Sure, I hope the Diebold creeps get caught, but . . .

[MrModerate]

I give up anyway.

I watched this election (the last 6 months anyway) from Eastern Europe, among people holding deep, rich moral and religious values, if not values identical to those who flocked to Bush. They are the same sort of people, though: semirural, working hard to stay in the same place, suspicious of government, absolutely adamant in defence of their families.

Their opinion of Bush? A cowboy, a cretin, a criminal.

None of them could believe that Bush had a chance. When I told them that Bush was looking very strong, they said "you're just trying to scare us."

Two years ago I watched -- from the streets myself and on TV -- as millions of my fellow human beings told this maniac: "don't do it; don't start this bloody war." And I heard those millions derided as "focus groups."

I watched this administration's madness unfold in Baghdad -- I heard the UN Mission go up, I timed my watch to the morning detonations of captured munitions -- knowing that there weren't enough troops to secure all the ammo dumps, and what was stolen that night would be killing our troops on the road the next day.

And now 59 million of my fellow Americans have voted for this vicious, lying fool and his criminal gang: BECAUSE THEY LIKE HIM! Because they think he's a moral guy! Because they know in their heart of hearts that even as he wrecks the environment, lets the corporations in their towns piddle their jobs away, a takes their sons and daughters away to toss 'em into a dusty abbatoir -- that he'll keep them safe. Amazing.

I can't handle it. I'm not coming back to America. I'm keeping my head down, earning my dough, and pretending to be Canadian. I used to think I needed to bring my kids home every 4-5 years so they could be acculturated, get a dose of American culture so they would feel they have roots, even though as a family, we do tumble around a bit.

No more. I'll raise 'em as world citizens, with values I can stomach, and not the shallow mindless jigoism that's overtaken my beloved but now intolerable country.

To those of you brave enough to stay, my hat's off to you. To those who are as sickened as I am, find a job over here.

And don't forget to pretend you're Canadian.

[Kierkegaard]

1. It's getting harder to find any reason to cling to the ideals

I had as a young boy growing up in this United States.

No longer is America something to aspire to. Instead, we set new lows of conduct and self-interest. How could anyone see us as the 'land of opportunity' now?

No longer is there the feeling of ethical superiority. Not that we ever were superior, just that we had the ingrained goodness and generosity of legend. That is gone as well and will be hard, if not impossible to regain.

No longer are we a bastion of moral values, Christian or otherwise. Unless, of course, you were to count leashing a woman's ability to make decisions for herself, or holding sacred the right to openly discriminate against gays. We don't help our neighbors like we used to. We help ourselves. What happened to faith, hope and charity?

Honestly, I am ashamed to be an American and hope against hope that I may regain some of that youthful pride during my lifetime...