Kucinich asks, War - what is it good for?
Originally published in the Concord Monitor
Students applaud candidate at Concord High School speech
By ED PILOLLA
Monitor staff
Concord
Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich squatted on his haunches in front of 500 Concord High students yesterday and demonstrated how he used to crawl under his desk as a fifth-grader.
Kucinich arced a wireless microphone over his head like an ICB missile flying through the air, guiding it to impact into his open hand. America in the 1950s feared nuclear war, he explained. Students took cover when the school's siren sounded, shielding their eyes to avoid being blinded by a nuclear flash.
"So some of us had nightmares as kids," Kucinich said. "We had dreams that the missiles were coming in while we were at recess."
Kucinich, the Ohio congressman and liberal vegan who would create a Department of Peace if elected president, had more than one message for the Concord High students: War is archaic; American troops must withdraw from Iraq immediately; and be wary of a government that uses fear against its own people.
His message seemed to resonate with the teenagers, who cut Kucinich off several times in mid-sentence to applaud.
"He supports the most awesome causes," said junior Katie Bickert.
Kucinich arrived at the high school auditorium shaking students' hands on his way inside. The former mayor of Cleveland wore a blue pinstriped suit, a blue dress shirt and red tie. After walking through a crowd of students to the stage, he slipped out of his suit coat and tie and into a Crimson Tide jacket.
The 57-year-old began by telling students a little about his background: His parents had seven children but never owned a home. By the time he was 17, his family had lived in 21 different places, "including a couple of cars."
Kucinich got involved in community issues right out of high school and hasn't stopped. He recently voted against appropriating $87 billion to continue occupying and reconstructing Iraq.
"I think we ought to bring our troops home. I think we ought to get the United Nations involved," Kucinich said as applause drowned out the rest of his remark.
"You're here in this auditorium here in Concord, but there are children in Iraq just trying to survive," Kucinich said, adding that the Homeland Security Department's colored-coded terrorist threat alert system is "Orwellian" and intent on "scaring people."
Kucinich was the second presidential candidate to speak at Concord High. North Carolina Sen. John Edwards visited last Tuesday. Retired Army general Wesley Clark was scheduled to speak today but cancelled because of laryngitis.
Students either gave up their lunch period or were assigned by a teacher to listen to Kucinich speak. They asked him a variety of questions, including if he would end Cuban sanctions (he would), whether he opposed capital punishment (he does) and if he supports the Patriot Act (he does not).
Students also asked Kucinich twice about his stance on abortion. He said he wants to "depolarize this issue," supporting a woman's right to chose but adding that the number of abortions should be reduced.
Afterward, Kucinich met 20-year-old Jonathan Meier, who is walking across the country to support Kucinich's campaign. Kucinich told Meier he once walked across Ohio during a campaign but came down with shin splints after just 20 miles. He had to soak his legs in ice at night, he said.
As Kucinich jogged across the school grounds for a picture in front of the Concord High School sign, sophomore Matt Kendall watched from the lawn. Kendall, like other students, likes Kucinich's liberal views. "I don't know if America is ready," Kendall said, "but I'm all for him."
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