Cooney for Congress Announcement

Wednesday, May 20 at noon, our Sixth District Candidate for Congress, Kalamazoo City Commissioner and WMU Professor Don Cooney, announced his candidacy in downtown Kalamazoo’s Martin Luther King Park.

It was a cool but sunny day, and a diverse crowd of peace activists, students, friends, long-time Democrats, working people, and neighbors gathered to listen to those who introduced him – Ron Kramer, co-founder of KNOW, Pastor Milton Wells, Andrea Juarez, community organizer, Jesse Kadolph, one of Don’s past students and Dave Pawloski, Chair of the KCDP.  They all praised Don for all the peace and social justice work he has done. 

A part of Don’s  moving comments follow:

“My brothers and sisters – today we stand in the shadow of Dr. Martin Luther King.  Martin Luther King died fighting to end the war, fighting for economic justice, fighting to heal racism.  Today we take the torch from his hand and continue that struggle.  These last years of Republican domination have brought us five million more people in poverty.  My brothers and sisters, this time of Republican domination have led to millions of more people without health care.  It has let to more deterioration of the environment, and precious few steps to get us to a sustainable situation where we can all live and not poison ourselves.  My brothers and sisters, it is time for a change!

When Martin Luther King spoke about his dream, he did not envision what is happening in our city today.  Forty percent of our children living below the poverty line.  Our jail overcrowded with young men whose lives are being destroyed and branded, and they will end up without any options.  That’s not what he dreamed about.  Martin Luther King did not dream about our country being isolated from the rest of the world.  He did not dream about the torture that has taken place.  It seems that the words of Albert Camus ring in my ears today,  ‘I should like to be able to love justice, and still love my country’.

It seems to me that there are four main areas in which we must change  policy.  The first, as Ron Kramer said, is this war.  The cost of this war is incredible.  The money that should be invested in our people is invested in the war machine. But the economic cost is the least of it.  What about the cost to the young people who have gone over there to fight?  Over 30,000 with post-traumatic stress disorder.  What about the cost to the Iraqi people – maybe a million of them killed?  Their infrastructure destroyed.

The second area we have to focus on is economic justice.  The economy should work for the people, not the people for the economy.  The measure of our economy should not be our gross national product, but what is it doing for the most vulnerable of our people?

The third area we are going to fight for is universal health care.  We believe that health care is a universal human right.

The fourth area we are going to work on is sustainable development.  This is perhaps the greatest threat that we face.  We need to join hands and not isolate ourselves.

My brothers and sisters, Martin Luther King once said, ‘I refuse to accept the dark midnight of militarism and destruction.  I believe that in the end unvarnished truth and unconditional love will triumph?”

There was tremendous energy for Don and he signed up many new supporters in the event who will go out and help get him elected.

- Mark Miller from his Westmichiganrising blog