Not P.C. Just Real

Well. I finally got my lazy ass to an eyeglass place and got my specs. Kind of scary riding with my friend once I could see just how bad she drives. I'd forgotten. This is a woman who has severe road rage issues. She also has an obsession about two other things: smoking and her hair. One time she tossed a cigarette out the car window and when it blew back in on her hair, she damn near killed herself swatting at the cherry. But she has pretty good taste so I let her pick out my frames.

So, I started out wanting to make this a post about observations on race and the recent U.S. election. I have several, and in thinking over them, I realized what a conflicted person I am:

• I hate Romney and am not thrilled with Obama. I'm registered Independent. Was going to write in  Grace Jones. Romney fucked up and praised Arizona's healthcare system. I should have asked my doctors about their opinions on the issue.
• I feel bad for Romney. (Still despise the man, but...) Seems like he was treated pretty shabbily after the loss. On one hand, I wonder how the hell his protection was just cut off so immediately; on the other hand, he can afford his own security. (One of my BFF's says that if he is smart, he had backup security from the git-go. Doesn't seem like the pros have been taking their jobs as seriously as they take their partying ways.)
• Can't understand how anyone votes for a specific party. Are we voting issues or people? Race or America? 
• Really pissed at the dumbasses doing stupid shit because Obama won. I get that some people don't like the man or his policies - or even his race. Do they get that some people felt the same way about other presidents and still managed not to be assholes about it? I was living in England when Reagan was president. Lord knows I had problems with that man, but you know what? Just like I don't talk about family out of the house, I didn't talk about my president. (I didn't defend him or anything, though. I respected the office if not the man. And guess what? I still felt my heart swell and my eyes fill with water when I heard the U.S. National Anthem played.)
• I've heard an interesting arguments about voting "race" in the election:

 A white man asked his black friend, “Are you voting for Barack Obama just because he’s black? The black man responded by saying, “Why not? In this country men are pulled over every day just because they’re black; passed over for promotions just because they’re black; considered to be criminals just because they’re black; and there are going to be thousands of you who won’t be voting for him just because he’s black! However, you do not seem to have a problem with that! This country was built on the sweat and whip of the black slaves’ back, and now a descendant of those same slaves has a chance to lead the same country, where we weren’t even considered to be HUMANS but rather property, where we weren’t allowed to be educated, drink from the same fountains, eat in the same restaurants, or even vote. So yes! I’m going to vote for him! But it’s not just because he’s black, but because he is hope, he is change, and he now allows me to understand when my grandson says that he wants to be president when he grows up, it is not a fairy tale but a short term goal. He now sees, understands and knows that he can achieve withstand and do anything, just because he’s black.".....

Why does it seem that we have evolved in so many ways yet stood frozen in time in other ways? I've read too many reports of ignorance from those against Obama - but none that discuss specific reasons against a black president. (Okay, I've seen one report discussing/not discussing it.) Here's some of the ignorance:

From Teens on Twitter... To college students... People who surprised me a little... Those who surprised me not at all... To, well, these morons (l love the first comment! My family is from the south.)

A kid thinking... An actor (the "message didn't mean anything"? Really, Sam? Damn)... And the randomness.

~sigh~ What a world this is.

 Okay. Enough seriousness. Now for the silliness! (And, yes, I realize some of you may be offended. Look, I've learned to laugh at a LOT of things.)

This is what I wanted in '08 til Bill pissed me off

Kind of arrogant, but so was Romney telling the Prez to sit down (during 1st debate)
Crow is so fucking hard to chew.

The best post-election tweet?

(And this, people, is a JOKE. Just a joke.)

A little boy was watching his mother in the kitchen making a chocolate cake from scratch. 

While the mother had her head turned, the little boy went to the table dipped both hands in the chocolate frosting and covered his face with it.

The mother turned around to see what the boy was doing. She screamed:  "Boy, what the hell are you doing?"

The son gleefully replied, "Look Mama! I'm black!!!" 

The mother became enraged and slapped the crap out of her son. She then said "Boy, go show your father what you’ve done!"

