To Vote or Not to Vote?

There were elections this week across the United States.  Some were quite heated with harsh words and accusations thrown about.  Bitter rivals.  Strong emotions on all sides. 

And yet, as far as I know, no one was killed for voting "the wrong way" -- being against the party which prevailed.  No one was killed for speaking out against the prevailing party or against the results. 

There were also elections in Zimbabwe last year.  Robert Mugabe was running for re-election.  Mugabe former hero of the 1980 revolution, head of the ZANU-PF party, and president ever since.  His opposition was Morgan Tsvangirai, head of the MDC party. 

Mugabe "won" again.  The people rose up in revolt.  Eventually, a unity government was formed. But in the meantime, many people who voted the "wrong" way were hunted down and executed. 

As we formed relationships with the people we met, we asked about what it was like during the uprising.  We spoke with P, the woman at the hotel who cleaned our rooms.  She told us who during this time, three of her brothers were killed.  She is now caring for their 7 children in addition to her own.  She works extra hours trying to earn enough money to buy a home large enough for them all. 

We heard stories like this too horrifyingly often.

They were executed for the mere fact that they voted against the ruling party -- ZANU-PF -- and for the MDC (Movement for Democratic Change.)

Zimbabwe, once the breadbasket of Africa, is now a failed state.  The economy has collapsed.  Inflation has soared.  The ZimDollar is now worthless (even printing a 100 trillion dollar bill which meant little), and they now only accept the US dollar. 

Zimbabwe, once having the highest rate of literacy on the continent, is now a police state.  One day we had free passage on the main roads.  The next, a security check point appeared, stopping each and every car.  Police with AK-47s stood in the intersection.  More stood just off the road amidst the trees with more weapons.  We didn't have a problem since we were traveling in vehicles from Africa University. 

Except one time:  we were stopped.  The guard looked in the van and asked our driver "how many citizens?"  "Seven," came the answer and we were waved thru.  In actuality, only the driver was a citizen. 

We were instructed -- repeatedly -- do not take pictures of police or government buildings.  This is a picture I snuck on our last day -- not even in Zimbabwe, but in Botswana:

How many exercised their right to vote this week in the US?  

I'm known for being very involved and very vocal about my political views (et tu, Maine??)  To live in a country where that small comment could result in death...