It is unbelievable we are standing on the eve of the most important election of this century. Through all the ups and downs, all the bruising and campaigning, we have finally arrived to this pinnacle moment. At this time, I have no criticisms or anger, I have no facts or well laid points.
Two things sit heavy in my mind: The first is a comment made on the Comedy Central show The Colbert Report by Native American writer Sherman Alexie: “Unlike other groups of people in this country, we Indians vote for the good of everybody, and not just for the good of our little group.” To me, this is significant for a couple of reasons: the most obvious and important is that no group in American history, with exception of African Americans, owes less to this country and the good of our whole country, in my opinion, than Native Americans. After stealing their homeland, parceling their tribes onto reservations which grew smaller after natural resource reserves were discovered and brutally trying to commit cultural genocide, including stealing their children to be educated as true‘Americans,’ the Native Americans of this country owe us nothing. Yet they recognize all of its citizens and act with good moral authority to vote to elect the candidate that best represents the needs of the majority: no ideology, no single issue persuasion, no party affiliation politics. This second point is demonstrated in the fact that Alexie acknowledges that John McCain has been good for Native Americans but that the majority will be voting for Barack Obama. This touches me as an American; not because I back the same candidate but because it gives me hope that we can come together for a common good and override whatever interests and benefits we would individually receive from any one candidate to do what is best for all of us. It may mean sacrifice, it may mean that our politics are put aside and we disagree with policy that we are asked to comply with, but if Native Americans can make the sacrifice, why is it so hard for everyone else to be a little bit less selfish and single minded?
Granted, Native Americans do not hold the monetary wealth and resources of this country. But neither do African Americans and Hispanics. Yet, I want us to keep in mind that in forty years from now, when I am retiring, when many of us will be looking forward to the sunset years of our lives hoping we are able to have the dignity to enjoy those moments without the stresses of wondering if we can afford insurance and relying on Social Security: who is going to be the safety net that provides those services? Who will be the majority that will be asked to work and carry the load of our generations so that we can be comfortable? How are we ever going to be able to guarantee those same benefits to future generations if we do not take care of everyone in this country, especially the minorities that will not always be in the minority, yet sit at the bottom of the economic chain. It is not about voting racially, morally or financially. We are facing a choice of what our country’s unfolding will be: do we emulate countries where the smallest populations control those countries’ resources or do we build a strong, educated, large workforce that can be competitive and help everyone do better? I do not understand how we can ask other countries to treat their people better; to forgo racial warfare; to uplift the poor; to educate children; to recognize that global health issues trickle out to everyone if they are not aided; and yet we can not do the same at home first. Maybe that is the Native American wisdom speaking which we have so deftly ignored since Columbus touched these shores.
The second thing that has stricken me is remembrance of a poem by Max Ehrman:
Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass. Take kindly to the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy
Whether we acknowledge it or not, we are a community and country that could fall together as sure as we could rise as one. We ALL have a right to be here. Let our voting and our voices be a reflection that we recognize every American in each other, that we look in the mirror and see the rainbow of all we meet and touch throughout our lives. Let us, at least this once, follow the Native American spirit of inclusion and do what is best for ALL who make up this country. Vote for Barack Obama.
From the moment I heard the words “class warfare” in last week’s Presidential Debate, my inner consciousness began to cringe. As if the rhetoric of the campaigns have not been exhausting and bruising enough, with flying accusations of “unpatriotic”, “un-American” and “not like the rest of us” playing through the news circuit and bolstering the anger at Republican rallies, yet another secret code phrase rolls of the lips of the Republican candidate for President, hoping to divide and conquer as his strategy for success.
In the waking moments, an awful lot of surrogates and commentators have been discussing the notion of “sharing the wealth”, a phrase Barack Obama used when speaking with the now infamous Joe the “license free, have a lien for back taxes” Plumber, in conversation regarding whether or not Joe would be penalized for buying a business by having to pay higher taxes. Since Joe would make under $250,000, he would not, but the Republicans have used this exchange as an opportunity to pounce on Democrats with notions of ‘socialism’, ‘communism’ and ‘welfare’.
There were also four key points that I feel are incredibly important to this study:
How does this translate to the United States? The following are statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau regarding poverty in this country:
-Our current poverty rate pre-economic meltdown (and it will surely grow) was 12.5%, roughly equal to 37.3 million people
-The poverty rate for children has risen to 18%, which means that nearly 1 in 5 children are struggling in desperate situations
-58.5% of our population will spend one year below the poverty line at some point between ages 25 and 75
These facts do not represent those people who are on the outer fringe of their poverty rate, those in the lower middle class who are just making it, but barely. From 2000-2006 median income has not changed. In fact, it has fallen to .6 less than it was just eight years ago. Our current federal wage of $6.85 does not aid this situation; in my research, I found a living wage calculator online that puts this in perspective.
Entering my zip code for Centennial, CO, I found that the living wage required to live here is $23.46. The poverty wage is $9.39, nearly 1/3 more needed than is required by the government. Many of the jobs I see advertised around the city of Denver only pay between $8.50 to $10.00 per hour, hardly enough to create and sustain savings.
For some, it is an even greater, dire struggle. Although the median income in 2007 was $26,804, for non-Hispanic whites this figure jumps to $31,051; Asians also rate above average with $$29,901. African Americans and Hispanics, however, only average $18,428 and $15,603 respectively.
These two minority groups make up 27.2% of our population and with their exponential growth, will overpower the dominate white race of this country in 50 years. Yet, our country does very little to help minorities to have an even or fair economic situation; out of those in poverty, 46% comprise of these two groups. Statistically, women, particularly female minorities, are even greater at risk of lagging behind. Although the median income for women rose 5% to $35, 102, the median income for men increased 3.8% to $45, 113, a difference of $10,011.
