Good News & Bad News

I am so. so sad about the Ted Kennedy news. This is a man to whom everyone in this country, & even around the world, owes a tremendous debt of gratitude. He's arguably done more good for more people than anyone in politics for the last forty-some years, & he's done it staying true to his beliefs, as a proud & unabashed liberal. Even if you're not a religious person, please pray to whatever higher power you believe in for him. The Kennedy family has given so much to this country, yet has suffered so much tragedy that you wonder how they persevere, year after year. Sen. Kennedy is a remarkable man, & comes from an equally remarkable family. God bless all of them.

Now to the good news. The California Supreme Court, the majority of which was appointed by Republican governors (at least that's what I read), has finally done what so many millions of people have been waiting for, & made them first-class citizens. It's about time that our largest state has granted basic civil rights to gay people; it's just too bad that it's not the law everywhere. When we start thinking that we live in enlightened times, we just need to remember that this is the case. Oh, well, we take victories wherever we can get them, I guess.

Just a comment about the education split among Obama & Clinton voters. I'm sorry, but is she actually proud that less educated people vote for her over Obama? I'm not being snotty: I never finished college, either, & some of the smartest people I know didn't even go to college at all. But a lot of these people (like myself) are nonetheless fairly well-read & basically self-educated, & there's not a thing wrong with that. The Clinton supporters I'm talking about are sort of like George Bush (despite his Ivy-League"education"): basically ignorant & intellectually incurious. And I'm not even going into the racist aspect of all this, except to say that I find it very hard to believe that any formally OR self-educated person can be racist- that's really, really incredibly stupid, & I think it means, simply, that you're just a bad person, & shouldn't be allowed to vote. I really mean that. Just like some people shouldn't be allowed to have kids. Oh, to rule the world for a month. Anyway, I think Hillary should address this issue of racist voters, the sooner the better.

Here We Go Again

As much as I hoped it wouldn't happen, I'm afraid the election results in Pennsylvania yesterday could mean that racism has finally reared its ugly head. I think it's just starting to sink in that America could possibly elect a black president , & that's simply unacceptable to a lot of folks, even the ones who would swear up & down that they aren't bigoted. These white "working class" voters can't possibly believe that Hillary Clinton has shared their experiences; she comes from an upper middle class background, & doesn't really "feel their pain", as her husband once famously said. The problem is that people actually believed Bill, because he's a better politician (or a better actor-is there a difference?)

Anyway, Hillary's plan of winning no matter the cost to the party she claims to support goes on. Apparently she's staying in just in case Barack really steps in shit he can't recover from, & then she'd be there, willing & able to carry on. I guess it's smart; she can't possibly do herself any more harm than she has already- even the New York Times, which endorsed her, now says that her campaign has been disgraceful, so what the hell more does she have to lose? I just think that all of this negativity has really helped McCain look better to a lot of independent voters. It all makes me sad ,& afraid that once again, Democrats may have found a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

"The Speech": Barack's Profile in Courage

"The Speech". That's what Barack's moving, beautiful speech today will be called from now on. No other description will be necessary. When I read the speech, I cried- that's how much it affected me. Beautiful, lyrical and courageous, it's what no other politician running for president has ever dared to say, lest they lay too much on the line. Well, Barack has bared his, and our country's, soul and it was perfect. How can anyone read this and not want this man to be their president? The biggest problem could be that he's too good for us; some factions in America have a nasty habit of trying to bring down anyone that threatens them. And make no mistake about it: Barack definitely threatens the status quo. He challenges us like no president since JFK, and no candidate since RFK. Can we possibly live up to his challenge? He thinks we can, and that's what makes us want to. If you haven't read the whole speech, please do it now. It just may change your life.

Too Much Excitement/Everything Old is New Again

It's the day after the Ohio & Texas primaries. Had Obama won both, the Democratic race would be over. But noooo - things are still fucked up, because Hillary won them (albeit not by much in Texas, & we're still waiting for the caucus results). Even though it's only March, it seems as if the primary season has lasted 10 years, because everybody started running so early & all the states rescheduled their primaries to an earlier date so they could all be "relevant." I don't know about you, but I'm about sick of primaries by now & I'm a political junkie, so I can imagine how weary other folks might be.

