| J. Richard Cohen,
President, Southern
Poverty Law Center, which is internationally known
for its tolerance education programs, its legal victories
against white supremacists and its tracking of hate
groups:
There are literally millions of American patriots
who are standing up for this country's highest values
in everyday ways within the context of their own lives.
But if I had to select one person to honor at this
time, I would choose Ray
Ybarra, a young man who has interrupted his law
school career to monitor the anti-immigration vigilantes
of the so-called Minuteman
Project. Ray represents the best of America and
his courage is an inspiration to us all.
Dr. Paul Farmer, Cofounder
of Partners in Health (PIH), which strives to achieve
two
overarching goals: to bring the benefits of modern
medical science to those most in need of them and to
serve as an antidote to despair.”:
If I could bestow an American Patriot Award, I would
give it to Bryan
Stevenson, founder of the Alabama-based Equal
Justice Initiative.
Bryan Stevenson has worked tirelessly for many years
to challenge the death penalty and the biases under
which it is imposed by providing legal assistance
to death row inmates and to the poor. To that end,
in 1989 he founded the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI)
in Alabama to provide legal representation to indigent
defendants and prisoners who have been denied fair
and just treatment by the legal system in that state,
which does not have a statewide public defender system.
He has argued passionately that we cannot understand
the immorality of the death penalty without grasping
the immorality of racism, or the structures that create
poverty, or the power dynamics that marginalize the
poor. Bryan and his organization stand in solidarity
with the poor, the disfavored, and the disadvantaged,
in the belief that equal justice is a right and that
the protection of every person's civil and human rights
are essential to a fair and just society.
Steve Gerber describes
himself as “handsome, charming, single, rich—okay,
maybe not rich”—and the creator of such
comic book series as Hard Time and Howard the Duck:
I would give Bill
Maher the American Patriot Award because I believe
love of country begins with love of truth. Truth is
best served by an inquiring mind, a relentless skepticism,
and the courage to speak the unthinkable. That, and
timing reminiscent of Jack Benny.
Hillary
and Julie Goodridge, lead plaintiffs
in Goodridge
v. Dept. of Public Health, the ground-breaking case
that established the right of same-sex couples to marry
in Massachusetts. The Goodridges are the first same-sex
couple to marry legally in the United States:
The American Patriot Award should be given to Mary
Bonauto, who organized, strategized, persuaded
and ultimately brilliantly argued the groundbreaking
case for marriage equality before the Massachusetts
Supreme Judicial Court. She did this while keeping
14 plaintiffs in line and up-to-date, taking on other
cases to protect the rights of GLBT people, playing
a pivotal role in deliberations by legislators during
the Massachusetts constitutional conventions, and
giving birth to twins.
Jennifer Gonnerman is a staff writer at The
Village Voice and the author of Life
on the Outside: The Prison Odyssey of Elaine Bartlett,
which was a finalist for a 2004 National Book Award:
I would nominate Wilbert
Rideau, who entered Angola–Louisiana’s
infamous penitentiary – at age 19 with a murder
conviction in 1961. His formal schooling had ended
with eighth grade, but on death row he educated himself
by reading constantly. Over the years, he transformed
himself into one of the most accomplished journalists
in the country. For many years, he published the Angolite,
a prison magazine that has won numerous journalism
prizes. Life magazine called him “the
most rehabilitated prisoner in America.”
Wilbert fought his own conviction for decades and
was tried four times for the same crime. Earlier this
year, he finally left prison after a jury found him
guilty of manslaughter, a lesser charge than murder.
By then he’d been locked up for 44 years. Wilbert’s
ability to educate himself, to produce amazing work,
and to be an inspiration to the rest of our nation’s
two million prisoners – for all of these reasons
he deserves a Patriot Award.
Todd Hanson of The
Onion, “America’s finest news source”:
Off the top of my head, I think I would give said
Patriot award to Kurt
Vonnegut. Nobody ever talks about him anymore,
and he is often dismissed as an adolescent-phase-type
writer unworthy of "serious" literary consideration,
but as a 36-yr-old I for one still consider him to
be one of our country's greatest and most humane satirists,
and very funny, if you want my opinion.
Marjorie Hill, PhD, Director of the Women’s
Institute at Gay Men’s
Health Crisis (GMHC), a not-for-profit, volunteer-supported
and community-based organization committed to national
leadership in the fight against AIDS:
My choice for an American Patriot Award would be
Oprah
Winfrey. A great American and an inspiring world
citizen, Oprah has enlightened, encouraged and entertained
million of viewers for more than two decades. Furthermore,
her list of historic accomplishments are astounding;
first African American Woman to anchor news at Nashville
WTVF-TV; hosting the highest rated television show
in Television history; being only the third woman
in American entertainment history to open her own
production studio.
