I am an independent green/libertarian ANTI-WAR candidate for United States Congress in California's 24th Congressional District. The principles of my campaign are peace, solidarity and vision — but most of all, peace. My purpose in running is not to win the election, but to enable as many voters as possible to oppose war and two-party tyranny.

Peace

Controlled by the military-industrial complex and Wall Street, our government has turned our country into a global military empire. In Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Yugoslavia and elsewhere, the pattern is the same: wars fought for economic gain, then justified by pretexts of humanitarianism and national security.

As citizens, the duty to rein in our imperialist government is ours alone. I'm running so that by voting for me, an anti-war candidate, citizens may resist and reverse government militarism.

In Congress I would staunchly oppose all US wars, except for immediate self-defense, and work to make peace our explicit, sincere and steadfast objective.

Solidarity

A house divided cannot stand. Yet we have become a radically divided people by succumbing to the spirit of faction and party. Political demagogues, news media, Wall Street and the moneyed elite have actively promoted this, in order that we cannot as a united citizenry cast off the yoke of economic and mental oppression to become a free and happy people. The two-party system today is a sham — merely two wings of a single status quo party. We must stop compromising our ideals by voting for 'the lesser evil' in a forced, two-choice election. Although it may take time, our only hope is to vote for third-party and independent candidates who will bring new ideas and genuine change.

Vision

Two paths are before us: one of consciously choosing a good future, and the other to let our lives be governed by blind social and economic forces. Only the former can bring happiness, peace, justice and prosperity. We should not simply accept that the status quo — a life of debt, consumerism, wage-slavery and erosion of values — is the only option. We should not wait for some distant century to create a way of life more suited to the ideals, dignity and potentials of human beings. The time has come to begin a process of local, regional and national dialogue to envision and articulate our goals and ideals, and consider how to attain them.

We here on California's Central Coast are blessed with the most favorable living circumstances found anywhere in the world today. If we merely try to hide in a bubble of security we may well find that the urgent problems of the world will soon overtake us. Shall we not instead use our advantages to lead the way forward to a better world?