The boy then walked into the den where his father was reading and said "Look Daddy! I'm black!!" 

The father put his magazine down with a very puzzled look on his face (seeing the chocolate on the boy's face.) 

The father said "Come here, boy!" 

The boy came to him and the father smacked his son across his head. 

The father angrily said "Now go show your grandpa what you've done!!!" 

The boy then slowly walked to his grandpa who was on the porch.

He said: "Um... Grandpa, Look what I did.  I'm black now..."

The grandfather said gruffly, "COME HERE BOY!" 

The grandfather took the boy over his knee and proceeded to spank him. 

"That'll teach you! Now go back in the kitchen with your mama!!!"

The boy walks back in the kitchen and the mother said, "I hope you've learned your lesson, young man!" 

The boy says with a scowl on his face, "Hell yeah! I've been black for 5 minutes and I HATE you white folks already!"

Now, being serious again: think about the different ways that all hope for a better world really do belong to our children - if we teach them right. There should be an awareness that we all have to live here on this planet together. I want my nieces and nephews to not have a need to be tolerant because they will just naturally accept others as fellow human beings.

Peace (really)

--Free

Where I sit

So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great. (Job 2:13)


I have been listening some to the contending politicians. Some are doing a lot of talk about people in need. What they are saying is not very thoughtful or insightful  By that I mean that they are not thinking deeply about what they say and they are speaking on things into which they have little personal insight. How do I know this? Because I have said some of the same things in the same way.

Little did I know - back when I was pontificating on it - that poverty and need is not a stereotype. There is no stereotype for those conditions. There are stereotypes for actions and consequences, but not for conditions and circumstances.

I am black and female, on food stamps and medicaid. Sounds like a what some would call a stereotypical situation until you think more about how I got here and have some insight into how it affects me.

I was previously of a different "stereotype." A woman in a solid family, working in skilled fields of employment -  as a corporate trainer for a customs broker, then as a real estate clerk, then as a specialist in a state unemployment office. Yes, the irony. I owned an average home (nothing fancy, but not shabby, and in a very decent neighborhood), drove an average car, had the average "working stiff" lifestyle. I never considered myself as being financially poor, but realized that I was not upper middle-class or above and was content with that. I have no criminal history - in fact, I had a Homeland Security/FBI clearance for my brokerage employment - and my neighbors felt safe living near me. I was liked and respected.

That was about six years ago.

Understand, please, that living does not always go as we plan. Things happen that you don't expect to. Economies stumble, families lose members, hasty decisions turn out badly, people lie to each other. One thing leads to another - another same sort of thing, another good or better thing, or another bad or worse thing.

In my case, I have been led to where I lost a house, finances crashed badly, emotional health suffered, then physical health followed.

Here I am. Black. Female. On food stamps. On medical aid.

I am not a statistic or a stereotype. I am a person trying to heal and get back to a better place in life.

Please don't talk about me as if I have a color-coded, bar-scanned tag plastered across my forehead. Don't try to popularize your opinions - to win votes or friends or an argument around the office - by labeling my situation. You might be right here where I am someday. If not you then maybe your son, daughter or other loved one.

In the meantime, don't wait to be where I am to gain compassion.

I am taking action to get better and to get out of this situation. That's really all anyone else needs to care about.

Peace
--Free

The Debate. My Take.

They're trying to say that Palin won?

No.

What she did was not openly drool, fall off the stage, or mispronounce George Bush's name.

I guess that's a pass for her.

What did was spew the same old crap. All I could think of was that saying about if you can't dazzle them with brilliance, blind them with bullsh*t.

She not only avoided questions, she even tried to make herself sound gutsy for doing so... The woman deserves some kind of position for sheer baseless confidence.

But I did say it: she's not as dumb as she looks. Maybe I should say that she knows how to make being dumb work to her advantage.

Peace
--Free

Why Not A Black Man?

As you can probably tell, this was sent to my email & I just copied and pasted it right over (with my no-formatting behind!) I wish I knew who was responsible so I could give credit...

