Grand Rapids group stands by candidate
Originally published in the Grand Valley Lanthorn
Grand Rapids group stands by candidate
Luke Hackney
Grand Valley Lanthorn
Grand Rapids for Kucinich is spreading the representative’s message and platform
For Grand Valley State University students who are interested in the presidential campaign of the Democratic state representative from Ohio Dennis Kucinich, you need not look any further than Grand Rapids.
Grand Rapids for Kucinich is an unofficial, but plugged-in group of Dennis Kucinich supporters in the Grand Rapids area.
"We are in contact with the national and state coordinators and are working hard at spreading his message, his material and his platform," said Casey Rich, a recent graduate from GVSU and the Grand Rapids for Kucinich director.
Grand Rapids for Kucinich consists of a steering committee of eight individuals from various backgrounds, Casey said.
"There are a few mothers, college graduates and high school students," Rich said, "all of us drawn together by Kucinich’s integrity."
"Initially, I was attracted to the Kucinich campaign because it focused on grassroots efforts as a means of building broad-based support," said Missy Pilkington, a senior at GVSU and the media specialist for Grand Rapids for Kucinich.
Pilkington was further attracted to the campaign due to what she feels is an excellent progressive attitude displayed by Kucinich, who was the recipient of the 2003 Gandhi Peace Award, and his platform.
"I truly believe that a democracy requires citizens to be active and educated about the issues," Pilkington said, "and I think Kucinich’s progressive attitude has helped foster an environment in which people feel strongly motivated to participate in the political process."
The group has been doing whatever it can to get Kucinich’s message out to anyone who will listen. They’ve appeared on local television, brought flyers and information on Kucinich to local farmers markets, union gatherings, teach-ins, political gatherings and street fairs.
They have also set up tables at various local colleges looking for more volunteers.
"Often, we’re simply looking for volunteers to hand out materials like bumper stickers, signs, pamphlets and things along those lines, that they can hand out of at their own volition," Rich said.
The group is preparing for Dennis Kucinich’s arrival in Michigan. Kucinich will be in Dearborn, Mich. on Oct. 17, and many of the volunteers are planning to attend. Kucinich will, if all goes well, be in Michigan this upcoming November, said Kucinich State Coordinator Bob Alexander.
"We are tentatively working to have Kucinich at Town Hall events early Saturday morning on the fifteenth of November in Lansing, and then have him make his way to Kalamazoo and finish up that day in Grand Rapids," said Alexander of their tentative game plan.
For more information on Dennis Kucinich, visit http://www.kucinich.us. To become a volunteer for Grand Rapids for Kucinich, contact neroonahottinroof@yahoo.com
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