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Sunday, August 28, 2011

[ALOCHONA] No one dares to be Anna Hazare in Bangladesh



No one dares to be Anna Hazare in Bangladesh

By Sunita Paul

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed blasted leaders of her own party as well as the Grand Alliance, for criticizing the corrupt ministers and for helping "conspirators" in destabilizing the country as well assassinating her. Earlier Bangladeshi home minister Advocate Sahara Khatun and general secretary of Bangladesh Awami League as well local government Minister Syef Ashraful Islam told at a public meeting that, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's life is at risk. They said "conspiracy is on, to assassin Sheikh Hasina and a section of media are collaborating this conspiracy.

Another prominent leader of Bangladesh Awami League, Advocate Suranjit Sen Gupta said, it is much important for the government of Sheikh Hasina to complete the trial into August 21 grenade attack than trying the war criminals.

Let me remind my readers that, Awami League supremos, including Suranjit Sen Gupta, even in recent past were putting more importance on trying the war criminals. What is the reason behind such sudden U-turn of Bangladesh Awami League from war crime issue is possibly unknown to many people in Bangladesh, but not totally unknown to some. Bangladesh Awami League may have shifted from expediting the trying the war criminals to trying the "culprits" of August 21 attack. Reason is simple! By completing the "engineered trial" of the August 21 incident, the ruling party will be able to close the doors for Tarique Rahman's return to Bangladesh. At the same time, it will also put the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party into trouble.

Though the trial into August 21 case has not yet started, Awami League leadership are continuing to tell people that, Tarique Rahman will face death penalty in this case. How these leaders are such confident of the consequence of the trial? Reply is not complex at all. Yes, the fate of the trial of August 21 incident is decided and dictated. It is even rumored that law minister Barrister Shafiq Ahmed has prepared a blue-print of the total trial process and they are planning to complete the trial process in maximum 120 days. In this case, at least give will get death penalty while many will get life terms. Trial will be similar as Kangaroo courts. It is hard for me to understand as to why Sheikh Hasina is trying her best to somehow stop Tarique Rahman from returning to Bangladesh. If Awami League is confident enough of Tarique being rejected by the people, why they are seeing ghost in letting him return to Bangladesh?

Sheikh Hasina already tried to put her only son into politics to ensure him to be her heir into family-dynastic politics in Bangladesh. But, it is observed that, Sajib Wazed Joy is unwilling to stay in Bangladesh permanently, thus suffering from power crisis, road hazards and virtually collapsed law and order situation. Joy is more a Western culturally and he has wife and children abroad, who surely are unwilling to quit the luxurious life they are leading in there, just for the same of letting Joy become a future anchor of Awami League. Being frustrated with Joy, Sheikh Hasina also now is trying to play the Saima Wazed Putul card in placing her into the next "proprietorship" of Awami League. Yes, proprietor I wrote consciously.

In Bangladesh, political parties are mere family if not personal properties of the top figures. Sheikh Hasina badly insulted leaders like Hasanul Huq Inu and Tarana Halim, both members of parliament during a recent parliament session. I am sure; none of them have minimum self-respect or human qualities. Otherwise, the way Sheikh Hasina blasted them in the parliament, for criticizing corruption and failure of a few ministers, they (Inu and Halim) should have simply resigned from the parliament and the grand alliance immediately. But, they won't. Actually they can't! Because, Sheikh Hasina knew very precisely that, both Hasanul Huq Inu and Tarana Halim are nothing but mere feet-dogs (not even lap dog) of the ruling party. And the main reason of Sheikh Hasina's anger on them is -- they criticized the most corrupt communication minister Syed Abul Husain for his failures, irregularities and financial crimes. By defending a most hated and corrupt members in the cabinet, Sheikh Hasina has tried to give a clear signal to her party inmates as well as to the citizen of Bangladesh that, during the rule of Awami League, no one should dare to utter a word, about any wrong doings of her "own people". This clearly she inherited from her father, who also was very famous for huge crimes and corruption of his "own people", which was one of the many reasons of his brutal murder.

