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11/03/2004:

"I do not feel like saying 'I told you so...'"

by Rootsie
Except for a minute or two over the last few days, I never doubted that George Bush would be re-elected, by fair means or foul (we'll probably never know), to the office of President of the United States.

What I didn't think about was how it would feel to be an American today. I could not bring myself to vote for John Kerry yesterday, writing in 'Nobody' instead. A pretty lame form of protest, I admit. But I couldn't get with the liberal illusion that John Kerry would represent a better option for the world than Bush does.

This does nothing, however, to mitigate my disgust with the fact that some tens of millions of Americans voted for George Bush, enough so that if the election needed to be stolen, it was a doable thing. Enough for a 'mandate'. People who voted for Kerry may have been foolish or naive or both, but at least they were appalled by Bush. What about all the folk who think he's great?

I went outside my place of work today and a loud bunch of mostly young people were marching down the street, grieving really, wailing like Cassandra: 'This is NOT MY President!.' I could not agree more. People were shaking their heads and saying "my God what must the rest of the world think of us?." I would say that shame is appropriate today.

It is one thing to speculate, as I have, that 4 more years of this lurid wickedness would ensure that Americans never fall asleep at the wheel again, that the world would mobilize in resistance. It is quite another to contemplate what's waiting 'round the bend.

We know that the Bush administration is short on the 'healing' gene, and after all, Wall Street is rejoicing in the fact that the world is safe for four more years of shameless plunder, so there will be no attempts to limit casualties or minimize the million sorts of incivility and nastiness that will issue from the policies of this government. Maybe this is the final bottom of 1000 years of European stupidity, and its all uphill from here.

These thoughts don't touch the grief, though. How much will be destroyed, how many will suffer and die for the foolish ignorance of Americans and their European cronies.

When the next attack comes, at least Americans won't be asking why 'they' hate us so much. It will be obvious. The US government is in fact 'them', and probably in ways we couldn't begin to imagine. Without a care in the world for 'the American spirit,' or 'democracy' or 'family values,' and certainly none for the lives of our sons and daughters. All are equally expendable in this freakish vision of 'A New World Order.'

So no matter my cynicism about this whole election thing, it is a sad day. A fresh reminder.