Republicans would like to blame social programs for the ills of this country, claiming that through hard work and dedication, we can all achieve the American dream. Angel Gurria had this to say regarding social programs: “Although the role of the tax and benefit system in redistributing incomes and in curbing poverty remains important in many OECD countries, our data confirms that its effectiveness has gone down in the past ten years. Trying to patch the gaps in income distribution solely through more social spending is like treating the symptoms instead of the disease…the largest part of the increase in inequality comes from changes in the labor markets. This is where governments must act. Low-skilled workers are having ever-greater problems in finding jobs. Increasing employment is the best way of reducing poverty.”
Employment and jobs in this country cannot rise without investment to our infrastructure and small business community. For every 1% rise in unemployment, $700,000 additional people participate in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly labeled as Food Stamps) over the short term; in the long term, this increases to 1.3 million individuals. Out of all those receiving these benefits, 49% are children 18 years and younger. This is one program from the government where minorities do not dominate; whites comprise 43%; African Americans make up 33% and Hispanics are 19% of the participants. However, over 1/3 of all households were headed by a single parent, the overwhelming majority of which are single women. Receiving Welfare to Work does not cure this situation, nor give the foundation necessary to create the economic security and wealth needed to establish one’s self as sufficient. Republicans bemoan TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families or cash assistance), but the truth is the numbers have fallen dramatically over the past ten years for those receiving this benefit. The percentage of households receiving food stamps that participate in TANF has fallen from 31.4% to 13% in the past decade; those with earnings have risen from 26.3% to 29.7%. Almost 1/3 of those receiving assistance are doing their part to earn outside income, but again, this is an area where race and gender play a role in who needs these benefits: while whites, who make up 73.9% of our population account for only 31.8% of those receiving TANF, African Americans account for 38.2% and Hispanics for 24.8%. Only 10.7% of the households are married, with single-women households far outnumbering single-men households as recipients (nearly 10 to 1).
These statistics show the roots of our country’s future problems: we are becoming a nation of uneducated, unemployment citizens who are barely able to afford basic necessities and nutrition. With food costs rising, those participating in SNAP cannot afford to make healthy choices, because fresh meats, fruits and vegetables are out-pricing processed foods. As a result, we are watching our children grow obese and our nation suffers from a myriad of health problems linked to poor eating. Even though the school lunch programs are improving in some areas with fresh food grants, they, too cannot keep up with costs and find that the habits displayed in schools does not translate to home. With the uninsured rate at 15.3% and with and additional 27.8% being served by a government plan, we cannot afford to continue to push the divide between the have and have-nots because we are ALL paying for it.
What strikes me more than anything are the disparages we allow for the minorities in this country. We can pretend to ignore the problems faced in these communities and we can pretend that if only they were a little more motivated, maybe their situations would different. Certain communities can be built and gentrified, while others sit as impoverished battlegrounds without even the infrastructure to provide its citizens with basic items like food and toiletries, which has been happening in my hometown of Pittsburgh. But we should not stand for is allowing our government to recruit minorities to serve our country while pretending they do not exist on our homeland. Our Army is now comprised of 27.5% African Americans and 10.4% Hispanic. In the other branches, such as the Marine Corps, this figure drops to a total of 29.4% for both groups serving in this branch. Yet, while Hispanics serving still remain under the average margin compared with those in the civilian labor forces, the proportion of African Americans is much higher than those in civilian labor. When it comes to pay, as it does in civilian labor, African Americans and other minorities fall far behind representing officers in their respective branches. The percentage range of all minorities serving as officers swings from 13.2% to 22.9%. As the pay grade rises, whites comprise 88% to 95.4% of the highest paid in these positions.
To me, this message from my country to those who are suffering the most, who are the most impoverished, the least educated, those who have been trampled, discriminated against and who have paid dearly for their personal freedoms is that one can serve this country during times of instability and war, but the country will not serve you when your own instability affects your ability to live as a deserved human being. What this says to me about John McCain is that he is so out of touch with hurting Americans and minorities that he has no genuine concept of the damage he could do to this country with his policies and financial ineptitude. To believe that freezing government spending will cure the problem, not yet hearing a detailed analysis of what programs will be affected, but not once having heard him say he would continue anything for social service programs as essential) is a miniscule bandage to a gaping, bleeding wound. To claim that the lower 44% of the tax base does not deserve a tax credit while the wealthy should be entitled to keep their ‘hard earned, productive’ money is gross and dangerous. These statements are warfare on race, gender and a continuation of enriching the gap of those who have more than they can afford to spend, because those affected the most are those for whom we advocate the least in this country. For him to assume that all of that 44% is undeserving, let me give you this scenario: as a single mother making $18,000 for the tax year of 2005, I did not pay federal taxes (but still paid Medicare and social security) because I had two dependents. I received an earned income credit. I barely survived, relying on food stamps, childcare subsidies and living without basic things that most take for granted, such as cable television and a car. In our family of five now, our children are covered by government insurance while my finance and I live with the danger of being uninsured until March. Since I cannot afford to work and place my youngest in daycare without having to find something greatly above minimum wage, my fiancé is the sole earner. His base salary is roughly $31,000, which seems in disproportion to our rent payment of $1210, phone costs, energy costs and feeding our family. It is likely we will pay a reduced tax rate if anything at all. Are we above being granted the same assistance or ‘welfare’ that those on Wall Street have benefited from or that John McCain wants to give to those who need it least?
Some of the reasons given for the disproportionate percentages of minority officer in the military are the levels of poverty, disorderly learning environments and low achievement, particularly regarding graduation rates and college enrollment. The OCED agrees: ‘Better education is also a powerful way to achieve growth which benefits all, not just the elites, the report finds. In the short-term, countries have to do better at getting people into work and giving them in-work benefits to provide working families with a boost in income, rather than relying on unemployment, disability and early retirement benefits.’
Good education has become the playground of the wealthy. Even if they cannot afford to send their children to private institutions for the formulary years, public education in wealthier neighborhoods tends to be better because the local taxes benefit their area. Unfortunately, in many of our communities, we are affected by our zip codes and geography in ways that disadvantage many children because the tax bases are so low or nonexistent that some of our schools are desperate to keep their doors open. One of things I am most impressed with, now living in the Denver area, is that if there is available space and one can transport his or her child, one can apply to enroll in any of the open district schools. In Pittsburgh, I had to live in a good neighborhood just to ensure my children’s’ education in a good school, which are much fewer and far between than are acknowledged in that area.