It is quite clearly understood by now that, none of the members of the grand alliance will have the guts and courage onwards of uttering a single word, which would be disliked by their party top. In such case, is there anyone else in the so-called civil society in Bangladesh to stand up? I read about someone named Syed Abul Maksud, planning to begin hunger strike from the Eid day, if the communication minister is not ousted. It is understandable that Mr. Maksud is dying to be the Anna Hazare of Bangladesh. But, can he really? Does he enjoy the integrity in Bangladeshi society? Or, does his threat make any value in the eyes of the ruling party? I am sure; Maksud has the integrity and self-esteed, and of course is a man of virtue.

--------------------
Sunita Paul
Political analyst on South Asian affairs
E Mail : penofsunita@gmail.com

http://newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=364556


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[ALOCHONA] Manmohan Singh's visit to Bangladesh



Manmohan Singh's visit to Bangladesh



by Jamal Syed
August 28, 2011

I am sure our man in Washington DC has briefed the Foreign Office and the PMO on the various strands of this Dispatch, starting with the implications of, as FP writes " In India, the 25-year-old border fence - finally expected to be completed next year at a cost of US$ 1.2 billion - is celebrated as a panacea for a whole range of national neuroses.....". FP points out that the Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram, by 2009, " was declaring that Bangladeshis have ' no business to come to India'."West Bengal BJP head Tathagata Roy ' has called for lining the border with antipersonnel mines. If the predictions come true for immigration from Bangladesh, Roy says, India's population of 900 million Hindus will have no choice but" to convert or jump into the sea". Such a terrifying scenario could quite possibly be a motivated attempt to inflame the uninitiated millions and allow India's Indo-centric policies of mass atrocities on her poor neighbours an acceptable form of real-politic and patriotic statecraft.

FP dispatch makes a chilling reading as it states ' The border itself has hardened into a grim killing field.' India's own Masum and the Human Rights Watch released a bleak report in December on the border situation with detailed observations, including, as Foreign Policy quotes ' it accused the Indian Border Security Force of " indiscriminate killing and torture." FP's report concludes that 'the tensions that make it into a killing zone are remarkably durable.'

Bangladesh does not appear to have received any dependable assurance from the Indian Home Minister Chidambaram during his very recent visit that Indian trigger-happy stance would be curbed and apparently we did not raise both the substantive and symbolic implications of their barbed-wire fencing of a small, friendly neighbour. And one would be forgiven to assume that such a fence all around is meant to make us cooperate in allowing unfettered transit facilities to India apart from letting them have the pounds of flesh torn from other parts of Sonar Bangla.

I am compelled to refer to the most unusual and perhaps a highly suspect practice of using non-elected, non-professional advisers to represent the Government when full-fledged Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Home, Finance, Commerce and Water Resources and their constitutionally empowered Ministries are supposed to deal with the range of sensitive, national issues when the Indian Prime Minister with a powerful Ministerial delegation come visiting Dhaka. In one of my earlier write-ups, I had referred to the uncanny ability of the Indians to do political rope trick with masterly art of misdirection. They are this time using the two advisers to talk on India's keen interest to seek to resolve land boundary problems, Tipaimukh question and may be, Teesta and other rivers issue.

We have just seen pictures of signing of Bangladesh maps, etc and we are told so very casually that our maps were being 'slightly adjusted' to finally resolve the land-boundary disputes that even Bangabandhu had not been able to agree to. We are all puzzled and our sacred Constitution, if I am not wrong, does not permit any change whatsoever in Bangladesh's territorial boundaries, frontiers and dimensions, unless two-thirds of the total Parliament members vote for such a motion clearly defined.

These are the 'misdirection'; I was referring to along with the emotive issue of Tipaimukh. One of the advisers (no one seems to know what he is the adviser for excepting from time to time he holds some unashamed briefs for our good neighbour) who on return from Delhi, stated that Manmohan Singh 'may announce' during his Dhaka visit that " New Delhi for the first time has agreed to consult Dhaka before (mark the words now) implementing the controversial Tipaimukh Dam project." There is no mention about any change that Dhaka's views on the Dam might appear reasonable and hence, acceptable. And this is one issue for which our big Parliamentary Delegation went to Delhi, had learnt about India's intentions, had a plane ride , but did not have an on-site view of things and came back in July,2009 and then during our Prime Minister's January, 2010 visit to Delhi no further attention to our deep concerns was forthcoming. And we have not had any urges to enquire as to what was going on in Tipaimukh, over these two long years, though we have a huge Mission in Delhi and also in Kolkata (and I believe in Agartala).

