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... of Politics
Jan 31/05b: Democracy in Iraq Part
II
In 1864, Abraham Lincoln faced what must be considered the most
precarious vote in the history of democracy. At Gettysburg the year before
Lincoln redefined the meaning of the Civil War from sectional conflict, from
nasty, very nasty family fight, from Union or States rights, or whatever sent
whomever to the war, from all that and anything else to affirmation of the
American Founding and that above all else. It was genius, and it was true: Kill
this Union, Lincoln said in November of 1863, and you will destroy God's "test,"
whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so
dedicated can long endure
Despite it, Lincoln was unsure of winning the election. The
opposition within the North was strong, at least as strong as that that John
Kerry led against President Bush this past year. Historians credit the victories
of Grant and Sherman for Lincoln's electoral win, but it was not that alone --
far from it. Foremost was that little speech,
those 267 words
by which Lincoln
spoke the meaning of America:
conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition
that all men are created equal
And crucial to its affirmation, to that resounding "Yes!" given
Lincoln's words, and Lincoln's meaning, was that determined, life-or-death vote
of the soldiers, whom Lincoln empowered by politics and intrigue to be allowed
to vote in November of 1864. The soldiers put Lincoln on top, and, most of all,
the soldiers voted louder than their ballots, by getting to the polls, by going
back to the lines, and by believing in their Commander in Chief. There was no
greater voice in 1864 than that of the Union soldiers themselves who affirmed
the righteousness of their cause, and the glory of their man, Abraham Lincoln.
Yesterday, January 30, 2005, and we saw a most amazing show of
determination, of affirmation, of individual human force -- oh, how amazing
those photos of the women, of the crippled, of the people so determined to
express themselves and say Yes! -- but none are greater than those poor S.O.B.'s
in the ranks of the Iraqi police and the Iraqi Army, those targets, those fools,
who voted in mass and with a joy you cannot imagine. This is the greatest story
of all. Here for a first-hand account from a Marine in Fallujah
The Greenside.com (entry 1/30/05):
Several days ago, in the area just south of the
city, Marines found a local sheik dead in the road. His hands were tied behind
his back and he had been shot from behind. On his body, a rock was placed over
a note that read that the sheik was cooperating with coalition forces and that
anyone else who did so would meet the same fate. * Down the road in Ramadi,
two Iraqi Solders were kidnapped, beheaded and left in the street. Their heads
were placed on their bodies and cigarettes had been put in their mouths. *
Rumors of huge explosions and suicide attacks on polling places were widely
circulated.
With this backdrop in mind, today’s elections began shortly after dawn. Even
though the days for the Marines here tend to run together, this morning was
different. By dawn, the Regiment had surged and both Iraqi Soldiers and
Americans canvassed the streets. Five polling places were established inside
Fallujah. As the polling stations opened, trucks of Iraqi Soldiers began
arriving to vote at one of the primary stations. The enthusiasm of the Iraqis
surprised the Marines. Watching them move past the Marines and Iraqis on the
perimeter of the site and then reemerge from the polling tent, the best
description I can offer was “joyful.” They got it. As bleak as things have
seemed to them over the past two years, this morning was a tangible reward for
their personal courage and sacrifice.
As the locals saw the Iraqi Soldiers emerging from the polling tent and
exchanging handshakes with the Marines, they began to slowly emerge from their
houses. The Regimental CO ordered the PSYOP trucks to begin broadcasting wake
up calls extolling the locals that the polling centers were open and secure
and that the people should come out and vote.
Seeing must have been believing because before we knew it, they were emerging
from their houses and moving into line to vote. The first person I actually
saw go into the polling tent was a woman who came out alone. Others soon
followed. Even after everything the Marines have seen, it was an amazing site
[sic].
Nearby, the Marines were walking through a recently
established open-air market on a street corner. People gathered around and
informal conversations began between them and the Marines. This same
intersection had been a muj strong point just weeks before. This morning,
Marines and locals were on the same intersection shooting the breeze as
elections were taking place down the block. As the day went on, more and more
people came out to vote. The positive atmosphere seemed to build.
Semper Fi, brothers all, US Marines, US Army, US Air Force and
Navy, and Iraqi volunteers and police all. God love ya.
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