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INTRO BY ELECTION DISSENTER TED RALL:
“Voter boycotts have a long and honorable tradition in other countries. Don’t believe the hype—they really care if we don’t vote. Why do you think tyrants like Saddam held regular elections? They were the only candidate on the ballot, but th ey craved electoral legitimacy. Same thing here. Imagine if only 5% of Americans voted. It would send the message that we disapprove of our government. If only 5% voted, 9/11 might never have happened because Al Qaeda could never have argued that we agreed with US foreign policy. The UN would view us for what we are, the oppressed citizens of an authoritarian police state. Most importantly, it would create the space for a new political movement—space currently being taken up by the duopoly.
Let them bomb innocent Pakistanis without my endorsement.”
IN PALESTINE
“Palestinians should refuse to participate in elections while public freedoms are suppressed, former minister and detainee Wasfi Qabha said Tuesday.” http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=513626
IN EGYPT
“Some activists boycotted the election, calling it illegitimate or claiming that the ruling Supreme Council of Armed Forces (Scaf) would rig it in favour of Mr Shafiq.” http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/comment/low-voter-turnout-showed-egyptians-mixed-emotions
IN BELARUS
“One off-limit subject is the call for an election boycott. RWB says: “Those who mention the boycott, such as opposition groups on social networks, are immediately sanctioned.” http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2012/sep/04/journalist-safety-belarus
IN ASIA
“The Democratic United Party pushed ahead with its second primary vote in the southeastern city of Ulsan on Sunday despite the boycott of the election by three of the four contenders.”
http://www.arirang.co.kr/News/News_View.asp?nseq=135878&code=Ne2&category=2
IN JORDAN
“The Islamic Action Front political party in Jordan has denied that it has pledged to review its position on an election boycott.”
IN AFRICA
“Namibia: NDP Threatens to Boycott Sibbinda Election”
http://allafrica.com/stories/201208311082.html
IN LIBYA
“Libyan Tabu tribe threatens election boycott.”
http://news.yahoo.com/libyan-tabu-tribe-threatens-election-boycott-161916642.html
IN MOROCCO
“Morocco: Stop Harassing Election Boycott Advocates”
http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/11/23/morocco-stop-harassing-election-boycott-advocates
And now in the US, too!
ELECTION DISSENTERS — ORGANIZE!
15 Comments
People in this country, and around the world, “call for” all kinds of things all the time. Doesn’t demonstrate anything at all about whether what is “called for” is right or wrong for that country or any other country at that time or ever.
And now in addition to adopting the goals of the extreme right wing (having left-leaning people not vote), you’re also using their excuse for everything: Do it my way to protect yourself from the terrorists?
Oh, and the countries of the UN have a pretty good idea what the US is all about at the moment. They don’t need your help.
Really, these posts are shameful.
I agree.
Like, I believe Ted Rall wrote an introduction for Terri’s post.
Hilarious. Slapping my knees.
Really, over the top silliness.
I fail to see any credible evidence that these posts are not genuine.
Of course if people disagree and wish to vote third party, then that’s an excellent idea.
But what I can’t understand is this completely irrational vitriol from so many at FDL who are literally losing their shite over posts like this. If it’s so ridiculous, and based on the numbers who are responding, the overwhelming majority here think it is, then what’s the worry?
Where’s the rational discourse?
Call it silliness or what not, but this reactionary foaming at the mouth is beyond disappointing. I really thought people at FDL were better than this.
State your opinion without the hate.
This is not meant as a barb to the above comments, which are opinions stated in a fairly calm manner.
But let’s be better and not let this devolve as the last post on this topic.
Because someone already said it better than I:
” DWBartoo September 21st, 2012 at 10:07 am 30
“Voting” is the LAST step in the “process”.
When voting is the ONLY portion of the electoral and political process which the people are REALLY permitted to engage in, then we must reasonably ask whether the conferring of “consent”, which is what a “vote” does”, that is, it ratifies the “platform” and “philosophy” of a “political party”, which is a PRIVATE entity which wishes to control public policy, given the “conditions” and “climate” of this election season is actually an informed and meaningful act?
Until all political parties may engage in the political process, especially the “debates”, and not merely the two legacy parties, and until there is a provision on every ballot for choosing “none of the above”, then it cannot be assumed that the vote is regarded as sacred and inviolate BY the controlling political parties.
That some dare argue that either of the legacy parties is “owed” a “vote”, given the deliberate role BOTH of those parties have had in destroying this nation’s capacity to produce what it needs and requires as well as “off-shoring” the jobs which that “capacity” represents, the near-unanimous support of both of those parties’ members of Congress for HR 347, as well as their continuing support of endless wars, even those begun on the basis of lies … and the appeals to fear and unreason which always accompany those wars … as well as the “bipartisan” embrace of the use of torturer and drones, borders on the ludicrous and absurd. That they are harkened to is not merely depressing but evidence that the people do not fully know or understand what is daily being done in their names, secretly, as well as overtly and blatantly.
Frankly, to vote for either legacy party, today, is both to condone (not merely consent “to”) and “own” the consequences.
That a diary such as this cannot be respectfully disagreed with, cannot be tolerated as not being a THREAT, but simply as someone’s opinion, despite the allegations of conspiracy and destructive intent, is most revealing.
