A Vote for Kerry Is a Vote for World Cooperation

We Are All Americans

Jean-Marie Colombani, Le Monde (liberal), Paris, France, Sept. 12, 2001.

In this tragic moment, when words seem so inadequate to express the shock people feel, the first thing that comes to mind is this: We are all Americans! We are all New Yorkers, just as surely as John F. Kennedy declared himself to be a Berliner in 1962 when he visited Berlin. Indeed, just as in the gravest moments of our own history, how can we not feel profound solidarity with those people, that country, the United States, to whom we are so close and to whom we owe our freedom, and therefore our solidarity? How can we not be struck at the same time by this observation: The new century has come a long way.

With these words, a French journalist poignantly expressed his empathy and support for the United States after September 11th, 2001. Since then our country has been less than friendly or respectful of France due to their refusal to support the illegal invasion of Iraq. Many of our government officials have made rude and inappropriate remarks about France. Inspite of America's childish rants, French officials have behaved in mature ways. However, under Bush's administration, our relationships with France and many other allies have been nearly obliterated, hopefully not beyond repair.

John Kerry, one of the senate's experts in foreign affairs, exudes maturity and depth. A NYT article in February, endorsing Kerry in the primary, read,"He can discuss virtually any issue of security or international affairs with authority...He understands the nuances and shades of gray in both foreign and domestic policy.." The editorial goes on to say that Kerry positions come from mainstream American thought. His concern for budget deficits, the environment, gun control, and the military are extremely strong.

I believe that John Kerry will repair the bridges Bush has burned. And Kerry will build more bridges as well. He has the experience to do this well. I am putting my trust in his leadership because I believe he cares about America in a way that Bush does not and would not. We have a president now who can't even take the time to learn how to pronounce foreign names and places. We have all shuddered upon hearing the tapes of his fractured attempts to say "Abu Graib." It is enough to make one wish for the floor to open up. If all of us can pronounce those words, why does our president falter so painfully? He simply doesn't care. John Kerry can bring us back from the brink where we now teeter precariously. We must make a Kerry presidency happen. The alternative is certain disaster for us and the whole world.

A quote for the day popped up on my homepage. It said "It is a good thing to be rich, it is a good thing to be strong, but it is a better thing to be beloved of many friends." (Euripedes, the great poet)

I thought to myself when I read that- we had many good friends before Bush came along. Now we have few. That is one of the great tragedies of the last 4 years. Bush seeks to be rich and strong, but he has no need for good friends it would seem, except his rich friends who admire him for his selfish qualities and mediocre character.

So as not to end this article on a Bush note, I repeat my previous thought: Kerry is our hope. He is just a man, a human being, but he will be a good president. We must give him the chance.