Reply #48: Kerry's people

[kk897]

There were no Kerry people there in an official capacity, and I have no idea if they were observing the hearings or not. There was a representative of Dennis Kucinich, who is a Congressman as well as former candidate, though. Dennis is so great. I voted for him in the primaries. Annnywayyy... I agree that he should see the testimony.

At the hearing people expressed a feeling of being let down by him. I think people were counting (no pun intended) on him to champion the cause in some way. I understand that it would seem self-serving on his part, but when he said "help is on the way," I think voters likely to be disenfranchised took him at his word.

I'm crying as I'm thinking about the 62-year-old Black woman who voted for the first time, praying that help was on the way. I'm crying as I'm thinking about the guy who came out from the hospital, IV in arm, hoping that help was on the way. I'm crying as I'm thinking about the young first time voter single mom who stood in the rain for two hours with her three year old, for God's sake, believing that help was on the way. Will these people ever vote again? Will they ever believe a leader who says that help is on the way? Will they ever come together again to effect change?

It's too much. People wonder why we don't just give up the count effort... People say we're just being crybabies like in 2000. People suggest that we're not being graceful losers. I suggest these people are not people of color or people who have ever felt the sting of a metaphorical slap in the face when trying to get something done. These people are comfortable in their privledge. They've never been marginalized.

If I have to suffer through being called a tin foil hat conspiracy theorist, I'll wear the mantle proudly. Yes, it was a conspiracy. How else is systematic disenfranchisement accomplished? There must be accountability, this time. I can't let these people who believed help was on the way down.

I'm one of the privledged. I'm white. I don't have kids, I make a decent income, I have health insurance and as I write this I am literally laying back in my La-Z-Boy, wrapped up in a down comforter, with my PowerBook G4 laptop in my lap. I can only imagine how these voters feel today. But I have a powerful imagination, and I'm crying. I can't let this stand, and I can't let this happen again.

Get the tin foil, I'm ready for my hat.