The Disenfranchised in Iraq
The Today Show just reported Iraqi election results. The current spin on the results is this:
1. Many of the Shiite leaders lived in, and were supported by, Iran during Saddam's reign. Therefore, Iran will have undue influence over the Iraqi leaders and constitution. Therefore, the election is a failure. Therefore the Bush administration is a failure. Bush lied. People died. So, pretty much the same old, same old.
2. The lovely Ms. Katie Couric mentioned the poor, "disenfranchised" Sunnis.
I'm so absolutely, completely upset about how people are throwing around this world, "disenfranchisement" in both Iraq and America. You are not disenfranchised if:
- you refuse to vote
- you are afraid to vote. Yes, that's awful, but many, many people throughout history risked their lives to vote. Everyone has that choice.
- the lines are long at your polling place
- the equipment at your polling place is old
- you see people who happen to favor the candidates you don't
All of these people in Iraq or Ohio or Florida or wherever haven't been disenfranchised. I, on the other hand, have been disenfranchised. Every fake voter in Milwaukee, Racine and Madison cancelled out the votes of people like me. That's disenfranchisement and yet few people seem to care. Basically, Republicans in Wisconsin have been told to suck it up. Oddly, the same sentiment hasn't been applied to Democrats or Islamofascists.
Posted by at February 14, 2005 09:48 AM
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Comments
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
I am growing very tired of TV quasi news people not using words correctly. As you say, someone who chooses not to vote is not "disenfranchised". "Disenfranchised" is also no the same as there being no way on earth one's vote migth influence adn election - as is my case in voting Republican in Manhattan. |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
Great post. Well said. It is also not disenfranchisement if you vote for the losing candidate. |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
As much as I LOATHE Katie Couric (the smiling Eva Braun of morning TV) (GOD, I love Ann Coulter), she has a point. Typing that was like passing a kidney stone. That's why I'm so pissed. I read (or heard) about Sunnis who showed up to vote, and the polling places weren't open. What really got me was that some Sunnis couldn't vote because THERE WEREN'T ENOUGH BALLOTS!! NOT ENOUGH BALLOTS?! ARE YOU "FUCKING" KIDDING ME???? A piece of paper. THESE PEOPLE RISKED THEIR LIVES FOR NOTHING BECAUSE THERE WEREN'T ENOUGH PIECES OF PAPER. When I heard that, I thought the Sunnis should've been given another day to vote. They didn't get a chance through NO fault of their own. That IS Bush's fault, for appointing a JACKASS to look over--and fuck up--the most historic event since 9/11. I really, REALLY wanna stick my big toe in W's ass for that one. That's frickin' inexcusable. |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
Katie, like Dan Rather, thinks she isn't biased because she doesn't know a single person who disagrees with her. It's those other people at Fox News who are biased. Oh, & bloggers too |