Today was one of revelation. On December 15th, I watched the Iraqi elections on television, the birth of a potential new, burgeoning democracy. In the recent past, I have been pretty pessimistic about the situation, if only because so many people that touch our lives in one way or another are over there. However, today I look at the Iraqis and I think to myself: "How would I feel if what happened here so many years ago, was happening in the modern age?
I'm going to explore that, if you're still awake - come for the ride.
First things first, I've been largely apathetic to both U.S. politics and world affairs until my first year of college that started out with 9/11. I'm sure that within a few months time, a few friends active in such topics would inform me, and lead me to where I could find helpful information about the current situation for our country. Little did I know that instead I would be thrown into the grinder, an adolescent with an authority problem. I was going to defy wrongdoings that I saw fit.
Throughout this transition, I started using forums like Daily Kos and the such not only to express my opinion, but to see what the reactions were from the other end of the spectrum.
Oh, we're going to war with Iraq? Who could possibly defend this gesture without solid evidence? Attend an an Iraq forum and defend the anti-war opinion when it turns out the presenter was sick. My thought, let's get a debate going in this community. Nice.
Wait, I got drunk on Election Day in a fit of excitement because I read so much about exit poll data during my break at community college? Oh no, now I'm hungover, with a vacation day watching poor John Kerry concede to an idiot leader. I'm from Massachusetts, so I equate it to watching him take off his pants (on national TV, already a problem), putting them in a box on the podium, and mailing them to President Bush with a 24kt. bow and "Thank you for being a friend!" written on the CHRISTMAS card. There, I said it.
Through my experience with our democracy that had almost succeeded, I still gave in to POTENTIAL CRIMINAL voting machines and quick-retreating Democrats. Okay that's fine, I thought, I work with SQL/Access databases all the time, and I might understand this problem. Wait, there's a former felon involved with software development? It's not coming out in the media? Oh shit, time to become more resilient.
And that is what I've become. Through each disaster of this modern world's interactions, I have become stronger and found more outputs for the outrage. As a result, with others I have become the pressure that can eventually change commonthink in a society. This is what the Iraqis are now receiving, almost 230 years after us. However this has taken place, and however pissed off I am about the approach, the past is just that, not the present. Now that it already has happened, the democracy begins whether we like it or not. Since the Iraqi people have been given the blessing (and the curse) of accelerated technology, this is a moment in history that we have never seen before. The spectrum of possible outcomes is incredible, from civil war to an independent government that uses its new power to progress. Provided that Diebold stays the fuck out of the situation (as I've been yelling about for months to the apathetic), we might be able to see a little beacon of light in the Middle East over the long term.
I support long-term withdrawal, and I won't argue it. I just figure it's the best way to approach things, and you might find differently. In the next few weeks, however, take a look at the difference in news coverage about Iraq. With claims that the U.S. news media doesn't cover the progress in Iraq, alongside new elections, you know it will happen. The big question, however, is can the media flash and talk enough to change a world mindset about a global situation?
Let's hope for the well-being of the Iraqis, as they will be the ones writing in new history books about heroes of the country. :-)