I got an email today from an ex-JET, someone who worked not far from Nancy and me. “Bush won,” it said. “Time to flee the country. See you all soon.” Funny thing is, I don’t think she’s joking. Nancy and I have said as much on more than one occasion. “I don’t want to go back to Canada. Not as long as Bush is in power.”

Another American friend went to the Halloween party dressed as an overseas ballot. On the Kerry portion of the ballot were pictures of rainbows and smiling people. The Bush portion featured the death and destruction he will be remembered for. On the reverse were quotes from The Onion, Michael Moore, The Nation, Antiwar.com and maybe even a blog or two. I don’t think my American friend is going home any time soon.

I can’t imagine being one of those 49% of Americans who saw Bush for what he is: a corporate plunderer, an environmental rapist, a genocidal murder and a torturer. His religious fundamentalism, his go-it-alone cowboy bravado, his pure-and-simple pigheaded shit-for-brains-ness has already undone much of what his forebears worked so hard to build since the end of WWII. At the end of these next four years, torture will be the order of the day in every country that deems it necessary. The number of political prisoners in China will increase. Wal-Mart will exploit its workers even more. There will be no places left untouched by the oil companies. It’s only going to get worse. Hate and ignorance is so much easier a seed to sow than peace and understanding. I can’t imagine how those 49% of Americans feel right now, knowing their country and their leadership is going to be responsible for what comes next.

But where do you run to? Japan is helping with the war effort in Iraq, as is Australia and Britain. European companies are flooding the Middle East, fighting tooth and nail for the scraps left by the Americans. Canadian oil fuels the war effort. Where do you go? Do you flee to Africa? Indonesia? Maybe running isn’t the answer.

Rather, people need to continue fighting against it. We need to send letters to the people in power, join marches and sing songs. It isn’t enough to just sit and talk. Being deprived of my voice these past fourteen months has taught me that much. If you want something done, you just have to do it. Action speaks louder than words.