My Encounter With Senator Bill Nelson

My encounter with Senator Bill Nelson Wednesday, October 31 2007 by Samm Simpson
Last Saturday I happened to see Senator Bill Nelson in the hallway at the Democratic convention in Orlando. The Saturday night dinner - which I didn't attend - had been in progress for fifteen minutes and Senator Nelson was in a side hallway, looking for an open door. Here's the exchange - to the best of my memory.

The Senator is pulling on a locked side door. I begin to speak.

"Senator Nelson, you know our occupation in Iraq has led to the death of over one million Iraqis. What are you going to do about this? We are controlled by what General Eisenhower told us about, the Military Industrial Complex. . . . it's here!"

The Senator says, "Yes it is." He walks away from the door. I follow.

"What are you going to do about it, and what about nuclear weapons in space? We have criminals running our country, Senator Nelson, they should be impeached!

The Senator smiles, begins to walk down the hall and replies, "We can't impeach the President, look who'd we get."

"I'm not talking about impeaching the President, Dennis Kucinich has a bill, H.R. 333 that will impeach Vice President Cheney. Why won't you support that?

The Senator chuckles. He does not stand still for one moment during this discourse.

I say, "Why are you laughing, this nation is in trouble!"

He dismisses my concern, does a 180 in the opposite direction and while walking away, remarks, "We're on the same side."

He speeds away, still looking for a back door entrance into the Democratic party dinner. I raised my voice as he leaves the area.

"We are not on the same side, you signed the Military Commissions Act last October, you took away the writ of habeas corpus!

The senior Florida Senator disappears. I'm assuming he found an open door leading to the Saturday night dinner at the Democratic State Convention. I'll bet they praised his presence.

Meanwhile, Baghdad burns. The Constitution lies forgotten.

"We the People" are discounted.

Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.