Show 11 r I VOTE WITH FEET The following letter Was written to the Christian Science Monitor by Tedis ot of The first thing I did did after aCter becoming a naturalized American citizen was to register myself as asa II voter Only after that did didI I return home home Voting is not nol only a right but a of every citizen Im I'm only that so many it native born Americans dont don't understand this but take lake everything for granted in my native o country now Communist oc oc occupied Latvia the people have no ri right ht to ex ex- ex express press press themselves freely at the polls I rem remember after Communist ta over hOw the Reds set up elections Only one vot was permitted the Communist Party list parties joined together to present another list but their candidates were arrest arrest- arrested ed as enemies of the people all their Activities s were halted and parties abo abolished Although on election day many despite threats stayed away from the polls several hours before the polls were closed Soviet New Agency Tass 1 announced announced from Moscow that about 98 percent or of Latvians had v voted ted for the communist list What a mockery of free elections A long time after that I managed to vote with my feet I crossed the border of Latvia Lat r I came to America Thousands even millions or of others in dominated Communist countries have voted the the same way with their feet |