentiment and ideals that count here.

[bobthedrummer]

5. Sure, the Mayor of Minneapolis is on board, I'm on board, Kucitizens too.

Are you familiar with the plan?
Doesn't everyone want peace?
It calls for a general reduction of violence at all levels of society, surely you aren't against that too?

WE NEED A DEPARTMENT OF PEACE.

[no name no slogan]

6. Here's the facts

The bill (H.R. 1673) currently has 51 co-sponsors. The most recent one (Rep. Martin Olav Sabo, MN-5th) announced his support on the day of our congressional district convention. Why?

Because 35% of the people in his district voted for Dennis Kucinich at our caucuses, tying him with Kerry. And, like any good politician, Sabo knows his constituents.

Just think if the founding fathers of our country had a "reality check" before they issued the Declaration of Independence: we'd probably be singing "God Save the Queen" instead of "The Star Spangled Banner" before baseball games.

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."
-- Mohandas Gandhi