Giving Muslim extremists the finger

Despite all the dooms-daying and nay-saying that it couldn’t happen, Iraqis went to the polls today to elect a permanent government for the first time in the county’s history. There are plenty of places where you can get the so-called “hard news” of the event, so I won’t go into much detail. Suffice it to say there were a few incidents of violence, but for the most part things went smoothly. Results won’t be known for quite a while, but all in all, initial indications seem to…um, indicate…that the election was largely successful.

Which is fantastic news, really, for anyone who genuinely cares about the causes of liberty, freedom and democracy, regardless of who is currently president of the United States.

There is something going on in some conservative circles, however, that doesn’t quite feel right to me — this whole thing about dipping my finger in ink to “show solidarity” with the Iraqi people. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a staunch supporter of the Iraqi people and their fledgling democracy. I have great respect and admiration for those taking part in the democratic process despite the fact that it can literally endanger their lives and that of their families.

With all that in mind, I feel like I have no business putting ink on my finger. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t deserve that much credit, or any at all, for the current situation in Iraq. My “stand of solidarity” would only, in my opinion, bastardize what the Iraqis have had to endure to earn their ink-stained fingers.

To secure my right to vote, all I had to do was make sure I lived to be 18. In this country, that wasn’t so difficult. And to vote, all I had to do was get in my car, drive to the church down the street from my house, sign a little piece of paper, and push a few buttons.

I didn’t have to endure generations of oppression at the hands of a brutal, maniacal dictator. I didn’t have to fear torture, dismemberment or execution if I happened to be the wrong ethnicity. I didn’t have to worry that I was putting my family in danger by expressing an opinion that criticized the government.

Nor did I have anything to do with toppling the government or providing the security that allowed the seed of democracy to sprout out of the infertile dust bowl of Middle East theocracies.

The most I can take credit for is voting for the politicians in my country that helped make these elections possible.

I just wouldn’t feel right having ink on my finger when all I would have to do to get it would be to walk down to the office supply store on my lunch break. Not stand in line at a poll looking over my shoulder for cars packed with explosives.

Simply put, the Iraqis earned and deserve the ink on their fingers. Not me, nor, dare I say, many of the people sporting it.

I certainly don’t mean to burst the bubble of those showing their support for the Iraqis, because believe me, when it comes to supporting the cause, I’m front and center. I just feel like there are other ways to do it without taking away from the glory that the Iraqis deserve.

Anyway…[Forrest Gump accent] that's all I have to say about that.[/Forrest Gump accent] Nothing particularly earth-shattering, I’ll admit. Just something that’s been floating around my brain today.