an open letter for the citizens of the united states of america

This November, you will go to your voting precincts and cast your vote on who will lead your country for the next four years. You will vote for your leader who will guide and protect your way of life.

Before you cast your vote for John McCain or Barrack Obama, please, please, consider also that it is not just your country that will be affected by your choices, but the whole world as well. Your votes will determine not just how the USA will be in the coming years, but almost every country on earth.

I am not an American, and I am in no way affiliated with any of your country’s political parties. I am from a third world country asking you to vote for Barrack Obama, and here are the two very important reasons why.

First, the world can’t afford another war in the name of fighting terrorisms. And from my vantage point, I’m seeing that Senator McCain’s legacy, if he will be elected as president, will be just like that of your President Bush: war. To quote Bush himself (based on what i read on a Yahoo! report) "We need a President who understands the lessons of September 11, 2001: that to protect America, we must stay on the offense, stop attacks before they happen, and not wait to be hit again,” said Bush. “The man we need is John McCain.” First it’s Iraq, then Afghanistan and recently, there was reportedly, a Bush-authorized military operation on Pakistan without that country’s knowledge. Then what’s next? North Korea? Iran? Russia? When and where will it end? I know that Sen. Obama also doesn’t rule out military actions on rogue countries posing threats to America, but he has also said that he won’t rule out peaceful diplomatic actions first. The Republicans criticize him when Obama proposed having talks with Iran’s leader. I’m asking, what’s wrong with that? Talk is bad? Would you rather your missiles do the talking with Iran? What if Iran talks back with their own missiles? What do we have? War.

You are spending billions of dollars on Iraq. Billions of dollars that you could have used better in humanitarian help to impoverished Muslim and African countries. Wouldn’t that be a better way of combating hatred against anything American? I say to combat terrorism, you must dispel the wrong views of those supporters of the terrorists that America and Americans are bad. If they will see that you are spending billions of your dollars on humanitarian help, would they still "terrorize" America?

In the long history of the USA, you were only attacked in your own soil twice by foreign elements. First by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor, second, on 9/11. That only means you are doing a good job on your national security compared with what the rest of the world is experiencing everyday until now. You don't have to be on the offensive always. You don't have to wait until you are hit again. Just be vigilant. And I don't believe that Obama will also let terrorists attack your country again. He can do that, you can do that, not just by attacking other countries first.

Bush is saying Iraq is a success; you have liberated the Iraqis against a dictator. Then why not liberate other people with dictators as their leaders. Start with North Korea and Iran. Thousands of American and Iraqi lives are lost in the Iraq war. Is that “success”? And what did this war really succeeded on? Where are the WMD that Bush says you will take out, as the reason in invading that country? They say Iraq is more peaceful now with the surge of additional American troops. Well, what do you think will happen to a place if you put a lot of military personnel, peace of course. But on a temporary basis only, until you go home, or until you let the Iraqis take care of themselves. They can do that. We Filipinos managed to take out our own dictator. The question is, how long will you be in Iraq?


The second and the most important reason is your economy. A weak American economy affects the whole world. Who is better equipped in reviving your economy? By McCain’s admission, he doesn’t know much about economy. And please do us, citizens of the world, do us a favor and study the economic plans of both candidates. Which plan can help you, in turn, helping the rest of the world? Don’t take the word of the leaders of both parties, do your own homework and study their proposals. Read about them in independent organizations’ reports.

The presidential race in your country is a tight one now based on surveys. I say, that shouldn’t be the case if you will base your vote on issues and not personalities. Half of the Americans are being swayed by the McCain campaign’s “change Washington” mantra. Two months ago, was that what the Republicans were saying? Was Sarah Palin anti-pork two—no, last month? The answer is No! They are saying that only now and half of you Americans are buying it. They are only saying that because they’ve realized that that’s what you wanted to hear. And half of you are falling for that. Unbelievable.

And here I am thinking that you guys know your politics, that you are wise voters. Well, now I can say that we Filipinos are not alone on this one, because we also elect our presidents based on personality.

If my views are naïve, excuse me but that is what I gather from watching, listening and reading about your country. If my views are wrong, I can safely say that my views are the same of that of the other citizens of different countries. If our views are wrong, help us understand you. Do that, this coming election.