Hundreds of thousands of Iranians are in the streets demanding liberty. Officially 37 have been killed: shot in the streets and in their dorm rooms. Iranians are standing up to the Mullahs. They are standing up for freedom and they are being killed.

These are not people who were promised a day in the park for a free rock concert, sausages and beer. These are people who are risking everything to go against an evil theocracy. It is no longer simply a matter of candidates, the Mullahs are in real danger of losing their power, and they know it.

Ronald Reagan stood at the Berlin Wall and demanded: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” In that moment the world changed. That was leadership.

There is an opportunity here of historical proportions. Two thirds of the population of Iran are under the age of thirty. Most of them are pro-American! These protests have the potential to take down a regime. The Iranian people are crying for democracy not theocracy.

Where are you Mr. President?

As a citizen of the world, why aren’t you decrying the violence and thuggery going on in Iran at this very moment?

As a human being, why aren’t you applauding the brave Iranian women tearing off their headscarves and leading this revolt?

Mr. President you told Ahmadinejad and the Iranian Mullahs that, “We will extend a hand if they will unclench their fist.” Sir, they are using that fist to hammer their own people for exercising the very human rights we hold dear.

Where are you Mr. President?

The Iranian people must know they are not alone, that free people across the planet stand with them.

Democracy was brought to the people of Iraq with the blood of our servicemen and women. Will you shed some television time to free the people in the streets of Iran?

As the president of a republic birthed out of revolution, will you hold out your hand to the revolutionaries who are ready to die in the streets of Tehran for freedom?

For the past five months I have seen you on the television eating cheeseburgers, pondering puppies, swatting flies and pushing fear-driven agendas. Will you have the audacity to take five minutes to broadcast a message of hope to the Iranian people?

With all due respect Sir, I believe this to be a defining moment in your presidency. For you to continue to remain silent will be nothing short of a moral failure that history will not soon forget.

Sir, you do not have to endorse any candidate, you only need to endorse democracy! Germany and France already have! Why can’t we?

We Americans, those of us who do not subscribe to the teachings of Saul Alinski, are extremely proud of our heritage. We hold ourselves to the standards and ideals of that “Shining City on the Hill.” We expect our President to act like the leader of the free world, not react like a Chicago politician.

Sir, destiny is calling and this is not the time to vote PRESENT.

Who are you Mr. President?

Chris Burgard