Begin Again

Today is the last day of 2008. Some are reflecting on the year that passed by at lighting speed and contemplate the many years that have consumed them.
While others look ahead at what is to come when the clock strikes midnight and we get another chance for happiness. At least that is the way each seems each January 1st.
New Year's resolutions are meant to motivate us to do more or feel better.
Here are some suggestions:
1. Stop being afraid and do it already! (ok you may ask, what is "it"? Well, anything that you want to "it" to be!)
2. Give someone a hug everyday!
3. Seek to learn as many new things as you can.
4. Relax a little more this year.
5. Read this blog more often. (Sorry, I had to throw this one in there!)

I wish you a fabulous New Year and warm wishes!

Loyalty Loses its Luster

Articles and books have graced our computer screens and store shelves with the idea that the younger generation is not loyal to their employers. This concept is very complicated and there are many things to consider. First of all, is loyalty a two-way street? Most people would say yes, that it takes two people in a relationship being faithful to make it work. Then why are younger workers expected to stay with companies when there is little chance for advancement, they are underpaid, charged too much for healthcare and generally not seen as an essential part of the team. Yes, they may receive lip service to the tune of team sacrifice and administrative support, but when it comes down to it the young professional knows that higher management would stick a knife in their back. Many people have experienced cut backs, lack of recognition and low wages in their work.

How do you define loyalty to a workplace? Is it just the act of staying in the same position or within the same company for most of your career? Maybe if we broaden our definition of loyalty to a feeling of being connected and making judgments with the company in mind as loyalty we would find that young people are quite loyal. Recently, the organization I’m associated with has cut operations hours and therefore salaries by a significant portion, increased healthcare costs and slashed the staff. They did all of this while demanding as much if not more work to be done. In spite of the company’s lack of loyalty, some members of the staff feel a twinge of guilt for leaving or searching for new opportunities. Wouldn’t this convey some loyalty on the part of the employees? They care about the success of the organization. They care about the well-being of the co-workers they know are affected by their exit. They are sad to leave even knowing it is the right decision. Are these not signs of loyalty?

Our overall society doesn’t promote loyalty when we see CEOs receiving golden parachutes while the average worker loses their livelihood. It is getting harder and harder to move up the class ladder. They have been told this is the first generation that won’t be better off then their parents. This could perhaps inhibit some people’s motivation from working extra hard for promotions and dream jobs.

Job loyalty is not up in smoke, but it does need to be address. They young professionals, however, are not the main obstacle in this issue. In fact, they may be are greatest asset if organizations begin to tap into their skills and start showing appropriate recognition.

Rosie is Riled!

In this economy, jobs have become a bit tricky to nab and it seems even if you have one it doesn't leave you with much in your account after rent is paid. Therefore many people are on the search for their next workplace. One of the most stressful parts of this process is the interview. Women have made incredible strides when it comes to breaking barriers in workplace leadership, but it certainly isn't far enough.

A new study exposes an old problem that is manifested in the job interview. For women the hot seat is truly burning. It is the old sentiment; a confident woman is really a bitch that just wants to destroy men and other competitive women. On the other hand, a gentle woman may be nice to work with, but would drop the ball on any important decisions that are better left up to men.

Wake up! It is nearly 2009, in the past 100 years women have won the right to vote, been Rosie the Riveter, marched on Washington, become US Supreme Court judges, ran viable campaigns for president and still managed to do well more than half of all the housework, child rearing and elder care in this world.

Women should go on strike. I’m not talking about a day at the spa! No job-related work, No dishes, No laundry, No grocery shopping, No writing, No teaching, No nursing, Nothing. It is understandable that women would be compelled to do most of this stuff for their children and it is essential they remain safe and healthy, but get those men to feed and bath the babies!

The world would fall apart. A capable woman is too much for patriarchal to handle so they must pigeon hole them into the category of bitch, frigid or outcast. So to this end I wish all the women who are job searching much luck and implore you to be yourself!

Friendly Fire with Families

During the recent Thanksgiving holiday and the upcoming holidays, together to celebrate, eat a lot of food and argue. In my household growing up political conversation was as traditional as sweet potatoes. However, I consider myself lucky because generally my family's political arguments are over who is more progressive on an issue or who has a better idea for solving world humanitarian problems. So for now, I am lucky. Perhaps someday when I have children they will turn out to be Alex P. Keatons (Family Ties) who enjoy spouting conservative jargon that will give their poor liberal mother a bleeding heart attack. Let's hope this doesn't happen, but if it does there is help. A friend recently shared an informative article about how to handle political attacks from the right. Many of the arguments the article focuses on I have heard several times.
Liberals are weak. Liberals are godless. Liberals aren't patriotic.
The article addresses reasons why these claims aren't true. There needs to be a way to get these innuendos out of the conversation. We need a campaign to show how liberals can be tough, flag waving and moral minded people. Posters with Dennis Kucinich giving the finger to Walmart while wearing a red/white/blue striped suit. The tagline could read Don't F*** with American Liberals, Bitches! Maybe? Actually, it is pretty ridiculous.
Do people really think just because you don’t want to kill other people or animals you are weak? It is commandment! Thou shall not kill, wouldn’t that include in war or state sanctioned death penalty? In addition, when did religion and being moral become synonymous because the most moral and compassionate people are know don’t follow any organized religion.
Conservative arguments are getting old, just like the white haired conservative running the government. Luckily, we are turning a corner and hopefully things will be brighter on the other side.
No matter what conversations you have with your family during the holidays, I hope it is a happy time that will be remembered for years.
Happy Holidays!


