I’m still in the euphoric afterglow of Obama’s victory. I suspect many of us are. I’m looking forward to the stories we’ll hear from around the world about this. It’s more healing internationally than I suspect Americans can possibly imagine.
In its most flippant terms? I believe this vote means American college kids can stop sewing Canadian flags on their backpacks to travel in Europe. I mean, fuck, during Bush’s reign there have been companies selling “Canadian” kits with our anthem, passport covers, and more, for Americans wanting to “lay low” abroad.
That’s because we’ve all been living under a cloud of What The Fuck? since Bush got elected.
Obama, though, represents everything awesome about America. He’s a throwback to the American leaders who so squarely defined America as the defender of ideals, the protector of its people, and the chief negotiator on the world stage. He’s a reminder of what presidents were — we remember what JFK and FDR did for the country, and this guy, he’s running on bringing that kind of politicking back to the national stage but with a modern twist. FDR never had the internet to inspire or unite his electorate with, after all.
He reminds us of the America that has set the pace for the entire world for a century. He makes it seem like, after a few decades of interruption, America has remembered who it is again. Continue reading
Tag Archives: election 2008
And Then It Was Over: Election 2008
This waiting has been insufferable. I dread a bad election day. I fear problems. But I anticipate an Obama victory. As far back as March I was saying, deep down, I thought Obama might take this election by a landslide. I believed then. I believe now.
It doesn’t mean I’m not scared. Shit happens. In 36 hours I’ll probably feel a lot better than I am.
But then again, my whole life right now is waiting — waiting to sign papers for the loan I’ve been approved for, waiting for the bed I’ve chosen and put a deposit on to be delivered next weekend, waiting for my back to heal, but most of all, waiting for a leader of the free world who wants to inspire hope, not fear, who wants to work with others, not drive a wedge between them, and who thinks dreaming a bigger dream isn’t the mark of a fool, but rather the mark of greatness.
In short, I’m waiting. I’ve waited a lifetime for a leader to inspire me like Obama does. I’ve waited a lifetime for a country to lead the way and say, globally, that dreaming of better days isn’t just for yesterday anymore. Continue reading
A Stupid "Political" Comment and My Not-So-Restrained Retort
So, I’m a shit-disturber. I usually put a muzzle on to keep the firepower to a minimum, but, fuck, that’s just not fun anymore. I figure I have more fun being a loose cannon and if that loses me a few readers but tickles the rest, then so be it.
After all, Dr. Seuss said it the best: “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”
That said, pertaining to my rant on Sarah Palin, a reader decided to leave this brilliant comment:
James, Posted October 14, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Barack Hussein Obama is scary.
Its not just Jeremiah Wright a hate monger, its not just Tony Rezko a convicted criminal, its not just Bill Ayers a terrorist… …its that time and time again Obama just says “oh, I didn’t realize that” and Americans are just suppose to accept that?? Does Obama have poor judgment or is he a liar??
What exactly is Obama’s Black Liberation Theology that he has been learning for over 20 years http://tinyurl.com/3g57fb
Well, I decided to inform James Ignorant Twit of just how much a goof he is for thinking it’s positing any kind of an argument. And that clip? At least I know when shit’s propaganda, dude.
Anyhow. My “comment” back to James wound up being a semi-inspired rant and turned into a lengthy post in its own right, and why make you work and go find it? I’ll share it here.
You should really read the Palin rant first and get in the mood if you haven’t yet. And if you liked that, you’ll love this. If you hated the Palin rant, well, sorry, sugar… you’re in for a long fucking three weeks.
My “comment” back to James, then, without much more ado (albeit I edited a couple of lines, heh heh):
_____________________________
THAT’s your source, JAMES? Are you fucking KIDDING me?
Read a newspaper! Read real news sources! Don’t watch some fucking propaganda from some questionable source and tell me that’s credible. COME ON. THINK FOR YOURSELF. Continue reading
Why Sarah Palin Scares Me
If you read me, and you’re a fan of Sarah Palin? I’m offended by your ignorance, and the fact that you deem me entertaining yet take THAT THING seriously. Don’t read me, please. It’s insulting. And educate yourself.
She is ignorant, uninformed, inarticulate, and frankly, dangerous. If you support her? You are, too.
Let’s talk about all the reasons I hate this woman. As much as I dislike that word, hate, this woman prompts that feeling in me for all the things she stands for, that I stand against. Few brands of people fill me with as much terror as someone like her.
