Today is the day I got my DC Voter Registration Card in the mail.
Yay.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Final Debate
Sen. McCain-
You know what happens when you make a spending freeze? You get Park Rangers and other uniformed Government employees who don't have uniforms to wear. You get government workers and facilities going without necessary supplies and repairs.
Also, shut up about abortion, because you have no idea what it's like to be a woman or be faced with that issue. And if you assume someone who's pro-Roe v. Wade can't actually be qualified to be a SCOTUS justice, that kinda indicates a "litmus test".
And "eloquence" isn't a dirty word, you jerk.
Bob Scheiffer-
You are awesome. I <3 you.
Sen. Obama-
I kinda want to see you get angry. You know I'm gonna vote for you, but I kinda want to see you tell McCain what a racist, ignorant moron he is. Because it makes me angry that the Republicans let all kind of racist bullshit fly and pretend they have nothing to do with it. And you haven't said a single thing about McCain that was anywhere near as terrible as the things that have been said about you.
And also, amen on the reducing unwanted pregnancies.
You know what happens when you make a spending freeze? You get Park Rangers and other uniformed Government employees who don't have uniforms to wear. You get government workers and facilities going without necessary supplies and repairs.
Also, shut up about abortion, because you have no idea what it's like to be a woman or be faced with that issue. And if you assume someone who's pro-Roe v. Wade can't actually be qualified to be a SCOTUS justice, that kinda indicates a "litmus test".
And "eloquence" isn't a dirty word, you jerk.
Bob Scheiffer-
You are awesome. I <3 you.
Sen. Obama-
I kinda want to see you get angry. You know I'm gonna vote for you, but I kinda want to see you tell McCain what a racist, ignorant moron he is. Because it makes me angry that the Republicans let all kind of racist bullshit fly and pretend they have nothing to do with it. And you haven't said a single thing about McCain that was anywhere near as terrible as the things that have been said about you.
And also, amen on the reducing unwanted pregnancies.
Monday, October 13, 2008
"Destruction of Indigenous Cultures Day"
Columbus sailed for India found Salvador instead
he shook hands with some Indians and soon they all were dead
they got TB and typhoid and athletes foot, diphtheria and the flu
'Scuse me, great nations comin' through
-"Great Nations of Europe" by Randy Newman
One of my Anthropologist friends and I got into a conversation today about how Columbus Day shouldn't actually be a holiday. And certainly not in the "yay for the Nina the Pinta and the Santa Maria" kind of way. I respect the courage it took to look for an all-water route to India from Europe, to sail into those unknown waters. But when we teach our children about it, I think it's also important to teach them about the consequences. I can't honestly completely begrudge European settlement of the Americas, because if it hadn't happened, I wouldn't be here, but that doesn't mean it didn't cause a lot of pain and suffering.
Also, the notion of granting Columbus credit for "discovering" anything is kind of ridiculous. And, no, not because the Vikings got to Canada before he made it to the Caribbean. But because the native people of the Americas knew that their land existed. Things aren't hidden just because a European has never seen them, Columbus didn't discover American anymore than Dr. Livingstone discovered Victoria Falls.
Of course, most people are just happy to have a three-day weekend...
he shook hands with some Indians and soon they all were dead
they got TB and typhoid and athletes foot, diphtheria and the flu
'Scuse me, great nations comin' through
-"Great Nations of Europe" by Randy Newman
One of my Anthropologist friends and I got into a conversation today about how Columbus Day shouldn't actually be a holiday. And certainly not in the "yay for the Nina the Pinta and the Santa Maria" kind of way. I respect the courage it took to look for an all-water route to India from Europe, to sail into those unknown waters. But when we teach our children about it, I think it's also important to teach them about the consequences. I can't honestly completely begrudge European settlement of the Americas, because if it hadn't happened, I wouldn't be here, but that doesn't mean it didn't cause a lot of pain and suffering.