At work today, someone remarked that it's kind of exciting to still have the race going on, but I forgave him (sorta) because he's 33 & didn't live through the nightmare that was 1968. That was the last time we had this kind of "excitement," & it didn't end so well then. For those of you who are also young &/or ignorant of history (I'm sorry, but not being alive at the time doesn't absolve one of knowing shit everybody should know), 1968 was a nightmare that I hope is never repeated. We had hordes of young people excited, first about Sen. Eugene McCarthy & then later about Sen. Robert Kennedy. And then came the assassinations of both Dr. Martin Luther King & Sen. Kennedy, riots both in the streets & at the Democratic convention, lots of people (both young & old) completely disillusioned about both politics & America, an eventual Democratic nominee nobody really wanted (Sen. Hubert Humphrey), & the end result was Richard Nixon. Is that enough excitement for you? Democrats need to get this shit resolved now, because I (& undoubtedly countless others) will have to slit my throat before living through four more years of soulless Republican assholes.

2000 Redux?

So Ralph Nader is going to do it again. I honestly think he can't help himself; he just has to think he's relevant. He says that if the Democrats can't landslide the Republicans this year, they deserve to lose. The real problem with Nader is not his positions on issues; he's right on most of them. The problem is that Nader either doesn't or won't live in the real world. He absolutely refuses to admit he was the real reason that Gore lost in 2000. He goes on & on about all the other stuff that happened in that election. Sure, it all came together in a perfect storm for the Republicans, but had he not been in the race, stealing that election would have been a whole lot harder for them. Sure, Gore & the Democrats made a lot of mistakes; Democrats seem to love to shoot themselves in the foot. But there is no perfect candidate or perfect campaign. We just have to vote for the person who holds positions closest to our own, & who we believe can do the best job as president.

Nader's on an ego trip once more, & you can't convince me otherwise. He's sort of like the little kid that has to have his own way, or he takes his toys & leaves, only he doesn't leave; he stays & makes life miserable for everyone else. Maybe he just doesn't care whether or not he fucks up the presidential race again, just as long as his voice is heard. It would be kind of sad if it wasn't so infuriating. Here's this 74 year old man, never married or with any close relationships, who once was REALLY relevant (when he was a consumer watchdog), who got a taste of politics & was apparently seduced by it. It really kind of negates all the good things he did before, which is a shame. Of course, the real shame is all those people out there who'll probably vote for him (if he can get on the ballot) as either some misguided form of protest, or as a deliberate way to sabotage the election. That's the real problem with independent/third party candidates & the people who vote for them; it doesn't matter what their motives are, because the results are the same: chaos. This year, of all years, we can't afford chaos. The stakes are just too high. It's been a long, long time since a presidential election mattered this much. This election won't just have the potential of changing our country; it could actually change our world. I honestly think that to do whatever it takes to keep Nader off the ballot in every state would be an act of patriotism this year. Let's just hope the Democrats have the guts to do it.

The Right to Terrorize & Hope Reborn

So, another campus/school/mall/wherever shooting. Ho hum. It's become so common that we barely react anymore ; we're certainly not shocked anymore. What does that say about us & our culture? Are there any people left who actually are horrified & angry that these things both continue to happen & that everyone just accepts it as something we can't do anything about? Is there anyone besides me who lays this squarely at the feet (or more to the point, the trigger fingers) of the NRA? The "right to bear arms" does not include the right to terrorize. Yet that's what our supposed "gun laws" have failed to address. About the only thing I disagree with Barack Obama about is what the second amendment actually means. I know he's a lawyer who taught constitutional law, & I know there's been controversy forever about the interpretation of that amendment. But surely the outdated notion that we need guns to protect us from the federal government (even though with our current administration, it has crossed my mind more than once-just kidding) is incredibly outdated & just plain stupid. And don't get me started on how our treatment of mental health issues is insufficient & very often dangerous, leaving extremely damaged & sometimes extremely violent people to fend for themselves when they're obviously completely unable to do so. Not to mention putting everyone else at the mercy of these unstable, confused & often destructive people.

