Here' s a thought, Iranian- Americans should consider casting their vote for Ralph Nader this election year. So what if he has a slim to none chance of winning? This is probably the only vote that you can make that actually counts: a protest vote.
Don't worry, the electoral college will make sure it doesn't mess with Kerry's (or Bush's) chances of victory (unless you're in a swing state). So why don't we, as a community, make a point that we will not idly stand by as this “war on terror” inches closer and closer to Iran? Come on! We're children of revolution- this is nothing near radical for us.
Let's think about it for a second. Yes, Bush is a Republican and Kerry is Democrat. Hmmm…..as a person from the Middle- East, this is as far as the differences may actually go. Bush attacked Iraq, Kerry voted in support of it. Bush wants to send more troops, so does Kerry.
Bush wanted the Patriot Act, Kerry helped pass it. Bush wants to increase the war on terror, what a surprise, but so does Kerry! And what's the war on terror? It's the war on the axis of evil….and well, I hope you see where I'm going with this (hint: Iran is part of this axis). Kerry doesn't seem like a real alternative if the above are the issues that matter the most to you.
Iranian-Americans need to be politically active and have a voice- a voice that is distinct from the rest of America- because the war is being waged against us and our neighbors in the Middle East. Iran is not immune from the “terrorism fever:”
Our motherland happens to be conveniently sandwhiched between Iraq and Afghanistan, we are being accused of developing nuclear weapons, and we call America the “Great Satan.” If that's not reason enough for a pre- emptive strike, then I apologize for my simple ways of thinking and I must have somehow misunderstood the whole “let's bomb iraq cos we think they've got WMDs and Saddam is evil” campaign.
I know that I'd rather cast a vote in favor of someone, than against someone- isn't that what democracy and choice is all about? Come on, only about ten to fifteen percent of the Iranian-American population votes, but we all complain about politics. Let's stop being too cool, and get out and vote. I know you've got some disgruntled grandparents and Aunts and Amoos who would be very happy to vote for Nader if they knew about him. Just think about it.
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