**Sorry for the delay in updating this blog, work and other chaos that occurred in November put my writing on a back burner.

Hate in 2008

Proposition 8 and the other anti-equal rights agendas that were passed last week are an attack on all of us. If our democracy is allowed to break down what couples have the right to formally committ to loving each other, this is not a true democracy. I chose the sign "I am a victim of H8" not because I am gay, in fact I identify mostly as heterosexual, but because prejudice, injustice and hate hurts everyone.

The marriage issue is not the only discrimination LGBT face. Many states have no protection against firing individuals based on their sexual orientation. What would happen if a straight person was fired for that reason and not based on their merit? There would be outrage and rightfully so! In August Louisana allowed their anti-discrimination law to protect LGBT community lapsed and was not renewed by the current governor of the state. "The reason for allowing the order to lapse is that I don’t think it is necessary to create additional special categories or special rights,” Jindal told The New Orleans Advocate newspaper. Not being fired for something unrelated to your work performance is now a special right?

However there is a light at the end of this dark tunnel. First all people are fighting back. There have been many demonstrations in California and on Saturday many more people across the country will Join the Impact. Keith Olbermann shared a wonderful comment about the issue on a recent show and many others have expressed similar sentiment.

Also, when you look at the exit polls from California, people under 30 years of age were least likely to vote for the proposition. This shows so much promise for the future.

As an added bonus to all of this, Connecticut just started issuing legal marriage licenses to same-sex couples!

Victory Verse

One of the more significant things in this election is America's choice to stand up. President-Elect Obama has many times in his campaign called on people to be better. He has asked us to get involved, educate ourselves and others, and act environmentally responsible. It has seemed that many had forgotten the true meaning of JFK's "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." However, now I believe people are coming back to the idea that government and the American people can work together to make it a better country, a better world. In Obama's words, all those that voted for him yesterday are "quiet heroes." They stood up to the challenge. They helped make a new history and bring a tangible example of hope to my future children's history books.

Yesterday will not soon be forgotten. Tomorrow will soon be upon us and it is my sincerest hope that we work together as a nation for what is right. We must recognize the challenges we are facing, show patience and compassion to all human beings and believe in ourselves as much as we believe in our president.

Platform Wrangling Part II

Time is moving quickly and the election in now less than a week away! As promised here is the second part of my examination of the two parties' platforms. Again, I encourage you to explore their stances on your own.

The following are overviews of Foreign Policy & Military, Civil Liberties, Gun Control and Reproductive Rights. Have fun!

Foreign Policy and Military:
Using our military and business might is how Republicans believe peace will be achieved.
Republicans main priorities in foreign affairs are opening markets to free trade with the U.S. and showing military strength. “The Republican vision of peace through strength requires a sustained international effort, which complements our military activities, to develop and maintain alliances and relationships that will lead to greater peace and stability.” (Pg. 6)
Iraq: “That outcome is too critical to our own national security to be jeopardized by artificial or politically inspired timetables that neither reflect conditions on the ground nor respect the essential advice of our military commanders.” (pg. 13)
Afghanistan: Republicans believe there is still some work to be done, but that there has been progress. There is little mention of increasing American troops in Afghanistan and no mention of grassroots development assistance. “Additional forces are also necessary, both from NATO countries and through a doubling in size of the Afghan army.” (Pg. 13)
Republicans do affirm the value of women in the armed service. However, they also believe “To protect our servicemen and women and ensure that America’s Armed Forces remain the best in the world, we affirm the timelessness of those values, the benefits of traditional military culture, and the incompatibility of homosexuality with military service.” (Pg. 5)

Democrats recognize that a strong military is important, but that foreign policy and protecting the United States needs to be more holistic and include diplomacy, education, development and leading by example.
Democrats see foreign countries as potential partners in business, but want to work towards greater equality by ensuring high labor and environmental standards. “Development and diplomacy will be reinforced as key pillars of U.S. foreign policy, and our civilian agencies will be staffed, resourced, and equipped to address effectively new global challenges.” (Pg. 41)
“Needed reform of these alliances and institutions will not come by bullying other countries to ratify American demands. It will come when we convince other governments and peoples that they too have a stake in effective partnerships.” (Pg. 36)
Iraq: “We will give our military a new mission: ending this war and giving Iraq back to its people. We will be as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in. We can safely remove our combat brigades at the pace of one to two per month and expect to complete redeployment within sixteen months.” (Pg. 29)
Afghanistan: “We will send at least two additional combat brigades to Afghanistan, and use this commitment to seek greater contributions–with fewer restrictions–from our NATO allies. We will focus on building up our special forces and intelligence capacity, training, equipping and advising Afghan security forces, building Afghan governmental capacity, and promoting the rule of law.” “We will help Afghans educate their children, including their girls, provide basic human services to their population, and grow their economy from the bottom up”
Democrats would like to increase military recruit through programs and believe it is essential to repeal the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy.

Civil Liberties:
Yes, Democrats realize that these liberties are the cornerstone of the freedoms that our founding father and mothers envisioned for the United States.
Democrats, on the other hand have a couple pages discussing different programs that will need to be reevaluated in order to protect our civil liberties. “We reject sweeping claims of “inherent” presidential power. We will revisit the Patriot Act and overturn unconstitutional executive decisions issued during the past eight years.” (Pg. 54) “We will close the detention camp in Guantanamo Bay, the location of so many of the worst constitutional abuses in recent years.” (Pg. 55) “We will review the current Administration’s warrantless wiretapping program. We reject illegal wiretapping of American citizens, wherever they live.” (Pg. 54)


What are those again? Oops! Republicans forgot to mention most of them!

