Give 'Em the Finger

This image has been seen around the world--72% of Iraq's eligible voters turned out to take hold of a right that has been denied to them for far too long. The turnout by the Iraqi people demonstrated their tremendous courage in the face of adversity; the enthusiasm they displayed belied the entire narrative the western media has been reporting for two years. All of the threats, death, violence and chaos weren't enough to suffocate the embers of freedom that are now being fanned into flames.

There are even signs of new hope here in San Francisco. Tonight I walked down to North Beach to get some quick dinner when I saw a group of Middle Eastern men hanging out in front of Cafe Greco, smiling and laughing. All of them had painted their index finger purple in solidarity with their bretheren. My conversation with them will remain a private matter, but I found it interesting to see a bunch of Iraqi's celebrating freedom and democracy two blocks away from the Communist/Anarchist, City Lights Bookstore (who, ironically, just cancelled their speaking event featuring Ward Churchill).

Many of our good soldiers died to give freedom to a group of people that most of the world thought didn't deserve it; many more Iraqis died trying to stand up to the terrorist thugs that sought to oppress them. There is a long road ahead of them, but today their sacrifices were vindicated as freedom won a major victory over tyranny. Today I pray that Iraq's democracy will continue to grow stronger everyday in the face of the many that have hoped against them.