Ohio -- Ground Zero: Full Text with permission of Iconoclast
All--
Please read and forward this incredibly patriotic, stirring editorial on voting fraud from the Lone Star Iconoclast, which the editor has given permission to me to forward and post freely. This is the newspaper in Crawford, Texas, that received hateful retaliation after it endorsed Kerry for president. Republicans canceled their subscriptions, so progressives around the world responded by taking out new subscriptions.
Now, this courageous editor has written a passionate editorial declaring Ohio the new ground zero for the survival of democracy, and further declares that all Americans must pitch in to "to take back what has been stolen, for this theft carries the stain of treason."
OPINION OF THE PUBLISHERS
OHIO -- GROUND ZERO
The spirit of freedom is essential to the American character.
Some experience it with but a mere twinkle in the eye, while others wear it like a chip on their shoulder.
Yet there are those who choose to reject the spirit of democracy for myopic greedier pastures. They would discard the creation of Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin as immaterial and no longer relevant in a world being redefined by a neo-conservative mold in which Americans act ccording to government policy, speak according to government propaganda, and think as the government dictates.
During the month of December, Ohio has become ground zero, where rests the survival of democracy as we know it, for this will be the test of whether America will stand for an election riddled with irregularities.
The test will determine if the true spirit of honest elections will continue to exist in America or if honesty, like respect and cooperation, has become a dinosaur.
although the battleground in Ohio might be described as one of abstraction, lacking the smoke-filled sea of asbestos and lead that was ever present at ground zero in New York, its pungency is just as caustic because this battle will determine whether democracy will gasp its last or reign as an icon of truth.
Although some Ohioans might applaud Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell's fascist sorcery to make impossible a manual recount in time for the Electoral College elite to cast their votes, citizens of the United States from coast to coast condemn it.
Take heed. This is not merely an election issue isolated to the state of Ohio.
Ohio is not an island.
That state's decisive posture on the Electoral Colelge makes this a national referendum.
Those championing honest elections look upon slimy efforts to disintegrate the ghost of freedom as abhorrent. Many are joining forces through rallies, marches, and protests to educate America of the potential flight of truth. At the same time, they are extending their voices into Ohio as they descend upon ground zero to attempt to clean up the mess created by election irregularities that are too numerous to even remotely be considered accidental.
The Iconoclast applauds the initiatives of the freedom-fighters who with substantial courage are standing up for rights that would normally be taken for granted. We encourage others to pitch in and help, to be heard, to take back what has bene stolen, for this theft carries the stain of treason.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson is one among thousands seeking the truth. "We want to know how deep this pattern goes," Jackson said. "We have been continuing to pursue the outcome of the election with disturbing findings...We want a ufll investigation of these irregularities," he said Sunday.
The time is now to draw a line in the sand--to give not one inch, one millimeter, one vote toward the cause of skewing this electoin. This recount, no matter the outcome, conducted properly, is a necessity for democracy to prevail. Without it, America can never trust another election.
-- Written by W. Leon Smith and Don M. Fisher
http://iconoclast-texas.com/Columns/Editorial/editorial... E-mail from the editor verifying permission:
You have our permission to distribute it as you wish. Thanks for the compliment.