Derek Hess and I were named the “Best Lefty Rabble – Rousers” by the Cleveland Scene in their Best of Cleveland issue based upon our book, “Please God Save Us”. The following article was joined by a full-page photo. Thank you Cleveland Scene. Its nice that they acknowledged our book, and its spirit of activisim.
From “THE CLEVELAND SCENE”
Best Lefty Rabble-Rousers
Derek Hess and Kent Smith
October 14, 2009 page 82
“Though their book Please God Save Us appeared in July 2008, its continued brisk sales and the ongoing popularity of its creators’ personal appearances keeps it in the running for best of 2009. If Derek Hess (left in photo, with dog Jose) needs an introduction, you’re obviously new here — his dark, sketchy drawings have been an integral part of the Clevelandscape for almost 20 years. In Save Us, he takes aim at the GOP’s destructiveness and hypocrisy, while Euclid-based politician/gadfly Kent Smith’s (right) accompanying essays state the progressive case, avoiding tired lefty shibboleths while solidly torpedoing his Machiavellian ideological foes. Though their book signings are winding down while Smith campaigns for his third term on Euclid’s school board, Save Us remains a must-have Cleveland art book, and as long as the lunatic right continues to derail our nation (i.e. fucking indefinitely), it remains a timely political tract as well. (strhesspress.com)” — Ron Kretsch
The book also gave me an opportunity to be a part of a program in commemoration of the Kent State shootings. On May 4, 2009, I was asked to speak at the 5th Annual Peace and MusicFest at the Kent Stage in Kent, Ohio. My remarks from that night are copied below. — Kent 8/16/2009
“Why Kent State Matters”
Because it was the beginning of the end of the Vietnam War.
When unarmed protesters and innocent (just on their way to class) students were killed at Kent State University on May 4, 1970, it broadly undercut support for the war in Vietnam. On Monday May 4th (39 years ago) Kent State students gathered to protest their government’s escalation of a war and 4 paid for it with their lives and this nation began to question its principals and its priorities.
One of the critical dynamics of America at that time was that war protesters were despised. Think about it. America — the nation — had a past of military heroics. Just 25 years earlier, we stopped Hitler and had saved the world. Our US military had only fought “noble” battles. And now they were questioning our nation. Who are these damn kids? After May 4th, student protesters became sympathetic figures who were acting patriotic instead of class-cutting babies who needed a haircut and a shower.
What young America had realized was that this battle based on political ideologies on a peninsula in Southeast Asia was not worth their lives. Remember the military draft had been reestablished just 5 months earlier (a draft that never sent Bush, Cheney & Rumsfeld across the Pacific Ocean). And just 5 days earlier (4/30/1970), President Nixon had gone on national television to announce that the US military had begun operations in Cambodia. The war was spreading. The war that Nixon said he would end was growing. A war that now had a draft and a war that Kent State students knew might demand their service.
So they gathered, their voices grew, they questioned their government as their constitution allowed them to do. Then rifles fired and the bullets flew. And Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandy Scheuer and William Schroeder – the oldest of which was only 20 years of age — were shot and killed by members of the Ohio National Guard. Nine other students were also shot but survived.
Public support for the Vietnam War began to collapse as news of Kent State shootings spread. 5 days later over 100,000 gathered in Washington DC to protest the Kent State shootings. And 39 years later, we at “Please God Save Us” are happy to join the 5thAnnual Peace and MusicFest tonight in Kent, Ohio to remember that wars should be questioned, dissent is patriotic and 20 is too young to die.
The book, “Please God Save Us” opened more than a few doors and led to more than a few new friendships. One of those was with the staff at JosephBeth Booksellers at Legacy Village. As America prepared to celebrate its 44th President, JosephBeth wanted to host an event. So they had a “Ball at the Bookstore” and they asked me to provide the keynote address for the evening. My remarks are copied below — Kent Smith 8/16/2009
Joseph Beth Inauguration Ball Remarks
January 20, 2009
Thank you very much Sharon for allowing me to be a part of the Inaugural Ball at the Bookstore. I must say I think a bookstore is a wonderful place to celebrate Democracy. And it may be even more fitting tonight and today as we have an incoming President who has authored two best selling books that helped provide him the national standing that made his run for President possible. And we have an outgoing President who once said “One of the great things about books is sometimes there are some fantastic pictures.” Really he said that – US News and World Report – Jan 3, 2000.
Eight years after George Bush gave that insight into his qualifications for the White House, I had a standing room only view of history in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Because one year and seventeen days ago I stood inside the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church. It was packed inside the church and I watched the 13th Precinct of Cedar Rapids gather and caucus but what I witnessed was history. I saw Barack Obama win the Iowa Caucus and take the first step to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Because remember before tomorrows headline could be written – this headline had to be written. [Kent holds up Chicago Tribune paper from January 4, 2008 which reads, “Obama, Huckabee strike first with Iowa victories”]
In the spirit of full disclosure I must tell you that I did not rejoice the night of January 3, 2008 because I was working for another candidate. I was in John Edwards camp. I actually posted daily blogs about it on Cleveland.com. Anyway, I was an Edwards supporter because since JFK, the only Democrats who had won the White House were southern candidates. And unless the Democratic Party could find a nominee who could again inspire like JFK, than I was convinced that Edwards was my Party’s best bet to win the White House.
