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# Power to the people
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/power-to-the-people-editor/
- Published: 2004-06-08T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T04:31:20.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Promenade, #archive-import

*By Vincent Garofalo Santa Monica*

“A patriot must be ready to defend their country against its government.” — Edward Abby I would like to respond to Mr. Glasser’s article which appeared in Tuesday, June 1, 2004 in the Santa Monica Daily Press. My name is Vincent Garofalo and I am one of the two political activist who works on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica giving out political bumper stickers, buttons and literature.

Mr. Glasser says, “This brings me back to the activists who I always seem to run into on the Promenade. Some people call these anti-war folks liberals or Democrats. But I think that’s being unfair to the left. These people are so far left that they’ve almost come full circle. You know the types I’m talking about. These folks who compare President Bush to Hitler. Or claim that he is worse than Saddam Hussein. They are the ones who believe we deserve what happened on 9-11 because of our foreign policy. In fact, some of them have such contempt for our country that compare our fighting men and women to terrorists. And they wonder why they are so out of touch with the majority of the population. I am sure many of them would fit right in France. I guess the people who don’t believe that violence and war are ever necessary never spent much time studying history.”

First let me say that I love my country. Secondly, I am not a pacifist and realize unfortunately wars may have to be fought. But, make no mistake about it, I don’t believe this war with Iraq was justified. The Bush administration has misled the American people from day one. Let me state the facts. There are no weapons of mass destruction. There was never a connection with Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein on 9-11\. There was no mobile biological weapons labs in Iraq. Secretary of State Colin Powell says, “the CIA was wrong about the presence of mobile biological weapons labs in Iraq before the invasion by U.S.-led coalition forces last year. In the case of the mobile trucks and trains there was a multiple sourcing for that. Unfortunately, that multiple sourcing over time has turned out to be not accurate.” (NBC’s Meet the Press, Sunday, May 16, 2004) And I asked Mr. Glasser, do you remember the American Revolution? A war I agreed with and felt was justified for the young Americans. The French were our allies and as a matter of fact, helped the Americans defeat the British Empire in the 1700s. I say just because the French don’t agree with this war in Iraq is no reason to bash or hate them. Personally I say, “Viva La France,” for being a good and honest friend to the USA in these difficult times.

Furthermore, we activists have never said Mr. Hussein was a nice guy. He is an evil human being who does not care about his people or the country of Iraq. But don’t forget the CIA helped Saddam Hussein with the war with Iran in the ‘80s, and the CIA knew Saddam Hussein was using biological weapons against Iran.

In closing, I would like to say Mr. Glasser, you are always welcome to stop by my table and share your political views, but please do not stereotype me. I am an individual who thinks for himself and is not afraid to go against the mainstream with his political views. Also, I never said I had the answer to these complicated questions. But I will continue to scream and shout and expose George W. Bush and his evil empire for the lies he tells to the American people.

Power to the people.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 8, 2004.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/060804.pdf?ref=smdp.com)