For over a month I haven't had much to say in the blog world. I was and am a bit tired of the demise of the political debate, so much so that I reflected on my wave of different emotions over the course of the election. Early on I was very excited to just learn more about the overall process. I've always voted, but I haven't always had an emotional tie to the issues, the candidates, the particulars of the contest and then some. A lot has changed over the last year.
About a week ago I received an email forward to an entire distribution list which left a really bad taste in my mouth. I didn't respond, I just made "a mental note to self" that forwards are really the death of smart communication. Shortly thereafter I received another forward, once again spouting a mix of half truths about the record of Barack Obama. Voting record and stance on core issues is not lost on me, the emails also had some clear facts sprinkled in race bated material about "how frightening" the thought of him becoming president was.
I decided to respond to the entire distribution list of the person who originated the forward, and I knew that I was most assuredly walking a slippery slope when I hit send. I had considered the person a friend, but I realized that no friend of mine could be responsible for the level of ignorance that was being shared openly without thought. At least, that was what I determined after I read both emails again. The result - a few additional forwards, a challenge email directly to me, and then being copied on subsequent notes to her email list about "those people" who had responded to her entire list unnecessarily. I responded purposefully, realizing that if I said nothing it might mean that the information would stand as acceptable and fact. I thought the poorly substantiated and openly refuted emails deserved a response. I probably lost an acquaintance or two (three, four maybe five) in the process. I got some new peers along the way though - not everyone agreed with the tactic and tone that still makes my skin crawl.
The moment that I mentioned race two people wrote me back and said, "you just must not know her," she's the furthest thing from a racist. I actually didn't call her a racist, and I didn't say that the information was racist - I said that the emails were race-bating - because code words are intertwined to catch the emotion of the reader, with regard to race. It makes me think of the word associations that we used to do in school...or at least that is what they did in my independent private school in Ohio. Here, the word association is both with regard to race, stereotypes, socio-economic differences, and the widening gap between those who have and those who have not.
The messages captured enough stereotypes for a great SNL routine, or a really irritated Black professional at the very least. I was treated to a MLK quote, rants about "conservative values", implications about "helping those undeserving people get houses they couldn't afford", "our taxes", references to name, religion, and political affiliations - as if there is a candidate in existence that doesn't have any history. I have not been in the Obama Choir from day one, even my excitement was buried in concerns about exactly how he could impact the policies and procedures which have led us down this road. Yet, I have up until recently had very civil conversations with people along all political affiliations. I helped elect Bush, I have plenty of reflection to do.
Contrary to the respondents on the list who questioned my Christianity, I am a Christian. I do believe that the same advocacy for life at inception should translate into concern about what happens to life when it gets here, needs an education, needs health care, needs a solid start in life...but that would be ridiculous. To challenge someone to think about the financial implications of the war, the military strategy and the failed weapons of mass destruction argument - it is getting harder and harder to do. My Republican spouse has been treated to all types of nasty little rants on the conservative sites he frequents, I don't even spend that much time surfing nowadays. If we can't disagree with some degree of respect - what does that say about us as individuals, often individuals raising another generation.
I pondered whether or not to respond to the emails point by point, the Muslim references, the Bill Ayers saga, the inexperience issue, and the implication that those who support him are somehow waiting for a government ride. It isn't my life, or the life of those nearest and dearest to me - but I'm starting to wonder if it should matter at all. The assumptions and stereotypes aren't going to be changed with my reality, in fact not facing reality seems to be a prerequisite for some of the vicious lies and urban legends that are distributed. The inability to see this election with any balance is becoming an increasing concern. The inability to understand the difference between minimum and living wage - well, when the originator of the forward highlighted this as scary - I started to wonder about the different worlds we live in. The negativity has reached an all time high, where lynching pictures, racial slurs, and calls for even worse behavior become a rallying cry. I don't want to be part of that dialog - it is the worst common denominator for our lowest selves. I want more.
