Altaf Ali

Will we make a difference?
Posted by Altaf Ali on 03/14/2008

Will We Make A Difference?

March 14th, 2008
By Altaf Ali, MSW

Now that Chunukah, Christmas, Eid Ul Adha, and Kwanza are over let us utilize this moment of sanity and serenity to reflect and decisively determine who we’re going to elect to lead this great nation of ours. Neglecting to vote is no longer an option, we have to vote, let this be our new year’s resolution.

As an American who loves this country dearly, I have watched our image decline on a global scale for the past several years and feel it is our patriotic duty to reverse this horrible trend. It is time for a change; a change for a better nation and a better world.

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Will We Make A Difference?

As an American who loves this country dearly, I have watched our image decline on a global scale for the past several years and feel it is our patriotic duty to reverse this horrible trend. It is time for a change; a change for a better nation and a better world.

It is time we exercise our right to vote and be a true ambassador to democracy and justice. It is time to elect the next president of the United States of America As we look upon the candidates we all have our own inclinations, biases and ideas. I say let us put aside our differences and be a voice of reason. Let us do it for our sanity and most of all for our children and the future generations.

Now that we have all agreed that it’s important to vote and we realize that it is our duty to vote, let us decide who to vote for. Forget about those candidates who want to reform the staple items. We all know that health care, education and tax issues will not change easily.

The candidates know these are the issues we care about, so they will sing our tune. I suggest we vote for someone who exemplifies the true American values. Someone who really cares about us, like how the former Costa Rica president, Oscar Arias, cares about Costa Ricans or the Ecuadorean president, Rafael Correa, cares about Ecuadorians.

Earlier this year, Arias, a 1987 Nobel Peace Prize winner, donated his annual salary to the nations most needy. In doing so he said, "The truth is I will not live better or worse with my salary." What a noble gesture.

A few weeks ago, Ecuador President Correa asked Saudi King Abdullah for permission to sell an expensive jewelry set given to his wife as a gift. The proceeds from the sale will be used to finance social programs in his country. President Correa said, "The jewels do not belong to his wife...It belongs to the people of Ecuador." What an honest and sincere man. This prompted me to send a letter to Saudi King Abdullah asking him to honor President Correa’s request. The letter stated in part, "This is a golden opportunity to by part of an action that is honorable, sincere, and gracious". The actions of these two presidents should resonate in our hearts as examples of true leaders.

We as Americans should demand a leader with such qualities. We should elect a president who exemplifies the true American values. In fact there is a Web site, www.trueAmericanValues.us, that calls upon the presidential candidates to either agree to donate their annual salary or contribute to Americans who are suffering. Today there are 35 million Americans at risk of hunger, including 12 million children. In addition, approximately 46 million Americans do not have health insurance.

This is the America that was once on top of the world. Be part of a change that will benefit America. This is a new year, we should vote for the president who will exemplify true American values.

A newspaper article indicted that 122 million Americans, 60.7 percent, voted in the 2004 presidential elections, a number that translates into the highest turnout since 1968. Let us break the record this year. Just imagine how we as Americans would feel if 100 percent of us vote this year. We would feel our voices and opinions count.

This year, I’m going to exercise my right to vote and vote for the president that exemplifies true American values — universal values that reach across ethnic and religious lines. The world is looking for a leader.

Altaf Ali