Last two popular petitions were not very difficult to handle but this! Are we going to see breakup of another empire in our life time? Under the ‘We the People’ programme, White House is bound to respond to any petition with 25,000 or more signatures (anyone who is above 13 can file a petition). Earlier filed worth mentioning petitions are —- asking for White House beer recipe (which was provided), and legalisation of marijuana (which was obviously declined). But this time it’s bit tough. Are we going to see the same divide which resulted in American civil war?
More than 20 petitions have been filed by around 100,000 Americans, 25,000 only from Texas, representing more than 20 states, to allow their states to secede from the US. Most of these states represent Republicans strongholds (though few from swing and blue-Democrat states as well). Petitioners are citing different reasons for the demand —- economic rundown, federal government mismanagement, blatant abuses of American rights, intrusive screening at air ports and few other interesting ones. Out of these reasons, a valid one could be the fragile state of economy and prevailing joblessness. But do the Republicans realize what they have done or have forced others to do in last ten years —- wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have drained the economy. It erased the illusion about American supremacy on the world stage. They need to realize that the America’ future is not in the hands of its White population anymore, there are other groups —-blacks and Latinos who are now asserting themselves. They didn’t vote for Obama because he was coloured but they think his policies can make a change in their lives –increased taxation on super rich, reining in the corporate culture, healthcare for all, reasonable moves towards integration of deserving illegal migrants.
The US constitution doesn’t permit secession of states from the Union; however, there is no harm in trying while sitting in one’s study with a laptop and net connection.
Interesting days ahead.
MASOOD KHAN
Jubail, Saudi Arabia