Category: Political

I am impressed with this renewed zeal to get out the vote. Off year elections in the US tend to be walkaways, with less than 50% of the people voting. Anything that gets people into the polls is a Good Thing. However, before we all pick a candidate that we’re sure we can get elected (if we only pool ALL of our weblog votes), time for a little reality check: is the person we pick the person we really want?

There is one reason why the American government doesn’t seem to represent the American people: time. We don’t invest the time necessary to vote wisely, and after the elections, we don’t invest the time to monitor our government carefully.

Not enough people exercise their priviledge to vote in this country, and because of this, those that are voted in don’t necessarily represent the interests of all Americans. You (yes, you) can’t bitch about the state of affairs in this country if you don’t vote. And I don’t want to hear, “But my vote doesn’t make a difference…I can’t control the government…they’re all corrupt, anyway”. Doesn’t matter boys and girls: if you don’t vote, you’re part of the problem not the solution.

In some ways, though, what’s worse than not voting is that when we do vote, we tend to vote based either on party or a single issue. Rather than look at each candidate individually and vote for whomever best represents our interests, we vote straight Republican, straight Democrat, or straight (some other party). Or we vote based on one issue, such as the issue of copyright law that has fired the weblogging world up with such reformational zeal.

As an example of single issue zeal, we sought out a candidate, Tara Grubb, who is an opponent to Howard Coble. We did this because of Coble’s support of the infamous Berman-Coble bill. If we can elect Tara, we’ll send a message to congress. We are Webloggers, hear us roar!

But what of Tara’s support on other issues? What of Coble’s? Is copyright law sufficient enough reason to elect one over the other? Are you willing to accept everything about a candidate, all the other issues they support or don’t, because of copyright?

I have a set of issues that are important to me. They include our policies in the Middle East, our environmental policies, health care in the world, women’s rights, fair trade, and so on. Copyright is in the list, but it’s wa-a-y down.

I would be more interested in a candidate that promises to force Bush into keeping our pledge to the United Nations Population Fund. I would be more interested in a candidate that pushes Congress into passing the Treaty for the Rights of Women. Why? Because once we have a baseline, we can go after behavior such as the woman sentenced to being stoned to death in Nigeria. (And don’t think the US will come off free from this treaty–we’re not pure in this regard.)

I would be more interested in a candidate who would fight the current administration’s abuse of war time powers and the so-called enemy combatant provision to deprive American citizen’s their rights by law. I would be more interested in a candidate that didn’t support the current administration’s aggressive behavior in the Middle East, in particular Iraq (and soon to be Saudi Arabia and Iran, I’m sure).

I would support a candidate that forced our government to follow through on our Kyoto agreement, and that didn’t seek to push our genectically altered corn and food on the rest of the world. I would support a candidate that sought to ensure our country treated fairly and honorably with other countries. I would support a candidate who sought to bring us back into the world that we are becoming increasingly alienated from.

If, after all of that, there was any room left, I would support a candidate that believed in a fair and equitable copyright policy.

(Speaking of weblogging and politics, we threw Tara into weblogging with no prior experience or exposure of either weblogging or the Internet, and then thrust the limelight on her before she has a chance to get a feel for all of this. And we’re trying to help this woman?)

None of this will make sense unless you read this first.

The content of the previous posting was directed at the Open Letter to America from a Canadian. I was, I will admit, a bit hurt when I read Allan’s postings about this letter and this did act as a catalyst for my posting, but the content was directed at the letter. Allan did not mean me or any of us personally when he wrote his postings. I know this. You all know this.

I don’t regret the post I wrote. If anything, it does show that this all is, ultimately, very personal. “You Americans” is personal when fingers are pointed at us because of our government’s policies that abbrogate our country’s responsibilities to the rest of the world. It’s personal because ultimately, it is up to us to do what we can to ensure that “You Americans” really does represent We Americans and not a few who have power by default.

But being personal does not mean me personally attacking Allan nor him personally attacking me — nor anyone attacking anyone else when, as was pointed out so eloquently in the comments by so many, we’re all on the same side.

I am not apologizing for the posting, because I believe everything I wrote and stand by it, but I am apologizing to Allan for putting him in an uncomfortable position because of my writing.

I won’t ask Allan to forgive me, but if there was any irritibility between folks as a result of my writing, I hope you all will “kiss and make up”. Because, as you told me, we are all on the same side.

Update There was a second letter written by the same author a few days later in time (original letter was written last May). The author really admires Bill Buckley Jr. Second Letter (thanks to MeFi).

Allan has posted several postings, here, here, and here, about the infamous Open Letter to America from a Canadian, as has Steve and Stavros. However, it was Allan’s postings that touched a nerve.

Allan states With friends like America, who needs enemies, and in a later posting, based on comments he’s getting, he writes:

 

McDougall’s letter was surely written in a fit of pique, but it is obviouly the culmination of a lot of frustration, and that’s what all these responders have not cottoned on to.

We’re tired of America’s jackboot. We don’t want Macdonald’s cluttering up our landscape, or having trade wars based on political manouevring in the corridors of Washington, or your bloody government refusing to sign up for the Kyoto protocol, or declaring war to ensure oil supplies, or forcing citizens from the ‘Axis of Evil’ to be photographed and fingerprinted on arrival in the USA [but not Saudi Arabians — even though at least 15 of their citizens were involved in 911].

We’re tired of your corrupt entrenched politics, your energy-guzzling way of life, and your culture of the inane.

Comments are welcome, but please try and accept that you are not perfect. We’re a little tired of your hypocrisy and cant.

 

What’s difficult for me about Allan’s postings is that I am an American. After reading these, I have to ask the question: Allan, do you include all Americans in your litany?

