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Good evening.
It's a new day, ya'll!
And the evidence is a clear and convincing victory handed to us by the people of the Fourth Congressional District.
Twelve years ago, Georgia's History Train pulled off from the Georgia Legislature, rolling down the tracks to the United States Congress.
And for 10 years, The History Train gathered momentum.
We rode that train: through poverty and plenty; picking up warriors for justice all over America.
The History Train chugged along with full faith and confidence in the American dream.
Tonight signifies that the History Train is once again gathering steam, but it's also clear that the History Train is changing tracks: taking a new path for community and country.
Sending a strong message that a new way of thinking for ourselves and our future is taking hold.
Ten years ago, the History Train took us through Georgia towns big and small, like Washington, Georgia, the hometown of the most recently fallen Georgia hero in Iraq.
Sadly, now, another Georgia family must feel the pain of George Bush's war machine.
Tonight I say, "Bring our sons and daughters home now" and commend to you this beautiful watercolor expressing what I've been saying for the past year.
I predict that the American people will send a resounding message tonight that the war machine--must stop now.
But there's another kind of machine of which we must beware that lurks among us: and that's the corporate propaganda machine.
Leaders who dare go against, or merely even question, the policies being polished by a slick media machine can get sucked up, chewed up, eaten up, devoured.
Or in a familiar set of words more famous than my own: "expose, misdirect, discredit, or otherwise neutralize" such leadership. "To pinpoint potential troublemakers and neutralize them." These words are straight from the FBI during its program to counter dissent in this country.
And as we have seen in the cases of both, these immensely powerful and monied machines take their aim directly at the people.
Breaking free of the influence of both these machines heralds a new way of thinking. And that's what this campaign was all about.
We really believe:
that a multitude of people can outweigh any special interest every time; that media magic has little persuasion over an informed people; that we as a people are way more powerful when we turn to each other and not on each other; and that we can embrace the human rainbow, celebrate our diversity, focus on our commonality, and together, tear down the mightiest walls of oppression and injustice.
Evidence of the power of this new way of thinking is here tonight in this room and in our election numbers.
And so commanding is our presence, and significant is our mission that what we have now accomplished in Georgia's Fourth Congressional District, is being broadcast by the best of America's corporate media: Who said the revolution wasn't going to be televised?
This campaign represents a movement to bring America together: Blacks, whites, Asians, Latinos; together; Muslim, Jew, Christian, Hindu; together; Those who still hum Dinah Washington tunes, together with those singing Tupac.
What we represent is the future of America: a first step in taking our country back, freeing ourselves so we can liberate others.
It's a new day, and it belongs to us. Now is our time, and seize it we must.
In 1901, George White, the last remaining black Member of Congress during Reconstruction addressed the United States House of Representatives. Black Members of Congress had been sent home after Jim Crow laws gathered steam across the South. When he, too, had been affected, George White had this to say:
This is perhaps the Negro's temporary farewell to the American Congress. But phoenix-like, he will rise up some day and come again. These parting words are in behalf of an outraged, heart-broken, bruised and bleeding, but God-fearing people; faithful, industrious, loyal, rising people--full of potential force."
People across the Fourth District and across our country bind together: outraged, heart-broken, bruised and bleeding, but also full of potential force. Many among us have been knocked down, but not a one of us is too wounded to not get back up again.
Tonight is a victory for the people of the Fourth Congressional District and for a new way of thinking.
We celebrate that the History Train rides again.
And invite onboard all who share our values and still believe that America can be a force for good at home and in the world.
Thank you to the voters who came out in record numbers and gave their vote of confidence.
Thank you to all the volunteers (from far and near) who worked day in and day out to make this victory possible;
Thank you to the alternative media who kept our story relevant and thank you to all of you.
Thank you and good night.
It's a new day, ya'll!
And the evidence is a clear and convincing victory handed to us by the people of the Fourth Congressional District.
Twelve years ago, Georgia's History Train pulled off from the Georgia Legislature, rolling down the tracks to the United States Congress.
And for 10 years, The History Train gathered momentum.
We rode that train: through poverty and plenty; picking up warriors for justice all over America.
The History Train chugged along with full faith and confidence in the American dream.
Tonight signifies that the History Train is once again gathering steam, but it's also clear that the History Train is changing tracks: taking a new path for community and country.
Sending a strong message that a new way of thinking for ourselves and our future is taking hold.
Ten years ago, the History Train took us through Georgia towns big and small, like Washington, Georgia, the hometown of the most recently fallen Georgia hero in Iraq.
Sadly, now, another Georgia family must feel the pain of George Bush's war machine.
Tonight I say, "Bring our sons and daughters home now" and commend to you this beautiful watercolor expressing what I've been saying for the past year.
I predict that the American people will send a resounding message tonight that the war machine--must stop now.
But there's another kind of machine of which we must beware that lurks among us: and that's the corporate propaganda machine.
Leaders who dare go against, or merely even question, the policies being polished by a slick media machine can get sucked up, chewed up, eaten up, devoured.
Or in a familiar set of words more famous than my own: "expose, misdirect, discredit, or otherwise neutralize" such leadership. "To pinpoint potential troublemakers and neutralize them." These words are straight from the FBI during its program to counter dissent in this country.
And as we have seen in the cases of both, these immensely powerful and monied machines take their aim directly at the people.
Breaking free of the influence of both these machines heralds a new way of thinking. And that's what this campaign was all about.
We really believe:
that a multitude of people can outweigh any special interest every time; that media magic has little persuasion over an informed people; that we as a people are way more powerful when we turn to each other and not on each other; and that we can embrace the human rainbow, celebrate our diversity, focus on our commonality, and together, tear down the mightiest walls of oppression and injustice.
Evidence of the power of this new way of thinking is here tonight in this room and in our election numbers.
And so commanding is our presence, and significant is our mission that what we have now accomplished in Georgia's Fourth Congressional District, is being broadcast by the best of America's corporate media: Who said the revolution wasn't going to be televised?
This campaign represents a movement to bring America together: Blacks, whites, Asians, Latinos; together; Muslim, Jew, Christian, Hindu; together; Those who still hum Dinah Washington tunes, together with those singing Tupac.
What we represent is the future of America: a first step in taking our country back, freeing ourselves so we can liberate others.
It's a new day, and it belongs to us. Now is our time, and seize it we must.
In 1901, George White, the last remaining black Member of Congress during Reconstruction addressed the United States House of Representatives. Black Members of Congress had been sent home after Jim Crow laws gathered steam across the South. When he, too, had been affected, George White had this to say:
This is perhaps the Negro's temporary farewell to the American Congress. But phoenix-like, he will rise up some day and come again. These parting words are in behalf of an outraged, heart-broken, bruised and bleeding, but God-fearing people; faithful, industrious, loyal, rising people--full of potential force."
People across the Fourth District and across our country bind together: outraged, heart-broken, bruised and bleeding, but also full of potential force. Many among us have been knocked down, but not a one of us is too wounded to not get back up again.
Tonight is a victory for the people of the Fourth Congressional District and for a new way of thinking.
We celebrate that the History Train rides again.
And invite onboard all who share our values and still believe that America can be a force for good at home and in the world.
Thank you to the voters who came out in record numbers and gave their vote of confidence.
Thank you to all the volunteers (from far and near) who worked day in and day out to make this victory possible;
Thank you to the alternative media who kept our story relevant and thank you to all of you.
Thank you and good night.
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