While the wealthy pay more taxes, their tax rate has dropped dramatically since the pre-Reagan days of trickle down economics. They also control the majority of the financial income of our nation. The top two quintiles of our country (highest 40%) will receive an estimated 73.1% of the income for 2007. Our top 5% will receive 22.3% of that share, almost a ¼ of our nation’s income. I hear a lot of rhetoric about how those who earn these figures should be able to keep their ‘hard earned’ money but I am overly tired of the argument that managers and CEO’s really ‘earn’ what they are worth. When I was growing up, my elders and parents always raised me with a notion that I was no better or no worse than any other individual. I was very fortunate to have a grandfather who earned a bachelor’s degree following his service in World War II and my mother is finally completing her doctorate she has worked for over ten years, even as she grew her small business as a consultant and juggled the demands of being a wife and mother. On my father’s side, I am one of the first to earn a degree from a college or university. My grandparents taught me that the American dream sought by my great grandmother, who arrived here from Yugoslavia alone at the age of seventeen, entering into an arranged marriage, was to have work that sustained one’s family, provided a home and a car, allowed for offspring to have some money to pursue their education and to travel or go out on the town once in awhile. This is the dream that births my own hopes: to have my own practice of as a doula and childbirth educator, to raise my children with values of hard work and discipline, to own our home and to maybe have two vehicles to ease the burdens of my travels with a young child while my fiancé works an unpredictable schedule. I want to send my children to college. I want to travel more. I want to be able to go to a zoo or museum without it taking away from something else in my budget. I have been working since I was twelve as a papergirl, with my first ‘real’ job at McDonald’s. I worked through college, still paying my loans which accrue massive interest, and have lived abroad in poverty where my wage was $1 per hour bringing home little over $200 per month, while pregnant. As a woman, I have seen better opportunities and advancement go to men who did have the same initiative and drive that I demonstrated. I have served my country in AmeriCorps, living below my means to educate and uplift others. I cannot try harder than I already am. I have friends that are afraid to supplement their incomes or work because they cannot afford to pay health insurance out of pocket and their spouses have small businesses, which cannot afford to buy insurance for themselves and their employees. I have friends drowning in debt who nurture business or work away from home significant portions of the time, away from their families, just to make ends meet. How much more can they be expected to do?
In 2004, close to 2,700,000 American adults had gross assets that amounted to $11.1 Trillion. To repeat: $11,100,000,000,000. That is a lot of zeros and greater than our current national debt. Even subtracting for debt and mortgages, their assets were over $10.2 trillion. It is an average wealth of $3,777,777 per person. In our country, at this writing, our population was 305, 458, 380. If that wealth holds true today, since high wage workers have increased their salaries and the stock market greatly increased its value during this time, and I believe it is a fair correlation, this population of our country is .88%. How does the middle to lower class ever stand a fighting chance of picking itself ‘up by its bootstraps’ when the greatest advantages in this country go to those with the greatest advantages? This is not about socialism or communism or taking from the rich to give to the poor. I have no desire to be rich or famous or live a lifestyle that is far out of touch with the people I encounter everyday. I do not wish to own seven homes or thirteen cars. What this is about is our constitution giving right that “all men are created equal” under the laws of this nation, that we are all given the same foundations and opportunities as ‘average’ Americans. To call it anything else, to make it seem as if those in the middle class and lower 44% are unworthy of our help and our hand is “unpatriotic”, “un-American” and “not like the rest of us”.
My grandfather, who passed in 2000, would be horrified by what our country has devolved into over the past eight years. As a veteran, he often told me his greatest regret was lying about his age to serve his country, because he was haunted by what he experienced in the Navy during the war. He worked with his hands and ran a furniture store in the predominantly black neighborhood of East Liberty in Pittsburgh before it became an impoverished area. He and my grandmother declared bankruptcy in the early years of their marriage, lost their business and worked for every penny they earned. But if there was a crisis in the neighborhood, if someone lost their job or spouse, they always had extra to take them a meal or bring them to their table. They always could find some dollars to give in a collection to help another family make their mortgage or afford basic necessities. People in my grandparent’s era, passed down through my family, always found a way to take care of those who were less fortunate. For my grandmother, who still honors these commitments by actively volunteering at her church through Ladies of Charity and visiting the sick and many other ways, being Christian meant more than just attending service and saying you were Christian. It is a lived experience. The lowest wageworkers in our country have the lowest esteem jobs. They are the janitors at Lehman Brothers or the valets who take the cars from AIG’s workers. They are our gardeners, cafeteria workers and shoe shiners. They are often social service workers and educators who are severely underpaid, overworked and interacting with portions of our society that many of us would never associate with if we had the choice. They are the autoworkers and coal miners who make 600 times less than the CEOs of their companies. Why is our worth considered so much less than those who we are suppose to look up to and emulate? Why do the heads of corporations get million dollar severance packages for poor performance when I would just be unemployed and out of luck? What difference stands between Park Avenue and the rest of society? Clothes? Possessions? Generational Advantage?
The truth is nothing, absolutely nothing. Yet, the illusion remains and perpetuates that wealth and its benefits are a byproduct of people who deserve more because they have more of something we do not. Often they do have more in some ways: more wealth, more opportunity, more open doors, more connections and more education. However, that does not speak against the talent and potential of those who do not get those same chances. And it speaks very little to values, character, integrity and real ‘hard’ work. I begrudge no one the chance to do well for him or herself and to have a better life than they were born into or have now. But what I will not tolerate is allowing such a small portion of this great nation to build their fortunes on the backs, and to the detriment, of so many others who no chance at all. I will not watch my opportunity for one American dream wither and die so that someone else can live the American dream fifty times over.
