Hey, everybody. Long time no talk to. You know, after reading this and this, I’m getting a little tired of the idea that Ralph Nader should have stayed at home on his rocking chair this political season instead of trying to make a difference. Here’s my response to these people. It’s long and ranty. Fuck it.

---

Are Americans really so out of touch with Democracy that we’ve forgotten the point of it? Everyone gets a vote, and everyone can participate. It’s our responsibility as voters to choose our government, and we are not well served by having fewer choices. I would think that the land of Capitalism would understand that.

Last time I checked, Patriot Act notwithstanding, we still lived in a free country, where everyone gets a chance to have their voice heard. Ralph Nader has as much of a right as any of us to participate in the electoral process. If you truly want to see Ralph Nader stay out of politics, then vote for someone else. Encourage your readers, listeners, friends, and loved ones to vote for someone else. But, whatever you do, knock off the argument that Ralph Nader shouldn’t even be on the ballot.

I voted for a third-party candidate in the last election because I was moved by something he said when I saw him in person. He said that true change in politics never comes from the majority. Rather, the new, society-altering ideas come from third parties. Although it’s true that the fringe often comes up with ideas that are frivolous or unrealistic, it’s also true that the fringe is where many ideas of weight and substance find life and vigorous debate. It is vital that we understand this as Americans and not allow minority voices to be silenced, whatever we personally think of them.

If Nader’s ideas carry such sway that his piddly little 2-3% of the vote is going to make such a difference, then we’ve got a bigger problem in this country than Ralph Nader. Quit the chest-thumping and do something really hard – find and give voice to a reason to vote for the Democratic nominee that will convince even a dyed-in-the-wool Republican to change his mind. If you can’t do that, than any argument you make against Ralph Nader is just a bunch of hot air.

Carping at Nader to get out of the race serves no purpose other than to make you sound desperate and undemocratic. Getting rid of George Bush is a transitory, expedient platform that will carry no weight at the end of the day because people recognize on some level that Bush got to be president because we let him. We’re responsible. Half of us voted for him and the rest of us stood by and watched – as we have stood by and watched for years – while our public officials behaved without honor, yet with impunity. We’re responsible and we know it.

Getting rid of Bush is not the most important thing in the world; if he gets back in office, the world will not end. What should be important to all thinking, feeling, freedom-loving Americans is our Constitution, our principles and our integrity as a country. We cannot stoop to sacrificing them even for a moment if we truly love and honor this country and hope for its renewal.

See, the real dirty little secret about Ralph Nader is that he understands the game better than any of us. His candidacy is important not because he thinks he can win or because he thinks he’ll all of a sudden make the Green Party the Next Big Thing. Nader’s candidacy is about keeping the power elite on their toes, making them accountable, keeping them from getting complacent. Nader’s participation is exactly what it will take to “displace the corporate regime of the Bush administration.” It is a feint. It serves to scare the Democrats into working harder.

In fact, if you really want things to change, maybe you should be throwing your weight behind Ralph Nader. Do you think the Democrats on their own are going to come up with a principled stand and a vision for the future that will sway swing voters, that will energize the electorate? Or do you think that, left to their own devices, they would engage in endless carping and bickering over this or that policy, over this or that momentary scandal, and call it debate? (Hint: Look how long it took them to settle on the safest, most middle-of-the-road candidate.)

No one person’s presidency, no matter how damaging, is more important than the principles of our Constitution. Period.

I’ve got news for people – 2004 ain’t gonna be like 2000. It’s not going to come down to a few thousand votes in Florida. Don’t make the general’s mistake of fighting the previous battle. The vote needs to be won early. It needs to be won today. It needs to be won with ideas and integrity, with vision and with hope. We cannot win by simply arguing against George Bush. We’ve got to win by arguing for a better America.

A vote for Nader is a vote for Bush? Are you shitting me? Who the hell do you think you are to tell me that if I decided to vote for Ralph Nader, or any other candidate, that I’d be throwing my vote away? A vote for [insert candidate’s name here] is a vote for America. A vote for [insert candidate’s name here] is a vote for Democracy. A vote for [insert candidate’s name here] is my choice. Shame on you for suggesting that my moment in the ballot box should be one of expediency and gamesmanship rather than a moment to fulfill the long-fought, hard-won privilege of participating in a free society.

When I pull back the curtain on Election Day, it will be with my integrity and principles and love of this country intact, thank you very much. And if George Bush is back in office, it will let me know that I have to work that much harder to sway the hearts and minds of my fellow countrymen through the next four years.

If the price of freedom is eternal vigilance, then the price of democracy is eternal toil. You haven’t won the race if you’ve gotten rid of the competition. I thought that might be one thing we in this country would understand.

P.S. Lay off the unjustified attacks on the man’s character. It is unbecoming. If you really have so little faith in the American electoral process that you have to resort to slander to defend it, then you’d better take a long hard look at just what kind of country you’re defending.

• No Related Post

Friday, March 5th, 2004 @ 5:11 pm Rants
RSS 2.0 Both comments and pings are currently closed.