An Open Letter to John Kerry

John Kerry, I have never been more dissapointed in another human being in my life. I have lost all hope now that anyone in Washington actually cares about our democracy more than their own careers.

I am ashamed that your sticker is still on my car. I can't believe that I donated money, time, and effort on your behalf. I believed you when you said you would make sure all the votes are counted -- as far as I'm concerned, you have reneged on that promise.

I was dissapointed when you conceded. I tried to believe that you were doing what you thought was best. But when the reports of voting irregularities, supression, and outright fraud began pouring in, and the Greens and Libertarians were left to defend our fragile democracy by raising that money themselves for a recount, while you sat on your bulging war chest in silence...I guess I hoped you were stragizing, waiting to pull a surprise from your hat. But now...

You (or your speechwriter, perhaps) write in your email letter of January 5, 2005:
"Despite widespread reports of irregularities, questionable practices by some election officials and instances of lawful voters being denied the right to vote, our legal teams on the ground have found no evidence that would change the outcome of the election."

I'm left to wonder, at these words, and left with the question, since when was it about you? Since when was this about changing the outcome? Why are lawyers making decisions about the future of our democracy? When, for once, can it just be about right and wrong, the way we were all raised to believe it was in this land of ours?

Sorry for my crassness, but screw the outcome. None of us are gullible enough to believe that the outcome will be allowed to change. But if you refuse to stand and protest the awarding of those electoral votes, if you will not protect our must fundamental, basic right to vote and have our vote be counted, then you are not fit to serve your people, Mr. Senator. You have a duty to do what is right, not what is best for you. And while I try to choke back my cynicism, try to believe that this has nothing to do with 2008, I also weep. I weep for your soul, and I weep for the children that are doomed to bear the burden of your generation's irresponsibility.

And I ask you, Mr. Kerry: do we have lesser men here in America than in the Ukraine? Do we deserve the legacy of our Founding Fathers if we lack the heart to fight as hard as they did for our democracy?