So, I haven't been writing much. I spent most of the last few days exchanging emails with the half dozen people who quietly applauded my efforts to respond to the ridiculous forwards. I have enjoyed creating an Internet relationship with people of diverse backgrounds, who supported the idea of "knocking it off." Getting past our own comfort zones and mis-information in order to be more responsible for the paradigm that we operate within, that should be the call that we each have. I stumbled on a few posts of mine that made me think, smile or reflect - some passionate, some posted well before their time. One of my favorites though isn't one of mine at all, it was an Open Letter to "Mr. President" whomever, the president will be. I have a great regard for a 40 year old man drinking 38 year port, deciding to capture his thoughts, because it was the first post in recent weeks to make me think that there is an ounce of sanity still in existence. We don't have to like 100% of a persons politics to have a high regard for the office of president....(now check this out) REGARDLESS of who is elected.
I don't believe that you have to butcher someone to elevate your own case, or trash someone endlessly to instigate a reply. I think you can agree to disagree - but I think you have to be mindful of the challenges that rest in front of you. Most people speak in soundbites and political generalities. Unfortunately, our bumber sticker days are pretty much in full swing and the education process for voters (registration, early voting, clothing selection, facts vs. fiction) is tilted at best. When you stand up against crazy, you might become an army of 1.
I am thankful for the opportunity to live at such a time as this. I'll be relieved when the election is over - but I have come to believe, the foolishness probably has a long, long way to go.
Showing posts with label election 2008. Show all posts
Showing posts with label election 2008. Show all posts
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Bob Johnson on Barack: We Care Why?
Bob Johnson is one of the African-American males for Hillary which should inspire us all to look behind the curtain at Oz. Why is it that so many bought and paid for old establishment
Black males are coming out in support of the Clinton Campaign - nothing more than the you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. They have been pouring money into their campaigns for years and it comes as no surprise that at any cost they will jump in her pocket as the liaison to the Black community. Couple that with the pandering in the Black church and Bill calling into Al Sharpton's show to do his insincere "oh I'm sorry" - and we have for first prize, "Racial Politics at its worst."
Clinton is courting Bob Johnson to make race an issue for Barack, plain and simple. This issue may lose her votes in the short term - but it is more likely to concern the average American voter, and distract them from Barack. The American people get scared with the issue of race, and if she can successfully make his candidacy about race, and not about change and America fulfilling its promise - she's won. As in her cry seen across the world - this is political strategy - not outrage about how she is perceived relative to MLK. The Democratic party has been as careless about the minority vote as the Republican party in many instances - and until the general election Clinton feels she just has to squash Obama so she can reach her destiny. Problem is, the same folks you meet climbing up the ladder, you will need when you handily fall off of it. She however, will only have the potential to win in the short term. The reality is that most intelligent people - of all races - see through her tactics and understand that she is not the solution - for America, Black People, Women, Youth or Anyone else for that matter.
Who cares about Bob Johnson. He is not representing African-Americans or the average Black voter, and he doesn't fit the characteristics of the average American voter either. The author of low-brow entertainment via Black Entertainment Television (BET) is a media mogul and a billionaire. Who in the heck cares what or who he promotes. He created BET with the rationale that Jerry Springer is allowed to do his show but BET is asked to be held to a higher standard. Umm, let's select yes for $1K. Jerry Springer, Bob Johnson, Hillary Clinton - they are not standard bearers.
Let's hold the campaign and the candidates to a higher standard. Bob Johnson represents no one and didn't care about the garbage he put on television as long as it made him rich. Birds of a feather assuredly flock together in this instance. This isn't the case of bad judgment, this isn't the case of defending a friend, like all other partnerships for the Clinton Campaign - this is negative campaigning, racial politics and pandering at its worst. The media is equally at fault for making this an issue at all - but well, Bob did make his fortune in cahoots with them as well. Wonder how this made front page news on an average Sunday afternoon - the old boys network, Clinton included.
Why not donate to Obama 08 and show your disgust for Clinton Campaign Tactics now.
Black males are coming out in support of the Clinton Campaign - nothing more than the you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. They have been pouring money into their campaigns for years and it comes as no surprise that at any cost they will jump in her pocket as the liaison to the Black community. Couple that with the pandering in the Black church and Bill calling into Al Sharpton's show to do his insincere "oh I'm sorry" - and we have for first prize, "Racial Politics at its worst."
