After reading your editorial, 'Bushwhacking' (#219) I want to tell you that I am one American who not only wishes you could cast a ballot in our election (and not for Bush) but wishes our own voters could cast ballots too. As was the case in the 2000 election, Bush's party is doing its corrupt best to disqualify or intimidate hundreds of thousands of African-American and Latino voters, as well as Democratic Party voters in general. I don't know if it's apparent in the international press but people have registered, and are trying to vote in much greater numbers than in previous elections, often fighting last-minute legal battles instigated by Bush's party to do so. Many of our constitutional rights have been taken away by the so-called Patriot Act, and our TV and radio stations are under the control of a couple of huge Bush-supporting corporations. Diebold Corporation, that manufactures the computerised voting machines used in many states this year, which can count votes from remote locations, has contributed millions to Bush's campaign. On the eve of our presidential election, many of us here are more frightened than we have ever been about the course the non-elected president and his administration are taking.

Hilary Dirlam,
North Carolina, USA

. Your editorial 'Bushwhacking' was very eloquent. The fact is that throughout history, 'ham-handed powers' were wont to throw their weight around. Ancient rulers in this part of the world, too, specialised in 'bullying' peaceful nations around them under various guises. Local chauvinists do not miss an opportunity to recall how, once upon a time, the national borders extended from this river to that river.

N A Pityata,
email

. I thought the editorial, 'Bushwhacking,' was brilliant (let the people of the world so affected vote in US presidential elections). You look to be, and read, as the 'hippiest' English publication in Nepal.

F A Hutchison,
Kathmandu