Republicans don’t bring up a lot on this topic and fail to bring up issues involving torture, wiretapping or Guantanamo Bay. The following is the only mention of civil liberties. “We must always ensure that law enforcement respects the civil and constitutional rights of the people. While we wage war on terrorism in foreign lands, it is sometimes necessary for intelligence agencies and law enforcement officials to pursue terrorist threats at home. However, no expansion of governmental powers should occur at the expense of our constitutional liberties.” Pg.49

Gun Control:
Democrats realize that with such a right as owning a firearm comes even greater responsibility.
Democrats propose to “Acting responsibly and with respect for differing views on this issue, we can both protect the constitutional right to bear arms and keep our communities and our children safe.” (pg. 48)

Republicans forget about the thousands of people shot each year by firearms that are legal or were borrowed or stolen from a legal owner.
They believe in no gun control what so ever. "We recognize that gun control only affects and penalizes law-abiding citizens." (pg. 51)

Reproductive Rights:
Republicans do not believe a woman should have the right to make personal judgments in her reproductive activities.
Being proactive in preventing unwanted pregnancies is discouraged by the Republican Party. “We oppose school-based clinics that provide referrals, counseling, and related services for abortion and contraception.” (pg. 45)
Republicans also support a global gag rule, which refuses to fund international organizations that perform or promote abortion as a family planning option. Because of this stance they also reject signing treaties such as CEDAW (women’s right treaty) and UN convention on the rights of the child. (Pg. 8)

Democrats trust women and families to make decisions about their own reproduction and birth control decisions. They recognize it isn’t just a gender issue, but a class and human rights issue.
“The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman’s right to choose a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay, and we oppose any and all
efforts to weaken or undermine that right…The Democratic Party also strongly supports access to comprehensive affordable family planning services and age-appropriate sex education” (pg. 50)
In addition, Democrats would repeal the global gag rule and reinstate funding to organizations such as United Nations Population Fund, which advocates women's health in third world countries.


Vote! Vote! Vote!

Platform Wrangling Part 1

This is the first of two installments of Platform Wrangling. I have read the 2008 platforms put forth by both the Democrat and Republican parties. Below you will see a comparison of their views on Fiscal Policy, Energy/Environment, Healthcare, and Education.

Early next week, I will bring you their thoughts on Foreign Policy, Military Issues, Gun Control, Civil Liberties, and Reproductive Rights.

Fiscal Policy:
Republicans still believe wealth actually trickles down.
Advocate to make 2001/2003 tax cuts permanent, reduce business and capital gains taxes. They believe in limited regulation and allowing the open market to balance the economy. "We believe in the free market as the best tool to sustained prosperity and opportunity for all." (pg. 28)
In order to save money in Washington, Republicans propose to freeze spending and eliminate wasteful programs, reinstate a presidential line-item veto, and placing more responsibility on the states.

Democrats believe in more distribution of economic wealth and opportunity so all people can feel secure and pursue happiness.
"We must build on the wealth that open markets have created and share its benefits more equitably." (pg. 26) Democrats would allow the tax cuts to expire and wouldn't raise taxes on anyone making under $250,000
In order to save money in Washington, Democrats will end the Iraq war timely and responsibility, place a fee on polluters, evaluate programming and reorganize or eliminate wasteful programs.

Environment and Energy:
Democrats: New technology and they call on us to be grown ups by taking responsibility for what humans (especially in the west) have collectively done to mess up the natural world.
To alleviate our dependence on fossil fuels, Democrats want to fast track investment in green technology research, production and deployment of solar, wind, geothermal, clean coal, etc. Also, they "call on businesses, government, and the American people to make America 50% more energy efficient by 2030." (pg. 17)
As for climate change, Democrats recognize it is a "man-made threat to the planet" (pg. 43) and call for a Global Energy Forum to discuss and create global commitment to reducing energy emissions.

Republicans: Drilling, Nuclear Energy and who cares about animals really?
Republicans main priority in energy is drilling and refining oil in the U.S. "We oppose any effort that would permanently block access to the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge." (pg. 32) They also advocate for some nuclear energy technology, renewable resources, clean coal and natural gas.
"Republicans caution against the doomsday climate change scenarios," (pg. 36) and believe a robust economy is the best way to deal with climate change. They will not ask anyone to sacrifice for the environment and think that private ownerships of land is the "best guarantee of conscientious stewardship." (pg.36)

Healthcare:
Democrats think everyone should be covered and healthcare needs to be affordable, accessible and flexible. All children should be covered!
Democrat policy would include a person having an option to have health coverage through their work or through other private companies or public programs. These options should be accessible and affordable. "Health insurance should accept all applicants and be prohibited from charging different prices based on pre-existing conditions." (pg. 11)
Democrats support increased funding for biomedical and stem cell research.
In addition, they reinforce their commitment to women's health. "We oppose the current Administration's consistent attempts to undermine a women's ability to make her own life choices and obtain reproductive healthy care including birth control.” (pg. 13)

Republicans think open markets will work for healthcare, because it worked so well for the stock market.
Republicans believe open markets and privatization will regulate costs. "It lets consumers make better decisions about where to spend their health care dollars, thereby fostering competition and lowering costs." (pg. 39) They encourage companies to cover pre-existing conditions, but leave the standards to the patient's state of residency.
Republicans support limited stem cell research. They also support robust intellectual property laws. As far as women's health, they support allowing medical professionals to refuse healthcare service if they feel it is against their conscience.

