An open letter from Ohio to the people of Mexico

[helderheid]

An open letter from Ohio to the people of Mexico
by Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman
July 12, 2006

The patterns are much too familar to ignore. Those of us who saw first-hand how the U.S. presidential election of 2004 was stolen here in Ohio, we cannot avoid the conclusion that Mexico's presidential election is also on the brink of being stolen. Too many of the symptoms are being repeated, too much of what happened in Florida 2000 and Ohio 2004 is being repeated to believe otherwise.

To those in Mexico who still believe in democracy, we urge you to avoid the mistakes made here. Do not doubt for one minute that fraud, intimidation and outright theft are the tell-tale trademarks of the Bush junta and its overseas minions.

Above all, DO NOT GIVE IN.

The most crucial difference between the United States in 2000 and 2004 versus Mexico 2006 is that in Mexico, there is a candidate willing to stand up to this outrageous theft. Perhaps you will ultimately get the recount that was so thoroughly denied here.

MORE >>>>>>>>

http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2006/2074

[helderheid]

1. more

So if he is allowed to take office, this illegitimate, unelected leader being foisted on you is almost certain to do to you what Bush/Rove has done to us. He will shred your democracy, spy on you, arrest you in the name of fighting terror or whatever other excuse he can concoct. He will also ruin your economy, pollute your land, air and water and make every aspect of Mexican life more dangerous and less just.

If you believe a middle ground will emerge and that such an illegitimate regime will seek compromise, you could not be more wrong.

You need only look at what has been done to the United States to see what is in store for you if you do not reverse this catastrophic theft.

From the tragic land of Ohio, we cannot urge you strongly enough: DO NOT LET THEM STEAL THIS ELECTION. Your lives and immediate future depend on it, not to mention the future of your nation.

[Selatius]

2. In America, it appears we accepted the theft with little struggle

In Mexico, they seem dead-set on fighting. I would like to ask why did Americans simply accept it, but deep down, I already know the answer.

[Generator]

6. What is the answer?

We are cowards? Probably. We believe the propaganda that is the nightly news? Probably. We have it too cush to really care? Some, certainly. We are too busy with work to do anything else? Again, many, certainly. We are tired. We are dumb. We are fools for a myth of ourselves.

All I know is I wanted to fight. I was going to give buckets of money since I didn't have the ability with a young family to fly to Ohio. Skinner asked at 3 am I I said "I'm in."

Then Kerry hit us with the sucker punch. Then Bev Harris hit us with another. Whatever it is, I'm still there and I CANNOT get over it. It's everything. It's our very Democracy. And I don't believe in it anymore. That's why seeing it happen AGAIN in Mexico, with a Bush favorite, with a company from America involved, Choice Point, I believe is too much.

If we can't have a Democracy, can Mexico at least? Where is this planet headed? It all scares anyone that no longer believes the nightly news even if I too may be a coward.

[helderheid]

8. We're not uncomfortable enough? Not a big enough gap between the

poor and the rich? No "Mexican Idol"? Not sure.

[Selatius]

12. Denial is one, but you just hit several others in your guesses.

This is the land of the free and the home of the brave. Fascism in America? As they said 60 years ago, "It can't happen here." To face reality would be to face some hard truths about what this country looks like now, and it's not a truth very many people want to hear because accepting it means also accepting a bitter, harsh struggle to unseat the tyranny. The truth is rarely beautiful when the truth is most needed.

If Americans were made to feel the same kind of crushing poverty millions of poor people face the world over, we'd be protesting the election results like the Ukrainians or the Georgians and now the Mexicans because we'd have nothing left to lose. We couldn't afford to accept anything but the honest truth because it would mean more poverty. I confided in my best friend that crushing poverty burns away the fat of apathy and materialism. It wipes away the sleep from the eyes. It's painful, but poverty was never anything but that. When people are in excruciating pain, they do things to try to stop the pain. It's the great motivator.

Ideally, problems should be addressed early and long before it gets to such a devastating, advanced level, but all too often things are not fully addressed until people are made to suffer horribly. The Cassandras of our economy and our world have been saying for years that the current trends are not sustainable, but in the past nobody listened because things appeared good, but appearances can be deceiving during times of peace and during times of economic boom, but relative periods of calm in between wars and booms where only the rich profit are not really good times, are they?

[mikelewis]

3. Kicked and Nominated

[Land Shark]

4. THinking of Mexico today, while in the midwest k&r

[farmbo]

5. When they say (and they will)"sore loser" Retort: Hell no! "Sore Winners!"

eom

[snappyturtle]

7. Here, here!!!......K&R....nt

[helderheid]

9. BWA!

[Terran1212]

10. See Greg Palast's video on it from Mexico

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/07/12/146201

This is total bullshit. BULLSHIT.

[helderheid]

11. snap and thanks!

[Vidar]

13. K&R.

[helderheid]

14. mornin' kick