Clinton is courting Bob Johnson to make race an issue for Barack, plain and simple. This issue may lose her votes in the short term - but it is more likely to concern the average American voter, and distract them from Barack. The American people get scared with the issue of race, and if she can successfully make his candidacy about race, and not about change and America fulfilling its promise - she's won. As in her cry seen across the world - this is political strategy - not outrage about how she is perceived relative to MLK. The Democratic party has been as careless about the minority vote as the Republican party in many instances - and until the general election Clinton feels she just has to squash Obama so she can reach her destiny. Problem is, the same folks you meet climbing up the ladder, you will need when you handily fall off of it. She however, will only have the potential to win in the short term. The reality is that most intelligent people - of all races - see through her tactics and understand that she is not the solution - for America, Black People, Women, Youth or Anyone else for that matter.
Who cares about Bob Johnson. He is not representing African-Americans or the average Black voter, and he doesn't fit the characteristics of the average American voter either. The author of low-brow entertainment via Black Entertainment Television (BET) is a media mogul and a billionaire. Who in the heck cares what or who he promotes. He created BET with the rationale that Jerry Springer is allowed to do his show but BET is asked to be held to a higher standard. Umm, let's select yes for $1K. Jerry Springer, Bob Johnson, Hillary Clinton - they are not standard bearers.
Let's hold the campaign and the candidates to a higher standard. Bob Johnson represents no one and didn't care about the garbage he put on television as long as it made him rich. Birds of a feather assuredly flock together in this instance. This isn't the case of bad judgment, this isn't the case of defending a friend, like all other partnerships for the Clinton Campaign - this is negative campaigning, racial politics and pandering at its worst. The media is equally at fault for making this an issue at all - but well, Bob did make his fortune in cahoots with them as well. Wonder how this made front page news on an average Sunday afternoon - the old boys network, Clinton included.
Why not donate to Obama 08 and show your disgust for Clinton Campaign Tactics now.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Killing the Clinton Machine ... building Obama Momentum
So, my republican husband is blogging up a storm about Clinton probably winning the Iowa Caucus. And he came home psyched about a few people linking to his blog comments, a great treat after hosting 8 people in our home for multiple days. Meanwhile, I was psyched that I made my third donation to Barack Obama, and motivated a first time donor because of my matching gift. Two sides of a very different coin.
The Clinton Machine has started a full fledged commitment to negative campaigning, bringing up everything that can "slip upon" in public forums that will create doubt about Barack. In the latest article I read, they sited a poll that says given the recent assassination of Benazir Bhutto people are more convinced that Hillary Clinton can lead. Direct foreign affairs. Be the decision maker.
Who do we think is making the decisions to imply that Barack sold drugs, that he is anything other than Christian, or maybe even that he fails to be qualified for the job. The American public appears to have a convenient memory. What qualifies you to be president, because you used to sleep with one. After all, if we considered all the women who slept with Bill, many more women are qualified to run the US than just Hillary. I guess failing health care reform, the staged "I was so surprised" about my cheating lying husband messing around with Monica, or even the Dash like speed of a move to go to New York - in pursuit of staging her promised political career when Bill was done. I feel like I should be scrolling back with a video camera in honor of Spike Lee, yelling to all women - WAKE UP.
As an educated, professional, Christian wife and mother - not to mention a proud African-American woman - I find Clinton for president to be a bunch of regurgitated mess. HOT MESS in fact. Bill Clinton was NOT the first black president - and the first black male to have the qualification, demeanor, audacity and appeal to truly run, we decide to question his viability. His experience. His ability to be elected. His blackness.
I'll be glad when someone, especially someone in Iowa, asks the question..."Who do I want to lead us through the next four years?" Someone who can't run her home. Someone who doesn't deal honestly with her marriage. Someone who solicits black churches and women's groups like a door-to-door salesman crossed with a used care salesman after 20 years. I present to you - Hillary Clinton. The woman poised to bring more shame to the gender than she already has. In a statistically sound poll of all the women I know, she does not represent us - at all.
When Iowan's go to the poll - I hope they think long and hard about personal character and integrity. I'm not an idealist - but my ideas on this one are strong. If you can not lead your household, the next best thing, lead the free world. NOT. If Obama can stay on top of his core beliefs, talk directly to people who are yearning for leadership, and offer that although he may not have all of the answers - he has the intellect, decision making ability, responsiveness and leadership to get the job done. If there is one thing that a community organizer knows - its that collective power and unity can be a catalyst for change. Clinton is not a change agent. She's more of the left overs that start to go bad on day 3. When you first warm them up, they're delicious. The second day they are filling, not quite as tasty though. The third day....they start to smell bad, and its time for something new.