Education:

Republicans believe that giving vouchers to students to attend private schools will somehow help public schools.
Republicans believe in "school choice" through vouchers and tax credits for religious, charter and home schools. They call for a review of Department of Education and cut programs. To recruit teachers they will develop a teacher corps of business and military professionals to fill-in teacher spots when needed.

Democrats want to make sure teachers and administrators are given every opportunity to help students learn. They also realize learning doesn’t just happen during school hours and other programming to supplement education is necessary to produce a strong, smart and capable next generation.
Democrats believe in increased resources for public schools including professional development for educators, after school programs, early childhood education, and alternative education programs. Incentives (such as college tuition/loan assistance) for teachers that serve at-risk communities, mentor new teachers and excel in the classroom.

I encourage everyone to look at the platforms on their own.
Don’t forget to vote November 4th!

Trick or Tramp

In my quest for Halloween costume ideas, I discovered something truly terrifying! Costume marketing! AHHHHH! When did it become the norm that all women’s costumes must include a miniskirt, corset and fishnet stockings???

It was a chilling experience to rummage through 717 items in the category “sexy costumes” and only find a total of 37 products for men! 37!! Yes, that means there were 680 erotic ensembles for women to wear. Clearly since I’m a woman I should realize it is breasts above brains. It doesn’t even matter that I was able to figure out the simple math problem above without the assistance of a calculator as long as I wear stilettos.

Even more frightening is how gender stereotypes are actively promoted during a holiday that could be about breaking boundaries. This sexy pair continues the idea that boys can grow up to doctors and women become nurses. Just in case you forgot that women are made for careers assisting men rather than leading them. As adults we should be able to move past these assumptions, but I guess that would be ridiculous!

Not to mention the logistics of these come-hither costumes. Remember, the end of October usually fosters a nippy forecast. Men have their fully clothed costumes that are still considered sexy. On the other hand, women are relegated to clothes that might actually turn them into ice queens.

I’m not saying that sexy can’t be fun or part of your Halloween celebration. Who decides what is sexy? I mean, it seems mandatory to show pounds of flesh in order to feel attractive. Locating a female costume that is pretty, but not risqué is like finding a needle in a haystack. The injustice leaves women with the choice between being a whore or a prude. Neither of which seems like a lot of fun.

What really scared though was how these types of costumes are being marketed to teens.
“Flaunt, flirt, and follow the Yellow Brick Road to this adorable Dorothy costume! Straight out of a sexy storybook…” It would be wrong to dismiss the development of sexuality in teens, but promoting costumes catered specifically to their sex drives may not be the smartest thing.

The symbolism of some of the descriptions is downright creepy! As with this description:

“You'll look good enough to eat in this Storybook Riding Hood Teen Costume.”
Sexualizing teen girls in this way is not a healthy statement about our society and it reinforces the importance of looks over substance to our youth. Not to mention, I failed to find sexy costumes that blatantly targeted teen boys.

I say let’s take Halloween back from these costume stores. Go to thrift stores, use imagination and dress up however your heart desires. Most importantly have fun this October 31st and remember only 4 days later you get to be Uncle Sam and vote!!!

(The election keeps me very nervous despite my candidate’s rise in the polls. That is why I wrote about something else scary! Next week though, I will bring you a comparison of the Republican and Democratic platforms.)

Craving Celebrity

(Sorry for the delay in posting. A combination of traveling and computer troubles prevented me from posting. I will try to make up for it by posting twice next week! Yeah!)

Many people want to be famous. I can understand it to a point. Usually, celebrities don't have a lot of financial woes and it appears that they get pretty much what ever they want. However, the pressure to look good every time you leave your house would be a pain. Magazines would call it shameful if you ran to the corner store in PJs. Not to mention, the annoyance of cameras flashing in your face as you walk to that store. Your moments as a celebrity may be "glamourous," but you would have to share most them with a million people and not just your loved ones.

As much as I don't think I would like to be extremely famous there is one thing about celebrity that I envy greatly. That is that their voices are actually heard. They may be criticized, rightly or not, but there is no question they get their voice out there. When they care about an issue they can do something. No, they can't solve the problem by magic, but they can raise awareness and often coordinate some action.

Just think for a moment and many names and causes come to mind. (Please click on the names to find out more about the causes they support.)

George Clooney and Don Cheadle: Darfur
Angelina Jolie: Refugees
Bono: AIDS/African Aid
Oprah: Girls Education
Al Gore: Environment/Climate Change
Late Princess Diana: Landmines

This is what I envy. Celebrities can keep the paparatizzi, big houses, magazine covers, and red carpets (although I must admit walking a red carpet once in life might be fun, but it certainly isn't something I need to do to be happy.) What I really want is the means to get important information to the public and the means to moblize and begin change.

The celebrity culture of America has seeped into politics. Even as I write this, Entertainment Tonight is teasing an upcoming interview with John McCain. This aspect of the political process can be a good or bad thing. More people are interested in politics, but are they interested in issues or what is on the candidates' Ipods?

A big concern with politicians becoming “stars” is that the nature of celebrity isn’t one that requires much accountability. Movie stars make a living at playing a part, essentially not being themselves and telling a story that is usually fiction. We can’t have our campaigns becoming romantic-comedy or tragic screenplays.

Many political commentators get ratings from turning the election into laughs or dramatic yelling-matches. The popularity of Tina Fey’s spot on parody of Gov. Palin has given SNL a huge boost. ABC’s The View has produced some heated political arguments this season and it only takes 5 minutes of watching Bill O’Reilly to see the drama emerge.