As may be recalled, our experts have given their well-reasoned opinions about the broad range of adverse impact of Tipaimukh Dam both on Bangladesh and on India's own north-eastern states, where there are already serious political unrest and economic deprivation and neglect. And that being one of the main reasons for India's all-out bid to get the transit issue sorted out with Bangladesh. Tipaimukh is a political time bomb that India can use when required if situation in the seven sisters go out of hand, with Bangladesh obviously taking the blast being positioned as the front-line state for India's eastern flank. Any harm now or later to us in this region is certainly not going to be a factor of any importance in India's larger geo-political strategies in the China-dominated scenario, as mentioned in the Economist article.

The other serious issue from our point of view, the huge trade deficits, displays another 'misdirection' in the form of Maitree train link and of all things ' border haats' and that too when our authorities just could not see the barbed-wire fences coming up all around! And we have taken much pain in bending over backwards to cultivate Dadas like Jyoti Basu , Pranab Mukherjee in vain The latter had visited Dhaka several times (and once also during the last caretaker government) and also brought Indian Premier's message of felicitations to our Prime Minister on her election and assured all aspects of our relations would be looked at most urgently. That trade deficit requires India's agreement to expand our export lists and reduce the tariff and non-tariff barriers, not border haats. Now Mr Mukherjee has the powers as the Union Finance Minister to do what he had promised to do in a more effective manner, but would he, in fact, would India, ever do the right thing? We are now trying to cultivate some Didis like Mamata Banerjee, Sonia Gandhi and so on.

And we all know our bargaining chips are few and more regrettably, our bargaining capability and integrity are in short supply. Our concerned authorities are well aware as to the contents and thrusts of our legitimate claims, as these cover our national security, socio-economic-environmental paradigms and adequate compense for India's exploitation of our resources and facilities including the hugely sensitive transit regime, placing yet-to-visualise burden on our infra-structure, security exposure and risks, seemingly on a permanent basis.

One-sided family (?) familiarity apart, the nation's sovereignty, freedom of external actions and the people's security and welfare require our utmost attention to all relevant inputs from all sources, even the friendly fires, so that our guardians and expert policy makers remain sharp with their senses, keen on their skills and act with wisdom before, rather than after the events. One Farakka should be enough.

Following a pithe comment by an Irish parliamentarian on a distressing prospect of a disaster, let me say "Bangladesh's cup of misery runneth over - and it is not yet full!" The question is will the forthcoming visit of the Prime Minister of India make it full?

(Jamal Syed is an analyst and free-lance contributor)

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[ALOCHONA] Daily Star online poll



Do you agree with State Minister for Law Quamrul Islam that BNP-backed lawyers are doing politics of falsehood over the death of Supreme Court lawyer MU Ahmed?

No                    76.6%

Yes                   21.9%

No comments      1.6%


 

http://www.edailystar.com/index.php?opt=view&page=20&date=2011-08-29


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[ALOCHONA] The Daily Star Transit Special



The Daily Star Transit Special



More stories:

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=200692



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Re: [mukto-mona] Inquiry



This letter is an ample proof of your bigotry and your lack of ability in composing anything.

On Sun, Aug 28, 2011 at 7:27 PM, chittagang <chittagang@yahoo.ca> wrote:
 

Dear Sir,

I have sent an article titled : " I do not like to tell people like U as human. I like to tell U demon. I believe by U, races of Allah were never come in help and will not come in help unless U become true Muslim."

I need to know why it was not posted on mukta mona.

Pls let me know why.

If you fail to provide reply then I have to come in person to Mukta Mona and charge you.

