Amid Vote Tampering Protesters take to the Street in November 2004
Election
Noam Chomsky said of the 2000 elections that
three were stolen that year: In Peru, Yugoslavia, and in the United States. In
the case of the first two, citizens took to the street to make sure that the
will of the people was done. In the United States we sat by our televisions
waiting for orders to come from our leaders. They never came.
Fast forward to 2004, exit polls show the left
leaning challenger winning by as much as 6%, while the conservative candidate
backed by the ruling elite claimed a 3 point win at the polls. The challenger
alleged that the election was stolen and told his supporters to take to the
streets to reclaim their win.
No of
course I'm not talking about John Kerry or our elections on November 2. I'm
talking about the elections in the Ukraine on November 18 and the candidate was
Yanukovich. He told his supporters to stay in the street until they can claim
their victory.
Despite wipespread
reports of irregularities and inaccuracy of exit polls in state after state in
our own elections, there has been relatively little outcry. Especially when
compared with the showing of Janet Jackson's breast at last years Super Bowl, or
the recent hint of black on white sex prior to Monday Night Football.
The allegations of fraud and
irregularities have been largely ignored by the mainstream US media and the
establishment candidates. In fact following the elections instead of calling
his people out, Mr. Kerry seemed to do a terrifyingly good impression of Alan
Colmes. Mr. Colmes for those with the good sense to avoid Fox "News" plays the
weak liberal foil to the strong neo-facist protagonist Sean Hannity. It's almost
like a rerun at the polls too: People again seem glued to their computer screens
and televisions. I'm reminded of the Ani Difranco song where she asks what will
it take for my people to rise.
My
Answer: It'll take media. It'll take
progressive people banding together and starting to buy radio stations (more
affordable than tv stations) or forming production companies so they can tell
their own story and frame their own culture. Let's get to
it.
Because if that doesn't work I'm
afraid the next song that'll come to mind is by Paris: Tear Shit Up. What we
gotta do is tear shit up...