However, there are more people registering to vote and real issues are being discussed more this year than I ever remember in the past. It is exciting that Obama was easily able to fill a football stadium with supporters/delegates while still thousands watched his acceptance speech at home. Hopefully, the excitement of politics will translate into the younger generations caring about issues, craving knowledge and demanding to be a part of the process. This is a great thing.

So is a celebrity political culture a good or bad thing? Time will tell like it always seems to do.

Fun Fanfare for Bruce

In a haze of social and political anxiety, I decided to write about something much less stressful. Music often calms my activist nerves and one of my favorite musicians is Bruce Springsteen. You may be sitting there with a cocked eyebrow and confused look. This makes you no different than most people when they find out I’m a die-hard Boss fanatic. He really is a misunderstood artist and I hope this blog with help shine a new light on his art. Three big reasons to love Bruce are his political lyrics, thoughtful stories and the fun you can have in a car singing along with him.

His politics are probably one of the most misunderstood aspects of his music. I’m sure many Palinites love chanting “Born in the USA” without much notice of the other words in the song. Many would be surprised to learn this song is very political. It features anti-war and in your face lyrics about the mistreatment of our veterans. Springsteen understands that patriotism is powerful and can be good, but blind patriotism is very dangerous.

So they put a rifle in my hand/ Sent me off to a foreign land/ To go and kill the yellow man/ Born in the U.S.A. / I was born in the U.S.A…
I had a brother at Khe Sahn fighting off the Viet Cong/ They're still there, he's all gone

During a recent concert, he made statements about the loss of our civil liberties under the Bush administration. The crowd seemed to divide in half. Some seemed uncomfortable and wanting to get back to the music and others like myself, my partner and the person beside us wearing an Amnesty International shirt were clapping in praise of his recognition of these important issues. He then sang “Livin’ in the Future”, from his new album Magic.

My ship Liberty sailed away on a bloody red horizon

The groundskeeper opened the gates and let the wild dogs run…
Chorus: Don't worry Darlin', now baby don't you fret/We're livin' in the future and none of this has happened yet

Almost anyone can relate to at least one Springsteen song. He crafts stories that are thought-provoking and provide an almost tangible image of hardship, adventure and love. The lyrics of The River paint a picture of a couple that wanted more out of life. After listening to the story you almost can’t help, but think about your own hopes and dreams.

I got a job working construction for the Johnstown Company/ But lately there ain't been much work on account of the economy…But I remember us riding in my brother's car/ Her body tan and wet down at the reservoir… Now those memories come back to haunt me/ they haunt me like a curse/ Is a dream a lie if it don't come true

He does all of this while making you throw your arms up and stomp your feet. In the car, "Thunder Road" is sure to get you breaking the speed limit just a little bit.

Hey what else can we do now/ Except roll down the window/ And let the wind blow back your hair/ Well the night's busting open/ These two lanes will take us anywhere

And of course there is my favorite Springsteen song (easily in my top 5 songs of all time) the classic "Born to Run", which has elements of the political, romantic, storytelling and rock-n-roll which truly defines his music.
From the beginning of the song,
In the day we sweat it out in the streets of a runaway American dream
to the end,
Someday girl I don't know when/ we're gonna get to that place/ Where we really want to go/ and we'll walk in the sun/ But till then tramps like us/ baby we were born to run[!!!!!!]
there is no mistaking the talent of Bruce Springsteen.

Our Irresponsible Infatuation with Ignorance

The media is portraying the American public in a very bad light. It seems as if we value ignorant bliss and fumbling loyalty over intellect and cooperation. The biggest problem with this coverage is that in some ways it may actually be true.
I tried to avoid writing about Gov. Palin again, because the Republicans have successfully wielded her in a way to evade talking about the things that really matter in this election. (Economic security, energy policies, education reform, judicial responsibilities, etc.) However, I have to respond to this article in the Washington Post.
The headline For Working Moms, ‘Flawed’ Palin Is the Perfect Choice, at first this could be seen as a positive. Yeah, we aren’t expecting absolute perfection any more. Delve into the article and you see it paints a much sadder story. It seems now the country craves inexperience and exploitation.
The article revolves around interviews with women at a McCain rally. One woman says Palin “justifies what we do every day.” A good question to ask her is why she didn’t feel justified before. What in this culture makes mothers, working or not, feel like they aren’t justified in their decisions and actions? Perhaps the answer partially lies within government policies that pit family against work. Family leave is minimal and there is no compensation of any kind for parents that chose to stay home with their children. Even small countries like Estonia have better policies when it comes to parents, including modest financial assistance and job security for new mothers.
Another quote by this working mother was “There’re more American parents with unwed pregnant teenaged children than American parents with Harvard grads.” Is this a good thing? Or is this something that we should get to the bottom of by talking about adequate sex education and better financing for higher education? McCain’s doesn’t offer anything except less sex education and a simpler loan application.
Education level has been used against some of the presidential candidates. Obama with his degrees from Columbia and Harvard is portrayed as too smart to govern regular folk. While, McCain with his low class-rank at the Naval Academy would be better and Bush went to Yale, but that was alright because he was a C student not an honors student like Obama. Education isn’t everything, but it certainly shouldn’t be considered a weakness.
Throughout the article the author offers scary explanations for these women’s statements. “…the national conviction that anyone can succeed is morphing into a belief that experience and knowledge may almost be disqualifying credentials.” Some in this society actually want stupidity; really they do not care what we look like to other countries. They invite fights and even wars. As long as we look like we have the biggest balls, then all is right in America.

