Dear American Voter

In less than six weeks the American people will be casting their votes for their next President. The 2008 Election Campaign has proven to be one of the most historically important, with regard to both gender and race. There has been an incredible amount of interest in the 2008 election campaign, not only for the American voters, but also for the people outside America who are inevitably affected, directly or indirectly, by US policies.

The particular significance this election plays in so many peoples’ lives is the undeniably unstable and uncertain nature of the realities we are confronted with, both in America and across the rest of the world. Just a few examples of these issues may include: the collapsing economies, the continuously rising cost of living, increasing unemployment rates, loss of homes, the lack of availability of adequate healthcare and even food, the numerous humanitarian disasters both environmental and/or man-induced and of course the constant threat of war that people from many nations are warned about, regardless of how real or likely these threats are in actuality or not.

The outcome of this election is likely to determine to a great extent what path will be taken to tackle these issues and in what manner the US will interact with the international community, with particular concern on the Middle East, Iran and Russia. However, the outcome of the election is beyond the control of the international community who are anxiously awaiting a decision.

In light of this, I thought it would be appropriate to address the Dear American Voter discussions on what I, someone living in both Europe and the Middle East, is concerned about when it comes to the election of the next president of the USA. MideastYouth has previously posted on the Dear American Voter initiative, a project developed by Link TV that aims at getting the international communities voices heard within America.

Dear American Voter,

I recently returned to the UK from Syria, where I went to visit my parents who have now retired there. It is truly one of the most beautiful countries I have ever encountered, although undoubtedly it has its flaws and weaknesses. Apart from a number of cultural differences, what I realised most of all was the fundamentally universal nature of being human, the striving to simply live. Waking up every morning, earning money, consuming, loving your family, socialising with friends, trying everything in your power to make ends meet while at the same time attempting to enjoy and make the most of the short, temporary and precious life we each have been given.

It is difficult, amongst the welter of distracting images that obscure contexts and omit the real faces of people and places, to think of an ‘other’ as anything more than that. Instead Dear American Voter, I ask you to put a face on the victims of the US Government, because they are no different from you. We may pray differently, but we do not love differently and we do not suffer differently.

I ask you to question your government’s actions, to review the stories we have all been told, to uncover all the contradictions, identify the rhetoric and unearth the truth. It is clear to us and to you Dear American Voter that we have all lost and suffered enough at the hands of our governments. Your troops that have been able to return home, have unfortunately not been greeted by your government as heroes and patriots, instead they have been deprived of adequate medical care and have been refused financial assistance with their education. It would appear to me that the current US government perceives us all as faceless.

If we are to ever live in a truly globalised world, it is fundamental that each nation is able to remain independent and indigenous while at the same time being open to dialogue and negotiation. If this is our aim, to be able to work as a cosmopolitan world to tackle the issues we face such as environmental issues, poverty, etc. then we need the leader of the Worlds’ Super Power to lead us towards this instead of a possible war with Iran or maybe even Russia?!

America should be the greatest country in the world. Unfortunately it falls short. And both you and I, Dear American Voter, are the ones that bear the brunt of its shortcomings. You are suffering now, but instead it is the major corporations that are being bailed out with your tax money. In my opinion one of the biggest scams in history.

I suffer everyday wondering if Syria, my parents, my family, will be the next on America’s list. Unfortunately the decision for who will be the next president of America is out of my hands. However you have the power Dear American Voter, the power to allow for change to occur, the power to decide whether your country continues along the same terminal path or instead if your country is once again admired and looked to as a source of inspiration.

I await your decision in anticipation.

I urge anyone else who feels strongly about the direction our world is going in but who does not have the opportunity to vote in this upcoming election to express their thoughts and concerns to our Dear American Voters, while there is still ‘hope’ for ‘change’.