Ghanaian Kwesi Addae came to the US as an election observer, sponsored by the group Global Exchange. The reception he received wasn’t a warm one:
I was in the hotel lift when somebody saw my tag. That person told us: ‘Your presence here is very offensive’.
We are not here to find fault or criticise.
The US has been involved in foreign elections – there ought to be reciprocity, a sharing of expertise.
Friend Thomas Crampton has a great piece in the International Herald Tribune, an overview of the perspectives offered by international observers of the US election. His piece concludes with yet another enthusiastic welcome for international observers, this one from Republican congressman Jeff Miller:
“Get on the next plane out of the United States to go monitor an election someplace else, like Afghanistan.”
(Miller was re-elected last night, with 74% of the vote in his Florida panhandle district.)
Rebecca Mackinnon’s beautiful new RConversation pointed me to the Onion’s predictably wonderful commentary on this matter: US Inspires World With Attempt At Democratic Election”.
Personally, not feeling real inspired right about now.