Why Not A Black Man Why is it that a Black Man can create a tiny piece called a filament (electric light - Lewis Latimer) that allows people to see in the dark? But can't be seen fit to lead a country to the true light. Why is it that a Black Man can create an instrument (clock - Benjamin Banneker) that all people use to tell time? But people don't think it is time for him to run a country. Why is it that a Black Man can design a place for the high authorities to meet in and a place for the president to live in (The Capital and the White House Phillip Reid (a slave) and P ierre L'Enfant)? But not good enough to lead these meetings or live in himself. Why is it that a Black Man was brilliant enough to do the first open heart surgery (Dr. Daniel Hale Williams) and show the world how to get and preserve plasma (Dr. Charles Drew)? But not good enough to put a program in place where everyone can afford this surgery. Why is it that a Black Man was creative enough to design an instrument (traffic light - Garrett Morgan) to bring multiple people (traffic) to a halt? But not seen creative enough to design a plan to bring all this unnecessary and worthless fighting between countries. Why is it that a Black Man could create the soles (shoes - Jan Matzeliger) that people walk on every day? But not seen good enough to fill the shoes of a bad president. Why is it that a Black Man was smart enough and brave enough to teach himself (Fredrick Douglas and Thomas Fuller - both slaves) and others how to read, write and/or calculate math? But not seen smart enough and bold enough to calculate a platform to be President to a country that sure needs another first by us. So you see my Brothers and Sisters what I am saying is let us not forgot our past, which led us to our present and can definitely be the backbone to our future. We were good enough, smart enough, creative enough, and bold enough then, so let us all give Obama the chance to show that we are still these things and more. We all are as s trong as our weakest link, so do not be that weak link that denies our people that chance to show we still can OVERCOME AND BE THE FIRST! OUR NEXT PRESIDENT OF THESE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ! LET US ALL CONTINUE PRAYING THAT THIS PRESIDENT WILL ADHERE TO AND BE LED BY GOD.

Call It Out, Chris! Call It Out, Campbell!

I'm so mad at the Clintons right now. They are showing their (ahem) true colors. So, thank you, Chris Rock, for calling them on that mess



Then, I see from Jill's spot over at Writes Like She Talks that Campbell was on the Palin game with a rant:

White Privilege and the 2008 Election

Heads up on a Buzzflash article I found on Digg:

Context is everything in politics and journalism, and author Tim Wise has the inside track on white (and male) privilege, a concept that most white voters don't comprehend but whose relationships and decisions are governed by this inescapable concept.

That was someone else's lead in to an article I caught earlier. Summarizes beautifully everything to do with the mess that is 2008 elections... Everything.

read more | digg story

And Sarah Came Marching Home Again...

Big thanks to Mudflats for keeping up on the town hall meeting in Anchorage (where Alaskans got to sound off about Guv Palin). I hear it wasn't pretty...

And Mudflat got us a scoop on how Alaska women feel about the guv. Still not pretty.

Talk radio here is all abuzz with how Palin dissed indigenous Alaskans (and don't forget about the disrespect shown for Juneteenth organizers). But no biggie. Apparently she can't do a whole lot right (pun intended) for anybody but her own ego.

Oh, boy, winter is a'coming...

Peace
--Free

P.S.: BTW, since Alaska is so in the news lately, I highly recommend the Mudflat site for all your political news an info from a real perspective.

The Republican Rock Star is Ba-aaack!

The bitch is back and people are already talking. I thought what this one guy who observed the welcoming rally had to say was ...

"It's dangerous up here to do any truth telling -- we all want to have a future and she's going to control the state for the next four years whether she's vice president or governor or senator or turning the wheels from home in Wasilla. I mean she's a powerful woman," Jay Ramras, a Republican state representative from Fairbanks, said in an interview earlier this week."

...interesting, huh?

Then he added:
"That's how I regard her is the American Idol of politics, I've never seen anything quite like it," Ramras said. "It's improbable. It's the most improbable thing that I have ever seen in my life and probably ever will. But God bless her."
I should probably mention that the man speaking happens to own a lodge that was just across the road from where the rally was held. Sounds like he's no fool about who you have to kiss up to.

