Post-Election Thoughts and Opportunities

BY JAAN LAAMAN

Well George Bush “tricked” his way into leadership of the USA war and police state for another four years. Tens of millions in this country, along with billions around the world find this reality very disappointing, even distressing. This article is not going to examine the details of uncounted, misplaced and disregarded votes, especially in Ohio, but the evidence of all this continues to be revealed. Even the corporate press has been releasing small accounts of this fraud, but none of it will stop George Bush from being reappointed as President in January. Readers should look into the many reports of vote count fraud that continue to be reported in Ohio, Florida and elsewhere.

Before the election there was some honest debate in the Left on whether and how vigorously to support Kerry and the Democrats. John Kerry was a weak candidate and his bellicose pro-war stance was probably a main factor that cost him large numbers of votes. For peace activists, progressives and revolutionaries, those who voted for Kerry and those who abstained, it is now time for all of us to unite and deal with the reality of Bush and his war and police state. Right after the election there was talk of going to Canada, getting really drunk or just ducking down. Most of us can’t go to Canada. You can only stay high so long and ducking down is not the thing to do now. Bush and his war policies remain, but they are probably more questioned, exposed and rejected than ever by more than half the people in the U.S. Now is the time for all good people—anti-war, anti-repression, revolutionary voices to loudly and visibly reject Bush and his policies of war. We should be very clear that there is an alternative: OUT NOW! We should demand the complete and immediate withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Iraq.

If you are concerned about or support U.S. troops, bringing them home NOW is the best thing to do. If you are upset about the billions of dollars being poured into the war, end it NOW. If you are sickened, saddened or outraged by the daily killing of Iraqi men, women and children by the U.S. occupation army, then demand that it stops NOW! The USA army is not bringing democracy, freedom or peace to Iraq. It is bringing death, destruction and more instability. Once the foreign occupation troops leave, the Iraqi people will establish their own government. Who and what it will be and how much strife will be involved is not clear. It is very clear though that the U.S. installed puppet regime, with or without “elections,” will not last a week once U.S. troops leave. The Iraqi people have the right and need to set up their own system, whatever it is. We should stop killing them and losing U.S. soldiers in a futile effort to impose Bush and his oil baron cronies dictates on who runs Iraq.

Domestically we also need to unite and step forward to resist and roll back the ever increasing police state that exists in the U.S. Bush “won” his re-election, but he has less public support for his
war policies than ever. Now is not the time for good peace and justice loving activists and groups to slow down, feel overwhelmed and defeated.

Now when more people than ever, in this country and around the world, are opposing or questioning Bush and his war, we can and must bring our alternative of peace, hope and justice out publicly in every way possible. Two upcoming ways to do this is to demonstrate against Bush at his inaugural in Washington in January.

Just as importantly and with more time to organize, we here in the U.S. should have a huge outpouring on March 19-20, which is the unified date for worldwide anti-war actions. Large East and West Coast rallies are planned and everyone should make an effort to attend or do something locally. Check elsewhere in this issue for a page of contacts and more information on these upcoming events. As the well worn slogan, “Freedom is a Constant Struggle” proclaims, and with Bush still in the White House, the opportunity and need for renewed struggle is calling out to us now.

Jaan Laaman (W41514)
P.O. Box 100
South Walpole MA 02071 USA

[note: this address is now out of date]