Mexico's December 12, 2000

[12 12 2000]

Remember how we felt that awful night when the reactionary wing of the U.S. Supreme Court ruled an end to the Florida vote re-count, thus serving up the presidency to the most radical right-wing administration in American history? The stunned disbelief, the sinking heart , the anger, depression, despair, the sense of helplessness. The dawning realization that the next president of the U.S. was to be this transparently shallow, dishonest human being, who was nothing but a tool for the corporate agenda. And how we all just stood aside and allowed the monstrous theft of our election, and indeed of our very democracy. Now, it's poor Mexico's turn, apparently. On Tuesday, Mexico's top electoral court declared conservative candidate Felipe Calderon the winner of the disputed presidential elections. The progressive candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a champion of the poor and of Mexican national rights versus trans-national corporations, has said he will never recognize Calderon's victory and has vowed to form a parallel government. Tens of thousands of his supporters have been living in tents in the center of Mexico City for weeks protesting the theft of their country's election and democracy. I suspect that their emotions on that dreadful day, 9/5/06, unlike ours on 12/12/2000, were tempered by the strength of their numbers and by their courageous, determined activism not to let the corruption stand. I feel such a sense of solidarity with Mr. Obrador and his supporters, and so much sadness at our own citizens' collective supine surrender to what amounts to a bunch of brownshirts' abduction of our precious birth right. Viva Mexican democracy! American democracy R.I.P.

[autorank]

1. Here's what I think....100% agreement

Obrador-PRD Home Page
=================


This is an outrage. The Mexican elections system actually has a very good structure. In fact, they were forced to to a 9% recount and when do we get
one of those here. However, the personnel who man the system stink.

Here's a great resrouce on the election. Read it and blow your mind:

NarcoNews.com series here: http://tinyurl.com/ndcsf

Chuck Collins & Joshua Holland are right on target: http://www.alternet.org/story/39763/

[12 12 2000]

2. Thanks for the feedback...

and the links, Autorank. Helpful.

[autorank]

4. Your statement is quite eloquent...more people need to see it.

They will. Excellent analogy. Were he honest and a gentleman, Calderon would insist on a recount, refuse to be sworn in without that cleared up. We'll see but I've heard nothing like this. My understanding is that the diplomatic community in Mexico City is pretty clear that this was rigged and stolen. I'm sure many others know that. Why not speak up? Oh, wouldn't be prudent.

I suspect that on the "exploitation" scale, Mexico is right at the top with all the multinationals poaching there. The people must just be sick to death. This probably wasn't even close...but when the winners brother in law is involved in the creation of software for the "independent" election institute, well, you never know how things are going to work out.

[Me.]

3. In Remembrance

K & R

Welcome to DU

*shadow government*

[UTUSN]

5. Not the same

1- AMLO is not a "progressive." He is being abusive to the poorest, most wretched part of the population for his own messiah ends.

2- If you want to fight OVER THERE instead of OVER HERE, you are just like Shrub ("we're fighting over there so we don't fight over here")

3- Yeah-yeah, solidarity-corruption/solidarity-corruption. Why don't you fight BUSH HERE???
instead of demanding that BROWN BLOOD BE SHED OVER THERE?????????

[EFerrari]

6. Welcome to DU, 12 12. I couldn't agree more. It must be a

very hard day in Mexico today.

(And, we aren't dead yet!)

:)

[UTUSN]

7. ?

[EFerrari]

8. I think I need the words to understand the question. lol

[UTUSN]

10. I've always understood you before (and will again) n/t

[EFerrari]

15. I get attacks of obscurity. Only meant, today a leader was chosen

in Mexico and half the country must be very upset. And, our democracy isn't dead yet because they can have it when they pry it out of our cold dead hands and we aren't dead yet.

(Not sure that's any better. lol)

[Wiley50]

11. University of Texas/ United States Navy ?

Quite a resume.

Why are you so concered anyway?

I don't get it.
Every pro-Obrador thread. There you are.

What is your stake in all of this?
If you don't mind me asking.

[12 12 2000]

9. hope you are right, sfexpat...

but I aint holding out much hope. This November could go a long way in determining that. By the way, I've been a member for years - I only drop by on occasion. Should do so more often, if for nothing more than the sense of community

[EFerrari]

16. I hope you do drop by more often. We need all the community

we can get, no joke.

