Am I the only one who sees similarities between Kenya's recent elections and the 2000 and 2004 elections in the U.S.?
A close race . . . voting irregularities . . . a declaration of victory . . . thuggish supporters of the "victor" designed to intimidate election officials and the "loser's" supporters. In the U.S., a more "mature" (i.e., comfortable and passive) democracy, the result was sullen acquiescence. In Kenya, where people apparently take the idea of democracy far more seriously than Americans do, the result has been mayhem.
We had the opportunity in the last two Presidential elections to show the world how a close and disputed election could be treated in a careful, lawful way. We blew it. It would be a stretch to claim that Bush, Rove, et als are responsible for the awful wave of violence that has rocked Kenya. But when we fail to lead by example and squander our moral authority in such matters, we indirectly encourage mob rule.
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