And it stinks to high heaven of fear, of intellectual timidity, social hubris, and of a failure to understand that honest discussion must include viewpoints with which one may well not agree … but views which deserve to be acknowledged and rationally responded to, nonetheless …
If voting does not include the ability to effect the issues of life and death, of health and well-being, of whether there is or is not a functioning rule of law and a means by which the people may protect themselves from destruction from within the nation, as well have all witnessed, again and again, for decades, that is, that the people must have meaningful access to means and methods of protecting themselves and their society from predation and impoverishment, then “voting” is but empty gesture, a play-acting of ritual, a pretense of substance, a cynical mockery of actual and real democratic participation.
Now, while I have reached the point where I am convinced that the primary value of “the vote”, now, is to register, officially, one’s unwillingness to put up with “more of the same” by voting for a third party, I appreciate this diary, Terri, and recommend that everyone at FDL take a few moments to read it and to comment upon it contents and the comments which it has elicited.
Recommended.
DW”
…yes…good comment…thank you ts…the thug like gang ups doing smash and bash smells DKos site like…
I quit DKos due to smash/bash DKos thugs/gangs seeking/doing comment(s) banishing while DKos site let DKos thugs/thug gangs do these attacks/banishing because one had opinion(s) about politics,Obama and I/P DKos thugs/thug gangs did not want posted/seen/thought about.
I feel the same way.
You know it really troubles me when this kind of thing happens here again and again and again. And when I see so many of those I respect here use these tactics, I really am troubled by how easily it happens.
It literally is my way or the highway for some of these folks.
The whole gang atmosphere by some is so incredibly disappointing because it’s the kind of thing I expect at place like HP and Kos. Even here, the tribalism often trumps decency and thoughtful discourse.
Seeing it here really leaves a bad taste in my mouth and I lose a lot of respect for some of those commenting and the editors, who blithely let some horrid behavior pass for the “special” people. I distinctly remember the last time this happened on the same topic when one of the regular diarists (whose diaries are actually quite good and amusing) waded in and used the most objectionable language and displayed the most profound level of disrespect and yet not a peep from the editors. Just nothing. And yet if any of us “not-special” folks had said even a tenth of it, we would probably have been banned (and rightly so for such foul language, and brutally personal attacks). But for the “special” people, the rules are different.
Thank you, tambershall. Maybe I jumped the gun when I agreed that the post was shameful, because I disagree with the concept itself. I looked at it again, and here is the issue that compounded the problem for me. Other than the title, as far as I can tell, the author actually only penned the following:
and
Of the nine words that the author wrote, six of them introduce another author, Ted Rall. The Ted Rall quote is not sourced. While a search does reveal Ted Rall’s syndicated column, I do not see the quote there or elsewhere on search, so it leaves me wondering if he said this during a speech or a conversation.
There is also somewhat of a misleading characterization of the links. For example, “IN ASIA.” That story reports the boycott of the election by three contenders. It has nothing to do with the electorate boycotting the vote.
Had the author offered a couple of specific reasons: “We should join this boycott because it doesn’t make sense to vote during a time of [insert mail order catalog of wrongs here] and if we vote, it will not only [fill in the blank] but we also threaten the very [list of stuff that matters] that this country was built on…
See what I mean? Even a few developed thoughts, in the author’s own words, and this applies to any post, really, will get the reader’s attention and will lead to more constructive debate.
This is all just my opinion, and I do not speak for anyone else.
OK, if Crane-Station is going to set the example by retracting “shameful” I’ll the same. There’s no clear indication at this time of whethr whether the diary’s author is trying actively to divert energy and suppress left-leaning votes (which would, in my opinion, be shameful), or merely advocating for something I don’t see as useful or productive. So I’ll try, as I have on the diarist’s other posts, to argue the issue itself. I stand by the first part of my comment.
Thank you Crane-Station for always trying to bring out the best in us.
Please name ONE boycotted election where the group that boycotted ended up with more of a voice or more power afterwards.
I cannot think of any.
Crane, as always, we’re cool. As I stated: “This is not meant as a barb to the above comments, which are opinions stated in a fairly calm manner.”
And as DW so elegantly stated: why can’t we just talk about it. That’s all I’m saying.
I am NOT!!!!!!!!! saying other people should not vote. That’s not my choice. That’s their choice for themselves.
I think it’s the height of irresponsibility and hypocrisy for me to tell others what to do. And just plain wrong.
I don’t bad mouth other people if they’re voting for Stein or Anderson or any third party. That’s their choice. But I should also have my own choice for myself.
BTW, you have some very valid points about your displeasure with the diary. I agree. But other points, I feel are justified and the whole topic is worth talking about.
Peace. Say hi to Mason for me. Been reading his Zimmerman stuff, and good stuff (even if I don’t understand a lot of the legal issues, talk about over my head – but good stuff).
More info.
Worth the read.
Has info., including voting boycotts in the past and their effects.
http://fubarandgrill.org/node/1172
Same here, tambershall, we’re totally cool. Appreciate your feedback. I am telling Mason, and he is smiling, and appreciates the reads.
If Karl Rove suggested that I boycott this election, my reaction would be exactly what you expect it would be. So, for whom does Terri work?
I do not presume to tell people in other countries what to do to oppose repressive regimes. By the same token, what works in those countries, presuming it does, does not necessarily work in America.
I don’t believe in American Exceptionalism. I just don’t believe your tactic is effective here and now. I don’t see how it serves any usual purpose whatsoever.
At best, it’s a quixotic foray that will have no effect whatsoever on who holds the real power in America. At worst, it’s a fancy attempt by people who are just too damned lazy to even bother to vote to put on airs of moral superiority, which is just so disgustingly bourgeois it’s sickening.