Also, the notion of granting Columbus credit for "discovering" anything is kind of ridiculous. And, no, not because the Vikings got to Canada before he made it to the Caribbean. But because the native people of the Americas knew that their land existed. Things aren't hidden just because a European has never seen them, Columbus didn't discover American anymore than Dr. Livingstone discovered Victoria Falls.
Of course, most people are just happy to have a three-day weekend...
Thursday, October 2, 2008
VP Debates
I started watching, then stopped, then started again.
Dear Senator Biden:
I was so happy when you said that you supported rights for same-sex couples. And then you had to go and say you didn't support gay marriage, and my smile turned upside down.
Also, "madrassa" is the Arabic word for "school". So when you say that we should help build schools instead of madrassas, my head kinda hurts. I get that "madrassa" has a specific connotation in English, but still.
xoxo
Evelyn, who's gonna vote for you anyway
Dear Governor Palin:
Try not to look so scared. And "Change" is the Obama slogan. Also, if I'd made a drinking game featuring "maverick" "hockey mom" and anything about families, I'd be drunk by now.
Peace and Love,
Evelyn, who would only vote for you if your politics resembled Tina Fey's as much as your face did
Dear Senator Biden:
I was so happy when you said that you supported rights for same-sex couples. And then you had to go and say you didn't support gay marriage, and my smile turned upside down.
Also, "madrassa" is the Arabic word for "school". So when you say that we should help build schools instead of madrassas, my head kinda hurts. I get that "madrassa" has a specific connotation in English, but still.
xoxo
Evelyn, who's gonna vote for you anyway
Dear Governor Palin:
Try not to look so scared. And "Change" is the Obama slogan. Also, if I'd made a drinking game featuring "maverick" "hockey mom" and anything about families, I'd be drunk by now.
Peace and Love,
Evelyn, who would only vote for you if your politics resembled Tina Fey's as much as your face did
Friday, August 29, 2008
Dear Senator McCain
Not all women are the same. The possession of a XX chromosome and a uterus does not mean that we all possess a hive mind. Disgruntled Hillary Clinton supporters will not leap over to the Republican party because a woman is on the ticket. Especially when that women is anti-choice and has minimal experience.
Just a piece of advice,
Me
Also.
Today I saw some kids who looked to be college freshmen wearing McCain '08 shirts. Someone please explain to me how anyone under the age of 45 thinks McCain is a good candidate (or any Republican, for that matter). Explain why anyone who isn't a rich old white guy, or a white guy who hopes to be rich and old someday, votes for that party. Because I don't get it. I seriously wanted to stop and talk to these kids, and ask them why on earth they thought that McCain had their best interest at heart, especially the girls.
Just a piece of advice,
Me
Also.
Today I saw some kids who looked to be college freshmen wearing McCain '08 shirts. Someone please explain to me how anyone under the age of 45 thinks McCain is a good candidate (or any Republican, for that matter). Explain why anyone who isn't a rich old white guy, or a white guy who hopes to be rich and old someday, votes for that party. Because I don't get it. I seriously wanted to stop and talk to these kids, and ask them why on earth they thought that McCain had their best interest at heart, especially the girls.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The commentators on PBS just said that Eleanor Roosevelt would be proud of Hillary Clinton's speech.
I agree. I also think that Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucy Stone and Lucretia Mott and Carrie Chapman Catt and all the women who fought long and hard to get women the right to vote and equal status as full citizens in this country would be proud.
I want to go back in time and show this to them, to keep them inspired through all their struggles. And thank them for making this moment possible.
And I love Sen. Clinton's speech about whether or not people were in it for her or in it for what she stood for. You don't vote for a person, you vote for a platform. To vote for a Republican because your candidate didn't get the Democratic nomination is foolish, and voting against everything your candidate stood for.
I agree. I also think that Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucy Stone and Lucretia Mott and Carrie Chapman Catt and all the women who fought long and hard to get women the right to vote and equal status as full citizens in this country would be proud.
I want to go back in time and show this to them, to keep them inspired through all their struggles. And thank them for making this moment possible.
And I love Sen. Clinton's speech about whether or not people were in it for her or in it for what she stood for. You don't vote for a person, you vote for a platform. To vote for a Republican because your candidate didn't get the Democratic nomination is foolish, and voting against everything your candidate stood for.