Through the Oprah Winfrey Foundation, she has awarded
hundreds of grants to organizations that support the
education and empowerment of women, children and families,
and created the OW Scholars program, which gives scholarships
to students determined to use their education to give
back to their communities in the US and abroad. Winfrey
is currently in partnership with South Africa’s
ministry of education to build the OW
Leadership Academy for girls—scheduled to
open in 2007.
While all of these accomplishments epitomize the
highest of our American ideals, I most celebrate Oprah’s
individual determination, unwavering pride and uncompromising
honesty.
Irvin
Kershner, Director of the American
film classic The Empire Strikes Back:
Caring less for personal gain and more for the democratic
process, Ralph Nader dared to seek the presidency
knowing he would be ostracized for spoiling the election
for the democratic contender. This took courage! He
offered to debate but the two parties denied him the
privilege. He dared to tell the truth about the environment,
the full effects of outsourcing, the unfair tax changes,
and the lies that were being promulgated. But he could
never reach the broad audience. Big money was the
lifeblood of the campaigns.
Nader dared to speak rationally to a nation in thrall
of faith based politics; a nation unable to maintain
a separation between church and state. Exposing lies,
half-truths, and secretive government, Nader's honest
approach was barely reported. His message was shut
out by a media that is part of the corporate octopus.
For Nader, both parties were at fault and he stood
up against the tide to hold them accountable. That
is true patriotism.
Michael Musto pens the fabulous weekly La
Dolce Musto column for The
Village Voice:
I would give an award to Janeane
Garofalo. The idea of comics as commentators has
always made me deeply nervous. You always expect them
to interject a "rim shot" or end with a
plug to "Catch me on the 12th through the 15th
at Giggles in Cincinnati." But in her TV and
radio appearances, Janeane has been serious, impassioned,
and informed. Far from embarrassing, she's been an
inspiration, and her opinions reflect the fact that
she clearly loves the freedoms that make this country
special. She gives comics a good name—and I
would catch her at Giggles if she played
there.
Malika Saada Saar, JD,
Executive Director of The
Rebecca Project for Human Rights—a national
policy and advocacy organization for families which
seeks reform in the areas of criminal justice, child
welfare and drug policies:
Seven years ago, in the shadows of the US Capitol,
Jackie tricked to support her drug habit. Not more
than four years ago, Lorna was arrested on a non-violent
drug felony, one block down from the Russell Senate
building. Today, these women are part of Sacred Authority,
an advocacy network of mothers in recovery who advocate
for fair and just policies on behalf of families struggling
with substance abuse issues. These mothers speak the
truth of their lived experiences to power, entering
into the halls and rooms of Congress to meet with
lawmakers on a daily basis.
Most of the mothers were incarcerated for untreated
addiction to crack-cocaine, most of them tried for
years to enter into treatment programs, but were excluded
because they were mothers with children; most of them
are survivors of extreme trauma from repeated sexual
and physical violence. And they are my choice for
a great American Patriot award. Despite being despised
as crack-addicted mothers, despite being criminalized
for their addiction, despite being left behind in
prisons, despite being told that they were worth no
more than to be on the margins of this great nation,
these mothers claim their healing, their greatness,
their voice, and assume their rightful place at the
table of national policymaking. They are great Americans,
great patriots, because they believe in the democratic
process and claim their sacred role in it.
Carmen
Vazquez, Deputy Executive Director
of the Empire
State Pride Agenda, New York's statewide civil rights
organization committed to winning equality and justice
for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) New
Yorkers and our families:
Dolores
Huerta deserves an American Patriot Award. Cofounder
and first vice president of the United
Farm Workers union, she has dedicated her life
to the struggle for justice, dignity, and a decent
standard of living for the women and men who toil
in our country’s fields. She has understood
justice to be without limit and has embraced reproductive
rights and environmental justice as causes to which
she must bring her voice and determination. In a climate
of extreme political conservatism that seeks to pit
communities of color against the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual
and Transgender Movement for equality and justice,
she has declared her support for the right of lesbians
and gay men to marry. She understands that there is
no justice if we cannot protect those we love. American
Patriots defend justice and equality and peace. No
one in my lifetime is more courageous an American
Patriot than Dolores Huerta.
Look
for Nancy Goldstein's return to Raw Story weekly, starting
August 4. |
