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When these same things happened recently in Yugoslavia we shook our heads in disgust. However, it doesn't have to be this way. We can rise above this. We can show the world that we really do mean what we say about democracy, and about how "every vote must count," and that the true government of this nation indeed rests with "We, the People." You have the power to do this. You have the power to demonstrate to the rest of the nations of the world that we really are the shining light that we claim to be. You have the power to prove me wrong to my son. You see, I really do want him, and his younger brother, to believe the things they are taught in school. I still want to believe those things myself. You know which candidate really won this election. You know which candidate was selected by the people of this nation. You know which candidate has been attempting all along to obtain a fair and accurate tally of all the votes, and who was willing to accept the results they gave, but who has had to confront his opponent's cronyism at every turn. You have been entrusted to represent the people of this nation in making the final selection for our President. I urge you, I implore you, I plead with you, to listen to the voices of the people, especially to all of those whose voices were silenced. When you cast your votes, I urge you to think about how the rest of the world will judge us, and how history will judge us, and how our children will judge us. Will we do the right thing, and stand up for the principles that we have been preaching, or will we take the easy way out, and legitimize the same tactics that we deplore everywhere else in the world? That choice is ours, and you will be making it for us.
I realize that this will take immense courage. Along those lines, allow me to share something personal with you. You know me because of a comet, but there's actually something else I've been involved in recently that I'm much prouder of. The story starts over 20 years ago, during the fall of 1979, when the U.S. Embassy in Tehran was seized and several of our fellow citizens were taken hostage. I was a Midshipman in my senior year at the Naval Academy at that time, and like many of my fellow Midshipmen, I was ready to take up arms and go to Iran and fight to get our people back.
Things change over time. During the past eighteen months I have led two delegations of American scientists and students to Iran to engage in peacemaking efforts with our counterparts in that country. A lot of people told me I was crazy for wanting to go over there. I guess it did take some courage, but I don't think I was crazy. I met many wonderful people in that country, and I have hopes that the dialogue that I and my fellow delegation members have facilitated will someday lead to a climate of trust between our respective nations.
Purely by coincidence, today -- the same day as the U.S. Supreme Court ruling -- I received a letter from one of the Iranian students I met during my most recent visit there. She tells me that they have been following our election there, and they're wondering what's going on here. She did say that this election reminds her somewhat of their recent Parliamentary elections. Nevertheless, the people of Iran choose their President, and they have a powerful voice. They have an uphill struggle ahead of them, and they will need a lot of courage, but I believe they have that courage, and I believe they will succeed.
Perhaps we need to learn from their example. For the sake of our nation, and for our children, I ask you to please cast your votes for the Presidential candidate who was selected by the people, and help give back to our nation its light to the world. Please, please, allow me to look my son in the eye and tell him that, yes, the principles that we have tried to teach him that our nation stands for, really indeed, are the truth.
Respectfully,
Alan Hale
Cloudcroft, New Mexico
NEXT: THE PSYCHIC DEMS NETWORK:
"MISS DIVA" TRANSCRIBES SCOTUS HEARING
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