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US Decides Not to Have an Election, and the Last Dog Dies
From the contented suburbs, they came, in SUVs, in minivans, shiny pearly sedans, carrying their designer water. From the dingy warrens of the barrios they came, in their lowriders and classic-cars to be, held together with duct tape and love. From the cities, they came on buses, on subways, on feet, strong feet, tired feet, old feet. For a week, more, they kept coming, they stood in line.
In the rain, in the sun, missing lunch, stomach growling, babies crying, godtheywantedacigarette, hour dragged into hot and steamy, cold and windy hour, and still they stood. Waiting.
Waiting in line to vote. Taking the leap of faith that their vote would at least be counted.
I said I didn't have a dog in this fight, but I did.
Not that I supported John Kerry. I did not, and I do not today.
But I do support elections. I support the right of every person to cast their vote for a candidate whose positions I do not agree with, and have that vote correctly recorded and accurately counted.
That is a dog that every human being on earth had in this fight, even if it was the last dog.
And today, that last dog died.
There was no election. The decision was made not to have one.
It was not stolen. It was never put out on the counter for anyone to steal.
Sometime early Wednesday morning, while people in Ohio were still waiting on their tired feet, still asking each other if they could see up at the front, was the line moving, still wishing they had brought a sweater, calling on cell phones, can you come get the baby? It's getting so chilly, she's getting cranky, and I don't know how long...
While those people in Ohio, who whether I agree with them or not, were sacrificing their comfort, their supper, their feet, to vote for a man who they believed, rightly or wrongly, would save their nation, George W. Bush made it known that he believed it was time for him to declare victory.
Victory over the years of hard work on the part of the BBV people.
Victory over the completely sincere, whatever else you want to say about it, dedication of millions upon millions of ordinary people, many of them young people, who gave their time, their money, and their sweat to the cause of what they were assured would be an election.
Did I think they were misguided? You bet.
Did I think they were deluding themselves? Absolutely.
Did I think there would be an election? I thought there would be more effort to give the appearance of one.
And in a way, for each one of them, it was an election. For every person who went to the polls, or sent in a ballot, and voted her or his conscience, it was an election, and it is they who won a victory that can never be taken away, by anybody, ever.
They will always have that, even though they have nothing else.
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