For starters, rape victims were on the hook for part or all of the rape kits in her town of Wasilla. Her chief of police did it, and she never tried to stop it. Some reports state her town had the highest rape statistics in Alaska, which had the highest rape statistics in America. Now, there’s no proof Palin ever argued in favour of keeping this policy, but she sure as hell never tried to repeal it — which you’d think, as a woman, she might feel like getting on side of women, and as a mother, that she’d want rapists off the streets–whatever the fiscal cost. Gee, if you’re not willing to spring for rape kits so you can properly investigate whodunnit, I guess the same rapists stay in business, huh?
On the question of whether she would allow a daughter who was raped by her father and made pregnant to abort the baby, she said she would “counsel” them to “choose life”.
The woman believes homosexuality is a choice. In 2008. In the same interview I’ve just hyperlinked to, from CBS, she said:
Continue reading
Is it Possible?: Sex in the White House? Without Infidelity?
Something I absolutely love about the Obamas is the intensity of their attraction to each other. It’s so obvious. He lights up when he sees her. She totally adores him. But it’s bigger than that.
Probably the best footage I’ve ever seen that represents their relationship was this footage shot behind the scenes while they both were seated on stage during some other talking-head’s speech, and Barack and Michelle were holding hands. But it was different. He had this shy boyish smile, the kind teens will have when they’re ogling someone they’ve got a mad crush on, as he looked down at her hand and kept tracing his thumb over it, outlining her fingers, playing with her ring, and squeezing it here and there. And he just kept having this little shy grin as the moment stretched on and on, totally unaware the camera was on him, just having this seemingly private-yet-public endless moment with his wife in front of thousands of people, while someone else apparently had the camera and the limelight on ’em.
And I just thought, you know, you don’t see that in politics. You don’t see romantic gestures with intimacy and immediacy. There’s a reason so many political marriages are called marriages of convenience, or political unions. Passion doesn’t seem to have been their primary motivation, most of the time.
I mean, it’s awesome to see a 14-year marriage with passion, and in public. They’ve publically admitted they have a great sex life. They still have “date” nights, and regularly, even during the campaign. He’s religious about getting home for family Sundays, even during the heated campaign he’s been waging. Their two kids giggle and laugh, openly admitting that they love it when their parents cuddle and kiss in front of them, and they’re not ashamed at all about their parents’ romantic life.
Michelle Obama said it pretty great when asked if she was worried about fidelity in politics: “I never worry about things I can’t affect, and with fidelity … that is between Barack and me, and if somebody can come between us, we didn’t have much to begin with.” Continue reading
A Little Political Round-Up: Good News!
I definitely get into the politics on this blog but you wouldn’t believe how much I’m often restraining myself.
Lordy, have I got me some opinions.
But tonight I’m going to bed with this odd little thing. It’s there, niggling. Deep, deep down, burrowed in the base of my belly, there it is: Possibility. A little thing called hope.
Here, in one of the darkest political weeks I can recall, like, ever, a niggle of hope. Maybe even a wiggle?
The Washington Post has announced, for the first time since Clinton’s win for the White House, a Democratic candidate has broached the 50% mark in polls in the weeks leading up to the election. Obama has snatched a considerable lead — nine points — over McCain. 52% to 43%. Continue reading
Obama by Way of a Detour or Two
I wrote this back in March. I don’t have the time, really, to write in the morning, got home late tonight after dinner out. A thing or two to say of that at another time, probably.
But in honour of the awesome happenstance down south today, when Obama officially accepted the nomination and made what was one of the greatest political stump speeches I’ve ever heard, I’m gonna throw this posting up. Since, like, the opening goes double for tonight’s fucking phenom of a speech. But bear with it, it takes a couple detours. You know me.
Feeling political hope? New. I like this.
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I’ve now both read Obama’s entire speech on racism in America today and watched it, and, boy, I like this guy, man. I like him a lot. I think he’s the politician I’ve waited a lifetime for. I don’t think anyone could run on a platform of complete change and not achieve any. I don’t think you can articulate what’s so wrong with a country today and not have had ideas for a lifetime on what to do to fix them if a chance ever comes.
I have, for a while now, believed that Obama is, in some respects, a master manipulator, but I believe he does it for the right reasons — to make himself a viable candidate. By not polarizing people too greatly earlier in his career, he can stomp his feet a little louder now and achieve more through it.
He’s far from perfect and I have no illusions, but you gotta understand where I’m coming from. Continue reading