What's the answer? I guess that depends on how we frame the question(s). Guns are by definition violent, & giving those with mental health problems access to them should be seen as ludicrous as it actually is. Actually, in my view, giving anyone other than police & military access to guns is ridiculous. Ok, there are people out there who like to hunt. I understand that it was necessary for survival at one time, but come on, people, there are supermarkets now. I do have to admit that in the past I've been somewhat of a hypocrite about this. I had two uncles who were hunters, & I did eat my share of deer, rabbit & perhaps other poor, pathetic creatures. But that still doesn't make hunting right. And please don't call it a sport unless you also give guns to the wildlife who are being hunted (that's an interesting visual, right?). Anyway, I don't remember my uncles having a whole arsenal of guns. They just had what they needed for hunting particular animals, whatever they might have been. The point is that the NRA has overstepped its boundaries, defending all kinds of gun ownership without regard to what they're being used for. No one ever needs assault weapons or rocket launchers or other highly destructive types of weapons. If you want to either hunt or do target shooting, you just need weapons made for that particular purpose, & not a whole arsenal of them, either. The ideal solution to gun violence is articulated by the brilliant comedian Chris Rock, who is always right on about so many of society's problems. He says that guns don't need to be regulated, but bullets should cost $5000.00 apiece. That way, you'll have to think long & hard about whether whoever you plan to shoot is actually worth it. Think about it. Genius.

Notwithstanding Chris Rock's solution, access to guns is way too easy; in almost every state, gun shows are the one venue where you don't have a waiting period. I'm sure there are lots of other loopholes in the state laws. We really need a national law regarding access to both guns & ammunition, even though that idea would cause way too much controversy. And as far as mental health treatment goes, there are too many loopholes in those laws, too, to have any sort of cohesive treatment plans for individuals. So I guess unless we get really serious about both of these problems, we'll continue to have crazy people with guns shooting up all kinds of venues, causing tragedies that we deplore, which is all we'll do about it. When is enough finally enough?

On a lighter note, I'm crazy excited about my state (Ohio) being possibly the decider (sorry, Dubya) concerning the Democratic presidential nomination. Everyone said that it would be a done deal after Super Tuesday, but everybody was wrong (imagine that). Anyway, I hope everyone gets out & votes, not only in Ohio, but in all the states that are left. I really hope & pray that the Democrats don't find a way to shoot themselves in the foot AGAIN this year.

I just heard Barack speak at a rally in Houston after his win in Wisconsin. It was way more than inspiring; he touched on every issue that concerns people, & he was brilliant. We need this man as President; it's like he's the second coming of Robert Kennedy: his passion, his intelligance, his compassion. And don't think he's naive about the rough & tumble of politics. I'm reading his book (The Audacity of Hope), & he really has a grasp on politics; he understands it in a way not too many politicians do. I'm excited about what we can start to achieve in this country with Barack as president. Yes we (REALLY) can!

P.S. I don't know if I just misheard this on the news or not (I hope I did). Someone, somewhere is advocating arming college students to combat campus shooters. I don't even know what to say about that. I'm dumbstruck.

Thanks For Everything

Just a quick note about John Edwards dropping out of the presidential race. What a classy & honorable thing to do right now. That's precisely what a real statesman, & NOT just a politician, should do. We all owe him a debt of gratitude for what he brought to the presidential campaigns, & I hope he stays in the national spotlight in some capacity for a long time. We need his voice. Best wishes to him & his family.

Saint Barack

He was already a rock star; now he's been canonized, by no less than the Kennedys. The stunning endorsements by Caroline & Teddy Kennedy have made the Democratic race a crusade now. Caroline comparing Barack to her father is no less than a "come home" call for all Democrats, especially those who were lured into voting Republican during the Reagan era. I completely agree with her assessment of what this country wants & needs: no less than a hero, someone who inspires us to be as good as we can be, to become the kind of country that inspires the world to be as good as we are. We were actually like that once, when we had statesmen & not just politicians, when we were an example of all that was good & fair in the world, & people in other parts of the world aspired to be like us. We can be that America again; we can become the conscience of the world again. If Barack Obama is good enough for the Kennedys, who have given so much to this country, he should be good enough for us.

