Online petitioners extraordinaire avaaz.org are now circulating a letter to the 3 major US presidential candidates asking them to commit themselves to stopping climate change, protecting human rights and promoting peace. Sign it. Why not? Sure, the petition underscores the White House junta’s arrogance - no surprise there – and so betrays how far up the cynicism scale we’ve all climbed. But if you’re an american, it’s an act of solidarity with subjects who have no electoral voice. If you’re not an american, it’s an opportunity to tell members of the US Senate that people outside the borders are still willing to ask nicely if they have someone in power who’s willing to listen.
Nearly 20 years ago, i was in Jordan during the US election and we spent a night in Aqaba watching US election returns on Israeli TV. The detailed, all-night coverage was amazing. Which precincts in which states support the candidate who is most strongly committed to Israel? In that election it was Pappy Bush running against Dukakis: friend of the Saudis vs exonerator of Sacco & Vanzetti (a hard call for any Israeli, i’m sure). In November 2008, i expect many countries around the world will be mimicking Israeli and it may well be the night of highest internet traffic ever, globally. The US punditocracy keeps repeating that this is the most important election of our lifetimes and that may well be extendable to the most important election anywhere ever. After 8 years of this W Dick shit, what happens next in US government is going to be significant internationally however it goes.
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