VOTE! says Mark Klemen, Owner of the Funky Buddha club in Chicago

VOTE- A message from Mark Klemen (Owner Funky Buddha)
The greatest threat this country faces is apathy. Apathy allows thestrong and selfish to take what they want without regard for the worldor fellow humanity. For the first time in history, humans have thepower to deal mother nature powerful and potentially fatal blows.While the earth is very good at keeping itself clean and in balance-it must have its tools (trees, clean water and air) to do so. If wedestroy the earth, we will probably become extinct. Sadder still,humanity may continue to survive as a species in a world withoutnature. Einstein said, "God laughs at science until it can create asingle blade of grass". A life without a vast variety of trees,animals, fruits , vegetables, roots, nuts, exotic spices, flowers,fish and birds with only bland chemical creations to sustain us willbe truly pathetic. If we continue to poison our world, we will needtechnology to insulate and protect ourselves from nature. Imagine ourgreatest gift becoming our worst nightmare.
The bottom line is, I love my country. I believe we are the amazingcapitalist melting pot of the world. America at its best is the bestof all nations, free to create- free to pursue happiness. At itsworst, America has become a nation of corporations- bound by law togrow and consume at the expense of its people. Our present leadershipsupports these corporations and the people that run them with thelargest tax breaks and subsidies in the history of this country.Rather than invest in new and clean environmental technologies we arerewarding polluters with tax benefits. Did you know that under GeorgeBush the Environmental Protection Agency has dropped the fifty biggestlawsuits against energy corporations who have been caught polluting indirect violation of this country's environmental laws? Did you knowthat the members of Bush's cabinet (who all amongst the wealthiest 1%of people in this country) saved, on average, $40,000.00 last yearbecause of the tax cuts Bush has passed? Did you know that the Bush administration has made itpossible for a business owner to fully write off a vehicle up to$100,000.00 as long as it weighs more than 6,000 pounds? Did you knowthe Vice president Dick Cheney, who makes millions of dollars a year,only paid 12% of his income in taxes? How much did you pay? Can thiscountry afford to allow the polluters to take short term gain at theexpense of the world? Can the world afford to have the United Statesbe a paranoid bully? Is the world really safer with George Bushrunning this country? By any rational account the answer is anoverwhelming and resounding NO! Whatever your opinion of Kerry, it isimperative that we as a people unite to save the environment and endthe climate of fear that governs our current national policies. Kerryhas a plan that will bring the UN back into Iraq and will alleviatethe burden on the American soldier. It is time for our leadership toshow the world how to becleaner and more peaceful. There is no weakness in working together.We will not, as George Bush implies, leave our countries defense inthe hands of other nations. We will lead by example by showing theworld the strength of cooperation. We will show the people of Iraqand all of the middle east that the true strength of America lies inits ability work together and create peace through democracy. Peoplefrom all nations have come together to live under our flag. We owe itto each and every person in this country. We owe it to ourselves. Wemust destroy the apathy. We must challenge the corporations to cleanup their business practices. We must support the people who do thingsright. We must educate ourselves to find better ways of doingeverything. I dream of a world where true power is not in thepossession of our weapons, but in our ability to help this world worktogether to become a cleaner and safer place. We will not lay downour arms, we will not rollover for anyone. We will use our strength to do what is right.
When you hit the polls on Tuesday, you must vote your conscience.Keep in mind where your candidates come from- what kind of world dothey envision. Voting for an oil man means we will continue to bebound by archaic and dirty energy technology. In the last 4 years,this country has literally moved backwards in its dependence on oil.Our tax dollars are subsidizing dirty fuel and the destruction of theenvironment. As people continue to die in Iraq (the death tolls areover 40,000 including Iraqi civilians, soldiers and Americans)investing in alternative and cleaner fuels has become an immediatemoral imperative. I am not suggesting this will be an easy orimmediate solution. I am only saying it must be done.
I believe in the basic decency and goodness of humanity. We wil neverdestroy all the people who think differently than we do. As innature, variety is not only the spice of life, it is essential to thecontinuation of life as we know it. The evolution of our species hasseen the creation of language, the development of cities andtechnology. Our future evolution requires that we learn to use ourpowers to co-exist with our fellow humans and in accordance withMother Nature. We must embrace and protect our beautiful gifts.Dream of a "windy city" with wind generators on every roof. Solarfarms in our deserts and laws against cutting down trees. We mustcontinue to progress without cashing environmental checks. We mustcontinue to pursue peace without inciting a climate of fear andrevenge. We must have leadership that understands the big picture andnot just what has worked in the past. Please vote on Tuesday.Especially in the time of the electoral college- the popular vote must be heard. A resounding voice for change isimperative. Thank your for your time and consideration. God blessus- everyone.