People can call me a socialist, a communist, a modern day robin hood taking away from the deserved few to give to the masses, but I am none of those things. However, I am an American and I am (I hope), by giving my voice to the voiceless and my words to those who may never read them, making my grandparents, parents and those who believe in the values of this country, very proud. After all, we cannot put ‘Country First’ if we do not recognize and reward ALL of us who, in our own ways and with our individual hearts, create and establish the nation who should ‘stand as a shining beacon’ for the entire world to see, and want, to become.
-Holly Wyble
How dangerous and tainted such an innocent, curious question has become. This inquiry was posed to my seven-year-old son two weeks ago by the older brother of a friend whose home he was visiting for the afternoon. True, my son carries features that could duplicate those of Middle Eastern descent, although they are the product of his father’s Mexican heritage. However, he can no better describe the difference between Islam and Christian than he can Jewish and Hindu. We are not active, church going people but our family is spiritual in our own comfortable way. Grace is offered before meals, we pray in the evening individually to reflect and we have many deep discussions about religion, myth and what is happening in the world with extremism and religious fervor. It is something I feel is vital to my children’s navigation, understanding and compassion.
Yet this question has itched at me, from the inside of my heart outward, because it is no longer a casual inference; it now carries a desire to know if one can be trusted or if one is ‘like the rest of us’. While my son may not grasp the intention, I did, and it hurt my being to think he was being judged by someone else’s fears.
Since September 11, 2001, this country has gone out of its way to make Muslims feel unwanted, uncomfortable and unwelcome. Americans suddenly had an excuse to exclude people different from their own culture and belief by guilt of religious association. It continues today, albeit more subtle, and I would lying if I did not say that I myself have looked at those riding the bus with me and had to fight the fear that welled in my throat at the thought that maybe their innocent transportation was anything but clean. But I recognize my own shortcomings, I go out of my way at times to correct them and I refuse to let a minority people of a religion harm and hurt the vision I carry of others who are innocent of their deeds and atrocities.
Which brings me to the present political climate and the dangers that McCain and Palin have entered into this election. By questioning Barack Obama’s heritage, by raising questions about associations and leaving lingering thoughts of his name Hussein, which for many wrenches a negative gut fear of all things bad about Islam, they are inciting a very dangerous and frightening emotional climate to sustain and grow. At this point, I would have expected John McCain to know and behave better, for the honor he claims and pretends to have for ALL Americans. It is to me, especially disgraceful, for him to raise questions about the muslim religion and its people, to suggest they are less than human, when his own adopted daughter comes from Bangladesh, a country that is 89.7% Islamic. As she grows, desires and wanders of her own roots, will she feel unclean and uncomfortable as a by product of her father’s own political maneuvering? Will she, when she becomes an independent adult and sees these actions for the gross negligence of information they are, be able to look in John McCain’s eyes and wander if there is real love? What if she grows and decides to become a muslim? What then McCain?
In 2000, I felt it was disgraceful, disparaging and in my eyes, unforgivable, that the Republican party insinuated through push polls that Bridget McCain was an “illegitimate black child” and through an email suggested he had “chosen to sire children without marriage”; that they hinted at an affair with a black prostitute as being her entry into the family. It was a disgusting display of politics at its worst, created and orchestrated by Karl Rove, that ended John McCain’s bid for nomination in North Carolina. How is it then, that a man who himself has been the target and bulls eye of such horrendous insinuations and falsehoods, could carry out the same tactics eight years later simple because he is behind in polling numbers? Where has the honorable man defending his daughter gone?
This past February, Bill Cunningham introduced John McCain at a rally inciting the crowd by speaking of his opponent as “Barack Hussein Obama”; McCain denounced the act, said it was inappropriate and that it would never happen again at one of his rallies. The past two weeks, it has happened again, twice, with the last time seeing a rehash of the campaign apologizing for the chair of Lehigh County intentionally using Obama’s name as a negative to infuse fear. Since no one else seems to want to call him on it, I will: John McCain, you need to stop, and you need to stop now.
When I say this to McCain, I also want it to be clear that I am including his campaign’s overt hints via Palin that Barack Obama is friendly with domestic terrorists and taking money from Palestinians. They are lies, they are despicable and at a time when people are genuinely hurting from the blow economics of the Republican party and their President, I think we all can do without the hatemongering and untruths at this point.
I have been walking around this week genuinely, frightfully angry with the boldfaced lies and I finally realized that it comes down to sense of righteous indignation, a sense of feeling so helpless as I watch two grown adults who know better and, I presume, teach their children better, create a circle of chaos and division in this country. My soul aches knowing that there are individuals in this world who are only looking for an excuse or a word that will confirm that the dread and fear they have for those that are ‘different’ is real and that they are condoned for any future actions against those they hate. Have we lost all sense of history and past horrors? Didn’t the holocaust begin because Jewish people were ‘different’ from Adolph Hitler’s version of a pure society? Didn’t the genocide in Rwanda happen because of tribal ‘differences’ that set one group ablaze with machetes on a killing spree? What about Bosnia? What about Darfur? What if, what if, what if…we continue to allow those we call and revere as ‘leaders’ continue to spew hate, suspicion and lies that only fuel the fire for those who exist who may have their own view of what our country should ‘look’ like and ‘talk’ like and what they should ‘worship’?
Somewhere, in all of this, John McCain has lost sight of one of the most important elements of this race. I can brush off that he will not look at Barack Obama during a debate or that he handles him with a sense of contempt as if Obama has not earned his place on the stage next to McCain. Almost crossing the line was his use of the term, “that one”, during the town hall debate that to me smacked and rang like, ‘hey boy’ through that tiny room. But what I will not stand for nor sit silent upon is anyone dehumanizing a human being for their own political gain and rise to power. Lest he forget, Obama was the child of two proud parents. Obama is the grandson of a military hero and a factory woman of WWII. Obama is the husband of Michelle and the son in law and brother in law of her family. Most importantly, he is a father to two young and impressionable young women who deserve more than to hear anyone questioning their father’s motivations and associations when he has done nothing but help those in need and champion the forgotten since graduating from college. He is living, breathing flesh that represents the hopes and dreams of millions of others around this globe who feel his skin color from the inside, whose name (which means ‘blessed good’) is a familiar wind chime to their ears and whose voice speaks for their pain, their heartache and the treatment they have suffered at the hands of those who see them as ‘different’.
