An Election Plea from the World Community

I write to you from the top of a mountain in northern Nicaragua where I currently live and teach music and critical thinking. I've been here nearly two years, and have seen first-hand the effects of American foreign policy in Central America. We warred with Nicaragua in the 80's and left its' people and economy crippled. Many of my students remember the Contra War because they have older brothers or sisters who lived through it or fathers who were lost forever guerrilla fighting in the mountains. One would imagine Nicaraguans to hold bitter vengeful thoughts of Americans, but that's not the case. My students do ask me daily about the war in Iraq, and one asked me yesterday afternoon "Are we at war with Venezuela?".

My students are not ignorant. This question came from a general perception we've lived up to as far as the rest of the world is concerned. We are a warring people; we meddle in the lives of others without permission. I know this to be far from true, but how can I claim it isn't so when a Spanish friend asks "How the f$*% did you elect Bush a SECOND time?! Wasn't he bad enough the first time?!" and I shake my head. It frustrates me how much our country, my country, embarrasses me. I can no longer watch Bush’s puppet act (no TV news… no loss) but imagine our wide global community having a shared laugh or two over the imbecile we’ve chosen to rule our empire for the last eight years.

When I first found out who the contenders are for the current election I laughed contentedly and thought to myself "no contest!". Now, as the time grows nearer, I am not so sure. I feel a growing wariness about the way things are shaping up, probably due to the dread I feel thinking about Bush's round one and two in office. The idea of his legacy being carried further and further into the future is almost too much to handle.

I simply cannot believe that there are people, intelligent people, who do not see through the dog and pony act of McCain and Palin. Are women who supported Hillary Clinton (a brilliant, moderate, eloquent, experienced politico) ACTUALLY considering giving their democratic vote to Palin (the rifle-bearing, book banning, radically Christian, politically inexperienced hockey mom) because we “feel she understands us”? Where do we get the remotest idea that this woman represents the American woman? Everything I’ve read about Palin consistently leads me to the conclusion that she’s being used as a pawn, a pretty one at that, to sway the evangelical and female voters of our country.

I'm not sure how to say this, because I want to scream it to the world:
"WE NEED CHANGE!!!!!"

If there's one person who can sit down and look at the facts of the last eight years without thinking, "our country has really gone down the drain", I urge that person to send a rebuttal with points covering: defense spending, health care, education, the economy, and general well-being of the American people.

For the sake of our world community, let’s open our eyes. What do we want out of our lives? Do we want to be forever behind walls, dominated by fear of the “other” attacking our “way of life”? There are ways to live beyond fear. Empathy, diplomacy, moderate policies based on fact rather than speculation, and true leadership will lead us to this place. Sticking to our rusting guns will not.

A plea from your fellow world citizens:

VOTE OBAMA!!

I’m traveling 16 hours round-trip to the Nicaraguan/American embassy and spending 20% of my monthly volunteer stipend to do it. You can too.