Al Giordano is currently a free-speech defendant in the New York State Supreme Court [see Mark Schapiro, “Drug War on Trial,” September 17, 2001].
Liza Featherstone will be reporting periodically on the antiwar movement for The Nation. This article is part of the Haywood Burns Community Activist Journalism series, sponsored by the New World Foundation and the Nation Institute.
The brother of the Sultan of Brunei
Set out to see how much a guy could buy,
And fifteen billion’s what he finally spent
Before the sultan voiced some discontent.
The guilt of many shoppers was assuaged.
The most committed shopaholic gauged,
“I’d really have to spend a lot more dough
To be a spendthrift like the sultan’s bro.”
He is the most promising candidate progressives can look to for leadership.