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Originally Posted by daswig
Yup, don't do anything stupid that would result in your meeting somebody like me. It saddens me when I meet professionally some kid who has managed to fuck up his or her life in record time upon turning 18...they don't seem to realize that a criminal record will follow them FOREVER. And it will....
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I believe you are voicing sincere concern, daswig......but it is misplaced for at least two reasons:
1.)It is too late for me to "fuck up my life in record time". I am past 50 years of age and my big moment of protest happened 35 years ago when I refused to register for the draft. I was never issued a draft card. I waited seven years until Jimmy Carter's blanket pardon to get my life back.
Right after 9/11 Ari Fleischer warned all of us to "watch what we say". Is that
the kind of country you want for your child to live in? What is more important than freely exercising my right to speak in protest of possible widespread election fraud in close presidential balloting?
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<a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010926-5.html">http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010926-5.html</a>
...........Q As Commander-In-Chief, what was the President's reaction to television's Bill Maher, in his announcement that members of our Armed Forces who deal with missiles are cowards, while the armed terrorists who killed 6,000 unarmed are not cowards, for which Maher was briefly moved off a Washington television station?
MR. FLEISCHER: I have not discussed it with the President, one. I have --
Q Surely, as a --
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm getting there.
Q Surely as Commander, he was enraged at that, wasn't he?
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm getting there, Les.
Q Okay.
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm aware of the press reports about what he said. I have not seen the actual transcript of the show itself. But assuming the press reports are right, it's a terrible thing to say, and it unfortunate. And that's why -- there was an earlier question about has the President said anything to people in his own party -- they're reminders to all Americans <b>that they need to watch what they say, watch what they do. This is not a time for remarks like that; there never is. </b>
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Sorry......Ari......you're wrong, and it is always the right time to publicly label your remarks as un-American, outrageous, and you disgraced yourself !
2.)I wish that you were not so apparently entrenched in a belief system that prohibits you from reacting more like Colin Powell and the patriotic citizens of Ukraine did when they reviewed uncannily similar reports about discrepancies between reported polling results and independent exit polls.
daswig, is there any line to official corruption and hypocrisy that you will not cross? Have you ever given any thought as to your own high limit?
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<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10212-2004Nov24.html">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10212-2004Nov24.html</a>
U.S. Rejects Tally, Warns Ukraine
By William Branigin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, November 25, 2004; Page A36
The United States yesterday rejected the announced results of Ukraine's disputed presidential election and warned the government of the former Soviet republic to uphold democracy or face consequences in its relationships with the United States and Europe.
In a news briefing at the State Department, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell delivered a sharp rebuke to the Ukrainian authorities who yesterday declared Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych the winner of a runoff election Sunday that Ukrainian protesters and foreign observers said was marred by fraud.
"We cannot accept this result as legitimate because it does not meet international standards and because there has not been an investigation of the numerous and credible reports of fraud and abuse," Powell said.
<h3>
His comments came shortly after Ukraine's Central Election Commission announced that Yanukovych, whose candidacy was backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, won the runoff with 49.46 percent of the vote, defeating pro-Western opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko, who was said to have received 46.61 percent. Exit polls on election day had put Yushchenko well ahead, and U.S. and European observers said there were widespread irregularities.
Powell's remarks were more forceful than those the administration made Tuesday when President Bush issued a statement saying the United States was "deeply disturbed" by "indications of fraud" in the elections.</h3>
Yesterday, Powell called for "a full review of the conduct of the election" and tallying of results. "It is time for Ukrainian leaders to decide whether they are on the side of democracy or not, whether they respect the will of the people or not.
"If the Ukrainian government does not act immediately and responsibly, there will be consequences for our relationship, for Ukraine's hopes for a Euro-Atlantic integration, and for individuals responsible for perpetrating fraud," he said.
Powell said he has discussed the situation with Leonid Kuchma, Ukraine's outgoing president and a Kremlin ally who backed Yanukovych, and with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, among other officials. In his conversation with Lavrov, Powell said, "I underscored our strong support for a fair investigation of the election and the absolute importance that no violence is used against the Ukrainian people."
Powell said the United States and Russia want to find a solution to the problem based on legal procedures.
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<a href="http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%257E11676%257E2556219,00.html">http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%257E11676%257E2556219,00.html</a>
.....Outgoing President Leonid Kuchma, who backed the prime minister in the race, said "the authorities control the situation in Ukraine and will not allow a force scenario in spite of any pressure, internal or external," according to the Interfax news agency.
Kuchma accused Yushchenko supporters of trying to "carry out ... a plan of a coup d'etat." He called "on all political forces to negotiate immediately," and on the international community to "refrain from interference in Ukraine's affairs." <b>But pro-Yushchenko lawmaker Petro Poroshenko accused the election commission of carrying out a coup d'etat. "Now the streets will speak. Now the people will speak," he said.</b>
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