I would like to share my opening statement from Wednesday night at the Culver City Democratic Club’s Candidates Endorsement Forum for readers who could not attend.
As the editor of this newspaper said yesterday, I might be “off- putting” sometimes.
But that can be necessary when you are telling the truth to close- minded drones of a political machine.
You have to change the comfort level of people who are of a certain rigid mindset. I must confess I was once a “true believer” like some of them.
It took some interesting life- changing experiences to make me wake up and learn how to seek the real truth by keeping an open mind, by listening to others with different opinions. This is also why I am such a strong supporter of real free speech.
Here is what I said:
Thanks for inviting me to this forum.
My name is Robert Zirgulis. Some of you, and the kids I teach, call me Mr. Z.
I am the only independent Democrat running for the City Council.
I’m also the oldest Democrat running for City Council.
Which means I have the most lifetime experiences and wisdom that qualify me to be on the City Council.
I did not come here tonight expecting your endorsement. In fact, I will be happy to get more than one vote from you.
I have been made aware that the outcome of this club’s endorsement has been pre-determined, so to speak, by supporters of two political machines.
Corlin’s machine supports Malsin and Cooper. And the Silbiger machine supports Megan Sahli-Wells.
So why am I here?
There are about 200 club members and 14,000 Democrats registered to vote in Culver City.
I am making an appeal to the free thinking and independent Democrats in Culver City, not to the political drones who fall, in lockstep, into the political correctness of a political machine.
This is the real kickoff of the campaign. There will be a lot of distortions and misrepresentations of my positions as the campaign proceeds.
I therefore want to establish my independent Democratic credentials now, and hope to convince some of you to vote for me in the actual contest for City Council.
I started campaigning for Democrats at 8 years of age, in 1960, when my father was National Chairman of Lithuanians for Kennedy. Ted Kennedy personally helped my sister get a job at the U.S. embassy in France.
I have been a registered Democrat since 1972. I’ve been an environmental, human rights and First Amendment activist since then.
I started the first underground newspaper at Malibu Park Junior High, and organized environmental protests against harmful development in the Santa Monica Mountains.
I worked as an intern for Assemblywoman March Fong Eu’s environmental committee, writing reports on pesticides in the urban environment.
I was also an intern investigating the EPA and air pollution in the inner city for the Metropolitan Washington Coalition for Clean Air.
Incidentally, I was kicked out of the Watergate hearings while protesting Nixon at the time.
I recently supported a resolution for the Culver City Democrats to support President Obama in his attempts to rid the Taliban and help build more schools in Afghanistan to counter the indoctrination of pro-Taliban madrassas.
Unfortunately, the club and the other candidates here did not support our President, which I found curious.
Overall, 64 percent of all Democrats support President Obama’s policy in Afghanistan.
My academic qualifications include a Master of Science in Business, CSUN, and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Service at UCLA.
I’m a substitute teacher. I teach grades K-12 in the Culver City Unified School District. I’m also a realtor and an entrepreneur.
I have lived and worked in Culver City since 1984. I raised three boys by myself, and I’m proud to say they are doing great.
If I am elected to the City Council I will be beholden to no one but the people of Culver City.
I also will have more time than my opponents to take care of responsibilities of the office because I have the fortunate ability to choose when to work on my other jobs.
Mr. Zirgulis may be contacted at zirgulisr@yahoo.com
