Petaluma Peace Rally - Feb. 8, 2003

THANK YOU STEVE (DYER).

TODAY YOU ARE SHOWING THAT IN PETALUMA, AS IN CITY AND TOWNS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THERE IS A RISING CHORUS FOR PEACE.

TODAY YOU ARE LETTING PRESIDENT BUSH KNOW THAT AMERICANS ARE AWAKENING FROM THE SHOCK OF SEPTEMBER 11. AND, WE HAVE NOT ABANDONED OUR IDEALS OF A PEACEFUL AND JUST WORLD.

WE, WHO HAVE SUFFERED THE PAIN OF LOSS IN NEW YORK, WASHINGTON AND PENNSYLVANIA, OPPOSE RAINING TERROR AND DEATH ON CIVILIANS IN BAGHDAD.

WE, WHO CONDEMN TERRORISM, KNOW THAT IT IS ROOTED IN INJUSTICE, AND ITS SEEDS SPREAD WITH EVERY EXPLOSION OF VIOLENCE.

THE PRESIDENT HAS SPOKEN OF A POST SEPTEMBER 11 WORLD WHERE IT IS OUR RIGHT AND RESPONSIBILITY TO ACT PRE-EMPTIVELY.

THAT WOULD BE TRUE, IF WE ACTED TO PRE-EMPT POVERTY, SICKNESS, AND INJUSTICE AT HOME AND ABROAD.

THAT WOULD BE TRUE, IF WE ACTED TO PRE-EMPT WARS THROUGH WISE DIPLOMACY AND VERIFIABLE PROGRAMS OF WEAPONS REDUCTIONS.

BUT IF PREEMPTION MEANS IGNORING INTERNATIONAL LAW, STRIKING FIRST AND ASKING QUESTIONS LATER, AND UNLEASHING OUR NUCLEAR ARSENAL – THEN WE ARE FACING A FUTURE OF CHAOS, DESTRUCTION, AND DEATH.

THE WARNINGS ARE CLEAR. TWO YEARS AGO THE WORLD FACED THE NEAR NUCLEAR CONFRONTATION BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN. THIS WEEK, NORTH KOREA RESUMED NUCLEAR MATERIALS PRODUCTION. AND A FEW WEEKS AGO THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION THREATENED IRAQ WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

THE CLOCK IS TICKING. INSTEAD OF RELYING ON OUR MASSIVE POWER TO SHIELD US FROM EVERY EMERGING THREAT, WE MUST BEGIN TO TOTALLY ELIMINATE ALL NUCLEAR WEAPONS FROM THIS PLANET.

THE FACT IS, COUNTRIES WON’T DISARM THROUGH THREATS AND INTIMIDATION. IN FACT, THAT WILL HAVE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT. COUNTRIES WILL DISARM WHEN THEY FEEL SECURE. AND THAT WILL ONLY HAPPEN, WHEN THE U.S. – THE WORLD’S GREATEST NUCLEAR POWER -- DISARMS WITH THEM.

IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, I AM INTRODUCING LEGISLATION TO MAKE THE U.S. FULFILL ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION TREATY AND BEGIN VERIFIABLE GLOBAL DISARMAMENT. NO, I DON’T EXPECT THE CONGRESS TO PASS IT THIS SESSION. BUT IT’S A SIGNPOST – AND TOGETHER WE CAN START MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

IN THE MEANTIME, WE HAVE THE MORE IMMEDIATE TASK OF STOPPING THE WAR ON IRAQ BEFORE IT STARTS.

CAN WE DO IT? THE QUESTION REALLY IS,” CAN WE AFFORD NOT TO?” WE CANNOT WALK QUIETLY INTO THE NIGHT, WHEN OUR CHILDREN’S FUTURE IS AT STAKE.

IN THE SPIRIT OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING WE WILL ACT NON-VIOLENTLY, BUT WE WILL NOT BE PASSIVE IN OUR PURSUIT OF PEACE. AND IN THE END, WE WILL OVERCOME.

THANK YOU.