A statement by Yoshiko Dart
to all who love justice
on the first anniversary of Justin Dart's passing
On June 22, 2003
"I am with you always. I love you. Lead on. Lead on."
Justin Dart, Jr.
Dear Colleagues in justice, we love you!
It has been a year since Justin completed his mission on
this earth and joined the universe. Justin loved you and will continue
to love you.
Thank you so much for the tremendous outpouring of love,
support and leadership you have shown.
We congratulate all the patriots who have worked so hard
to defend democracy. We need you now more than ever.
Democracy is under attack. Although democracy has seen an
explosion of positive change unequaled in the history of humanity, it
is broken, weak and fragile.
We who love democracy must mobilize to save it. What can
we do? How and when should we do it?
Can you hear him? Listen to Justin. He
is crying ever louder to all of us for solidarity to create and lead
a revolution of individualized empowerment. We would like to quote
a section out of his last book, "With
Liberty and Justice for All." He wrote Ten Ways You Can Make the Dream
Live on pages 17 and 18:
- Give up life as usual - escapist television and games;
time-consuming, expensive travel and recreation; and devote the time
to passionate advocacy for individualized empowerment.
- Give up politically and socially correct conversation
and become a single-minded, repetitious communicator of the message
of individualized empowerment - so that when people see you across
the street, your message will register in their minds even though you
say nothing.
- Speak to people with words of love, giving them sincere,
loving praise for the distinctive positives that everybody has. They
will be glad to see you coming and be far more likely to internalize
your message of empowerment.
- Recruit your family members and friends first. People
from age one to a hundred can be good advocates. Severely disabled
people living in nursing homes can be good advocates. Small babies
and dogs can carry good buttons and signs with great effect.
- The vital election campaigns of 2004 are fully underway.
Become a politician, promoting your agenda everyday through every political
process. Volunteer and contribute money to the campaigns of good politicians.
You will have ten times more influence than if you simply ask them
for favors. Get into politics as if your life depended on it - because
it does - and the lives of your children's children.
- Become a media person - write letters to the editors,
participate in radio and TV talk shows, become friends with media employees
and business and political staff. Become a media professional.
- Use the electronic technology to send out brief talking
points on the issues - make sure they are 100% accurate. Most political
advocacy is obvious hyperbole. It goes directly into the wastebasket.
- Be an aggressive participant in your local and national
advocacy organizations - from AAPD, LCCR, CCD, NCIL, ADAPT, DREDF,
People First, psychiatric survivors and People for the American Way
to your local independent living center, disability and civil rights
coalitions. If you support them, they will support your advocacy for
individualized empowerment.
- If there is no cross disability action group in your area,
form one. Thirteen penniless people started the Christian revolution,
and the same number started the modern Chinese revolution.
- When necessary, send your messages of love and truth with
militant action. You will be surprised how a small demonstration at
a political, media or business office can change attitudes.
Thanks to you, Justin died in the beautiful
belief that "the revolution of empowerment will go on." You are leading it today and you
will lead it tomorrow and will never, never, never give up. Justin would be so proud of you.
Together, but only together united in love and truth, we
shall free our people and we shall overcome.
Colleagues, we love you.
Lead on. Lead on.
Yoshiko and the Family "You have the power. Live the Dream."
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