So here comes this black guy from the Bay Area talking about peace, feminism, challenging racism, challenging the priorities of the country, and talking about preserving the fragile nature of our ecological system. People looked at me as if I was a freak.

Ron Dellums

Categorized in : Me Peace Racism Nature

If the truth be known, we are on the verge of losing an entire generation of our young people, killing and dying in the streets of America.

Ron Dellums

dying america people

I have two things going for me. The first is the fidelity to my principles, and the other is my ability to show up for the fight every day. Period that.

Ron Dellums

fighting principles two

It's time for somebody to lead all of America's niggers . . all the people who feel left out of the political process.

Ron Dellums

political america people

Failure is not a crime. The crime is not trying.

Ron Dellums

crime failure trying

[I will] totally dismantle every intelligence agency in this country piece by piece, nail by nail, brick by brick

Ron Dellums

nails agency country

If you're going to use the public resources, you need the public benefit.

Ron Dellums

benefits use needs

I want balance in my life.

Ron Dellums

balance want

If Ron Dellums running for mayor gives you hope, then let's get on with it.

Ron Dellums

mayors running giving

Being a mayor was an awesome, difficult job. Being the chair of the Armed Services Committee was perhaps the most incredible time in my life, because I got up one morning, and the peacenik from Berkeley was chair of the Armed Services Committee, and it was the greatest - one of the great challenges of my life.

Ron Dellums

my-life time morning life

Basic human needs like food cannot be corporate questions.

Ron Dellums

human questions like food

The government ought to be in the business of delivering health, education, housing, and basic services to people without a lot of game playing. There ought to be comprehensive childcare, a comprehensive approach to housing, a sane, rational way to finance education. But I also strongly believe in the notion of fundamental individual freedom.

Ron Dellums

freedom health business education

Detroit's financial challenges - the decline of the American auto industry, the impact of the global economic recession, declining population, and an erosion of the municipal tax base - are key to understanding what led this great city to an inability to provide basic city services or to carry out the normal functions of a municipality.

Ron Dellums

city great understanding challenges

The very foundation of our nation's economy is predicated on the health, growth, and vitality of our local communities.

Ron Dellums

nation foundation growth health

Peace is more than simply the absence of war; it is the absence of conditions that give rise to war.

Ron Dellums

rise more war peace

I was part of the peace movement and part of the civil rights movement. You know what we heard? 'The majority of people don't support you.'

Ron Dellums

you support peace people

I think democratic socialism will ultimately prevail in this country because it makes an enormous amount of sense.

Ron Dellums

will think socialism country

The government should not do everything for everybody all the time, but it should provide basic services to everyone who needs them. Education ought not be contingent on income or where you live. Neither should health.

Ron Dellums

you health education time

Look at black people dying and suffering in South Africa. I ask why. We've dropped bombs on no one, we've harmed no one in the world, yet for some incredible reason, black people have suffered at an extraordinary level all over the world.

Ron Dellums

look black people world

We want Nelson Mandela and the people of South Africa to know that we will stand shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip, until apartheid is eradicated.

Ron Dellums

stand will know people

The Constitution is designed to inconvenience one person from taking us to war. War is a very solemn and sobering and extraordinary act, and it should not be granted to one person.

Ron Dellums

person extraordinary constitution war