This is a frightening time in our country. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that our leaders should be intelligent and knowledgeable. Let’s hope the voices of people that still value smart leadership start to shout louder and drown out the noise from those whom are offended by big words.

Demonstrations and Demographics

I was poised with my pen in hand as McCain began his speech. After 10 minutes I was already tired and wanting to go to bed. His speech was not the worst I've heard, but certainly not specific or inspiring. A more interesting part of the night was the protesters that were actually shown on camera. During Palin's speech, at least one Code Pink protester had been escorted out of the Xcel Center, but I didn't find out until my Estonian friend told me about it.

One sign held by a protester stated something like "McCain votes against veterans." That seems to be a bizarre claim since he himself is a veteran. Not to mention the Republicans like to remind of us his service every chance they get. However, the statement may have some substance.

As recent as this spring, McCain opposed an update to the GI bill that helps soldiers attend college and gain other training after their service. The senator said he opposed it because he thinks offering these benefits will encourage people to leave the military. Soldiers on the frontlines serving several extra years just because they have to in order to get their education benefits is sad and disrespectful. What about injured service members that are discharged early? I really don't know how they would be affected by a McCain GI bill.

Increasing funding for the war isn't popular, but most people believe in taking care of injured and sick veterans. McCain has voted against funding for veteran medical care many times. Just to mention one S. Amdt 3642 increased funding for outpatient care and treatment for veterans. Many other actions show McCain's lacking record on veteran's issues.

On a different note, the Republican Delegation had an interesting make up. The party that is supposedly more "in touch" with the American public doesn't show it by the people they invited to St. Paul. Ninety-three percent were white and 51% have a net worth over $500,000. This doesn't seem like an accurate picture of average Americans. According to the U.S. Census, average household income is around $50,000 well below the 1/2 million mark. As far as race, in 2006 74% of American identified as white.

So the Republican Convention is over and now we can really get this election started! This is when the debates start, signs go up in yards/windows and the nerves really kick-in.

What I learned from Sarah Palin

During the governor's speech at the convention, I learned so many new things! People should really have told me these things earlier!

Gov. Palin enlightened me to the fact that defending civil liberties isn’t that important. Sen. Obama actually wants people to have their rights read before going to prison. The audacity of that man to think that way! I mean, who really needs due process and equal protection under the law? It’s not like he introduced any major legislation protecting us from terrorists. Unless you count the Obama-Lugar Nonproliferation Initiative, which expands U.S. power in eliminating loose weapons around the world. However, we can’t count this piece of legislation, because as Ms. Palin informed me last night the U.S. Senate does nothing (She probably just forgot McCain is actually a senator). A particular do-nothing is Presidential nominee Barack Obama. He’s done nothing in Illinois or Washington. Sponsoring 113 pieces of legislation in the U.S. Senate including an ethics reform bill similar to one he was a leader on in the Illinois Senate is so measly really. He should have been spending his time as a mayor raising sales tax to build a hockey arena and vetoing money to improve schools and hospitals.

The Alaskan Governor had help from the whole delegation in making me come to my senses about energy. Drill Baby Drill! Yeah Baby! It doesn’t matter if offshore drilling poses a potential risk of spills and waste being dumped into the ocean. Once the drills start hitting that black gold, it would only be years before we start seeing the rewards. There would be little need for alternative resources which would start benefiting us now. Wow! This is so great to know Ms. Palin.

Maybe most exciting is that she let me in on a secret. Community organizers have no responsibilities! I need to find me one of those jobs even if they get paid significantly low wages. I always thought they were like foot soldiers on the ground here in America. Battling to improve the living conditions of those that need their help the most. That would mean they have to be advocates, educators, event planners, counselors, researchers and team players. Thanks Sarah Palin, without you I would have continued to think community organizers were talented and compassionate people.

Now that I have been educated, I guess there is no turning back. I’m on the road in my hummer driving to Wal-Mart and listening to Rush Limbaugh on the radio!..

On second thought, I actually like eating veggie burgers before boarding mass transit and listening to Bruce Springsteen on my iPod. Voting for Obama and Biden will be fun too!

Beyond Mother Nature's Fury

Mother Nature decided to back off a bit to allow the Republican Convention to proceed despite their attempts to squander her resources. So for the new opening night President Bush spoke via live video feed. During his speech, he referenced "The Angry Left." Oh My! He made it seem like conservatives, such as McCain, are victims of irrational wrath.

The truth is that many people are really angry. Many of the vocal do reside on the left side of politics. However, any reasonable woman or man should feel a little irate right now. We are facing lies, manipulations and disregard from the current administration. This has taken too much of the joy out of being an American. This makes me livid!
What about the way our civil liberties have been stripped to the bone and privacy has become a privilege? This is worthy of some rage!
Tax cuts that leave the rich richer and everyone else pinching every penny they find on the streets. This should make people mad!
No bid contracts for a military that has been stretched thin and veterans left to starve in the streets. This should piss you off!
The heat of scientifically proven global warming would make any logical person sweat. Denying it shows a true disrespect for life. It is reasonable to be upset by the killing of polar bears and other wildlife with the beat of an oil drill.
In an election, that has McCain choosing a potential vice president that makes me look like a bona fide foreign relations expert scares me. It is alright to be furious about this!

Now the Obama campaign has shined a light on the tunnels end and kept many from being swallowed by the quick sand of cynicism. People say hope is empty rhetoric, but sometimes it is the best medicine for an ill democracy.

