CA: Dreams, doubt at El Toro poll ( Iraqis vote ....)

The Orange County Register ^ | Saturday, January 29, 2005 | JEFF ROWE and VIK JOLLY The Orange County Register

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

IRVINE – For Iraqis in America this weekend, the mark of freedom is a right index finger stained purple.

As they voted Friday at the old El Toro air base, Iraqi expatriates were required to dip that finger in jars of the bright ink, which takes several days to wear off. It will allow authorities to easily identify anyone who tries to vote a second time.

All seemed overjoyed to vote once.

"This is a dream come true," said Sami Aljabiri of Phoenix, who works for a transportation company for disabled children. "For the first time in my life I can practice the right of voting."

[OldFriend]

People travelling hundreds of miles to register. Then travelling those same hundreds of miles to vote......

Just watching brought a lump to my throat. Many thanking President Bush for making it happen.

And then we have their american counterparts shrieking because it rained on election day or a man in a suit actually appeared at a polling place in Ohio.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Did it seem strange to anyone that another "suicidal, copycat" 25-year-old man parked his SUV on the railroad tracks at 4 a.m. Thursday in Irvine, which is within spitting distance from El Toro?

God bless the brave citizens who will not be cowered.