In this country, instead of reveling in our differences, in the beauty of all our interwoven culture and the capacity we have for knowing and understanding so many people and having the gift of this insight and wisdom, we tear apart all that glory and make it seem so ugly. We divide our selves by titles, by religion, by color, by birth, by region, by politics, by fear…by and by and by. Our insecurities have become our biggest threat and the fear mongering that feeds those hungry, little monsters is creating, large, angry crowds that have no genuine perspective or interaction or respect for those who views vary from their own.
So when will it halt? Will take someone doing something drastic or attempting to harm Barack Obama for John McCain to act like the man he claims to be? Will it take someone being harassed or harmed simply because they are not what political leaders have told the inciters that person should be? Will it be Bridget McCain in three years as she attends college, doing nothing more than being herself? Will it be one the Obama girls’ classmates hurling an insult they do not understand or deserve, having their innocence shattered because of the hatred of a classmate’s parent? Is it going to be my son who is hurt or beaten one day because he is mistaken for a muslim, although he carries no hate in his heart and is not what others may ‘convict’ him of being?
The notion that anyone is less because of difference needs to end. Our children deserve better; we deserve better; this world is crying for better. I challenge John McCain to show genuine honor and courage and to be the man he proclaims by saying, “Enough,” and living up to his word. Any man vying for our vote to be President owes us at least that much civility and honesty. My children, your children and this world are worthy of such small consideration, deserving to demand, and vote, for so much more.
After the debate this past evening, I sat with pen in hand and made my post debate notes of what I believe is the debacle of Gov. Sarah Palin. I was angry, offended and frankly, exhausted from her effort of trying to appear plausible and acceptable. But I could not quite pinpoint what exactly it was that bothered me so and whom I was angry with.
It is more than fair to say that Gov. Palin was incoherent, rambling, coached, banal and lacking any grasp of policy. Every ‘Maverick’ and ‘reformer’ seemed to solidify, for me, her lack of critical, intelligent thought or independent ideology. Sure, she towed the party line and pushed her points across whenever she saw fit; however, she appeared like a freshman, anchor who gets their big break to do the evening news and can only stare into the camera when the script unexpectedly disappears from the screen. All she did for 90 minutes was a repetitive barrage of planned one-liners and information (be it true or not) the McCain campaign felt we should hear, even if she had to disrespectfully defy the moderator and rules she agreed to adhere to do so, all else be damned. It was disgraceful and arrogant.
Initially I was angry with the male commentators, particularly Republicans, who fawned over her performance because of her attractive nature and who actually thought she “mopped the floor with Joe Biden”, which is the equivalent of nominating her a winner because she spewed the most nonsense. The notion that good features substitute for free thought, that a wink in the camera drowns out fact or that a ‘shout out’ to a 3rd grade class replaced grasp of policy is devastating and troubling for this nation and for women. After all women have fought to be respected for our intelligence, our ideas, our independent voices, it took a former beauty queen to dispel these efforts in one fell swoop.
Which brings me to this: after intense reflection, I realized maybe whom I should be angry at is my gender and myself. How on Earth did we allow this happen? How have we allowed our standing to be determined by a popularity contest? Why do we tolerate it? When Pat Buchanan commented on MSNBC that Palin was, “sensational,” I cringed and felt sick. Is Sarah Palin the new standard of a female politico? Have we fallen so far?
As women, it seems we have been, at times, so hungry for change and change to power structures, that we have forgotten the struggle fought to even touch the ceiling and the intelligent, thought provoking women who have lifted us up there. The notion that the new feminine political method is to exploit one’s family as an obsessive talking point or to be so unprofessionally ‘folksy’ that it is somehow ‘refreshing’ is bewildering. I do not need to know how many children Sarah Palin has, what her family issues are, if she has always had insurance or what Alaska does everyday. How has she handled a budget? Do her colleagues and people feel she has done the best job possible? Has she respected the natives of her land (on which her record is abysmal)? Does she understand and have genuine concern for the environment or nature (for someone steeped in a culture of life, she supports the aerial shooting of wolves with bounties for their forelegs)? Does she have the capacity to look at history, size up the mistakes made and move forward in a positive manner? What has she actually implemented as policies? What is the greatest economic challenge her party will overcome and how?
How does her experience as a hockey mom and PTA president help me know that she understands or has an individual thought on any of these issues? Certainly I do not need to hear how her family is middle class when her family’s combined income is $250,000; they own three homes (two are vacation investments with friends); they are debt free except for their mortagage and their savings is $381,405. I also do not need to hear it about the middle class from McCain, who is selling one of his many homes for millions, with the condition that one has to pay $100,000 just to have the pleasure of bidding on it. My own family is not far enough below the poverty line to get governmental help (which has not been adjusted for inflation in like, FOREVER) yet we are scraping by with no savings, no pension and no health insurance for the time being. Her incomprehension of why we are where we are and lack of vision to get us anywhere better was only the only solid sticking point of her debate strategy.
Barack Obama has always been my candidate for choice, even when Hillary Clinton was fighting for the nomination. For me, I felt she came from a place and era in Washington that was too back door, lobbyist entrenched and part of a government system I can not longer support. However, not once did I ever feel she was incapable or unprepared to be either President or Vice-President. Never once did I fell she was formidable because of her ‘charm’ or ‘presence’. Senator Clinton is remarkably knowledgeable, could and would answer a question clearly with depth and never had to rest on the laurels of her husband’s previous terms in office. In comparison, Palin is a political joke: nothing more than a former beauty contestant who may understand Alaska (since she’s hardly left Wasilla and the state) but who has no concept or original thought on world politics and national domestic policy. Just a sample of her ‘talking points’:
-General McClelland (it is General McKiernan) feels the surge principals from Iraq could translate to Afghanistan. According to a Washington Post article by Ann Scott Tyson (10/02/08), General McKiernan said, “…no Iraq style ‘surge’ of forces would end the conflict…the word I don’t use for Afghanistan is ‘surge.’”