It wouldn't be hard to tame the lioness rage of the past 8 years. Electing compassion, intellect, and judgment in the leaders of this country is a good start.

Poetry in Progress

I can't believe it is Thursday and the Democrat convention is coming to close. Instead of doing a post about issues, this one will simply be the start of a poem. I wrote this at lunch today and plan to revise and add to it eventually.

The end of the Democratic National Convention is
only the beginning

Election season is in bloom
Work has to be done
The seeds have been planted
Don't be afraid to get your feet muddy
Stand up to the mic
Be a powerful force, use your voice to
express the necessity of now.

Shout "We Must Vote" to
breath a sigh of relief as
we hear the vines of ignorance break
Show the world how a real patriot acts by
raising the bar on American politics and
live the dream of a king.

Obama 08

A Vice for Women

Senator Joe Biden will be speaking tonight as the Vice Presidential nominee. This follows Women's Equality Day that concluded with a great speech by Hillary Clinton. I must acknowledge that her speech was right on the mark.

In the spirit of feminism, here are some highlights from Biden's history on Women's Rights:
He has spoken out for the ratification of Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), an international treaty that establishes equal right for women. While 90% of UN member states have ratified it, the United States lags behind.

Senator Biden was a chief sponsor of the Violence Against Women Act (1994). He has also worked to ensure its reauthorization in 2000 and 2006. In addition, he has worked to maintain and increase funding for the bill despite efforts by the Bush administration to cut funding. The bill supports women's shelters and prevention programs among other vital projects working to end violence.

As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, he has stood up for women and other groups. He voted against the nominations of Justices Roberts and Alito, even going so far as to support a filibuster of Alito's appointment. Besides these well-known cases, Biden has repeatedly voted "no" to the appointment of judges with questionable records, such as Judge Thomas Griffith an opponent to Title IX.

In addition the senator has been outspoken on several important issues. He is an ally for reproductive rights, pay equity and the empowerment of Afghan women. These examples show how he is a good pick for women. That is yet another reason why I am proudly supporting the Democratic ticket this November.

Divided and Conquered? Why?

News reports gladly remind us that Democrats seems to work harder to maintain solidarity. They show images of Clinton protesters at the convention and give McCain free ad time by repeatedly showing a commercial with a Hillary supporter voting for him. I realize this is mostly media's subjective view of what is going on in the election, but this is not acceptable.

Any democrat/liberal that walks away because their primary candidate didn't achieve the nomination is shameful. Any feminist that turns to the republicans simply because a woman isn't on the ticket is doing a grave disserve to all feminists. Critics can point to this and say feminists don't really want positive change they just want women in powerful positions no matter the cost.

I am so angry that people are resistant to the better candidate this November! Here is just a few of the comparisons that can be made between the two nominees:

Obama is pro-choice and advocates better birth control policies.
McCain is committed to overturning Roe v. Wade and doesn't mention anything about preventing unwanted pregnancies.

Obama's education policies include reforming No Child Left Behind by funding it, fostering innovative teaching, shared learning and raising achievement in a variety of ways. He also includes early childhood and affordable college education as priorities.
McCain's education ideas revolve almost exclusively around choice. What about rural areas where there aren't really any schools to choose from within miles? What about transportation if students have to travel farther to get to a choice school? How will 'good' schools manage an influx of students?

On energy Obama's plan focuses more on green technologies and renewable resources.
McCain touches on these issues, but features domestic oil production ahead of creating ways to lower our energy consumption.

Don't forget about the Supreme Court. Rudy Giuliani boasted about McCain's support of Justices Scalia, Alito and Roberts on ABC's This Week.
Obama voted against the appointment of Alito and Roberts.

For more comparisons you can go to each candidates website: Obama or McCain?

It is fine to criticize our leaders, even the ones that get our vote. This is NOT the time to do so. Now is when we choose a smarter path. Now is when we fight against disaster. Now is when we must put aside our unrealistic expectations for perfection. Now is when we stand behind the best chance we have for a better world. Now is when we must support Obama for ourselves and the greater good.

Michelle Monday

The democratic convention opens today and I am weeping because I don't have cable to watch every bit of the prime time rallies. Tonight features Michelle Obama and possibly Ted Kennedy. It is a great prospect to have him speaking tonight and hopefully the public display of encouragement he is sure to receive will do his health well.

I have heard some critique the choice of Ms. Obama speaking tonight. However, it is only appropriate for her to get a share of the spotlight. She is a hard working woman that doesn't get any breaks in the media and isn't understood by most Americans. She has to deal with both racism AND sexism! One example is the New Yorker cover that missed the satire mark by about a mile. Another issues is the idea of the "Angry Black Woman." This is two fold because African Americans are often painted as disgruntled and so are feminists. So if you are a strong black female then you must be unruly, right? People have a right and even a responsibility to be angry about injustice.

Each time I had the opportunity to meet her she was always friendly and genuine. I suggest getting to know Michelle Obama for who she actually is as opposed to her portrayal on the media. Some highlights include growing up in the southside of Chicago to Harvard Law School. Then back to Chicago where she practiced corporate law until she left to give back to her community. This included working for Public Allies, an Americorp program helping promote community leadership.

Now she is supporting her husband in an intense election. She will face pundit smears and I'm confident her and her husband will both make it through just fine.

The Elephant in the Room

I had planned a different post, which I temporarily put aside after hearing news of Howard Dean's recent comment about the Republican Party. For those who may have missed it he said "If you look at folks of color, even women, they’re more successful in the Democratic Party than they are in the white, uh, excuse me, in the Republican Party,” on NPR last week.

