What a breath of fresh air! This came to me via email from the Hackett campaign and displays just the type of backbone Molly Ivins stated the other day that is missing in action from the leaders of the Democratic Party.
I still believe Democrats have two fine choices in Hackett and Sherrod Brown in the upcoming Ohio Democraticsenatorial primary but I’m leaning towards Hackett for two reasons:
- He declared first, which was yet another a bold move on his part
- The Democratic Party needs leaders who are not mute at vocalizing the values they possess and are willing to fight for.
The latter is an absolute if we are to regain any political power in this country.
“Monday, January 16, 2006
Hackett Responds to Ohio GOP Attack
COLUMBUS, OH – Paul Hackett, the Iraq war veteran and Ohio U.S. Senate candidate who shocked the nation and energized the Democratic Party last summer with his candor, stands by his views on religious fanaticism reported Sunday in the Columbus Dispatch.
“I said it. I meant it. I stand behind it. Equal justice under the law for all regardless of who they are and how they were born is fundamental to our American spirit and our American freedoms. Any person or group that argues that the law should not apply equally to all Americans is, frankly, un-American.”
“The Republican Party has been hijacked by religious fanatics, who are out of touch with mainstream America. Think of the recent comments by Pat Robertson – a religious fanatic by any measure – that the United States should assassinate a democratically elected leader in Venezuela, and that Ariel Sharon’s stroke was divine punishment because Sharon wished to trade land for peace.”
“Since the Republican Party has been utterly unable to stand for something positive, they have created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, and have pandered to religious fanatics not to vote for something they believe in, but to vote against their fellow Americans with whom they disagree. Those among us who would use religion and politics to divide rather than unite Americans should be ashamed.”
