I can no longer remain silent on the issue of Dennis Kucinich.
"Progressives" and "liberals" keep asking me why I continue taking these little ridiculing pokes at Kucinich.
I don't support Kucinich for several reasons---
One, he is as phony as any of the other contenders for the Democratic Presidential nomination who is nothing more than a ringer thrown into the race as part of the scheme to keep the "left" in the two-party trap;
Two, he has a horrible record when it comes to the struggle against racism and for integration in his own Congressional District having refused to support busing for integration and open housing; Kucinich quite literally runs away from the struggle against racism even though racism is by far the most serious problem in our country;
Three, here you have Dennis Kucinich, the darling of the "left," participating in a Presidential Forum and refusing to address the issue of the rights of casino workers even though I spoke with several of his top staff people and informed them of the terrible conditions casino workers are forced to endure.
I was not opposed to Kucinich participating in this "Prez on the Rez Presidential Forum"; however, Kucinich had a responsibility as a self avowed "progressive," to take up the issues of importance to some two-million casino workers forced to work under the most Draconian conditions in this country since the days of slavery. And, Like racist chattel slavery, these Draconian conditions have been imposed by local, state, and federal legislation and "regulated" under statute.
Now, if Dennis Kucinich does not have the moral or political courage and common human decency to stand up on an issue like this which affects some two-million American workers--- many of whom are Native Americans and people of color, many of whom are young women of child-bearing age, many of whom are poverty stricken elderly workers, others who are among the millions of undocumented workers; but, all who are workers going to work in these "right-to-work colonies," where their workplaces are filled with second-hand smoke, where these workers have no rights what-so-ever there is something terribly wrong with this.
It is bad enough that both Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani both have accepted enormous campaign contributions from the Fertitta family and the management of Station Casinos, one of the most "mobbed up" casino operations and promoters of these racist, anti-labor casino "Compacts" like the "Compact" now before the Michigan Legislature which would create one more "right-to-work colony" just south of Grand Rapids, Michigan--- the Gun Lake Tribal "Compact;" this is bad enough. But then to have the most "progressive" of the Democratic Party candidates refusing to address this issue of the most blatantly anti-labor and institutionalized form of racism is the epitome of obscene.
For my stand on this issue I am attacked on web sites and in blogs behind those who write anonymously attacking me... these attackers range the entire political gamut from the head of the Ku Klux Klan to the John Birch Society to leaders of the Green Party to the head of the Communist Party USA to those like Brian Melendez the cowardly Chair of the Minnesota Democratic farmer-Labor Party to the President of the Michigan AFL-CIO and the Floor Leader of the Michigan legislature, Democrat Steve Tobacman.
The United Steel Workers Union says they want to organize casino workers, yet the candidate they endorse, Dennis Kucinich, has the unmitigated gall to stand up and talk about "sovereignty" and "wounded knee" while refusing to address the issue of these racist and anti-labor "Compacts"--- in fact, Kucinich has run away from this issue just as he ran away from fighting for busing to achieve the integration of Parma's Public Schools and just as he ran away from the issue of racist covenants in Parma, Ohio... a "white city" with-in Cleveland where two-bit loan-sharks and bookies dominate the political landscape. As far as I know USW President Leo Girard never attempted to convince Kucinich to address the issues surrounding these "Compacts" which gives us a little hint about what kind of representation casino workers could expect to get for their dues money from the USW and AFL-CIO affiliated unions.
I would point out that for over twenty years the entire Democratic Party has been running away from the real issues surrounding these "Compacts:" racism and anti-labor bias. The Democrats are motivated by huge campaign contributions. Anyone just has to look at the campaign contributions the 2008 Democratic Presidential Candidate, Hillary Clinton, has received from the Fertitta's.
I can understand the attacks from the right I am subjected to; however, what explains the attacks from the "liberal," "left," and "progressive" communities I am being subjected to over this issue? Perhaps some kind of "shame" on the part of these people that they have lacked the moral or political courage to address this issue because they would not be able to justify their involvement in the Democratic Party without speaking up... and to speak up would mean being attacked by a bunch of two-bit mobsters and thugs who are profiting so heavily from the creation of these "right-to-work colonies" which now dot our national geographic and political landscape; and, if these mobsters have their way these "right-to-work colonies" will become part of our National Forests as the Department of Interior turns over the management of some of the most beautiful National Forests to Tribal "management"... the same Tribal interests who have served as a front for these mobsters to operate these highly profitable and lucrative casinos in "right-to-work colonies" with next to no regulation, no over-sight, nor any accountability with all kinds of scams and schemes in play producing crooked table games, skimming of casino profits, money laundering and tax-evasion.
Dennis appeared at the Morongo Reservation in the California Desert
August 23, 2007
Morongo Indian Reservation, Cabazon, California
Prez on the Rez - Presidential forum
In Background – Mark Trahant, Editor, Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Mary Ann Andreas, Vice Chair, Morongo Band of Mission Indians
Robert Martin, Chair, Morongo Band of Mission Indians
Congressman Dennis Kucinich
Kalyn Free, President, INDN’s List Education Fund.
Dennis Kucinich appeared at the Morongo Reservation in the California desert on August 23rd 2007 for Prez on the Rez. Talking to the leaders of 65 Indian nations, Kucinich received a standing ovation when he told the leaders to go back to the reservations and tell their people that there is someone running for president who understands their hearts. Kucinich talked about Indian sovereignty, gaming, and the hearts still buried at 'Wounded Knee'.
Not once in his talk during the "Prez on the Rez Forum" did Kucinich, the great "progressive," address the issue of "sovereignty" and the some 400 casino "Compacts" which have created "right-to-work colonies" and left over two-million workers employed in smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages without any rights under tribal, state or federal labor laws.
I find something really bizarre in a political process where a Presidential candidate feels at ease talking about his "UFO" experiences but can't address the problems of these racist, anti-labor casino "Compacts" which have created "right-to-work colonies" all over this country leaving two-million workers to be used as a "club over the heads" of all other workers to drive wages down while casino workers themselves are the targets of all kinds of health care insurance scams led by Wayne Newton and his quacking white duck promoting AFLACK.
If casino workers in Manitoba, Canada can work under union contract receiving real wages in smoke-free casinos which make so much money it pays for health care and education... there is something terribly wrong with Kucinich remaining silent on the issues surrounding these casino "Compacts;" "Compacts" which are an integral part of the racist campaign of genocide First Nations Peoples have been subjected to since the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth rock.
Something to think about this Thanksgiving Day as you are sitting around the dining room table and the topic of discussion turns to politics and issues of racism and labor.
I don't see any politicians sitting in smoke-filled legislative offices or chambers; why should casino workers be FORCED to endure such unhealthy, life-threatening working conditions.
I would, also, point out to Mr. Kucinich that workers employed without any rights in the workplace have no rights of any kind in the communities where they live.