Radical media, politics and culture.

"Feminists for Kucinich"

Anonymous Kumquat submits this campaign press release:

The Kucinich for President Campaign takes a big step forward today with
the announcement of "Feminists for Kucinich." Eight diverse feminist
writers and organizers have initiated a statement in support of
Kucinich, which will be widely circulated to attract new supporters.
The original signers are:

BARBARA EHRENREICH, political essayist and author ("Nickel and Dimed");
ANGELA GILLIAM, professor and expert on Black feminist anthropology;
YNESTRA KING, writer and activist on environmental, feminist, and
disability issues; GAIL LERNER, organizer in the global women's movement
and with U.N. agencies; GRACE PALEY, peace activist and author
("Enormous Changes at the Last Minute"); ROSALIND PETCHESKY,
international feminist activist and political science professor; DIGNA
SANCHEZ, Latina community activist in New York; MEREDITH TAX, novelist,
essayist and international organizer of feminist writers.


Although the statement has just started to circulate, it has already
attracted signatures from such prominent feminists as BLANCHE WEISEN
COOK, biographer of Eleanor Roosevelt; MARILYN FRENCH, author of "The
Women's Room"; actress and singer RONNIE GILBERT; Jewish activist and
poet IRENA KLEPFISZ; and political scientist ZILLAH EISENSTEIN.


Here is a summary of the statement.

FEMINISTS FOR KUCINICH

Rather than waiting to hear what all the Democratic candidates have to
say, then jumping on the bandwagon of the least offensive, we decided to
make our own list of priorities and see who agrees with us.


1) We want a candidate who will stop the war on the poor. 2) We want a
candidate who stands for peace, respects international treaties and
institutions such as the U.N. and the International Criminal Court, and
tries to resolve problems through negotiation. 3) We want a candidate
who will defend the separation of church and state, and the individual
rights guaranteed us by the Constitution.


4) We want a candidate who opposes discrimination based on sexual
orientation or gender identity, and who stands for women's reproductive
rights and recognizes that these rights depend on universal health
insurance. 5) We want a candidate who will address questions of global
economic imbalance and stand up for the rights of immigrants. 6) We
want a candidate who will challenge racism domestically and internationally.


Dennis Kucinich is the only candidate who not only agrees with all these
points but has developed policies to support them: starting a
cabinet-level Department of Peace; supporting unions and the right to
organize; cutting the bloated military budget; restoring environmental
regulations and launching a "Global Green Deal" to benefit developing
countries; withdrawing from NAFTA and the WTO and challenging IMF/World
Bank policies; repealing the "Patriot Act"; upholding Roe v. Wade;
working for universal health insurance; and abolishing the racially and
economically biased death penalty.


Because we feel that he comes closest to representing our priorities, we
have decided to support Dennis Kucinich for President.