Honestly, all the election coverage is giving me something like the flu -- I've got the chills, my stomach is upset, my head is on fire -- and yet, I CAN'T STOP READING. And watching. And tearing my hair out. I'm obsessed. The share function on my RSS reader is foaming at the mouth.
Watched the RNC last week and I just want to say that I have never been more proud to be a Democrat. Yes, there have been times when I have been ashamed to be a Democrat, just as there have been times when I was ashamed about sharing a passport with some of the people who voted Bush into office, just as I have been ashamed about things I've said to people, or for the Lysol sitting on the counter next to my food. Whatever. To be ashamed is to be human. It is a slut of an emotion.
But tonight, I am proud to talk politics on my food blog. I never have before because I didn't really consider it an appropriate venue. But it matters because I write as a student of culture and an advocate for diversity.
I want to believe -- desperately want to believe -- that the American people are not so gullible that they'll fall for more Republican lies or buy into a vague economic plan from Tracy Flick. I want to rebuke a cynical campaign whose male top brass think women (including Peggy Noonan) can forgive the inexperience of a 44 year-old Vice Presidential candidate who reportedly didn't get her first passport until last year, and has only traveled outside North America once. ONCE.
More importantly, I'm interested in improving the economy, not just for myself, but for the working families in my neighborhood, where the median household income is $36,478. I want a president who knows what it means to lift and organize a community out of despair, who really understands what it means when a family who makes far less than $5 million can't pay a health insurance premium that costs more than their monthly rent.
The McCain who speechified, "We lost [the country's] trust, when we valued our power over our principles" -- he ought to be cringing at the mud being slung by everyone on his campaign.
Prior to all this, he seemed like a pretty decent guy to me. I thought he had some principles. But now I see that he's just another Rove puppet who'll spread 'em for the oil companies. I don't want more war. I don't want more tax relief for the rich. I don't want a man who lies to further his own personal political career. (The alternative is that he "misspoke"? Do I want some senile old man to "misspeak" when he's sitting down to talk sovereignty with Medvedev?)
McCain = 4 more years of Bushonomics, Bush fear-mongering, Bush go fuck yourself unless you're a fetus. What kind of world do we live in if only the National Enquirer speaks against the Republicans without fear of being labeled partisan?
Last week, I donated to the Obama/Biden campaign (my first and only political contribution so far). I'm thrilled to be a part of Obama's campaign.
But there's more to do. I think about how history will judge us. How did we allow our president, a man who shat on Habeas Corpus, to remain in power for as long as we did? How did we allow our government to get us involved in a totally unjustified war which will cost us $3 TRILLION, $3 trillion which could have gone into healthcare for all of our citizens, into our schools so that our children can compete for the jobs of the future, into the creation of alternative energy? How could we let our president and his cronies sit idly by and go shoe shopping as beautiful, historic, important New Orleans was swallowed by a hurricane, its citizens left to die? How could we go on caring about American Idol as 4,000 of our country's young sacrificed their lives in a war based on falsehoods (and how do we not mourn the 150,000+ Iraqis who have lost their lives)? And then how could we let the deluded and delusional even think about electing his successor, McCain, a man who has proven himself to be nothing more than another cynical bait-and-switch politician with one hand on the soft curve of Bush's waist and the other pulling on his own dick?
How dare the Republicans appropriate 9/11 -- 9/11, which WE lived through, which affected OUR city, which never ever had anything to do with Iraq -- to drum up McCarthyist fear and xenophobia in middle America! How dare McCain try and appropriate feminism and family values for his own purposes -- this from a man who volunteered his wife for a topless pageant, who once demeaned a teenage Chelsea Clinton and Janet Reno's looks in a joke told to the old boys club! How dare McCain pass himself off as an agent of change! How dare McCain and Rove try and bend us over for another four years!
Get angry. Feel passionately. I will keep you company. We can have our moment of clarity. Let's break out of the cradle of consumerist inertia we have gotten so comfortable in. We need to empower our leaders to show their anger, encourage the press to seek the truth at whatever cost. I'm paying attention, I'm ready to throw down, and I'm shouting from my virtual rooftop.
I am an American for Obama.
I am a woman for Obama.
I am an Asian-American for Obama.
I am a New Yorker for Obama.
I am a public school graduate for Obama.
I am a musician for Obama.
I am a blogger for Obama.
I am an immigrant's daughter for Obama.
I am a Buddhist for Obama.
I am a middle class singleton for Obama.
I am a book reader for Obama.
I am an INFP for Obama.
I am an idealist for Obama.
I am a citizen of the world for Obama.
Watched the RNC last week and I just want to say that I have never been more proud to be a Democrat. Yes, there have been times when I have been ashamed to be a Democrat, just as there have been times when I was ashamed about sharing a passport with some of the people who voted Bush into office, just as I have been ashamed about things I've said to people, or for the Lysol sitting on the counter next to my food. Whatever. To be ashamed is to be human. It is a slut of an emotion.
