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I never met Pat Williams but I believe he was a good person and a good congressman. I also have a personal story to share about Pat. Not so much tribute, it’s more admonishment for Democratic leaders during these dark times.
Following the 2000 election, Pat shared his opinion on local public radio that Ralph Nader voters threw the election to Bush Jr. I presented a rebuttal because I followed my conscience and voted for Nader.
Prior to the election, a young Cuban boy lost his mother to drowning off the coast of Florida. The Gore campaign was pressed to decide whether Elian Gonzalez would live with distant relatives in Miami or be returned to his father in Cuba. The Gore Campaign sided with the distant relatives.
At that time, I was raising my own children and couldn’t stomach the thought of American politicians depriving a Cuban father of his parental rights. My identity as a loving father transcended my partisan allegiance. Gore’s decision to pander to right-wing exiles in Miami cost him my vote.
I have never regretted this decision because it speaks to my core values.
I will not support political parties or candidates who routinely violate human rights.
This leads us into the present time as we confront Trump’s illegal efforts to destroy democracy. Democrats expect party members to fall into line and support their slate of candidates. But independent thinkers will not bend to just anybody with a (D) behind their name.
The topic of Palestine cannot be ignored and I expect a significant number of Americans will base their voting behavior around the issue of Gaza.
Using American aid and military support, Israel is systematically slaughtering men, women, and children. Starving people are being murdered for trying to access food. Hospitals, schools, and refugee camps have been targeted as have journalists, doctors, and U.N. relief workers.
American university students are being brutalized for speaking out about these atrocities. Will the Democratic Party stand against these violations of human rights? Will they learn the lessons that doomed the candidacies of LBJ, Humphrey, McGovern, Hillary Clinton, and Biden? Will they abandon progressive voices in favor of conservatives?
I recently attended a forum that featured former Democratic candidates Ryan Busse and Monica Tranel. After raising the issue of Palestine, neither candidate cared to comment on my concerns. Imagine a political gathering paralyzed into stony silence.
Halting our country’s slide into right-wing facism should be a uniting factor for all Americans. I can understand Pat’s desire to have Democratic voters fall into line behind their chosen candidate. But if the Democratic Party continues its support for Israel in the face of ethnic cleansing in Palestine, I will continue searching for a third party that better represents my core political values.
