“I am Tom Harner. I am a peace and climate activist. I endorse Bernie Sanders because he is the only chance we have to save America and save the planet.
“I grew up in a small town that didn’t have any money. My father was blind in one eye and over 30 years old and when World War II came up, he missed the draft but unfortunately was recalled into the draft board because my grandmother thought it would be a great place for him to be to ensure a steady stream of income during World War II for at the time, my mother and my sister.
“My father went to the Philippines and was left behind. There were 33 people in his outfit, two of them survived and got out alive.
“While I was growing up, my cousins came in to my dad for counseling as he had experience in World War II and they were currently involved in Vietnam. One of my cousins broke out into tears and told the story of how he was dropping civilians out of airplanes in Vietnam. My father tried to calm him down by saying “This is war. This is what happens. It’s not your fault. That’s what war is about.”
“By the end of my college days, I was also drafted. My father kept me out of the draft by taking me around to different doctors. He offered to help. I was ready to go and serve my country. The result of his work was I managed to stay out of the draft, got a deferment for a bad back due to a motorcycle accident, hypersensitivity to bee stings, among other things.
“I feel I’ve been fortunate enough to keep my sons from going to war. My grandson is another story. He’s four years old and a very happy little child. I don’t want to see him go off and fight anywhere.
“The good book says we need to change our swords into plowshares. If we continue to wage war, we cannot get the climate healed and under control. We have to stop all wars to save the planet.
“Some candidates were talking about a “green military.” I think this is a contradiction in terms. There should be no military anywhere else in the world as we have an existential threat. We have to pull all of our resources to save the planet.
“Bernie Sanders has shown that he is a candidate who wants to pull the country together and the world together. He has been on the right side of every vote in Congress and the Senate.
“I would trust him with my life and with my grandson‘s life.
“Whatever happens to what we grew up with, regardless of our religion, we are supposed to love everyone. (Here Tomaso shows his Love Everyone Hat).
“Bernie is the only candidate who I can confidently say loves everyone.
“He can save us. That’s why he has my vote. And that’s why he should have your vote.”
Please click the link below to hear and see Tomaso give the above of what is now a tribute to Bernie Sanders.