Do you include me?

Is this an unfair question? Oh, yes it is, very much. But to me, it’s no more unfair than a statement such as:

 

You have become a nation of monsters, America. Hypocrites. Murderers. Fools.

 

When I originally talked about this open letter, my complaint about it was that the author is grouping all Americans into one category, and then tarring us with the same brush. I felt the letter was a rant, but more than that, I felt it was myopic. It’s as if the author sees only that which he wants to see in the US, which is that the government is corrupt, arrogant, and evil, and that the people are complacently allowing this. That we are fools, and not doing anything to stop the evil.

Allan sees a frustration in the letter– that the person who wrote it is angry because the US isn’t living up to its promise; the US is indulging in the worst forms of hypocrisy; is murdering innocent people with our increasingly aggressive stance in the Middle East and blind support for Israel; and is ignoring issues of environmental importance for the corporate bottom line. To go with this, the people of American have sold out for hamburgers and comfort and security.

But the people mentioned in this letter includes me. I am an American. Does everything I have done to fight for that which I believe in count for naught because I haven’t immediately effected a change? If this letter represents frustration, then what of my frustration with not being heard by the author of this letter? And what of my frustration when others are not heard by this author?

Many people have spoken out against an invasion of Iraq, such as the House Majority Leader Dick Armey, Henry Kissinger, and several others, including myself. Many people have spoken out against many of this country’s actions in regards to the so-called ‘War on Terror’, again including myself. Many have spoken out for Palestinians, or perhaps a better statement would be that have spoken out for peace in the Middle East and the necessity of working with both the Israelis and the Palestinians to achieve a lasting peace. Yes, including myself.

Many of us have defied Bush and his plan fordrilling for oil in ANWR, and work to bring accountability for the environment to our government. Hell, most of us didn’t even vote for Bush–he did not receive the popular vote in the last election.

Am I getting too personal in this reaction to the letter? To the suport for this letter? Damn right I take it personally. When the writer groups all Americans into all encompassing statements such as “You Americans”, I have to take it personally.

I am aware of the problems in my country. I face these daily. I am aware that we have a president who is, to me, out of control. I am aware of how increasingly dangerous it will become to speak out against the President and his actions. I am aware of the abuses of the constitution by both Bush and Ashcroft. I am aware that our current administration is ignoring the environment at a time when pollution is killing hundreds, thousands, and possibly even millions. I am aware of all of this. And I watch the news every night and am appalled at how little real news is covered compared to what I read in the weblogs and international publications.

I, and many like myself, do what we can to make others aware of information that they’re not getting in the mainstream press. I, and many others, introduce topics such as the invasion of Iraq to hopefully reach those who are undecided, perhaps even open up the discussion with those who are firmly behind the concept of an invasion. Outside of this weblog, I write letters to members of congress, I contribute what I can, I get involved when I can, and I’m careful with my vote. I make my vote count.

I do what I can. And I work very hard at making a difference. All of which goes for naught when middle America reads a foolish letter such as this Open Letter to America, which only focuses on the negative of this country, categorizes us and dismisses us–contributing to my country’s growing sense of isolation and alienation from the rest of the world.

Allan, you say this letter writer is frustrated because of America’s actions. Then consider my frustration when letters such as this negate all of that which so many of us have been trying to accomplish, in our weblogs and in our lives outside the Net. From this point on when I talk about the invasion of Iraq and our poor Middle East strategy and Ashcroft’s actions and Bush’s disregard of the environment, I not only have to fight against these issues, I have to fight against the anger this letter has generated.

I’ve been called a terrorist sympathizer for supporting the Palestinians and for disagreeing with our policy in the Middle East. I’ve been bashed for supporting the environment and for disagreeing with a war in Iraq, and for disliking the president. Now I feel as if I’m being bashed because my efforts aren’t generating a fast enough result. Well, fuck that.

You Americans. When someone says You Americans, that’s me they’re talking about. Might consider than next time you non-Americans indiscriminately use that phrase.

One thing though–I don’t hate Canadians because of this letter. Unlike the author of the letter, I don’t lump all people into one group for condemnation because of the actions of a few, or one.

Just when you thought that we were going to have a typical weblogging Dead Zone (i.e. the weekend), more juicy tidbits pop up.

An open letter from a neighbor to the North: You have become a nation of monsters, America. Hypocrites. Murderers. Fools. And an accompanying MeFi thread.

We in the US are more than aware of what’s happening here, and many of us are doing what we can to counter actions of Bush, Ashcroft, and others. Perhaps if Mr. McDougall spent a little more time on the internet, reading, and a little less time writing uncontrolled, vitrolic, and counter-productive rants, he might meet a few of us “Americans” who aren’t monsters, hypocrites, murderers, and fools.

(But I wouldn’t recommend he start with Metafilter.)

Mike Golby references a report in the suspect online publication DEBKA that the invasion of Iraq has already started.

According to the report, the invasion started August 6th with the seizure of Bamerni airport. In addition, DEBKA implies that the troops moving into Jordan for military exercises, are, in reality, moving in as part of a stealth invasion force. Unfortunately, the Islamist opposition to the leadership in Jordan also questions the presence of troops in Jordan at this time.

The current administration’s will we-won’t we talk and accompanying actions are generating confusion and fueling heightened tensions as well as increasing pro-Iraq and anti-US sentiments among many of the Arab countries and elsewhere. Perhaps President Bush sees this flexing of our muscles strategy as a way of forcing Hussein to humbly approach the UN and begin arms investigations again. If so, I do not see this strategy succeeding.

I, as an American citizen, shouldn’t have such a strong distrust of my President and his cabinet, but I do. I see no good coming from any of this.