I guess the rally was huge. Hmmm... I remember when it wasn't a good thing (according to the McCain camp) to have "rock star" rallies. Oh, wait. That's only when it wasn't HIS game. Again - whatever.

And in other news, it seems the attorney Palin has dealing with the Trooper-gate mess is now hollering investigator bias. Yeah. Okay. Whatever. You know that's how people talk when things aren't going the way they want them to. No matter. All Palin has to do is stall everything for another 50 or so days & it won't much matter. Once you're crowned American Idol, it doesn't matter when the dirt starts leaking.

Is It Just Me Or.....?

Didn't I hear McCain making noise about Barack Obama's "rock star" status (and implying a lack of experience)?

Wasn't the McCain camp always trying to say that the media was on Obama's side?

Didn't McCain boast that he would rather lose the election than be president? (In other words, he wouldn't do something he didn't believe in?)

Okay. Answer me this:

Isn't Palin looking a little bit rock star herself these days? And if she's so experienced, why is McCain keeping her in school away from interviews?

And isn't the media just loving it up with McCain/Palin since he picked her as VP?

And does McCain really only do what he believes in - or in what he believes works???

Seems like to me that McCain looked at the crowds paying attention to Obama and decided that if you can't beat someone, you steal their game.

Just some things that make ya go hmmmm...

And, while I'm on a rant - have you noticed Hillary seems awful quiet since Palin came on the scene? Wonder if she's of the mind that she'd rather see a woman ANYwhere in the White House before Obama??? I'll hold out on that judgment until I see if Hillary is going to step up for her party's candidate.

Peace
--Free

Double Standards/Double Talk

Wow. They just make this too easy...

Go over and watch a fascinating spot on Daily Show/You Tube

Power of the Vote

Last I heard, there were 8 million in the Black community not yet registered to vote. I don't know how many of my White, Asian, Indian and other brothers and sisters there are who haven't registered yet. (I myself am an Independent.) We all, regardless of our race, need to stand up and speak up in the one most powerful way that we can.

Think about this: looks, money, access and other sometimes elusive factors might determine what you can or cannot achieve in certain arenas of society. The one thing that you have that is equal to everyone else is your vote. Bill Gates is richer than most, Naomi Cambell is more beautiful than most, Marilyn vos Savant is smarter than most. One thing you and I have in common with these people? 1 vote.

Please, people, get out there and get registered. Do your thing, express your power. As the young folk say, "Rock the Vote!"

Still not convinced? Here's some Black voter history that might inspire you. And even more relevant to women and young people.

Do we want to go back to a time when this was true?:

By the time of the Civil War, most white men were allowed to vote, whether or not they owned property, thanks to the efforts of those who championed the cause of frontiersmen and white immigrants (who had to wait 14 years for citizenship and the right to vote, in some cases). Literacy tests, poll taxes, and even religious tests were used in various places, and most white women, people of color, and Native Americans still could not vote. (from iwantmyvote.com)

Sisters, especially my Black sisters, think about Fannie Lou Hamer (about midway the page). You can go here to read more about her, or here, or here...

Peace
--Free

Facts vs Lies

I was just wondering if anyone had noticed the "discrepancies" in the speech. Well, someone did.

I also love that someone compared Obama's record to Palin's (since the Republican's like to do comparing of their own). And it's all summed up nicely over at Pam's House Blend...

I'm just saying.

(By the way, go HERE for some cool stuff!)

Wonderful Speech By Palin

Not.

Look, after all the country-hick, idiot portrayals of Palin, expectations were so low for her that as long as she didn't drool or forget her own name, she was okay. But was the speech great? No. I didn't hear anything to build up the citizens of this country. All I heard was the same Republican lines meant to tear down the Obama campaign.

Where was the hope for ALL citizens? Where was the offer to be willing to work across party lines?

So, YAWWWWWN.

I'm waiting for Palin to have to think a little faster on her feet - like poor Tucker Bounds did when asked to give some specifics about her experience in foreign policy....