Thanks,
Tanvir




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Mukto Mona plans for a Grand Darwin Day Celebration: 
Call For Articles:

http://mukto-mona.com/wordpress/?p=68

http://mukto-mona.com/banga_blog/?p=585

****************************************************

VISIT MUKTO-MONA WEB-SITE : http://www.mukto-mona.com/

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"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it".
               -Beatrice Hall [pseudonym: S.G. Tallentyre], 190




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[mukto-mona] Ramadan Mubarak



Assalaamu alaykum,

 

I take this opportunity to congratulate you and your family on the happy occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. I wish you a happy and blessed Eid.

كل عام وأنتم بخير أعاده الله تعالى عليكم وعلى الجميع بالخير واليمن والبركات

Wassalaam,

 

 

M. Abdul Aziz

-----------------------------------------------------------

M. Abdul Aziz

Executive Director

Bangladesh Institute of Islamic Thought (BIIT)

Tel: 8950227, 8924256  Fax: 02-8950227
azizbiit@gmail.com www.iiitbd.org

-----------------------------------------------------------






__._,_.___


****************************************************
Mukto Mona plans for a Grand Darwin Day Celebration: 
Call For Articles:

http://mukto-mona.com/wordpress/?p=68

http://mukto-mona.com/banga_blog/?p=585

****************************************************

VISIT MUKTO-MONA WEB-SITE : http://www.mukto-mona.com/

****************************************************

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it".
               -Beatrice Hall [pseudonym: S.G. Tallentyre], 190




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[mukto-mona] Ramadan Mubarak



Assalaamu alaykum,

 

I take this opportunity to congratulate you and your family on the happy occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. I wish you a happy and blessed Eid.

كل عام وأنتم بخير أعاده الله تعالى عليكم وعلى الجميع بالخير واليمن والبركات

Wassalaam,

 

 

M. Abdul Aziz

-----------------------------------------------------------

M. Abdul Aziz

Executive Director

Bangladesh Institute of Islamic Thought (BIIT)

Tel: 8950227, 8924256  Fax: 02-8950227
azizbiit@gmail.com www.iiitbd.org

-----------------------------------------------------------





__._,_.___


****************************************************
Mukto Mona plans for a Grand Darwin Day Celebration: 
Call For Articles:

http://mukto-mona.com/wordpress/?p=68

http://mukto-mona.com/banga_blog/?p=585

****************************************************

VISIT MUKTO-MONA WEB-SITE : http://www.mukto-mona.com/

****************************************************

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it".
               -Beatrice Hall [pseudonym: S.G. Tallentyre], 190




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[ALOCHONA] MLK: A Monument to Hope: from a US/Bangladeshi Congressman



More In Black Voices: MLK Memorial Postponed... Reporter Killer Sentenced... Hip Hop Conspiracies?...
 UPDATES FROM Rep. Hansen Clarke

A Monument to Hope, a Call to Action

Posted: 8/27/11 05:15 PM ET

Every monument in our nation's capital symbolizes something meaningful about our national character. Lincoln, presiding over the reflecting pool, reminds us of our commitment to overcoming division and guaranteeing equal protection under law. Jefferson, set against the Tidal Basin, symbolizes our steadfast belief in inalienable individuals rights. The WWII memorial, sitting in the center of the mall, depicts our triumph against fascism and our readiness to stand watch against tyranny and injustice.
Martin Luther King was neither a president nor a war hero. The namesake of our newest monument was, for most of his life, a humble preacher forced to live as an outsider in his own community. Yet, with his charismatic voice, visionary leadership, and indefatigable spirit, he symbolized what I believe is most central to our national character: hope.
I do not mean hope in the everyday sense of yearning for something better. I mean hope in the sense of belief that we can overcome our lesser instincts and create a more enlightened society. I mean hope in the sense of belief we can be governed by true conscience or, as Lincoln put it, by "our better angels." I mean hope in the sense of belief we can realize a vision that matches with our highest ideals.
Our nation was founded on this kind of hope. As the first country in the world founded on the basis of principles -- liberty and equality -- rather than any particular ethnic or religious heritage, America was envisioned as an experiment in building a society upon ideals.
We have so often faltered. Yet -- through his writing, speeches, and organizing -- MLK used hope as a force to galvanize us toward realizing America's central principles.
Let's not forget that he also, I believe rightly, fought to expand the set of core principles to which this nation is committed. Namely, he championed the principle of nonviolence and the notion of promoting the intrinsic worth of every living soul.
This is why he took controversial stands even beyond those we commonly celebrate today.

