David Pechefsky, the Green Party candidate for City Council in the 39th district was at the Tom Hayden lecture Friday night sponsored by Brooklyn for Peace at the Park Slope Methodist Church.
On Monday, Pechefsky will be participating in a Democracy Forum at Old First Church with Brad Lander and Joe Nardiello, the other candidates for City Council int the 39th. Pechefsky had this to say about Tom Hayden's lecture.
Hayden talked about "movements" versus "machiavellians." He
described how in his view Obama was elected by a movement, but from
what I heard he didn't offer much of an explanation of why
Obama abandoned his anti-war stance and seems poised to expand the war
in Afghanistan. Nor did he offer any real advice for the peace
movement other than a vague call to support Obama but "keep the
pressure on." He seemed to suggest that the problem is with Congress
without any explanation of why Congress might be such a problem.
described how in his view Obama was elected by a movement, but from
what I heard he didn't offer much of an explanation of why
Obama abandoned his anti-war stance and seems poised to expand the war
in Afghanistan. Nor did he offer any real advice for the peace
movement other than a vague call to support Obama but "keep the
pressure on." He seemed to suggest that the problem is with Congress
without any explanation of why Congress might be such a problem.
More than one questioner asked him why he persisted in
supporting the Democratic party given its stance on the wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan, etc. As far as I could make out his view was that the
Democrats remain the best albeit an unsatisfactory option. He acknowledged
working for the election of third party candidates might be a "viable
strategy depending on your constituency."
supporting the Democratic party given its stance on the wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan, etc. As far as I could make out his view was that the
Democrats remain the best albeit an unsatisfactory option. He acknowledged
working for the election of third party candidates might be a "viable
strategy depending on your constituency."
Photo by Tom Martinez