Here’s why I’ve always loved Willie Nelson’s music and message:

“Give Peace a Vote”

October 11 , 2006

By Willie Nelson

I was at a concert this weekend in California to raisemoney for the National Veterans Foundation. I’m an AirForce veteran, and I have great respect for themilitary. I like to support the soldiers whenever Ican. But I don’t support this war in Iraq.

I was against the war before it started. I alwaysthought it was a terrible decision, badly thought out,badly planned, and then horribly executed.

I want to see our troops come home right away, and sodo most Americans. Unfortunately, too many politiciansin both parties refuse to listen.

So when will the troops come home? When we won’t put upwith it anymore-when we change our government. And howwill we do that? By voting the bastards out! OnNovember 7, you should vote for anyone who’s againstthe war and vote against anyone who’s for the war. It’sthat simple.

When I wrote the song “Whatever Happened to Peace onEarth” at Christmastime in 2003, a lot of people werefor the war, a lot of people didn’t know the facts orthe truth. But people are waking up now. They’relearning that they were lied to about the war. They’refeeling lied to about this Mark Foley scandal in termsof who knew what and when. They’re questioning theleadership in this country.

And that gives us new possibilities for November 7th.If we all go out and vote for peace candidates and getour friends to vote, and if our votes are reallycounted, it’s no contest. There’ll be a change in theCongress, and then we’ll just have to keep building sowe can get a president who won’t send our soldiers tofight a war based on lies.

We should have thrown the bastards out years ago. Let’sdo it now! Give Peace A Vote!

Willie Nelson

Give Peace a Vote is organized by CodePink.