Planet Waves | June 06, 2005 Let's go back and talk hero's, again -- I have a short list in politics, sadly. One is Robert Byrd, that grand old Democrat and statesman of the United States Senate. Byrd is set to run for his 9th term -- you do the math. He's been around and seen a lot in his 87 years. Representing West Virginia, Byrd used to be a Klansman in his impetuous youth -- he filibustered the Civil Rights legislation in the 60's -- so, among other things, here is an example of a man who can learn from his mistakes and grow into his humanity. Now he guards the rights of his state, the democratic process of the Congress and like Cicero railing against the decline of the Roman Republic, he speaks out against the demise of democracy with old-fashioned, fire-breathing oratory. I love that old man. Another hero, as I've mentioned before, is Bill Moyers, who served as deputy director of the Peace Corps in the Kennedy Administration. He was Special Assistant to LBJ, and his Press Secretary for two years, way back when, and no matter what you think of the Big Texan personally, he furthered Kennedy's committment to social reforms and championed civil rights and poverty issues with historic legislation. Moyers spent the next 25 years as a journalist, most recently at PBS, fighting for the rights of the little guy -- read that, you and me. I love him too, and I'm delighted that instead of retiring from PBS to work on his memoirs, he's still speaking out for democracy, governmental transparency and the rights of the little guy. Both of these gentlemen inspire me. So today, I'm passing along some clips from a speech Bill made to a group at Take Back America: The Conference for America's Future, in Washington this weekend. Perhaps he will inspire you, as well. "It's an old story in America. We shouldn't be surprised by it any more. Hold up a mirror to this moment and you will see reflected back to you the first Gilded Age in the last part of the 19th century. Then, as now, the great captains of industry and finance could say, with Frederick Townsend Martin, "We are rich. We own America. We got it, God knows how, but we intend to keep it." "Back in the first Gilded Age it was the progressives who took them on, throwing themselves at the juggernaut to try and keep it from rolling over the last vestiges of democracy. They lost the first rounds and only because they kept fighting for many long years did in time America begin to balance the power of concentrated wealth with the claims and needs of ordinary people. Nowadays it's you who stand between that regenerated juggernaut and those families in Milwaukee, those folks in Tamaqua, and the millions like them around the country. You must be like the Irishman coming upon a street brawl who yells in a loud voice: "Is this a private fight, or can anyone get in it?" Not waiting, he wades in. "Wade in! Go home and tell the truth to your neighbors and fight the corruption of the system. But it's not enough just to say how bad the others are. You owe your opponents the compliment of a good argument. Come up with fresh ideas to make capitalism work for all. Ask entrepreneurs to join you - they know how to make things happen. Show us a new vision of globalization with a conscience. Stand up for working people and people in the middle and people who can't stand on their own. Be not cowed, intimidated, or frightened - you may be on the losing side of the moment, as the early progressives were, but you're on the winning side of history. And have some fun when you fight - Americans are more likely to join the party that enjoys a party . Come to think of it, go out and argue that working people should have more time off from the endless hours of tedious work that devours the soul and the long commutes that devastate families and communities. "Above all, know what you believe and why. So I have some homework for you. Here's your summer reading: Thomas Paine and the Promise of America, by Harvey Kaye, soon at your bookstores (along, I might add, with a revised and updated paperback version of Moyers on America.) Thomas Paine was the foremost journalist of the American Revolution who called forth the better angels of our nature, imbued us with our democratic impulse, and articulated our American Identity with its exceptional purpose and promise. It was Paine who argued that America would afford "an asylum for mankind," provide a model to the world, and support the global advance of republican democracy. In these pages is tonic for flagging spirits facing great odds - because it was Thomas Paine who insisted that "it is too soon to write the history of the Revolution." And writing the history of the Revolution is now up to you. That's what truly is at stake..." "Know what you believe and why." Damned good advice, citizen! Open the link to read the entire speech -- you'll learn a lot and be glad you took the time. Peace ~ Jude 'Writing the History of the Revolution is Now Up to You' -- Bill Moyers http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0606-21.htm Jude, the editor of Political Waves, is currently standing in for Eric Franics on his daily blog. You can subscribe to Political Waves (our all-politics news distribution list) for free at the link below. You'll receive between five and 10 news articles each day. You may write to Jude with your responses to her commentaries at moderator@planetwaves.net. Political Waves list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/political_waves/