SoCal peace activist launches anti-Nader hunger strike

Associated Press


SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Veteran Southern California peace activist Jerry Rubin is launching a monthlong hunger strike as part of an attempt to persuade Ralph Nader to abandon his 2004 presidential campaign.

Rubin was to officially begin his fast at noon Saturday on Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade, where he has been a fixture over the years lobbying for world peace, against war toys and in support of numerous other causes.

"I know Ralph Nader and I don't think he's doing the right thing," Rubin said Saturday, adding the consumer advocate's campaign is dividing the progressive political movement.

"Greens, progressives and Democrats are more divided now than they were in 2000 because of him," Rubin said.

The 60-year-old activist hopes his liquid-only fast will persuade Nader to meet with him and perhaps agree to abandon his candidacy in favor of organizing an "accountability coalition" that would press the presidential candidate who wins in November to work more seriously for peace.

He said he plans to consume only herbal tea and juice until Oct. 9 and, after that, only water until Nov. 2 if Nader doesn't take a meeting with him.

Rubin, who has launched several such fasts over the years, collapsed in 1997 after fasting for 26 days in an effort to persuade SKG Dreamworks to abandon plans to relocate its headquarters in an area activists consider environmentally fragile.

Dreamworks eventually abandoned the planned move, saying it couldn't reach a satisfactory financial agreement to build in the Playa Vista wetlands area.