-Powers of the Vice-President, under the constitution, can be expanded to exert more power over the Legislative Branch as the head of Congress to direct policy: “I'm thankful the Constitution would allow a bit more authority given to the vice president if that vice president so chose to exert it in working with the Senate and making sure that we are supportive of the president's policies and making sure too that our president understands what our strengths are. John McCain and I have had good conversations about where I would lead with his agenda.”
As women, I feel we owe ourselves the very best we have to give each other and the world; often we compromise or settle for less because we are forgiving, compassionate, patient and protective creatures. I believe that whether you do or do not have children, you are or are not a working woman, that we all share that beautiful, soft, nurturing within ourselves that give us our shine and thoughtfulness. We feel deeply, strongly and completely; and I resent the notion that we can be boiled down to an appearance and a smile.
I feel that we have all worked too hard, be it in our families, in a career or in study, to allow a candidate for Vice-President take our dignity away for her own political, party gain. We owe it to ourselves as women to really examine Sarah Palin and her ideology; how she thinks and governs; and how she represents the future of women in power roles. We deserve to not get drawn in or allow others to be drawn by a well-rehearsed message of a ‘middle class’ PTA President turned small town mayor turned Governor who could not lead if she were called to take over the helm. We owe more to our daughters, nieces and other young women in our lives, who we encourage to be their best and to strive for their dreams, than to simplify their ambition and ideals into nice features and attractive personality; I think society does that enough. We owe it ourselves to believe that our government leaders can and SHOULD be more than “Joe six pack”; as a capable, intelligent woman, I can not understand the draw of placing mediocrity into one of the more important political positions in the world. Just because I have a bachelor’s degree; experience in student government for most of my schooling; three children, including the challenging balance of twins; membership in the PTCO; walked the talk of the poor and lower middle class; or eat, breathe, and love politics and history, do I feel qualified to perform the job of Vice President of the free world. There is an immersion of political osmosis that needs to inherently occur where a condition or situation is presented, independent thought examines possibilities and reasonable solutions that represent that body of human beings we call the United States are produced and offered. We have witnessed for eight years mental incompetence, refusal to approach problems with independent thought or any ability to listen to create well-rounded solutions that benefits the majority of Americans. With a 30% chance that the Vice-President succeeds the President, Sarah Palin, with a 72-year-old running mate, is a flutter away from potentially becoming the next George W. Bush in stilettos with a great smile. That risk is real, frightening and tangible. If she has set the ‘bar’, Barack Obama, who has a vision, has shared such and displayed above average grasp of policy and implementation, has sailed so far above he is not visible. And what he may lack in foreign and other experience, he is complimented and made whole by Joe Biden.
John McCain insults the nation’s voters, especially women, to genuinely believe Sarah Palin has anything substantial to offer. She is no more than a beautiful, Republican puppet who uses sarcasm and folktales to make up for her glaring deficiencies as a political force with no true narrative. Last night’s debate only cemented these suspicions and she made viable, strong women, such as Senator Clinton, look ridiculously overqualified. Of course, one could argue that anyone should or would seem as much to President Bush and his administration; only in this regard then, is Sarah Palin truly exceptional.
Let’s commit ourselves to not being taken by party smoke and mirrors that want women to believe that Splenda is the same as sugar and just as good for us. Let’s commit to supporting women who really support women with policies for equal rights, equal pay and pro-choice platforms. Let’s commit ourselves to change with accountability and responsibility by voting for a ticket that has a clear message, clear plan and clear credentials: Vote for Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
In reading and keeping up with the negotiations for the fiscal bailout stemming from deregulation and the greedy, free market environment of Wall Street, I was deeply disturbed to learn of the GOP's stalling to introduce a 'new' plan when the conversation was damn near over. By this point, I think it is safe to say that McCain is desperately attemping to cancel out the Vice-Presidential debate by skipping this evening. Having watched Palin self-destruct in front of Katie Couric, it is easy to understand why: an invigorating, sarcastic woman a potential President does not make. But stallworting this bailout, which could drive the market dangerously low and create even more hardship and many Americans, is not the sign of a true leader. Being unable to listen to both sides, but "agreeing with the core principles of the GOP house" is Bush leadership. When even the President is signing on to something completely against his agenda, one knows things are not well in the kingdom.
The GOP plan is disturbing to me for a couple of reasons:1. It introduces private capital into the bailout, supposedly to save the taxpayer. What this means is that financial institutions can buy insurance for the 'bad' debt that they are unsure will be repaid and that private citizens can pump money into these banks to do so. 2. In order to do this, the suggestion is greater tax cuts and additional deregulation. Correct me if I am wrong, but this the exact same situational greed that got us into this place to begin with; I'll be damned if I am going to put up taxpayer money so that, should this debt create failure for these companies, we have to pay them out of pocket for the loss. I believe that we are at a critical time to begin making choices that reflect the many rather than a few. While 700 billion is a lot of money, the potential to make most of it back is high; and there is a possibility we could profit. At the end of the day, we would all be interconnected and responsible, and the GOP could no longer ignore the middle and lower classes who have saved their ass yet again.
As we watch the financial markets deteriorate, I can not help but feel worried over the concept of potential monopoly action. Bank of America absorbed Merrill Lynch, and is the largest bank in our country. Washington Mutual just went under to be bought by J.P. Morgan, who also bought Bear Stearns. Is it not possible, that by allowing these corporations to buy 'bad' debt, we are simply giving them a free pass to grow beyond their means and let their CEO's off the hook for having to whittle their excessive, greedy compensation? What happens if Bank of America in the future can not handle its holdings or JP Morgan's stock plummets? Who will be left holding the bag? Will another 'bailout' be on the horizon? Has anyone bothered to investigate where these GOP leaders keep their money? What banks would buy the debt? Who is invested in these companies? Why, when a potential arrangement was reached, did they come rolling in with a 'new' plan when the other plan covered much of what Americans were requesting: heavier regulations, oversight of the piecemeal monetary distributions, equity stakes in such companies and limitations on executive pay?
