Published in The Daily Californian
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Ralph Nader speaks at Peter Camejo Memorial at International House on Sunday, Nov. 23 at 2 p.m. The event was attended by a couple hundred people. Camejo was the founder of the Green Party.
Big-name liberal activists-including Ralph Nader and Cindy Sheehan-celebrated the lifelong activism of late UC Berkeley alumnus Peter Camejo Sunday at the International House.
Camejo, who ran as Nader’s vice president in 2004 and was seen by many to be a major figure of the American left, died of lymphoma, a type of cancer, on Sept. 13. He was 68.
Progressive activists and friends from around the world said Camejo was willing to take risks other politicians would not in order to support underrepresented communities.
“He was always reading, thinking, talking with people. He believed in intellectual tension,” Nader said to a crowd of more than 400.
“He firmly believed that we would rally the American people around just causes,” said Camejo’s brother Antonio.
Friends said they were always impressed by Camejo’s drive and dedication. Many said his passion for change inspired others to pursue what they thought was right, no matter the consequences.
“His public philosophy was not an ideology. It was not dogmatic. It was a broad sense of what he felt was right and wrong,” Nader said. “To know Peter was never to know him completely. He never specialized. There was always more.”
Other articles:
Peter Camejo’s Memorial – (East Bay Indymeda)
Peter Camejo honored by Nader, others at UC Berkeley tribute – (Oakland Tribune)
Nader, Several Hundred Supporters Memorialize Camejo – (KTVU.com)