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PURPLE BADGE OF COURAGE

By DEBORAH ORIN
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January 31, 2005 -- IT was the blue badge of courage � Iraqis defied evil and danced through the Valley of the Shadow of Death to cast their ballots and then wave the purple ink-stained fingers that proved they'd voted.
The sheer joy recalled the fall of the Berlin Wall, some said, but the Germans dancing around that wall didn't have to face down evil because communism had already fallen, while Iraqis knew they risked death � and more than 30 were killed. "The people have won . . . Take a look today to meet the model of courage and human desire to achieve freedom, people walking across the fire to cast their votes," proudly wrote the Iraqi bloggers Mohammed and Omar.

For over a year the two brothers � whose Internet site is "Iraq the Model" � have recounted Iraq's daily life and their hopes for freedom and yesterday they told of their joy at dipping their fingers in purple ink.

"I walked forward to my station, cast my vote and then headed to the box where I wanted to stand as long as I could, then I moved to mark my finger with ink. I dipped it deep as if I was poking the eyes of all the world's tyrants," one of the brothers wrote.

"I put the paper in the box and with it, there were tears that I couldn't hold. I was trembling with joy and I felt like I wanted to hug the box but the supervisor smiled at me and said, 'Brother would you please move ahead, the people are waiting for their turn.' "

Another Iraqi blogger, Alaa ("The Mesopotamian") wrote: "Iraq will be OK with so many brave people, it will certainly [be] OK. I can say no more just now, I am just filled with pride and moved beyond words."

"Baghdad Rose" � an Iraqi woman blogger who identifies herself as a 27-year-old civil engineer with a daughter aged 3 � posted a picture of her blue-tipped finger in a V-for-victory sign on her Web site. "I did it. I voted. Yes, yes, I did it. I have the courage to vote," she wrote in triumph.



Indeed the high turnout among Iraqi women was a surprise � the same as last year in Afghanistan when some women, facing death threats from Taliban remnants, said the Muslim prayer for the dead, just in case, before they went to vote.

No wonder President Bush could hardly contain his smile yesterday when he said: "Today the people of Iraq have spoken to the world, and the world is hearing the voice of freedom from the center of the Middle East."

The fact that Iraq's election triumph came as a surprise to so many Americans shows how badly they have been served by most press and TV coverage, which told mostly of deaths and trouble and ignored the first glimmerings of new hope.

Iraqis, after all, lived through decades when Saddam Hussein fed people to Doberman Pinschers and plastic shredders and murdered hundreds of thousands who were buried in mass graves.

Iraq's blue badge of courage also poses a challenge to America's Democratic Party � do Democrats really want to become the party of Ted Kennedy, John Kerry and Howard Dean, who paint Iraq as a disaster?

After Iraqis showed their yearning for freedom, do Democrats really want Dean as their new national chairman? Are they proud of lionizing "Fahrenheit 9/11" film-maker Michael Moore for painting Iraq's terror thugs as heroes and "Minutemen"?

All the Iraqis dancing with their flags yesterday were a reason for Americans to be proud of the war that toppled Saddam Hussein and opened the door to freedom � suddenly Bush's second inaugural speech just 10 days before sounded prophetic. "All who live in tyranny and hopelessness can know the United States will not ignore your oppression or excuse your oppressors," Bush said then. "When you stand for your liberty, we will stand with you."

Deborah Orin is The Post's Washington bureau chief.

Excellent article, thanks for posting it.

They showed so many Iraqi's yesterday on the different news feeds, grining as they held up thier inked finger. May God protect these people who are breathing fresh air for the first time in decades.

Dan,

Thanks for posting!

The Iraqi people demonstrated courage and a profound love of freedom in yesterday's election.

Thanks be to our Lord Jesus Christ, Pantocrator, His holy Mother Mary, and St. Michael the Archangel for their help which exceeded all expectations. To God be the glory!

Paul

I should keep my mouth shut & not talk about politics here, but I have to respond.

Seeing Bush reading his speech yesterday (written by his speech writers last year or even before, no doubt) & listening to the pro-government comments on TV, I couldn't help but think back to the communist days with all the manifestations, speeches, elaborate displays of voting. That's what American "democracy" has fallen to.

