First of all, I guess my vote really did count, since Villaraigosa was elected as the next Mayor of Los Angeles - and the first Latino since Cristobal Aguilar in 1872.Despite the electoral result, it is disappointing to believe that less than 1/2 a million people voted in Los Angeles for Mayor. That’s only 32 % of the 1.4 million registered voters - which is only 36% of the 3.8 million total residents in the city of Los Angeles. That means that only 11% of Los Angeles voted for mayor. Wow!

By contrast, over 72% of Iraqis voted in January for their 1st election - and that in the midst of bombs and bomb threats. Sure, I know, that was a “1st” and a national election. But still. It is hard to wave the flag of the “land of the free and the brave” when we don’t turn out to vote.