Madam, - On November 2nd, I was eager to get to my local voting station, to have a voice in the changing of America. A proud immigrant, from Aghamore, Co Mayo, I was there by 6 a.m when the polls opened. I'll be the first, I thought, in all of West New York, New Jersey, to play a part in restoring democracy to this once great land.
The woman at the voting station, also an immigrant, had trouble with the English language but that did not deter her from assisting her fellow citizens. When eventually she found my name, I cast my vote for John Kerry and rushed happily to the public school in New York City where I teach English as a Second Language.
On November 3rd, I woke up at 4 a.m. with a knot in my stomach. I leaped out of bed and turned on the radio to hear the worst possible news of the day.
It felt like 9/11 all over again. That's how badly I felt. I dragged myself to work like a zombie. I made no comments to my students about the election.
Imagine, a teacher of English as a Second Language, not telling young immigrants about the election of a president in the land where they dreamed of having a better life.
What's wrong with America? Why did we elect the most dangerous man in the world to be the most powerful leader in the world? I haven't listened to the news or read a paper in four days. I'm in mourning. - Yours, etc.,
MAURA MULLIGAN,
West New York,
New Jersey.
Madam, - The level of bile continuing to spew out over RTÉ and through the print media is staggering.
Most of it is directed at George W. Bush, or at the American people in general, for having had the audacity to re-elect him as their President.
As an American Democrat, I can and will accept the will of the people, as did John Kerry when he so graciously conceded defeat. Any election that can bring out 115 million people to vote is a shining example of democracy at work.
The people have spoken. You don't like what they said. Get over it. - Yours, etc.,
GERALDINE CUSACK,
Hanover Square,
Dublin 8.
Madam, - Maybe we should offer the services of the people that brought us the second Nice referendum to the American nation. - Yours, etc.,
E. HICKEY,
Morehampton Square,
Donnybrook,
Dublin 4.