[cal04]

12. hi 12 12 2000

thanks for the post, I agree

I know that a lot of us had the very same feelings, we know how they feel, and I kind of wished that we would have supported Gore the way they supported Obarador. Everytime I see pictures of his supporters, I am so totally amazed. The millions of supporters that rallied with him in the streets and the tents set up all along the highways was incredible. Obrador and his supporters are doing what's been done all through history, fighting for what they believe, especially when they said ballots were trashed and recounting of the ballots, were done without, as the law requires, the presence of representatives from all the political parties.

[12 12 2000]

13. Unfortunately Gore surrendered...

and did not call us 'to arms' as Obrador has. There's a symbiotic energy between leaders and their followers - if only Gore, then Kerry had rallied us to stand up for what was right! If only if only if only.... a loser's lament :(

[mod mom]

14. Gore surrendered after the despicable SCOTUS decision. (I hope those

5 Justices are haunted by that decision). Worse to me is '04 because they should have expected it and the Dems have been silent (until recently and with the exception of Conyers, Boxer et al) despite the evidence. I only hope they have a plan for November, but after '04, I have serious doubts. There are days were my heart is so heavy worrying about the near future and this issue. Of course there are those of us who will be out in the streets, again, but I don't believe the thugs will back down-especially when facing war crimes investigations. So what then?

Welcome to DU 12 12, I wish more people were following the events in Mexico. I am afraid of instigators of violence down there. I believe Chavez is also worried of this and watching very closely the developments. Pls visit us on the Election Reform forum.

[12 12 2000]

17. "I wish more people were following the events in Mexico."

Remember how the networks couldn't get enough of the 'People's Revolutions' in Ukraine, Georgia, etc? Well they sure don't want anything to do with the one to the south. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that Obrador and his party care more about their own people than trans-national corporations! While the Ukraine and Georgia were "our kinda guys". The average person in this country won't know what's going on if Katie Couric ain't telling them about it.

[EFerrari]

18. And I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that BushCo helped

steal this one. Who was the BushCo whore that did the hit pieces on Obrador? And Choicepoint was in there and away we go.

But, for them it isn't over. And it seems as though it will not be over because the people have had enough. I only hope that not too many people get hurt or killed, doing what they need to do.

[mod mom]

19. You got that right. Don't forget that Italian source

saying special ops were sent in. Doesn't sound so far-fetched knowing bfee's MO.

[EFerrari]

20. Are you kidding me? The corporati have been messing with

Latin America since God was a boy. :mad:

My brain is too old or tired to remember the BushCo shill that produced the vile campaign ads against Obrador. Oh, the BFEE was in there, all right.

The thing is -- and this is lovely -- BushCo has been spending so much time in the Middle East that they don't see what's coming at them from Latin America. Except that Hugo Chavez wakes up every day and figures out a new way to piss Junior off in the most personal way, just for fun.

lol

:toast:

/typo

[Bridget Burke]

23. Lopez Obrador has the support of his Party.

And of the thousands of Mexicans who have hit the streets in protest.

Gore had no such support.

[12 12 2000]

25. Gore did not demand support...

as a great leader would have, as a great leader like Obrador has! It does beg the chicken or egg first question, though, doesn't it? If the Gore voters (full disclosure, I voted Green/Nader, though I was and am totally outraged at the 2000 'results' that gave us gangsta government) had taken to the streets en mass perhaps Gore would have been emboldened to force the issue. Or if he had spoken up the followers would have then... who knows.

[Bridget Burke]

26. So--Nader is your "Great Leader." Explains a lot.

Of course, if you lived in Massachusetts then, you considered that vote "safe." There are enough real Democrats in the state.

As a Texan, my vote for Gore was certainly not going to "count"--there's that darn Electoral College. But I voted for him anyway.

[LunaC]

21. If only our own citizens were as passionate!

Living in tents in protest? Candidates starting a parallel government? Not while the malls are open and American Idol is on tv. Too many Americans are apathetic and shallow.

[raccoon]

22. Agree. Americans are too comfortable.

Right now, that is.

[Annces]

24. Support for Obrador

I wonder how long this will stretch out. Mexico and US ruled by unwanted rogue governments.