And let me take you inside the strategy of the Edwards campaign – because the night before the Caucus we thought we had it won. As you may remember there were three strong candidates in Iowa – Barack Obama, John Edwards and Hillary Clinton. We believed that 50,000 votes would win us the Caucus. The average Iowa Democratic Caucus turn out was about 150,000. So if we could capture one third of the votes – we should do OK. Well, we hit our mark. In fact, John Edwards got the second most votes in Iowa Caucus history. But we were not even close. Barack Obama outpaced everybody.
What I witnessed in Gloria Dei Lutheran Church was occurring across Iowa – record voter turnout. And in that church, I took a photo of the Obama supporters that I still have on my cell phone. Again what we were expecting was 150,000 Democratic Caucus voters. But 231,000 people showed up across Iowa. Barack Obama had blown the statistical models out of the water. He had produced a turnout increase of more than 50% of what the experts said would happen. Iowa 2008 was not a blip, it was not a numerical miss-adjustment. Something happened in Iowa that political history could not have foretold.
Barack Obama. - A Presidential candidate with a name so bad no political image consultant or focus group could have invented it. Perhaps his message of Hope could take hold. Perhaps when he said “Change” it was seen as a credible promise and not a plagiarized sound bite. Perhaps this Junior Senator was something special. Perhaps this Illinois author was this Party’s next JFK. Perhaps Barack Obama could help our nation see and believe and achieve the daring scope of our dreams.
Barack Obama himself said that “America is a land of big dreamers and big hopes. It is this hope that has sustained us through revolution and civil war, depression and world war, a struggle for civil and social rights and the brink of a nuclear crisis. And it is because our dreamers dreamed that we have emerged from each challenge more united, more prosperous and more admired than before.”
And again America has become admired.
And the election of Barack Obama has impressed leaders across the globe. Listen to what Margaret Beckett, Britain’s Housing Minister said; “Obama’s victory will have a massive effect on the world. I think no other country but America could do this. Obama has come from such a distant place to get here. When you think of his name, his middle name, this happened in America first. It absolutely shakes people’s perceptions of the American they loved to hate.”
What’s interesting is Minister Beckett made those remarks in an interview with Al Jazeera.
Let me read to you what another world leader said. Quote “I applaud the American people for their great decision and I hope that this new administration in the United States of America, and the fact of the massive show of concern for human beings and lack of interest in race and color while electing the President, will go a long way in bringing the same values to the rest of the world sooner or later.” Unquote.
Those were the words of Hamid Karzai – the Afghan President.
As Barack Obama once said, “This country is not as polarized as our politics would suggest.” But he also said, “What Washington needs is adult supervision.”
January 20th is not just a day to celebrate Barack Obama it is also a day to celebrate America. This is like New Years Eve for Democracy. This is a celebration of our union. This imperfect country has an uninterrupted history of peaceful transitions of government that are the envy of the rest of the world. This afternoon the reigns of power went from an oil tycoon from a political dynasty to the child of a single mother raised half a world away and toughened on the Southside streets of Chicago. Even in America today’s is a stunning story.
One of Americas finest characteristics is its evolution. We do not languish forever in our sin. We are better now than where we were and the best is yet to come.
So to you here tonight I say take pride in your President but also take pride in your country. I believe that this is not just a historic day but a historic beginning. I believe that great times lay ahead not just for this nation but for this world. I believe that a time marked by the daring scope of our dreams is at hand. And I am honored to be able to share this historic start with you here tonight. Thank you very much.
After my book, “Please God Save Us” came out the Cleveland Scene asked me to write a short article about Cleveland. Specifically they asked me to write a piece about what I thought was a “hidden or unknown or overlooked positive part of our community”. I choose to write an article about Parades. This was written in the Fall of 2008 (I think). I hope you enjoy it now. — Kent 8/16/2009
Hidden Cleveland Gem: Parades
The Cleveland Parade Season is book-ended by two titans. Parade season begins on a winter’s day when the entire town becomes Irish and finishes with a march through Little Italy on the 2nd Monday of October.
But the major marching season is between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Communities from Berea to University Heights host holiday or home days’ parades that will satisfy your marching band fix throughout the summer. Among the highlights are Memorial Day in Euclid, 4thof July in Lakewood or Parma or West Park and the 11th Congressional District Labor Day Parade on Cleveland’s East Side. This town really knows how to walk in a straight line and throw candy.
Where else are you going to see a bag pipe band, Congressman Kucinich, and the Burning River Roller Girls all within the same city block? Its civic tailgating set to music and your job is simply to watch, smile and wave. So pull up some curb and meet your elected leaders, judge a few floats and collect a week’s supply of empty calories. But here’s a tip for the kids – don’t sit above a sewer gate – half of your goodies will go down the drain. Everyone loves a parade. Try to see more than one in 2009.
Kent Smith is the co-author of “Please God Save Us” and a Member of the Euclid School Board. He marched in his first parade in 1994.