Well, I was born in the USA but haven't voted since the Reagan days. I know what determines the actions of the US govt. & it doesn't have anything to do with my vote.

I feel great pain for the Iraqi people, especially the Christians whose lives are now made so miserable by America. I don't expect Iraq's Christian community to survive the American occupation, which will create a powerful, bloody Muslim backlash.

Iraq doesn't need Happy Meals, Madonna, Michael Jackson, the Halliburton presence, or what America calls democracy, which is imposed by American bombs, weaponry & troops.

True democracy would be a great thing, in Iraq & many other places. It's just that I don't believe what America is selling in Iraq is really democracy.

The American invasion of Iraq was a mistake, a mistake that costs more money every minute. And Americans don't realize that the rest of the world does not agree with America about Iraq. I encounter a growing hostility towards America, especially among the young.

Stojgniev

Stoj,

I gather then that you are weeping over the fall of Communism and the subsequent burden of voting that has been imposed upon the Polish people.

I am concerned about one thing that you mentioned. I have long wondered if Hussein wasn't the only force keeping Islam from trying to completely destroy the last bastions of Christianity in Iraq. Christians have survived virtually constant persecution in that region for 1400 years. They will doubtless survive this but perhaps not.

Dan L

Dan,

Everything bad in Poland these days (same goes for most other former Soviet bloc countries, but even more so in Poland) has come from America.

The traditional virtues of America (which do indeed exist) just haven't made their way there or haven't caught on.

Example: grafitti is everywhere. A building, even churches & historical structures are renovated & painted, then before you know it they have been vandalized, usually with English words & profanity. But in many Russian cities you have a soldier (a BIG soldier, from my experience) standing in the city center with a rifle, on duty by himself, all through the night. Russia is much less tolerant of vandalism & crime.

If people have been deprived of freedom for a long period of time, you can't just walk in one day & without educating them, tell them they have the freedom to vandalize, do drugs, have deadly soccer wars (can't blame THAT one on America, it's British in origin). I am offended when Bush & other Americans try to export America (their vision of America, that is) to other countries. It's just like the Jehovah Witness who knocks on my door & hands me a tract in any number of languages & tells me that my religion isn't the right one.

This is all my personal opinion, of course. With Iraq we'll just have to wait & see. Will true democracy be established there? I'm sceptical. Was it an immoral, expensive misake to attack & bomb the country? My gut feeling is that it was.

Stojgniev

Stoj,

I can understand your point. Do you think the troubles you have in Poland will be overcome in time? Is this period of trouble temporary, do you think? What should have happened in Poland?

Concerning Iraq: Most people seem to believe that it was good to get rid of Hussein, even those who think he may have been just brutal enough to keep Islam from destroying Christianity. I am concerned about our expenditures of money and life and wonder if any action that is not organic to the people may have many unintended consequences. I think about these things even though I'm generally in favor of what we've done.

Dan L

Dan,

How to answer your question about Poland (especially when I have never met another Pole who agrees with my solutions for the country, which I love deeply)?

The problem in Poland is history, something every Pole carries around with him in his heart & mind. Even today Poles have a kind of radar - they always keep one eye on the Germans & one on the Russians. Just like many Jews are firmly convinced that every Gentile hates them, Poles have been raised to feel that there will always be a threat from Germans & Russians, no matter what is happening at the moment.

And that's why Poles love America. They see virtue in everything that comes from America. I argue with them constantly that they have to be critical, they have to analyze things.

Another problem in my analysis - Poles are virtuous only when they are being persecuted. Subject a Pole to an injustice & he will rise to any occasion. But if it's not a time of crisis, all the negative characteristics of the Polish stereotype are visible.

Having traveled throughout Eastern Europe before the fall of communism, I see today that life was better then in many ways. You can hate communism with all your heart & still admit that.

Within the European Union today Poland is like a 3rd world country. The Western countries have bought up & then shut down the major industries so that they can sell their products there. Poland does not produce anything today that could be exported (except potatoes & vodka). They are introducing MacDonalds & these huge Walmart-type stores everywhere, where the employees are mistreated (even worse than American Walmart employees). Capitalism has benefit just a few. Unemployment in 20-25% in the country, up to 50% in some areas. The young people have no future.

