It takes far more courage and wisdom to boldly say “NO” to war when everyone else is saying yes.
Three days after September 11th 2001, Barbara Lee (D-CA) bravely called for a no vote against authorizing George W. Bush’s wars.
In an op-ed she published in The San Francisco Chronicle 9 days later, she explained her vote by pointing out that the resolution “was a blank check to the president to attack anyone involved in the Sept. 11 events — anywhere, in any country, without regard to our nation’s long-term foreign policy, economic and national security interests, and without time limit.” She added: “A rush to launch precipitous military counterattacks runs too great a risk that more innocent men, women, children will be killed.”
For her lone stance, Lee was deluged with rancid insults and death threats to the point where she needed around-the-clock bodyguards. She was vilified as “anti-American” by numerous outlets including The Wall Street Journal. The Washington Times editorialized on September 18 that “Ms. Lee is a long-practicing supporter of America’s enemies — from Fidel Castro on down” and that “while most of the left-wing Democrats spent the week praising President Bush and trying to sound as moderate as possible, Barbara Lee continued to sail under her true colors.” Since then, she has been repeatedly rejected in her bids to join the House Democratic leadership, typically losing to candidates close to Wall Street and in support of militarism. (continue reading from theIntercept)
On this September 11th, in addition to remembering all of the lives lost in America, Iraq and Afghanistan, I choose also to remember Barbara Lee’s brave example in calling for calm, reflective thought before blindly rushing into endless war in the Middle East. Even at the risk of her political career, she stood up and did what was right.
We need more leaders who know that sometimes, it takes more strength to say “no” when everyone else takes the easy way out by saying “yes” to war and militarism.