This is why he opposed the Vietnam War and high levels of military spending generally, which, he said, could not "be reconciled with wisdom, justice and love."

This is why he spoke out against the exploitation of the developing world. He decried the world's wealthiest investing "huge sums of money in Asia, Africa and South America, only to take the profits out with no concern for the social betterment of the countries."
This is why he took a stand for domestic economic justice. In stark contrast to what we hear today about the economy's "winners and losers," he deplored the idea that businesses should exploit workers by failing to pay a living wage or laying off longtime workers to squeeze out extra profits for owners. "I never intend to adjust myself," he declared in Michigan in 1963, "to economic conditions that will take necessities from the many to give luxuries to the few."
Indeed, the march at which the Reverend delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech was the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. In addition to calling for desegregation and anti-discrimination laws, he came to Washington to argue for large-scale federal works programs to train and place unemployed workers. This, he believed, was integral to building dignity.
I mention this not to insinuate that Dr. King would support any one particular policy today. Rather, I mention it to clarify that his vision and his passion went beyond political rights.
If we are to solve this nation's big problems today, we must restore our imagination of what a better, more equitable world might look like. We must think about the ways that economic politics have moral dimensions. We must think of what it will take to restore people's livelihoods and dignity amidst the longest deepest global recession in a generation.
As I think of the new monument opening on our national mall, I know one thing: restoring our nation's promise will take a great deal of hope.
 

Follow Rep. Hansen Clarke on Twitter: www.twitter.com/RepHansenClarke

GET UPDATES FROM Rep. Hansen Clarke

A Monument to Hope, a Call to Action

Posted: 8/27/11 05:15 PM ET

Every monument in our nation's capital symbolizes something meaningful about our national character. Lincoln, presiding over the reflecting pool, reminds us of our commitment to overcoming division and guaranteeing equal protection under law. Jefferson, set against the Tidal Basin, symbolizes our steadfast belief in inalienable individuals rights. The WWII memorial, sitting in the center of the mall, depicts our triumph against fascism and our readiness to stand watch against tyranny and injustice.
Martin Luther King was neither a president nor a war hero. The namesake of our newest monument was, for most of his life, a humble preacher forced to live as an outsider in his own community. Yet, with his charismatic voice, visionary leadership, and indefatigable spirit, he symbolized what I believe is most central to our national character: hope.
I do not mean hope in the everyday sense of yearning for something better. I mean hope in the sense of belief that we can overcome our lesser instincts and create a more enlightened society. I mean hope in the sense of belief we can be governed by true conscience or, as Lincoln put it, by "our better angels." I mean hope in the sense of belief we can realize a vision that matches with our highest ideals.
Our nation was founded on this kind of hope. As the first country in the world founded on the basis of principles -- liberty and equality -- rather than any particular ethnic or religious heritage, America was envisioned as an experiment in building a society upon ideals.
We have so often faltered. Yet -- through his writing, speeches, and organizing -- MLK used hope as a force to galvanize us toward realizing America's central principles.
Let's not forget that he also, I believe rightly, fought to expand the set of core principles to which this nation is committed. Namely, he championed the principle of nonviolence and the notion of promoting the intrinsic worth of every living soul.
This is why he took controversial stands even beyond those we commonly celebrate today.

This is why he opposed the Vietnam War and high levels of military spending generally, which, he said, could not "be reconciled with wisdom, justice and love."

