I had a conversation with my dad about the election last night. At one point he expressed disbelief and confusion about how anyone could vote for Bush, knowing what we know about him and his administration.
I suggested that he ask how, since he was talking to someone who did. He did, of course, and I went on to talk a bit about why I felt I had no choice - a position I've been uncomfortably holding for some time now.
I came across this link this morning, and emailed it to him with the following text (with some edits for clarity):
This is a picture-heavy link that includes a gathering of pictures from an anti-Bush rally on Nov 3rd. The content of these pictures are not uncommon, having been replicated at the anti-war rallies all over the country.
In case you can't get the pictures or something, here are some of the sign's messages:
"Fuck middle America"
"The left will rise" (with anarchist symbol)
"Bush = Satan"
"No to War for capitalist profits! - Freedom Socialist Party"
"Stop the 9-11 cover-up - Impeach the Terrorists!"
These signs, and the people holding them, are a tremendous part of why I cannot be a liberal/democrat. Dissent in their circles is punished by beatings, being shouted down, or flat-out ostracism. I am not mistaking the majority of Democrats, or liberals for that matter, for these angry hateful people - but they (the dems/liberals) have at best condoned and at worst embraced these "activists".
If you want to know how on Earth people could vote for Bush, particularly in middle-America, take a look at their alternative. These pictures are nothing new. NYC saw this same material (as did the rest of the country, since it was broadcast on national TV) during that massive anti-war protest a few months ago. These signs, if you read them - god help you if you actually look up who is funding them - scare the living shit out of moderates, or to use perhaps a more appropriate label, swing-voters.
How can so many people knowingly vote for Bush? Because as crummy as he is, at the end of the day he's at least an American first, whereas the face of -activist- liberalism is transnational progressivism or socialism at best and at worst anarchism. Regular liberals (like yourself, I dare say) MUST disown, and decry, these people if they want a chance at regaining control because these people are only helping the Republicans who are all too willing to accept into their loving arms undecideds who are running in terror from "protests" like these. Really.
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