We heard the following story during Pacifica Radio's coverage of the Inauguration on Tuesday.
Amy Goodman, co-host with Alice Walker, mentioned an election campaign event in Montclair, NJ. where Mr. Obama answered questions. Someone asked about Palestine and the need to promote peace and end the Israeli occupation. Mr Obama answered by telling this story:
It was 1932 and Franklin Roosevelt had taken office in the midst of the great depression. A group of people came to him to advocate for what became the Social Security system. After listening to their plan, FDR told them. "I want to do this. Now make me do it".
I take this to be an invitation by President Obama to all of us who want economic and social justice, an end to the US imperialist policies, an end to our support of repressive regimes with billions of dollars in military aid, an end to our wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, a start in funding of health care for all and restoration of our constitutional rights - whatever we advocate to fix what is broken - an invitation to make our President do it.
This will require a new birth of activism on our part.
Tony Ernst