But tonight, I am proud to talk politics on my food blog. I never have before because I didn't really consider it an appropriate venue. But it matters because I write as a student of culture and an advocate for diversity.
I want to believe -- desperately want to believe -- that the American people are not so gullible that they'll fall for more Republican lies or buy into a vague economic plan from Tracy Flick. I want to rebuke a cynical campaign whose male top brass think women (including Peggy Noonan) can forgive the inexperience of a 44 year-old Vice Presidential candidate who reportedly didn't get her first passport until last year, and has only traveled outside North America once. ONCE.
More importantly, I'm interested in improving the economy, not just for myself, but for the working families in my neighborhood, where the median household income is $36,478. I want a president who knows what it means to lift and organize a community out of despair, who really understands what it means when a family who makes far less than $5 million can't pay a health insurance premium that costs more than their monthly rent.
The McCain who speechified, "We lost [the country's] trust, when we valued our power over our principles" -- he ought to be cringing at the mud being slung by everyone on his campaign.
Prior to all this, he seemed like a pretty decent guy to me. I thought he had some principles. But now I see that he's just another Rove puppet who'll spread 'em for the oil companies. I don't want more war. I don't want more tax relief for the rich. I don't want a man who lies to further his own personal political career. (The alternative is that he "misspoke"? Do I want some senile old man to "misspeak" when he's sitting down to talk sovereignty with Medvedev?)
McCain = 4 more years of Bushonomics, Bush fear-mongering, Bush go fuck yourself unless you're a fetus. What kind of world do we live in if only the National Enquirer speaks against the Republicans without fear of being labeled partisan?
Last week, I donated to the Obama/Biden campaign (my first and only political contribution so far). I'm thrilled to be a part of Obama's campaign.
But there's more to do. I think about how history will judge us. How did we allow our president, a man who shat on Habeas Corpus, to remain in power for as long as we did? How did we allow our government to get us involved in a totally unjustified war which will cost us $3 TRILLION, $3 trillion which could have gone into healthcare for all of our citizens, into our schools so that our children can compete for the jobs of the future, into the creation of alternative energy? How could we let our president and his cronies sit idly by and go shoe shopping as beautiful, historic, important New Orleans was swallowed by a hurricane, its citizens left to die? How could we go on caring about American Idol as 4,000 of our country's young sacrificed their lives in a war based on falsehoods (and how do we not mourn the 150,000+ Iraqis who have lost their lives)? And then how could we let the deluded and delusional even think about electing his successor, McCain, a man who has proven himself to be nothing more than another cynical bait-and-switch politician with one hand on the soft curve of Bush's waist and the other pulling on his own dick?
How dare the Republicans appropriate 9/11 -- 9/11, which WE lived through, which affected OUR city, which never ever had anything to do with Iraq -- to drum up McCarthyist fear and xenophobia in middle America! How dare McCain try and appropriate feminism and family values for his own purposes -- this from a man who volunteered his wife for a topless pageant, who once demeaned a teenage Chelsea Clinton and Janet Reno's looks in a joke told to the old boys club! How dare McCain pass himself off as an agent of change! How dare McCain and Rove try and bend us over for another four years!
Get angry. Feel passionately. I will keep you company. We can have our moment of clarity. Let's break out of the cradle of consumerist inertia we have gotten so comfortable in. We need to empower our leaders to show their anger, encourage the press to seek the truth at whatever cost. I'm paying attention, I'm ready to throw down, and I'm shouting from my virtual rooftop.
I am an American for Obama.
I am a woman for Obama.
I am an Asian-American for Obama.
I am a New Yorker for Obama.
I am a public school graduate for Obama.
I am a musician for Obama.
I am a blogger for Obama.
I am an immigrant's daughter for Obama.
I am a Buddhist for Obama.
I am a middle class singleton for Obama.
I am a book reader for Obama.
I am an INFP for Obama.
I am an idealist for Obama.
I am a citizen of the world for Obama.
I'm less brave than you and have been shielding myself from some election coverage. I agree that anything would be better than drilling and tax-cutting our way to imminent disaster and more war, of course. Still, I teach undergrads, and even here in New York, some people are so skeptical that our government can do anything good ("health insurance? yeah right, look at what they did to our public schools"), that they're willing to just let it all go (to hell) instead. Which to me suggests that we need to do a whole lot more than vote to re-spark people's righteous indignation. We need to prove that something good will be done if we vote for Obama. We need to shout, to use whatever privilege for voter turnout, to hold people accountable, to think local AND global. To prove that Americans are too smart to swallow politicians' lies.
I originally stumbled upon your blog to get reviews of Zabb Queens, and now feel compelled to comment on everything here. Mostly to say "YOU GO." Livable streets, bicycling, even Thai politics. It makes a difference when people who aren't talking heads or pundits talk about politics.
Tangent: A friend of mine said that when Bangkokian hipsters think someone is selfish, they call him/ her "kai bplaa." Have you heard that?