This is why he spoke out against the exploitation of the developing world. He decried the world's wealthiest investing "huge sums of money in Asia, Africa and South America, only to take the profits out with no concern for the social betterment of the countries."
This is why he took a stand for domestic economic justice. In stark contrast to what we hear today about the economy's "winners and losers," he deplored the idea that businesses should exploit workers by failing to pay a living wage or laying off longtime workers to squeeze out extra profits for owners. "I never intend to adjust myself," he declared in Michigan in 1963, "to economic conditions that will take necessities from the many to give luxuries to the few."
Indeed, the march at which the Reverend delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech was the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. In addition to calling for desegregation and anti-discrimination laws, he came to Washington to argue for large-scale federal works programs to train and place unemployed workers. This, he believed, was integral to building dignity.
I mention this not to insinuate that Dr. King would support any one particular policy today. Rather, I mention it to clarify that his vision and his passion went beyond political rights.
If we are to solve this nation's big problems today, we must restore our imagination of what a better, more equitable world might look like. We must think about the ways that economic politics have moral dimensions. We must think of what it will take to restore people's livelihoods and dignity amidst the longest deepest global recession in a generation.
As I think of the new monument opening on our national mall, I know one thing: restoring our nation's promise will take a great deal of hope.
 

Follow Rep. Hansen Clarke on Twitter: www.twitter.com/RepHansenClarke

More In Black Voices: MLK Memorial Postponed... Reporter Killer Sentenced... Hip Hop Conspiracies?...

GET UPDATES FROM Rep. Hansen Clarke

A Monument to Hope, a Call to Action

Posted: 8/27/11 05:15 PM ET

Every monument in our nation's capital symbolizes something meaningful about our national character. Lincoln, presiding over the reflecting pool, reminds us of our commitment to overcoming division and guaranteeing equal protection under law. Jefferson, set against the Tidal Basin, symbolizes our steadfast belief in inalienable individuals rights. The WWII memorial, sitting in the center of the mall, depicts our triumph against fascism and our readiness to stand watch against tyranny and injustice.
Martin Luther King was neither a president nor a war hero. The namesake of our newest monument was, for most of his life, a humble preacher forced to live as an outsider in his own community. Yet, with his charismatic voice, visionary leadership, and indefatigable spirit, he symbolized what I believe is most central to our national character: hope.
I do not mean hope in the everyday sense of yearning for something better. I mean hope in the sense of belief that we can overcome our lesser instincts and create a more enlightened society. I mean hope in the sense of belief we can be governed by true conscience or, as Lincoln put it, by "our better angels." I mean hope in the sense of belief we can realize a vision that matches with our highest ideals.
Our nation was founded on this kind of hope. As the first country in the world founded on the basis of principles -- liberty and equality -- rather than any particular ethnic or religious heritage, America was envisioned as an experiment in building a society upon ideals.
We have so often faltered. Yet -- through his writing, speeches, and organizing -- MLK used hope as a force to galvanize us toward realizing America's central principles.
Let's not forget that he also, I believe rightly, fought to expand the set of core principles to which this nation is committed. Namely, he championed the principle of nonviolence and the notion of promoting the intrinsic worth of every living soul.
This is why he took controversial stands even beyond those we commonly celebrate today.

This is why he opposed the Vietnam War and high levels of military spending generally, which, he said, could not "be reconciled with wisdom, justice and love."

This is why he spoke out against the exploitation of the developing world. He decried the world's wealthiest investing "huge sums of money in Asia, Africa and South America, only to take the profits out with no concern for the social betterment of the countries."
This is why he took a stand for domestic economic justice. In stark contrast to what we hear today about the economy's "winners and losers," he deplored the idea that businesses should exploit workers by failing to pay a living wage or laying off longtime workers to squeeze out extra profits for owners. "I never intend to adjust myself," he declared in Michigan in 1963, "to economic conditions that will take necessities from the many to give luxuries to the few."
Indeed, the march at which the Reverend delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech was the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. In addition to calling for desegregation and anti-discrimination laws, he came to Washington to argue for large-scale federal works programs to train and place unemployed workers. This, he believed, was integral to building dignity.
I mention this not to insinuate that Dr. King would support any one particular policy today. Rather, I mention it to clarify that his vision and his passion went beyond political rights.
If we are to solve this nation's big problems today, we must restore our imagination of what a better, more equitable world might look like. We must think about the ways that economic politics have moral dimensions. We must think of what it will take to restore people's livelihoods and dignity amidst the longest deepest global recession in a generation.
As I think of the new monument opening on our national mall, I know one thing: restoring our nation's promise will take a great deal of hope.
 

Follow Rep. Hansen Clarke on Twitter: www.twitter.com/RepHansenClarke



__._,_.___


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