The Soiling of the People
By Sass
Featured Rightgrrl May 1999
Founder, Write For Life
November 18, 2000Standing before the American people and before the world, Mr. Albert Gore insisted that this election is not about who wins, but about preserving democracy, making sure that every person's vote counts as they intended it to. How refreshing a sentiment. How selfless and admirable, how noble and honorable. Unfortunately, we the people of the United States and of the world, were merely watching Mr. Gore audition for a part he has sought after with a vengeance. While some thought they were hearing words of wisdom that would no doubt be immortalized for their greatness, others realized that as spectators they were not much more than the bearers of the freebie seats for the soap opera we had foolishly thought of as Election 2000.
The Democratic obsession with Hollywood glamour is well understood by all, and while it could be argued that the best actor award for lead scoundrel in a drama might certainly belong to Bill Clinton, Mr. Gore seems determined to also garner that award for himself regardless of whether or not he ever is sworn in as the next President of the United States.
Not more than a few days after Mr. Gore stood before the world, his flushed red face and nervous mannerisms bordering of laughter betraying his words of "sincerity" in pledging that every person's vote should count how they intended it to, he is now supporting votes that were intended for Mr. Bush, being discarded.
In an Associated Press report out of Tallahassee [1], it was reported that some 1,400 overseas ballots were rejected, with 2,200 counted. Friday night, Bush campaign spokeswoman Mindy Tucker stated, "We are distressed at what appears to be a statewide effort on behalf of Al Gore to discredit the votes of military servicemen and women." Replied the Gore camp's Jenny Backus, "It was local, elected Florida elections officials who decided whether or not to accept these ballots."
But is that the point? When Mr. Gore has publicly pledged that it isn't about who wins, but that each person's vote counts as they intended it to, and he is vociferously arguing and fighting that Democratic voters in Democratic counties should have re-count after re-count and possibly even the option to vote again, a dismissal of any ballots based on the lame duck reasoning that it was "Florida elected officials who decided not to accept those ballots" simply shows the people of the world what many of us have known all along. It absolutely is about who wins, and Mr. Gore has laid himself out the world as a liar.
Following his painfully insincere statement outside the West Wing that day, I felt "dirty" somehow, for having been witness to something so utterly false and rank. I expect then, for my having been "soiled" that day, that Mr. Gore follow through on his stated intentions that it isn't about who wins, but that every person's vote count as they intended it to; I expect Mr. Gore to publicly pick up the cause of these "disenfranchised" overseas voters, and insist that their votes count, be counted and be re-counted to be sure they are counted as they intended them. Unless he is willing to do so, Mr. Gore should at this point, realize that the gig is up, he's "violated" enough people with his lies and manipulation, and the only respectable thing to do is congratulate Mr. Bush.
The people of the world will then, after many showers and some therapy... be able to move on with their lives.
Sources:
GOP decries rejected ballots
This article copyright 11/00 by Sass Seagal, all rights reserved. Not to used in whole or in part, without written permission from the author.