Zimbabwe, Africa or Perry County -- Hard to tell the difference

The recent political turmoil in Africa sounds a lot like what happens in Perry County. Replace the name Mugabe with your favorite Perry County party boss (Byrd, Hill, Branscum, House, Johnson) and it reads the same. Our county has a long way to escape "third world" status. Just like Zimbabwe, we have to break the political machine first and insure free and fair elections.

Here are some highlights.

"A free and fair election is impossible," Tsvangirai told reporters Sunday. "We in the MDC have resolved that we will no longer participate in this violent, illegitimate ... sham of an election process."

Patrick Chinamasa, Zimbabwe's justice minister, denied the MDC's allegations of intimidation and said Tsvangirai was dropping out to avoid "a humiliating defeat."

But Britain, the former colonial power in Zimbabwe, blasted Mugabe's government for claiming a "tainted" victory built on "state-sponsored violence."

But Tsvangirai said a spate of arrests targeting MDC members, allegations of vote-rigging and attacks on the party's followers -- including an attack on an MDC youth rally by followers of Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF party in Harare's stadium -- convinced him that a free and fair vote was impossible.

To read the full article click here