I believe it is shameful that the GOP would put its own agenda to attempt to make McCain look like the Lone Ranger to boost poll numbers and try to save his failing campaign. It is sinking because he is inconsistent, power hungry and willing to do whatever it takes to have his ego stroked. For as much as he touts 'Country First', all I have seen of McCain is him putting his campaign needs ahead of the masses. So, now, that WaMu has failed, what will be the GOP's move? With the markets tumbling, will they continue to stallwart for a plan that will not pass? Will they still attempt to straddle the Democrats with passing this bailout on their own despite their direct hand in creating the market and environment that led us to this catastrophe in the first place? It is repugnant that Politics could again trump Americans, as it has for eight years. Are we going to sit by and just watch as we potentially enter a Depression because a candidate can not bring himself to be a true bipartisan without gaining self credit? This is a call to action to phone your Republican Senate and House leaders and DEMAND that they support the bailout mop we are providing to clean their mess.
Dear Ladies of a cause greater than Ourselves and Families,
Thank you for signing up to be a part of this group and to bring your insight, ideas, creativity and passion to exchange with other women. Please send an email to the group about events or happenings involving the campaign so that we can enlighten one another to participate. In creating this group, I am excited to possibly cross paths with some of you along the volunteer trail. Recently, my family moved here from Pittsburgh, PA where I held a fundraiser for Obama and volunteered locally. As a normally registered Indepedent, I was drawn to Barack Obama in December of 2006 after receiving his book "Dreams from My Father" as a Christmas gift from my fiance. His clarity of living as a multicultural individual in melting pot world was insightful and gifted. I bought his other book, "The Audacity of Hope" and was amazed at the thought and interpretation of our constitution as how it applies to our values as a nation and the policies which stem from those values; I will not say I agree with everystance he takes (I am a fervent supporter of gay marriage and gay rights, for one), but he is honest, succinct and thoroughly knowledgable, in my personal opinion. It is my belief that those who have been caught in the 'rumor rhetoric' of this campaign miss his intention, his depth and his true desire to be of service to this country. As we stand on the brink of what is the single, most monumental decision of this century to date, it is my hope and prayer that we all enter this election process with an open mind and heart and vote to do what is right for ALL Americans and the country as a WHOLE, not individual interests that play to financial advantage and back door decisions.
I met John McCain close to ten years ago when he first ran as a Republican nominee for President. I attended college in New Hampshire and was graced with the exposure to many political figures with NH's prominence in the political primary. He was a maverick then, identified more as an independent soul than a Republican. I believe that had he won his party's nomination in place of Bush and the Presidency, our policies would be different and that perhaps an era of bipartisanship would have been produced. However, McCain is barely a shell of the man that I remember meeting in our school's Great Room; he has become, I feel, overcome with the prospect of his own place in history and a notion of deserved recognition to his country for his military years and capture as a POW. Coupled with his age, this only makes this election more critical; he stands no chance of running again if he does not win. But service to one's country does not make one a natural leader; and maverick as he once was, he has aligned himself with Bush's policies to pacify his party to gain their backing. Choosing governor Palin, a devistating selection for Vice-President, not to mention irresponsible and obvious, has only diminished any respect and honor I once felt for John McCain.
Barack and Michelle Obama, their family life, their morals, their transparency and their willingness to step forward to lead in a country that still harbors resentment of any racial progress for those not white in pockets across America, speaks to me of the truth of the American dream. Not that it is a manifest destiny or a salvation, but that someone who has worked so hard, with effort, without family ties, without financial ability, with commitment to this country through solid actions and choices, could stand up at risk to himself, his family, his identity, his career and his link to African American identity and say yes, I want to represent America, not for myself or my own greatness, but because I truly recognize the potential of this country. Because when I look in the mirror, I see not just myself or a color or a race, but I see all those I meet along this path: rich, poor, white, Latino, black, young, old, Democrat, Republican. Because when I envision America, it is not an 'Exceptional' country in this world, but it is a country of exceptional individuals who work hard to guarantee the civil liberties and ideals for everyone who is a part of this nation. Because when I look at the world, I do not see America as the ideal for others to emulate, I see the potential for all others to have prosperity and freedom if they choose it, and I will aid them in their journey as my brother and sister countries, not as their unchosen Creator. Barack Obama speaks to me in a thousand different languages and faces because he is, to me, the empty vessel that pours out to all of us the beauty and grace and peace that we long for in our own being and souls. He is the action of his word, he walks his talk and he carries himself with the same dignity and respect that he affords all others. I am proud that my family and myself support his bid to become President and I hope you will share with me and others why you also support his campaign. In sharing, in laying our truths and spirits to light and one another, we ourselves become the morals and values we eminate and long for; we become human and strengthen the connection we all share as one spirit, one nation, one world. Thank for reading my words and contributing your own, remember to keep your heart light and bright against the darkness and greed that is so dominant at times in this campaign and to bless the Obamas with strength, courage and safety as they nobly pursue this endeavor at a cornerstone of our country's development. Whatever your religion, your race, your gender, your age, your being...you have my blessing for participating. Aho.
From an email I received, please participate!
