Transcript from The Journeying Progressive’s speech today (downtown Kansas City, MO):
“Good afternoon. It is dark right now in the nation of Libya. For the past month, the world has watched a selfish dictator brutally suppress the protests of a people in crisis. Today, the United States and her allies have said “Enough.”
Muammar Gaddafi has done far more than simply oppose the protests of Libyan citizens–he has rained fire and death on them from the sky. His use of military aircraft to bomb, strafe and kill his own people is a horrendous affront to humankind. The lines could not be drawn any clearer.
The United States can not fight–does not wish to fight–the battles of the Libyan people for them. But when a bloodthirsty autocrat uses military strike aircraft on a people who seek peace–a people he is supposed to represent as president–the field is not level. Further action–unchecked–will result in the mass slaughter of untold numbers of Libyan men, women and children. We cannot allow this to continue.
Our goal is to protect the people of Libya. Our own Declaration spells out the truth, in terms that we know well:
“That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
This is their time, their nation, their livelihood. But they cannot fulfill their destiny underneath the scepter of aerial bombardment. Libya cannot live under the dark shadows of air-to-ground missiles.
Our goal is to protect the people of Libya. A no-fly zone means just that: Gaddafi will no longer be able to rain terror upon his own people from the sky. Together with our partners from the Arab world and allies in Europe, we form an indelible shield from unwarranted aggression for the Libyan people. We will add no ground troops to this fight; we seek no land or treasure from the people. But whenever any man targets a hospital, or destroys a mosque, or takes the lives of mothers and fathers and children–the world will not merely watch with sad eyes. We will act with firmness, justice and resolve.
Our goal is to protect the people of Libya–and we expect nothing in return. There can be no quid pro quo when human rights and dignity are involved. The only wish we have for the Libyan people is to be free, to be able to live for their families and their future.
It may be dark tonight in Libya, but when the world stands together against oppression and tyranny, then may the darkness turn to dawn. Then may the future come, to a sovereign people–to a people who seek their own way forward. I look forward to protecting the people and ushering in this century’s next great victory for freedom. Thank you.
(Disclaimer: This speech happened in front of about 4 people in my living room. Just flexing the creative muscles and saying what our elected officials haven’t thus far.)
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