I recognize it wasn't the smartest political quip I've heard. But let's take a quick look at the Republican Party. It is safe to say it doesn't attract many minorities. Although I would be wary of implying no minorities because that would be discrediting the personal decision of some folks of color and women who choose the conservative side of politics even if it is counterintuitive. In congress there are actually 7 Latino, Asian and American Indian Republicans, but that pales in contrast to the 71 Democrat minorities. According to an article on ABC.com, African Americans are likely to vote Democrat over Republican by a margin of 9 to 1. This shouldn't be too surprising; most of the Republican presidential candidates couldn't even show up for a debate hosted by African American Tavis Smiley.

The reaction to Dean's comment has been everything from cheering to accusations of race baiting. Race baiting is not favorable, but what about an honest discussion about race. This seems to be harder to come by and maybe we can use situations like this to do just that. For instance, is a slip of the tongue about a 'white' party racist? I will leave you to decide, but the often unacknowledged truth is that Anglo America is the dominant race. White culture sets most of the norms in Western society.

White privilege is like the air around us. We don't often realize its there until we choose or are forced to think about it. In order to ensure equal rights we have to admit it exist and then work for a more just world for everyone. Any white person who doesn't think this privilege is real should ask yourself:
*Do people noticeably grab their bags tighter as you pass by?
*Are you ever asked to speak for your whole race?
*When you get a job, does anyone question your merit and/or assume you were employed to fill a race quota?
*If more people of your race move into a neighborhood does rent in that area go up or down?
These are just some way it plays a role in our lives, for more that may apply to your life check out this article by Peggy McIntosh.

Of course, there isn't just white privilege. Class and heterosexual privilege are two of the many examples that operates in the world. It can be scary for a privileged group to recognize and challenge it. They think it means they will lose something, but in reality giving privilege to more people brings up the value and quality of society for everyone.

The Myth of Inclusion

Why are people concerned about the myth about Obama being a Muslim? The well-disputed rumor is a problem for more than the democratic candidate's campaign. It shows the cracks in our democracy and the weakness of our all too often uninformed electorate. First, it should not matter if he is Muslim. The current interpretation of the constitution allows the freedom of choice in our religious views and personal spiritual practices. This right is afforded to government officials as well as the average citizen. So we should not all our elections to be consumed by a singular dominate belief.

Beyond the simple constitutionality of the issue, this type of attack is too easy to make. By misleading people about Senator Obama's association with Islam, it allows his adversaries to avoid the race card. However, it has the same effect. Hiding behind the Muslim label, critics don't have to present rational arguments against him.

Being nervous about an Arabic-looking person on public transportation is not met with a significant about of disapproval. On the contrary, fear of black men is largely unacknowledged, but still felt by too many. This covert prejudice shows part of the huge challenge we have in progressing race relations. By masking racism in religious intolerance it compounds the problem. Race is ignored and another prejudice is let to slide. Racism and religious intolerance are palpable in America, yet we rarely acknowledge that we are included in the problem. Through our silence or as perpetrators. Without looking at our own prejudices we will never learn to work through them.

New York City has been seeing blatant examples of these prejudices. Next month, the subways will begin to display ads about Islam. They are meant to direct riders to a website where they can learn about the religion. Some are outraged and claim it is disrespectful for them run on the anniversary of September 11th.
What is negative about learning about a difficult culture or belief than your own?
What is so bad about a group of people educating others? Especially, when they have been overshadowed by the representation of only a small percentage of their group.

Another incident is the "Obama is my slave" T-shirt. This statement spits in the face of history and takes ignorance to a new level. If you think it can't get worse, the maker of the T-shirt doesn't support the senator because he buys into the Muslim myth. A lawsuit has been filed against him, but isn't for the words on his shirts. A woman was assaulted for wearing the shirt.
To read more about these stories go to the following links: Subway Ads and Obama Shirt .

The diversity of the U.S. makes living here interesting and exciting. Sometimes we forget that this diversity requires work, but it's worth it.

And Introducing...

One of my goals this summer was to start a blog...so here it goes!

My first post is to introduce myself and my vision, if you will, for this blog. Ultimately, I would like to get rich and famous as a witty writer activist! However, my realistic idea for this blog is to provide myself a platform to become a part of the conversations society is or should be having.

First, let me say hello and provide a window into the author's character. I'm a goddess with a diva closet and mindset. Just kidding, I'm actually a big nerd poet that enjoys travel, protests, and snowboarding. My lifestyle tends to tranverse between traditional and counterculture. It depends whose looking. My background has been diverse from video production to tolerance education coordinator and many things inbetween. Politics played a large role in my upbringing and I'm glad it did. I vote with my brain and my heart, which does not make me ignorant or foolish.

Progressive Plaid will be a blog to celebrate and question the intersections within us as individuals and the connections between people. Topics will range, but generally focus on the social, political, cultural and other ubiquitous issues in the world.

The name is actually fairly easy to breakdown. Progressive because the views expressed here will usually be considered as such. Now, Plaid is used for a couple of reasons. One is that I do enjoy sporting plaid from time to time, but it certainly is not an exclusive pattern in my closet. (oops! I don't have a closet in my glorified studio apartment) Thinking more theoretically, the reason for plaid is for the way it incorporates lines, squares, and colors that intersect, merge and diversify to make something unique and often beautiful. Kind of like humanity.

Please feel free to leave any respectful comment you'd like because I enjoy dialogue and learning from others.

Thank you for visiting my site and I hope you'll come again!