Reply #43: Strength of Conviction, Man of Action [View All]

[LatinManNH]

I was living in VT during the time that civil unions were dividing people in the state. For almost every "Take Back Vermont" bumper sticker and poster, one could see a "Take Vermont Forward" sign in response. Republican operatives were swarming the state with hateful, anti-gay rhetoric, the Rev. Phelps and his ilk included, but many Vermonters rose to the challenge and showed that they were not going to be bullied by outside influences.

All the while, Gov. Dean was running for re-election and his opponent, Ruth Dwyer, was gaining support as the "Take Back Vermont" candidate. Dean managed to keep his cool during the whole debacle, remain true to his convictions, and finally took action by signing civil unions into law. He could have vetoed it or stalled it until after the elections in order to assure his re-election. Instead, he risked his political career and won re-election anyway.

When the Dean presidential campaign appropriated the slogan that was used against him in VT and changed it to "Take Back America," it showed that this candidate was unafraid of his positions and the decisions he had made. Dean stepped forward when other Democrats were afraid to speak out and he continues to do so against the deplorable policies of the Bush adminstration.

I support Howard Dean because he does not apologize for doing the right thing. He is not a "fair weather" Democrat who must consult with focus groups in order to find out what his positions should be. Nevertheless, he is wholly attentive to his connstituency and to the needs of those who often lack a voice in the halls of government. He has the experience, the knowledge, and the vision to bring people together and inspire them to stand up for themselves and for what they believe.