The Kids Are Not All Right

I recently read a blog whose writer was appalled at the lack of sympathy for Britney Spears, especially from middle aged women. She couldn't understand why these women with daughters Britney's age were so vehement in their criticisms of her. I guess she figured that "there but for the grace of God" were their daughters. However, I think she missed the point; that being that they were critical of her as a mother of very small children, & I can understand that. Although I do believe that Britney has an undiognosed mental illness (probably bi-polar disorder or maybe post-partum depression, or both), even I - who am as sympathetic as anyone in the world concerning this - can't help but wonder how she cannot think of her children first in all circumstances. I believe any good mother would wonder this. As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter what your accomplishments are in other areas of your life (& I'm talking about both men & women here): if you fuck up your kids, you're an abject failure (& an asshole).

I know people say this all the time, but there really should be some sort of test everyone needs to take before being allowed to have kids ("Heil" to you, too - I know, I know). It's frightening to me how totally unsuited, unfit & sometimes downright dangerous some people are who have kids. Maybe it's because some people (especially women) still feel that they're viewed as selfish or not normal (or whatever) not to have kids. But I believe that if you don't especially want kids, for whatever reason, the desire to be a good parent isn't really there. Providing for their material needs isn't enough by a longshot. It is just as important to meet their emotional needs.

But back to Britney (I'm sort of obsessed with the subject lately, much to my own chagrin). Coming from the South, where people tend to both get married & have kids (in whichever order) somewhat younger than in other places, perhaps she felt it was expected of her, although I'm not altogether convinced that at least the second kid (if not the first) was expected. Unfortunately, she didn't have a very good role model. Her own mother has always used & exploited both of her daughters shamelessly. Using your own children as a meal ticket is an unforgivable sin, & I honestly believe that Lynne Spears will have to answer to God for that. So Britney already had that strike against her. Complicating things also is that the poor girl just isn't that bright. When she had people looking out for her (even though I'm not sure exactly what that means in her case) she seemed to be able to function, albeit as a robot. Her downward spiral seemed to start when she & Justin Timberlake broke up. Maybe he was sort of her anchor to some kind of reality, 'cause she seemed to lose her grasp on it soon after. Anyway, it's a really sad situation, especially for those adorable children, & I feel bad for all of them & I keep hoping there's someone in Britney's life who finally is able to reach out to her & convince her to get help before it's too late. The somewhat tarnished silver lining in this is that maybe it will make other parents of celebrity children think a little harder about what they're doing to their kids.

Our Long Ride on the Short Bus

Isn't it almost unbelieveable that it's taken EIGHT years for the American people to finally get fed up & be ready for & willing to change? Talk about slow learners. Maybe it's all the new voters since 2000, but I don't think that's the whole story. Maybe we just have to be plunged into absolute despair to be open to hearing about "hope". As I've probably said before, there's just no excuse to have voted for George Bush twice. OK, I'll give you a pass (reluctantly) the first time, but come on, people, even animals learn from their mistakes if the consequences are bad enough. Are we really that stubborn, or egotistic, or (I've got to say it) stupid? Just that alone is enough for the rest of the world to sneer at us; we've become both a bully AND a laughingstock at the same time, it appears.

Well, folks, we now have another chance to redeem ourselves, to show the world we really do give a shit about something other than fearing gay marriage & Muslims. Although I wish that Al Gore would have given us a second chance to do the right thing, I can't blame him at all. I guess there is such a creature as a recovering politician, & God knows he's been through enough crap already. And Hillary has disappointed me terribly, especially on the war. Edwards is right on all the issues, but that bus left the station a while ago, & now he's just taking votes from Barack. So that leaves us with Obama, who I have to admit I used to believe couldn't really be a viable candidate, both because of his relative inexperience & what I suspected was a still insidious racism in this country. To my delight, I've been proven wrong. For really the first time since 1968, it seems as if young people have a candidate they can actually believe in & work for. Barack Obama is a true rock star candidate, & could possibly be the catalyst for real change not only for this country, but for the world. And face it, experience is overrated most of the time. Probably no one has more experience in government than Dick Cheney. Do I really have to say more? I think that Barack has ignited a spark in all of us which does indeed give us hope. I could vote for any one of the three, actually, & in any combination on the ticket, but the only one who inspires true excitement is Obama. Since there's a good chance that it'll all be over by Feb. 5 ("Super Tuesday"), those of us in states that have primaries after that probably can't make history as far as the Democratic nomination, but we can all make history in November, & show the world, as Gerald Ford said after the Nixon resignation, that "our long national nightmare is over". Can we get it right this time?