African Elections

[Martin Hash]

IMG_2113[1].JPG

Americans don’t comprehend the value of their right NOT to vote. Even other presumably liberal nations, like Australia, force their citizens to vote, and nations in the developing world mire their populations in an orgy of frivolous voting. As an American, mandatory voting seems so ironic because democracy is not the ultimate goal – liberty & freedom are – democracy is simply a tool for exercising them. How can liberty & freedom, maximum personal choice without obligations, possibly be reconciled with FORCED voting?! Obviously, “democracy” has been a perverted to totalitarian ends for propaganda reasons – yes, even in the West.

I was in Brazzaville, Congo, on the eve of their presidential election. In attendance was candidate-for-life strongman, Denis Sassou. His political platform for the country seemed to be: No citizen there can possibly hope for liberty & freedom but they can get a fine track suit, umbrella, or shawl adorned with Denis’ smiling rotund face. To ensure that his promises got across, on the days preceeding the election, the streets were filled with speaker-trucks blaring election slogans far into the night, and free rock concerts and beer overwhelmed the city. No newspaper headline went a single day without espousing the glories of voting for Denis Sassou – vote or else! Obviously this election was for the "people."

One of my traveling companions was handed a t-shirt in a crowd. He put it on, little realizing that the face on its front was NOT Denis Sassou, but an erstwhile opponent. Soon people were yelling something to him but he could not understand what they were saying. Finally, a concerned passerby whispered to him in English, “you may be killed if you don’t take off the shirt.” Now, that’s what I call a serious bit of democracy…

p.s. In the poster, Denis is holding up a hankey he allegedly uses to wipe away the tears of concern he has for his people.