Watching the news this weekend, I found that I was both hopeful and depressed- Hopefully Depressed, if you will. The top story was the Ukrainian Election drama. Ok- So, a former soviet bloc country is having problems with free and fair elections- I'd never have believed that (sarmcasm alert!). As of this mornings New York Times, the government of President Kuchma is trying to work this mess out legally and constitutionally, but I don't know how I feel about all of this. I mean, if they were serious about the need for fairness, why aren't they investigating the election more transparently? All that the protesters want is to know that the votes weren't rigged and the best way, in my opinion, to do that is to very visibly audit the election. I can understand that they are going through a very peaceful, though destabalizing, civil disobedience moment, but if they elect the guy who rigged the elections, they are in trouble, and now the eastern regions are threatening cessesion if they elect the guy who didn't rig the election? They just can't win it seems like. Yes! This is my WESTERN opinion, but as I type there is speculation that the attempts by the governement to find a solution are just smoke on the water. It makes me wonder if what we're watching in the east is what was happening 300 years ago in a little place called the Americas. Oh, wait- It Is! Getting back to my origional point, I was hopefull because of the peaceful protest by the populace, but depressed because this means that they need another 250 years to be a viable state... ok, so 250 is an exageration, but not in my lifetime fits. Maybe, if the whole world pulls together, there's a chance that some form of peace could be found, and that could only be a step in the right direction.
On a different thread- I am a bit curious why all of the Bush bashing seems to have ended. Just because he's been elected doesn't mean that he shouldn't be answering to his critics outside of capitol hill. It seems like everyone is either taking a break or giving up- so which is it? Refering back to my previous rant about Mr. Powell, I was exstatic to hear that Colin is going to begin to work on bringing peace to the Middle East. It's a wonderful thing, but I question the ability of such a plan should Mr. Bush not support their innitiatives. But then the question becomes, why wouldn't he support them? So Mr. Bush, the clock is ticking, and I would like to see some promises kept for once.
CSHL- 30 November, 2004. Foyles Coffee Shop, SoHo, London, United Kingdom