Thanks soucie! It feels a little like outing myself. I'm not so cynical that I think it doesn't matter. In 2000, I was that cynical. I thought, what's the diff between Gore and Bush? I now know what happens when you just sit back.
I also marvel at the positive changes that have been able to happen under great leadership and management in NYC. I mean that.
I watch the politics in Thailand and I think, we're fighting the same fight, where is our passion? Complacency, dialectic atrophy is the real enemy of democracy. We once fought a revolution for our sovereignty. That slumbering spirit seems so difficult to awaken these days.
Hm, I wonder what kai bplaa means. Do you know? Could be fish eggs, could be chicken something, could be selling fish...depends on the consonant and the tone and vowel? I, unfortunately, have zero contact with Bangkok hipsters.
Absolutely spot on post. You took the words and thoughts out of my mouth and put them down in a far more eloquent way than I could have ever dreamed.
Tweeting and emailing this out to everyone I know. People NEED to read this.
And anyone who hasn't listed to This American Life's "Habeas Schmabeas" episode absolutely must: http://www.thislife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=1185.
Thank you for this.
register people to vote! this is a way to feel like you're empowering others to shout from their own virtual rooftops... I'm trying to sign up for a PA day-trip, sponsored by the NY Obama chapter. There's also a group going to Ohio, for a whole week, if you can spare the time... (wish I could).
I'm so angry too and so disgusted and exhausted (already) and terrified. I can't even put all my thoughts together as eloquently as you. But I'm with you, totally.
Ganda, thanks for your reply! Kai bplaa means literally "sell," as in the verb, "fish." I thought it was funny. Another funny phrase: calling cheese "capi farang," the foreigner's smelly equivalent to beloved Thai shrimp paste.
I went to Pennsylvania and did voter turnout last election, and stayed up all night with other volunteers to watch the grim results come in. This year, I think Ohio and other swing states are even more of a big deal. One thing that gives me some hope: After the last election, I was one of those people who forwarded the fake map of the east and west coasts joining the "United States of Canada," with "Jesusland" in between. I got a reply from a whip-smart friend who's originally from Missouri, saying that these specious stereotypes and lack of good dialogue, free of media spin, were one reason we got into the mess we're in. It made me happy that someone from Missouri had more hope in middle America than most people from New York would... because the media sure seems to make it seem like we live in different countries, and that we might as give up on talking to one another.
Excellent post! We've got to fight the good fight!
Hi Ganda,
I'm a long time reader, but your post finally made me de-lurk. Perfectly put. I could not agree more.
Love your blog,
Lisa
With all due respect, I am with the beautiful young woman who survived an abortion attempt on her life by burning her for 18 hrs in her mother's womb with that hideous saline "solution" (final solution?) when the mother was 7 months pregnant.
Obama has voted FOUR TIMES that "Doctor should not give medical care"....that's how it is worded. WHO DOES THAT?
Allen Coombs was slightly incensed that it is implied Obama is guilty of supporting infanticide. "Well, Allen....what else can you call it? What else is it?"
Not ashamed to do anything about your affiliations, though, are you?
At least McCain and Palin know the basics! "RIGHT TO L I F E "
Have a nice day and THANK GOD that your mother didn't attempt to abort you and that Obama wasn't President if she did.....
Sabra,
If life begins at conception should fetuses be counted in our census?
Also, what about the mother of the baby's right to life? Pallin is against abortion even in the case of rape or incest.
Sabra,
What you said is not true - please read this:
Anti-abortion activists accuse Obama of "supporting infanticide," and the National Right to Life Committee says he's conducted a "four-year effort to cover up his full role in killing legislation to protect born-alive survivors of abortions." Obama says they're "lying."
At issue is Obama's opposition to Illinois legislation in 2001, 2002 and 2003 that would have defined any aborted fetus that showed signs of life as a "born alive infant" entitled to legal protection, even if doctors believe it could not survive.
Obama opposed the 2001 and 2002 "born alive" bills as backdoor attacks on a woman's legal right to abortion, but he says he would have been "fully in support" of a similar federal bill that President Bush had signed in 2002, because it contained protections for Roe v. Wade.
We find that, as the NRLC said in a recent statement, Obama voted in committee against the 2003 state bill that was nearly identical to the federal act he says he would have supported. Both contained identical clauses saying that nothing in the bills could be construed to affect legal rights of an unborn fetus, according to an undisputed summary written immediately after the committee's 2003 mark-up session.
Whether opposing "born alive" legislation is the same as supporting "infanticide," however, is entirely a matter of interpretation. That could be true only for those, such as Obama's 2004 Republican opponent, Alan Keyes, who believe a fetus that doctors give no chance of surviving is an "infant." It is worth noting that Illinois law already provided that physicians must protect the life of a fetus when there is "a reasonable likelihood of sustained survival of the fetus outside the womb, with or without artificial support."
http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/obama_and_infanticide.html
Eloquent and sharp, you said it for everyone.