| The most important vote of my life This coming Tuesday I will cast my vote with pride and hope. When on January 20, 2001 I joined the VoterMarch inaugural protest in Washington, I vowed to never use the title of “President” when writing or speaking of George W.Bush and to fight his administration agenda, which was no mystery to all of us. I have done my work and kept my promises the best I could, I wrote many letters to Editors some have been published -others I trust have been read- I got many nasty e-mails, my name was trashed many times in some Bush’s lovers web sites, I was told to go back to France when I protested the Iraq war and been called crazy when I said that Bush should be impeached. My first choice for a presidential candidate was Howard Dean, his stand against the Iraq war and his courage for speaking out was the hope I was looking for. I worked on his campaign as a volunteer in Iowa. This was my very first campaign, a week I will never forget. I was among the oldest volunteers but energy is ageless, beliefs and hopes were our connections. I live my life trusting that everything has its purpose that there is always a reason for each happening such as the 2000 stolen elections that brought us closer and woke up the Democratic party. Howard Dean’s campaign and its fall has been a victory energizing the party, bringing forward may new voters telling the young that yes, they do have a voice, telling all of us that we have the power. During the past four years George W. Bush has been successful in manipulating many vulnerable minds and hearts and since 9/11 his politics of fear have been constant, in fact they are the only consistencies of his administration. I try not to pay attention to the polls, they enrage me. How can so many people support a man who is responsible of over 1,000 American who died for a war that did not have to be? Let alone, if they choose, the hundred of thousands of innocent Iraqis? Let alone all the economy, our civil rights, the promises not kept, the refusal to admit any mistakes. What is happening in our country? People are being fooled, a strange wind of madness is blowing over America. I do not have a crystal ball regarding the outcome of the presidential elections but I know that we, my friends, will be all be together in spirit on November 2, and this alone is quite powerful. If we loose I will have to believe again about a reason that I do not know yet, besides the power of fear, I will have to believe that no matter what we will keep strong and will grow stronger. If John Kerry wins, our biggest nightmare will be over but we will still have the dark shadow of the Bush administration, the war in Iraq may turn into a civil war, how many more of our soldiers will die? November 2, 2004 will be my fourth time voting as an American citizen, a time I will never forget as the most important vote of my life. Monique Frugier November 1, 2004 |
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