When I grow up...
I want to be Michelle Obama.
Watching the introduction to her speech last night, I got a little annoyed. After all, she's not the Obama running for President, but they were hyping her up like she was. And I hate our political culture for making it so that Mrs. Obama has to give that speech to humanize herself and her husband, to connect to voters. Since she isn't the one running for office, her story really ought not to be that relevant. The home life of a candidate should only be relevant insofar as it reveals hypocrisy (e.g. the employment of undocumented workers by an anti-immigration candidate) or possible conflicts of interest. The rest of what matters should be the candidate's position on issues and his/her experience. Of course, in our 24/7 news cycle and with an electorate that makes decisions based on who they'd rather have a beer with, all kinds of things that would be irrelevant in an ideal world become supremely important.
Having said all that, I think Michelle Obama is fabulous. She held herself up as a picture of the American dream come true last night, but I'm not sure she really got how true that seems to lots of young women. Reading Jezebel last night, a lot of commenters expressed a great deal of admiration for Mrs. Obama. She really seems like a woman who has it all. She's beautiful, intelligent, poised, well-spoken. She went to great colleges and got a fantastic job at a law firm which she then left to do work that mattered to her. She's married to an amazing man who seems to really adore her, and she has two adorable daughters. She had a successful career of her own before stepping down to devote herself to her husband's campaign.
Now, I obviously don't know the Obamas, and no marriage is perfect, but they really seem like they respect, admire, like and love each other. You can see it in the way they look at each other, and it's in the cute story of their courtship.
A marriage of two equal partners, a meaningful job, a happy family life. That's what so many women struggle to find, to balance, and Mrs. Obama seems to have it. I remember when I was younger, feeling disappointed by the number of my heroes who seemed to not be able to find that balance. Granted, it was harder in a different time, but to read inspiring stories of women who changed the world but seemingly had to sacrifice being wives and mothers to do it was depressing. And I certainly acknowledge that not all women want to be wives of mothers, but it's nice to see these examples of women who manage to do it all.
Watching the introduction to her speech last night, I got a little annoyed. After all, she's not the Obama running for President, but they were hyping her up like she was. And I hate our political culture for making it so that Mrs. Obama has to give that speech to humanize herself and her husband, to connect to voters. Since she isn't the one running for office, her story really ought not to be that relevant. The home life of a candidate should only be relevant insofar as it reveals hypocrisy (e.g. the employment of undocumented workers by an anti-immigration candidate) or possible conflicts of interest. The rest of what matters should be the candidate's position on issues and his/her experience. Of course, in our 24/7 news cycle and with an electorate that makes decisions based on who they'd rather have a beer with, all kinds of things that would be irrelevant in an ideal world become supremely important.
Having said all that, I think Michelle Obama is fabulous. She held herself up as a picture of the American dream come true last night, but I'm not sure she really got how true that seems to lots of young women. Reading Jezebel last night, a lot of commenters expressed a great deal of admiration for Mrs. Obama. She really seems like a woman who has it all. She's beautiful, intelligent, poised, well-spoken. She went to great colleges and got a fantastic job at a law firm which she then left to do work that mattered to her. She's married to an amazing man who seems to really adore her, and she has two adorable daughters. She had a successful career of her own before stepping down to devote herself to her husband's campaign.
Now, I obviously don't know the Obamas, and no marriage is perfect, but they really seem like they respect, admire, like and love each other. You can see it in the way they look at each other, and it's in the cute story of their courtship.
A marriage of two equal partners, a meaningful job, a happy family life. That's what so many women struggle to find, to balance, and Mrs. Obama seems to have it. I remember when I was younger, feeling disappointed by the number of my heroes who seemed to not be able to find that balance. Granted, it was harder in a different time, but to read inspiring stories of women who changed the world but seemingly had to sacrifice being wives and mothers to do it was depressing. And I certainly acknowledge that not all women want to be wives of mothers, but it's nice to see these examples of women who manage to do it all.
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