Barack Obama is something new. And as for leftovers....I've had quite enough. Maybe I'll make another donation now.
The Clinton Machine has started a full fledged commitment to negative campaigning, bringing up everything that can "slip upon" in public forums that will create doubt about Barack. In the latest article I read, they sited a poll that says given the recent assassination of Benazir Bhutto people are more convinced that Hillary Clinton can lead. Direct foreign affairs. Be the decision maker.
Who do we think is making the decisions to imply that Barack sold drugs, that he is anything other than Christian, or maybe even that he fails to be qualified for the job. The American public appears to have a convenient memory. What qualifies you to be president, because you used to sleep with one. After all, if we considered all the women who slept with Bill, many more women are qualified to run the US than just Hillary. I guess failing health care reform, the staged "I was so surprised" about my cheating lying husband messing around with Monica, or even the Dash like speed of a move to go to New York - in pursuit of staging her promised political career when Bill was done. I feel like I should be scrolling back with a video camera in honor of Spike Lee, yelling to all women - WAKE UP.
As an educated, professional, Christian wife and mother - not to mention a proud African-American woman - I find Clinton for president to be a bunch of regurgitated mess. HOT MESS in fact. Bill Clinton was NOT the first black president - and the first black male to have the qualification, demeanor, audacity and appeal to truly run, we decide to question his viability. His experience. His ability to be elected. His blackness.
I'll be glad when someone, especially someone in Iowa, asks the question..."Who do I want to lead us through the next four years?" Someone who can't run her home. Someone who doesn't deal honestly with her marriage. Someone who solicits black churches and women's groups like a door-to-door salesman crossed with a used care salesman after 20 years. I present to you - Hillary Clinton. The woman poised to bring more shame to the gender than she already has. In a statistically sound poll of all the women I know, she does not represent us - at all.
When Iowan's go to the poll - I hope they think long and hard about personal character and integrity. I'm not an idealist - but my ideas on this one are strong. If you can not lead your household, the next best thing, lead the free world. NOT. If Obama can stay on top of his core beliefs, talk directly to people who are yearning for leadership, and offer that although he may not have all of the answers - he has the intellect, decision making ability, responsiveness and leadership to get the job done. If there is one thing that a community organizer knows - its that collective power and unity can be a catalyst for change. Clinton is not a change agent. She's more of the left overs that start to go bad on day 3. When you first warm them up, they're delicious. The second day they are filling, not quite as tasty though. The third day....they start to smell bad, and its time for something new.
Barack Obama is something new. And as for leftovers....I've had quite enough. Maybe I'll make another donation now.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Dust Up - Hillary & Barack
I didn't watch the entire debate based on you tube questions, but universally everything I have heard has been uninteresting. To that end, media needed something to talk about and a walla "Barack and Hillary have a dust up."
So imagine my irritation when I heard supposedly conservative talk radio debate Barack becoming Hillary's VP. I'm sorry but that is just plain mess. If there is going to be business as usual I don't think it will come at Barack making that type of silly mistake. If we aren't voting for her already then pairing her w/Barack doesn't make her more palatable. Actually, it makes me think that we should keep all of our options open.
Should we not like what one party has to offer, no problem - the lines are so blurred you can find lack of morals, lack of focus, lack of real life experience, lack of understanding the issues facing real families - on any side of the aisle.
Has anyone figured that the easiest response to this stupidity is....make another contribution to Obama 08.
So imagine my irritation when I heard supposedly conservative talk radio debate Barack becoming Hillary's VP. I'm sorry but that is just plain mess. If there is going to be business as usual I don't think it will come at Barack making that type of silly mistake. If we aren't voting for her already then pairing her w/Barack doesn't make her more palatable. Actually, it makes me think that we should keep all of our options open.
Should we not like what one party has to offer, no problem - the lines are so blurred you can find lack of morals, lack of focus, lack of real life experience, lack of understanding the issues facing real families - on any side of the aisle.
Has anyone figured that the easiest response to this stupidity is....make another contribution to Obama 08.
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