Memoirs written in prose of Sergeant Robertson, Damon M. USMC while in Iraq | ...with frequent appearances of King Hammurabi.
If you are new to this journal, make sure to start reading in chronological order by scrolling down to the bottom of the oldest post in October 2004. Damon's letters from August 20th, 2004 - October 23rd, 2004 were all added to this blog on Oct. 23rd, 2004. All subsequent letters are posted in real time.
Monday, October 25, 2004
Re: ADDRESS INFORMATION
Dear Family and Friends: Not that I want to sound pessimistic, but at this point it seems *highly* unlikely that my absentee ballot will ever reach me in time. Indeed, even if I already had it, I wouldn't be able to mail it back to the states in time to make my vote count. A little sad story is unfolding if you read further. This will (given the lack of ability to vote this next week) signify 8 years of presidential politics I have had no say in. I was unable to vote in the Gore/Bush war of 2000 because I was in bootcamp and the DI's didn't give a rat's butt about the recruits' right to vote. Including the 4 years that are about to be ushered in with the upcoming elections, that makes 8 years. Why don't I get to vote this time? I dunno. Ask the people in SF city hall why they didn' t process my request, or maybe why my mail is stuck somewhere in an iso container in the Kuwaiti desert. I have only voted once in national elections, when I was 18 or 19. Blah blah blah. But get this. Even the Marines that have their voter's ballots here probably won't get them back in time. Mail takes forever and a day (by modern standards) to get to us and back to the states again. The military, and not so much the "powers that be," are to blame, I'm sure. Anything that has to do with our families or "back home" or mail or food or sleep gets put on the back burner. Do I need to state that my service here, in that it contributes to a democratic iraq, sort of rubs me raw when I don't even get to participate in our farcical (no real option) two-party system? Let's say, for sake of argument, that I was one of these poor army stiffs who've been involuntarily extended in my stay here, and as a result I wanted to vote for a candidate that would let me come home, all other considerations notwithstanding. NEITHER CANDIDATE OFFERS THAT AS AN OPTION. And somewhere in there, G.I. Joe manages to not get his absentee ballot. Oh well. What's the difference anyway... :D
# posted by chevas @ 3:33 PM 