Controversial Barrett 'supports the truth,'
backers say
Samara
Kalk Derby
June 24, 2008
Michael Anthony, a
self-employed handyman who lives in the Madison area, can't vote for Kevin
Barrett, who is challenging U.S. Rep. Ron Kind in western Wisconsin's 3rd
District, but did donate $10 to his campaign Monday night during a campaign
event at the Dardenelles restaurant on Monroe Street.
"He's got guts. He's
not afraid of controversy. A lot of people will run from controversy,
especially if it means doing so on national television," Anthony said. "He
has faced those Fox people with bat in hand."
Anthony was referring
to Barrett's 2006 appearance on Fox News' "Hannity & Colmes" program, in
which Sean Hannity called Barrett a "conspiracy nut" and an "extremist" and
Barrett shot back, "Fox News is the biggest bunch of extremists on the
planet."
Barrett, the
controversial former UW lecturer who believes the U.S. government was
responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks, is running as a Libertarian and
promises to call for an investigation into the terrorist attacks.
Anthony, the
handyman, doesn't necessarily believe the government perpetrated or was
complicit in 9/11, but said the government knows "a whole lot more than they
have said. They certainly had a hand in it."
Andy Albrecht, a
UW-Madison student of political science, made a $20 donation to the campaign
Monday night. Albrecht's parents live in the 3rd District, and that is where
he is registered to vote, although has never voted before.
Albrecht said he
appreciates Barrett's tenacity and his anti-war stance.
"I like that he
supports the truth. He really pushes the truth. He's not afraid to stand up
for what he believes in," said Albrecht, who added that he doesn't
necessarily believe 9/11 was "an inside job," but does think the government
is withholding information.
Taking a page from
Russ Feingold's 1992 "endorsement" from Elvis Presley, Barrett got Tim
Biancalana, a dead ringer for John Lennon, to perform at the Dardanelles.
About 30 people attended the event and watched the 2006 documentary, "The
U.S. vs. John Lennon."
Biancalana, who is
based in the Los Angeles area, performed Lennon's "Working Class Hero" and
his original song, "Samsara."
"Behind every war
there is a great big lie," Biancalana said. He is supporting Barrett, he
said, because of "his truth."
"He's actually doing
something for truth. When we have truth, we can get the peace we want," he
said. "Everything today is about divide and conquer," but Barrett stands for
the unity of people, said Biancalana, who has appeared on one of Barrett's
radio programs.
Barrett, of Lone
Rock, has three talk radio shows and spends eight hours a week on the air.
The programs are broadcast, respectively, on Republic Broadcasting Network (RBN),
Genesis Communications Network (GCN) and We the People Radio Network (WTPRN).
None of them are broadcast locally, but all can be found on the Internet. He
also does a daily five-minute news headline show strictly online at
www.noliesradio.org.
Barrett's motto is,
"Truth in politics. What a concept!"
"If we don't know
what is going on we can't get peace and prosperity," Barrett told his
supporters Monday night.
Kind has repeatedly
voted for the war and against his own party's attempts to limit the duration
of the war, Barrett said.
"He's also voted
against the Constitution," Barrett said, noting that Kind has voted for
Patriot Act I, Patriot Act II and HR 1955, the Violent Radicalization and
Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007.
Kind, D-La Crosse,
has represented the 3rd District in Congress since 1996.
That's "too long,"
said Barrett. "His blow-dry has petrified on his head. He is way too
comfortable. I promise when elected not to blow dry my hair."
Barrett needs 1,500
signatures to get on the ballot and has collected about 940, with a few
volunteers helping him.
He considers himself
a "new Libertarian candidate," calling himself much more moderate on
economic issues than most libertarians.
"With the current
imploding economy, the government will have to help people survive," he
said. "We can't just shut down the social programs. We might even have to
expand some of them."
Barrett's opponent in
September's Libertarian primary is Ben Olson III of Wisconsin Dells, a
longtime Libertarian party activist. If Olson weren't a Libertarian, he'd be
a Republican, whereas Barrett would be a Democrat, Barrett said.
"Both parties are
terminally corrupt at this point," he said.
Barbara Wright, who
owns the Dardanelles, said she and Barrett have some things in common. Both
are married to Moroccans and have a foot in the Muslim world. Barrett
converted to Islam, while she has not, Wright said.
When Barrett told her
he was going to run for Congress, she offered to host a fund-raising event
at her restaurant.
"There needs to be
some truth spoken about what is going on with our government, about the
repression in society and the move toward fascism, the gutting of the middle
class and the truth behind 9/11," Wright said. "I think that one of the ways
you fight the fear that people feel is to get together as a community and
talk about things."
http://www.madison.com/tct/news/stories/292988
Kevin Barrett, the controversial former UW lecturer who is big on the 911
conspiracy truth stuff, is running for congress.
Check out this story in the Cap Times.
I have not really examined the arguements much, and it appears pretty half
baked, I have to give this guy a
hand at his effective PR campaign for his cause. He has
radio shows, gets in the news, gets supporters from all over to help him and
then as he runs for congress he will get some good media coverage to promote
his idea. Maybe after this campaign,
he should start his own PR firm.
Posted by
froggyprager
at
6:15 AM"
http://frogsonthemoon.blogspot.com/2008/06/while-i-dont-agree-with-guy-he-is.html
TOP
|