Iranians are doing what Minnesotans are failing to do and that is protest

By Mary MacElveen
June 21, 2009

In a cross-entry on both my Twitter.com and Facebook.com pages, I just posted: "Hey, Minnesotans, take to the streets and protest that your senate election is being held up by Norm Coleman. Join with Iranian patriots."

While I abhor violence that has been shown on various news networks like CNN, MSNBC and yes, Fox concerning these protests, I commend the citizens of Iran for taking to the street when they feel their election may have been stolen. They are sure showing us up when NO one took the streets en-masse after the Bush V. Gore decision was handed down. We were told to accept that decision, and forgot that this government is of, by and for we the people.

In the Bush V. Gore decision five out of the nine Supreme Court justices became more powerful than ‘we the people’. Americans should have come to the aid of all Floridians whose votes were stolen in that election. Let us take care of our own affairs first when it comes to democracy before telling others how democracy works.

As much as some want the President to be more forceful when it comes to these violent protests: Are they itching to start another war? Isn’t three enough?! Are they forgetting that Iran has strong ties to both Russia and China and what will they say of any intervention in this Iranian affair by the United States of America? Please remember who holds the cards here as America is facing an economic firestorm where we continue to borrow huge sums of money from China. Can you see China cutting off the money supply? This is the tight-rope that the President has to be mindful of as some want and demand he interfere.

I would bring North Korea and the President does have a lot on his plate and wish to remind my readers that North Korea as well has strong ties with Russia and China. As our military is at the breaking point being deployed, redeployed over and over in the wars we are already engaged in, Russia and China’s are not.

Last week, the media brought into the mix Senator John McCain’s opinions of how the President should be more forceful. Exactly why are they giving him any podium when he jokingly sung that song: Bomb, bomb, bomb, Iran? This is what I would say to McCain: Shut up!

I am tired of the right’s bloviating when it comes to this election process and its aftermath meaning these protests when former Senator Norm Coleman is holding up an election that was decided 8 months ago. Yet, we see no protests coming from Minnesotans. Are courts the only way in which challenged elections get decided in this country? Were is the will of a people when it comes to our own affairs?

Then again, protests that do take place in this country are clamped down upon where the will of a people is not listened to as evident with the anti-war protests. Remember it was a Republican controlled government back in 2003. Was a Republican led government acting like the Ayatollah is today when they refused to hear our voices? To borrow a phrase by Gov. Sarah Palin: “Oh you betcha!” In both cases you had a Republican led government and the Ayatollah clamping down on dissent and the will of the people. Let the Iranian people speak.

As my prayers go out to all Iranians for their safety during their troubling times, I am mindful of the fact that it is their election and country; not mine. They should be the ones who decide their own destiny without any interference from any other country; namely the United States of America. We should have no say in their electoral process when we have shown the world the faults of our own. The only thing I can do is to stand in solidarity with the Iranian people to decide their own destiny.

Author’s email address is, xmjmac@optonline.net

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