If there were only some way to take a few good things from Americanism (my name for American capitalism) & a few from socialism.... But clearly the American system is not for Poland & Eastern Europe.

The only solution is demographics. Political & economic in Europe & in the world (in the US for example) is going to be determined by demographics. Those groups willing to have & raise children will survive & thrive. Those without children, e.g. future Germans, will become extinct. The Slavs represent a powerful demographical potential. Think what America would be like if it shared a common border with Poland, Russia, Ukraine & if the role of Hispanics in the US was played by Slavs.

So I didn't really answer your question. Just wanted to emphasize that there is very little coming from America these days that actually benefits Eastern Europe.

I guess you are right who you write that "Most people seem to believe that..." America was right to attack Iraq. Right, seems like 98% of the people in the state where I was born think that way. But if we're going to base our decisions on a poll, we have to be aware that the majority of the rest of the world does not agree with America. What's sad is that many people who once admired America have lost respect for the country & its people. Many Europeans think that Bush is a clown, an evil clown.

My sympathy goes with those who have to serve or who have loved ones serving in Iraq. But still, I believe it was an immoral, expensive mistake to attack that country.

Stojgniev

Stoj,

My understanding is that most people in the world including Iraqis are happy to see Hussein gone because he was a butcher. Do you have any conflicting information?

Dan L

I think blaming vandalism on the U.S. (i.e., America) is a poor excuse for bad behavior of Polish people. Should we explain all the bad behavior in Detroit, Michigan, as being a result of having too much Polish culture imported here from immigrants? You explanation is quite pitiful. Why don't you tell those vandals to grow up. Values and valuation is something that belongs to all people. Either one respects the property of others or they don't.

Joe

There are all sorts of studies of people who suddenly become freed from dictatorship and many wind up acting badly. A very interesting study in the form of a travelogue was written by Elinor Burkett, "So Many Enemies" in which she reflects the pitiful state of the various "stans" since liberation. They simply don't know what to do with their freedoms and many long for a return to Soviet domination. The situations in these countries cannot be blamed upon the US. Socialism does bad things to people.

Dan L

Dear Joe,

You are right.

And I, for one, don't blame all the poles for the poor job they are doing holding up our hydro lines here . . .

Alex

The fact remains that most of those elements that disrupt traditional values in the former Soviet bloc come from America. The French have been saying the same thing for years now & I even sympathize with their objections to MacDonalds & Disneyland.

Does America have some responsibility to reign in the cultural & economic phenomena that disrupt traditional values in other countries?

This is really a big part of the Muslim world's hostility towards America. American films, music, styles disrupt their traditional way of life.

Stojgniev

Stoj,

Yet, tradition always reasserts itself. The disruption is only temporary. Moreover, as with all Democracies, it wouldn't happen if the populace didn't wish it to happen. I think that many of these objections come from the elitists in many of these cultures. If they can't control it they attack it. In Turkmenistan where the economy is in the toilet not because of American influence but because of the people dependency upon the Soviet Union the leader of the country likes it just the way it is. They have kept America out and what they have to show for it is a collapsing society.

My own hope is that America will be out of Iraq by the end of this year. I pray that the Churches and Synagogues will be allowed to flourish and that Nazism and Stalinism will finally be laid to rest in Iraq.

Dan L

Dear Friend,

I think there is a European tendency to blame America and American culture in this way, but I don't see how this can be.

American democratic institutions are things that are very positive agents for real social change and economic development and there are good recent international examples of this.

Everyone seems to want American popular culture, especially young people - much to the chagrin of the elderly and conservative sticks in the mud!

It would affect the world regardless, there is no stopping it.

And it has the effect of bringing peoples together who listen to the same music, wear the same type of clothing etc.

Europe and other places are fascinated by what they see as American progressive fashions, styles and politics. Who can blame them?

American society is also something that European society is not - it is personally very religious.

I've been to the U.S. many times and I've seen people in those Macdonald's and Perkins' restaurants (I just LOVE Perkins!) bow their heads and pray as families and groups before diving into those luscious hamburgers, fries and . . . and . . . er, sorry, I lost my head there . . .

Europe has lost a sense of itself and this is why it is imitating the U.S. popular culture (or what it considers it to be).

Where is the Christian faith of Europe? And the morality?

Alex