The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

'Anybody but Bush' a poor alternative

Sen. John Kerry, if you are paying attention to this constituent, I wish to publicly describe my 10 reasons for not voting for you in this year's election for the office of the president of the United States:

1) Your support of this bogus "war on terrorism," even going so far as to say, in paraphrase, "I will hunt down and kill all those who threaten us," while failing to ask the key question: Why are they so angry?
2) Your support of the occupation of Iraq, the installation of a puppet regime, and the construction of at least 14 new military bases in the country, ensuring our presence in the region for generations to come.
3) Your support of Israel and their continued oppression of the Palestinian majority as the nation moves further each year to a system of apartheid.
4) Your support of the crippling embargo on Cuba, which is tantamount to economic terrorism on the struggling population of that country.
5) Your support of the Patriot Act, which has stripped thousands of citizens of their rights to the basic privacies guaranteed to us in the United States Constitution.
6) Your support for the continued funding of the military-industrial complex for the construction of needless weapons and vehicles, while over 59 million Americans live without health insurance.
7) Your failure to address the human rights violations at Camp X-Ray, Guatanamo Bay, including the rape and torture of hundreds of prisoners who have been held without the right to legal counsel for more than three years.
8) Your failure to hold industrial corporations accountable for environmental clean up of their own waste, instead passing the costs on to taxpayers.
9) Your failure to stand up for the rights of all Americans, regardless of sexual orientation.
10) Your failure to stop the frivolous lawsuits against Ralph Nader, paid for by the Democratic National Committee, meant to keep him off the ballots in swing states.

All this, and your running mate supports the death penalty, while simultaneously admitting the current system is egregiously flawed.

Sen. Kerry, I have lived with a failed administration for four years, and I fear another term under the current leadership, but you did not convince me that you would make the fundamental changes needed to improve our standing in the world, reduce corporate influence in government, and better the lives of ordinary Americans.

'Anybody but Bush' may seem like an impassioned rallying cry, but left with the choice of either a missile or a bullet, they are both destructive.

Until the democrats stop towing the line by pandering to corporate interests and supporting the military-industrial complex, among other deficiencies, I will continue to seek out and vote for alternative candidates, regardless of their realistic ability, or inability, to win their respective election races.

Erik Mauck
alumnus, 2000

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