Interview with Congresswoman Barbara Lee

• Originally published in Essence, March, 2005

Copyright 2005 Essence Communications, Inc.

INTERVIEW BY KRISTAL BRENT ZOOK

THE COURAGE OF CONVICTION

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) found herself at the center of a political maelstrom just three days after the September 11, 2001, attacks. She became the only member of Congress to vote against a resolution giving President Bush authority to use "all necessary. . . force" against terrorists. Lee, 58, argued that the Constitution requires a full debate about war and that giving the President unchecked power was in direct conflict with democratic principles. For her dissent, she faced death threats from a few fanatics bent on military action. On the eve of the second anniversary of the conflict in Iraq, Lee talks about war, peace and what it takes to let your conscience be your guide.

Kristal Brent Zook: Black women have always been opposed to the Iraq war in disproportionate numbers compared with other racial groups and even compared with Black men. Why?
Congresswoman Barbara Lee: We have a history of fighting against terror. We know how to fight, and we don't back down. But we also know that we've got to provide for our children, that we need health care and housing and clean water. Black women understand that we need security in our daily lives, and that war does not create stable communities. We also know young people are joining the military for other reasons, like getting an education and a job. These opportunities should be available to them without having to enlist.

K.B.Z.: Why are you so vocal in your opposition to the Bush Administration?
B.L.: We're moving in the wrong direction. And I worry that the Bush Administration will see a second term as a mandate to roll back the clock on so many gains that women and African-Americans have made, such as the right to choose and the right to privacy. These are all being eroded. I worry that they're going to push a right-wing neoconservative agenda. We've got to protect ourselves. And we've got to educate the public.

K.B.Z.: Why do you think he won?
B.L.: What you have is 118,775 votes in Ohio. That was the difference. So this was not a mandate. A University of Maryland study showed that 75 percent of Bush supporters believed that there was a clear link between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda. A third of them believed that weapons of mass destruction had been found in Iraq. So it was sheer misinformation. People were simply not informed.

K.B.Z.: How did you handle those death threats?
B.L.: I always draw from my faith. Let me read you something. It's from Ephesians, chapter 6, verses 13 to 15: "Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground. . . . Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist. . . and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of peace." Life presents all types of challenges, but I always go back to Scripture, and sooner or later the storm passes.

K.B.Z.: Your enemies also called you unpatriotic.
B.L.: Having been raised in a military family and seeing my dad, who is a retired lieutenant colonel and veteran of World War II and the Korean War, I understand what patriotism really means. It's about having the right to dissent. You cannot have a democracy that does not allow for dissent. To the extremists and far-right wingers, I just said, "Shame on you." Peace is patriotic.

K.B.Z.: With so much going on in our lives, how can we find the strength and feel empowered to stand up for our communities?
B.L.: It's up to us to define what America's agenda should be and to assert ourselves with every breath we have. It's about survival, and Black women can do it. This is our moment. The wisdom of African-American women is so important. I was a single mother raising two boys, and it was very difficult. So trust me, I understand what it is to raise kids and just survive. But we don't have the option to say we're in survival mode. I don't think we can say we're too busy to help in our churches, schools or communities. You can't say no. You have to say yes.