Monday, January 24, 2005
VOTE OR WHINE IN
Ask Susan B Anthony or Harriet Tubman or Ed Roberts or Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, or anyone who fought for the rights of women, blacks, disabled or just plain all people, about the whining and complaining radio and tv news journalists’ reports on the Iraqis who may have to drive a hundred miles or more to vote. First democratic elections are rough. Countries with centuries of democratic elections still find it rough.
Why are these Iraqi/Americans and Iraqi/Canadians whining and complaining?
In the first place, who decided North American born Iraqis (mind you–North American Born and never have set foot on Iraqi soil) will chose the leader of Iraq. Isn’t that like having the Vietnam draft dodgers living in Canada AND THEIR CHILDREN choosing the next American president?
They and their forefathers fled their homelands to seek shelter, economic gains and/or freedom from imprisonment. It was the decision of the Iraqi election committee in Switzerland (sure, I believe that one) to allow expatriates the vote.
And in the second place, is not the right to vote worth a drive? If my generation could come from all over the country to Woodstock, a music festival, how much more effort should be put into the vote? If people can travel to Mecca, surely they can split or quarter the difference and go to vote.
Saddam Hussein at-Takriti, a Sunni Muslim and member of the Ba’ath party, was re-elected president of Iraq on Oct 15, 2002 by 100% of the 11½ million voters who voted 100% for him. Personally, that would make me want to vote. And any employer in America that would not support a worker’s need for the day off needs to re-examine priorities.
Ask Susan B Anthony or Harriet Tubman or Ed Roberts or Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, or anyone who fought for the rights of women, blacks, disabled or just plain all people, about the whining and complaining radio and tv news journalists’ reports on the Iraqis who may have to drive a hundred miles or more to vote. First democratic elections are rough. Countries with centuries of democratic elections still find it rough.
Why are these Iraqi/Americans and Iraqi/Canadians whining and complaining?
In the first place, who decided North American born Iraqis (mind you–North American Born and never have set foot on Iraqi soil) will chose the leader of Iraq. Isn’t that like having the Vietnam draft dodgers living in Canada AND THEIR CHILDREN choosing the next American president?
They and their forefathers fled their homelands to seek shelter, economic gains and/or freedom from imprisonment. It was the decision of the Iraqi election committee in Switzerland (sure, I believe that one) to allow expatriates the vote.
And in the second place, is not the right to vote worth a drive? If my generation could come from all over the country to Woodstock, a music festival, how much more effort should be put into the vote? If people can travel to Mecca, surely they can split or quarter the difference and go to vote.
Saddam Hussein at-Takriti, a Sunni Muslim and member of the Ba’ath party, was re-elected president of Iraq on Oct 15, 2002 by 100% of the 11½ million voters who voted 100% for him. Personally, that would make me want to vote. And any employer in America that would not support a worker’s need for the day off needs to re-examine priorities.