With Sarah Palin, it is always the same details about herself, how she 'stood up to the special interests, the lobbyists, big oil companies and the good ol' boys network,' as a mayor and then governor in Alaska. She also claimed again that she said, 'Thanks, but no thanks,' to Alaska 's so-called Bridge to Nowhere, even though her present version of the story has been widely debunked. It is well known that during her gubernatorial campaign she voiced support for the project which was only called off after it had become a national embarrassment.We want to clarify that we are not against Sarah Palin as a woman, a mother, or for that matter, a parent of a pregnant teenager, but solely as a rash, incompetent, and all together devastating choice for Vice President. Ms. Palin 's political views are in every way a slap in the face to the accomplishments that our mothers and grandmothers and great-grandmothers so fiercely fought for, and that we've so demonstrably benefited from. First and foremost, Ms. Palin does not represent us. She does not demonstrate or uphold our interests as American women. It is presumed that the inclusion of a woman on the Republican ticket could win over women voters. We want to disagree, publicly.Therefore, we invite you to reply here with a short, succinct message about why you, as a woman living in this country, do not support this candidate as second-in-command for our nation.Please include your name (last initial is fine), age, and place of residence.We will post your responses on a blog called 'Women Against Sarah Palin,' which we intend to publicize as widely as possible. Please send us your reply at your earliest convenience—the greater the volume of responses we receive, the stronger our message will be.Thank you for your time and action. VIVA!Sincerely, womensaynopalin@gmail.com
Having had polarities of experiences: raised in small, rural communities and the City of Pittsburgh; having lived abroad and out of state but returning home; having children who are Mexican-American by birth abroad and a biracial child delivered here, I believe my perspective is broad, reaching and very different from other supporters. When the Clintons first held office, I was in high school and lived with them through college. While there was the semblance of ‘prosperity’, the lack of morality and respect gave me distaste and disdain for their politics. Although Senator Clinton is bright and capable, she is also shrewd and calculating, as many women have had to be in order to garnish success in a man’s world. However, Senator Obama’s feminine principles, the ability to listen, the drive to nurture and patience to await fulfillment are qualities that appeal, as Senator Casey has said, “to the better angels of our nature.” As a woman who considers herself strong and capable, who has at time been a polarizing force while standing against male adversity and who has known the experiences of small town and urban America, I beg all women to ask themselves critical questions before pushing the button on Tuesday: Do I want the first female President to be someone despised and devalued just for the sake of tapping on a glass ceiling? Do I value morality, ethics and truth? Do I feel that those who represent ME should also abide by those same ideals? Who do I want my children, nieces, nephews and cousins to emulate? We have had many who have represented themselves with a personal agenda that overrides the interests of us as collective and who have lied about those interests to the face of the America public. While I believe Senator Clinton does feel a need to serve, I feel that her good intentions are often overtaken by the shadow of her ego and a feeling that she is deserved a nomination because of all she has endured. If this were not the case, I feel her campaign would have been run with the same dignity and empathy that have been at the roots of Senator Obama’s movement. Perhaps her campaign has done her a disservice, but she ultimately decides how to conduct herself, how to treat others and what words represent her.
Growing up, my mother had a plaque that read, “I have no greater joy than to know that my children walk in truth.” When I watch my sons and daughter with moments of simultaneous love and regret for each passing moment of their growth, I know in my heart of hearts that I wish for them the same role models my parents passed to me in the words of John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Martin Luther King, Jr. At the Forum on Manufacturing in Pittsburgh that featured both Senator Clinton and Senator Obama, my twins, six years old, upon leaving, were discussing the speeches they heard and what they felt. My son said, “Hillary’s speech was good, Mom, but Barack Obama, he has the real power. Hillary has the fake power.” How on earth could I ever vote against that? Please reach deep into your hearts: past the drive to elect a woman, past clinging to the notion that what worked in the ‘90s will work now and truly take a minute to watch and listen to what Barack Obama offers: a different way to rise, as a people, to lift each other through shared input and effort. Barack Obama may not be the ‘fighter’ that Hillary Clinton is, but is he is something greater: a healer. Our wounds will never recover if they continue to be broken open, we will not run again as a nation until we learn to walk together. Let us follow someone who walks his talk along the way. Vote for the future and your childrens’ future to come. Vote for Barack Obama.
Dear Fellow Obama Supporters, If you watched the debate as I did this evening, please take solace that Obama's message and campaign of integrity, honesty and leadership is taking deep root in American consciousness. Had it been a fluke, we would not see the brazen and defiant measures being used by those who are fearful of what it means for the political power of this country to be returned to its citizens. As the debate progressed, I was angry, sad and frustrated that Obama was forced to be defensive and, in some moments, aggressive in that defense. But the bottom line of the truth is that the debate is a perfect example of the politics that have pervaded and perverted our system of government for an incredibly long time and that the systemic change Obama speaks of will take our effort, dedication, determination and a huge amount of hope. We should not seek refuge in being angry at the questions, or angry that the moderator is a Clinton insider or angry that the bias was obvious. Rather, let us celebrate the victory that Washington is shaking, that those standing at the successive end of the imbalance of power are quaking, that his message and his actions are reaching individuals in the core of the heart and mind. We are becoming the Change! We are becoming the Hope! And those who would stand in the way of this moment of collective breath and sigh, those who prefer to take exception and advantage while others toil and deplete, are running scared and grasping for any semblance of control they can wrest from the air. At the end of the day, we are more emotionally and intellectually intelligent than the big power of this country would care to admit; our fatigue is serving as our fire where once it signaled defeat, our tired moments merely replenish the drive and passion we commit to summon from the depth of our best selves to make this future dream of a united and stronger America a future reality. Sing from the rooftops and praise the negative press, the bloody punches of Clinton's campaign, the 'vettting' by the Republican party because what they can not defeat, spin or relinquish from our collective hands is the spirit and truth that founded this nation. Our collective unity, the sense that we are all connected to each other in our determination for a destiny greater than any one person, is what Barack Obama inspires, nutures and LIVES, is our greatest hope, our strongest power, our deepest well from which we draw to continue our support and efforts in this nomination process. It is what will make him our nominee for the Democratic party and our next President of the United States.So be joyful, gracious and summon the inner calm of your heart. Our time has come. Be fired up, be ready to go and bring it all from a source of love for the growing pains we need to become the mature nation we want and deserve. Get out the vote and volunteer 1 hour for every minute of your anger. The veil has dropped and the mystery we have all been searching for is ourselves, as seen through the compassion and integrity of a junior Senator from Illinois! Yes, We Have! Yes, We Can! Yes, We Will! Holly Wyble'Seek the wisdom that will untie your knotseek the paththat demands your whole being.Leave that which is not, but appears to beseek that which is, but is not apparent'-Rumi
