AG:Okay, last question. In spite of everything you
have to deal with there in the 197—poverty, violence, homelessness, and
drug addiction—you joined the steering committee of the W omen's M arch on the Pentagon planned for October 21and 22. Could you tell us why you did that?
CH: I joined the steering committee I saw the march
as a chance to address the real issues of war abroad and violence on the
front lines in our own communities, and to say what we’re not supposed
to say out loud—that the Democrats support war. We can't run and hide
from that. It’s not the progressive party because it supports war. As
long as we continue to accept what’s really a one-party system—the
Democratic and Republican duopoly—we're really in trouble. The
corporations are going to keep us engaged in all these wars and they’re
not going to do anything about poverty, hunger, and homelessness. If we
want to end the war at home and abroad, we need to support the
development of an independent political party. It's time for us to grow
up and join the rest of the world that has several different political
parties.
Cheri Honkala speaking with Ann Garrison, "Challenging Democratic Party Corruption in Pennsylvania’s District 197" (BLACK AGENDA REPORT).