Iranian Election of June 12th: I've been following the Iranian election over the last few days. For those of you who haven't, the race between the conservative Incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the reformist Mir-Hossein Mousavi was particularly heated and close. It's been hard to determine how close, because many sources have been heavily biased, but it was close enough to drag out a record number of voters in Iran. The final count was announced suspiciously quickly, and gave Mohmoud Ahmadinejad nearly twice as many votes as Mir-Hossein Mousavi. For days, protesters have taken to the street in outrage over the blatant election fraud, in numbers not seen since the Iranian revolution of 1979. Tensions are high as the Islamic regime is facing a severe challenge to its authority.
What would this be like if it was happening in America?: After campus quads around the nation attract hundreds of protestors, America would closely huddle around their TVs wondering why Adam Lambert wasn't the rightful eighth American Idol. The dispute would go to appeals court after appeals court, until the endless string of bureaucracy bores us into remembering that changing the system takes even more effort than bustin' our chops from 9 to five.
Sousan Boyle Loses Britain's Got Talent: Susan Boyle, the embodiment of the classic underdog story and clear favorite in Britain's Got Talent loses to street dance troupe Diversity. With such an upset, the only explanation found is that everyone thought Boyle was guaranteed to win, thus no one bothered to vote.
What would this be like if it was happening in America?: Susan Boyle would have won, because America knows that every vote counts!
African Couples Urged to Get HIV 'Love Test': HIV is an epidemic in the African Kingdom of Swaziland, with roughly 26% of the population infected and only 1/4 of the infected being aware of it. In a new campaign to try to prevent the spread of HIV, couples are urged to get tested together so as both partners are aware if either has the infection.
What would this be like if it was happening in America?: Be it Africa or America, most Americans still wouldn't give a shit.
This post was written by Jake Lucas.
