Democratic candidate draws support from peace activists, New Age gurus
By MALIA RULON, Associated Press Writer Friday, May 30, 2003

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Dennis Kucinich, a champion for down-to-earth issues such as blue - collar jobs and the beleaguered steel industry, is showing his spiritual side as he courts supporters in his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. Peace activists, New Age gurus and people who practice alternative religions are among Kucinich's donors -- many of them attracted to the Ohio congressman's stand on less-than-mainstream issues, such as a call for a Cabinet-level Department of Peace and his support for medical marijuana.

"I have a holistic view of the world," Kucinich explains. "I see the world as interconnected and interdependent and that leaves no room for war." Kucinich's legislation to create a Department of Peace and ban the use of weapons in space hasn't won widespread support in Congress, where a majority in the House and Senate supported President Bush's decision to wage war against Iraq. But those proposals are a cornerstone of his campaign, often mentioned in his speeches on the need to transform society and make nonviolence an organizing principle.

"We need a message of peace. It's not about backing down. It's not about rhetoric. It's about a way of life," said Chris Griscom, a spiritual adviser who's been a close friend and supporter of Kucinich for nearly 24 years. Kucinich took his message to Santa Cruz, Calif., this week, headlining a rally called "Imagine America" with lifestyle guru Marianne Williamson and healthy living author John Robbins, a political donor who, like Kucinich, is a strict vegetarian. Robbins also is national co-chair of Kucinich's campaign. Williamson, a close friend and political donor of Kucinich's, founded the Global Renaissance Alliance, which teaches peace activists and others how to lobby their local congressmen to support Kucinich's Department of Peace bill. Other supporters include Carol Rosin, a peace activist who founded the Institute for Cooperation in Space. Rosin hosted Kucinich at a home in Malibu, Calif., last year where he talked about his vision for a world without weapons in space and especially without war.

Kucinich, a Roman Catholic, also is close friends with actress Shirley MacLaine, who is the godmother of his daughter. It was MacLaine who first introduced Kucinich to Griscom, whom MacLaine wrote about in her best-selling book, "Dancing in the Light." Griscom founded The Light Institute and Nizhoni School For Global Consciousness, both located in Galisteo, N.M., to teach people how to connect with their inner self, partially by helping them to remember their past lives.

Kucinich donated $3,000 in speaking fees earned last year to Griscom's school, campaign finance reports showed. "He's a visionary and a statesman, and I am a visionary, so we've always gotten along," Griscom said.