I wasn't going to post a political piece today but because there is speculation that McCain will state his VP pick I feel it is too timely not to say these things here and now.
There's a lot of chatter this morning on the news that he is going to pick the Governor of Alaska. A woman. WHOOP DEE DOO!
I know that there are many groups out there that have their main focus being gender and race. It's short-sighted in my opinion and I don't live by and with those values and never have.
I plead ignorance about this particular politician and until I learn more about her I won't know if I am happy with her as his pick, if indeed it is his pick, or not happy with her. What is her experience? What are her values? I know that she ran on an anti-corruption campaign and that Alaska has a lot of ingrained problems with corruption in their legislative and executive branches of government. I at this time, know nothing more.
As I am staunchly opposed to Obama for the lack of his character in addition to what I believe is a lack of experience and completely opposing values to my own and as such have posted authors who share my thoughts and values about Obama to illustrate my viewpoints, I need to know more about McCain's VP pick.
I'm still backing McCain for this election, but it doesn't mean I support his VP choice. I know if he chooses this woman, his main reasons are because she is a woman and he wants to be smart and pick up the disenfranchised Hillary supporters. But that is NOT a good-enough reason to vote for or choose someone.
I've never cared about what someone looks like on the outside. And I never felt the need to see before my eyes someone "who looked like me" to feel I was represented.
Living in NYC for 17 years, amongst so many peoples and races and religions and COLORS, I can tell you that to me what feels visually normal is all the various ethnicities I see each day. And I don't even realize this until I leave NYC and see mostly "non-ethnic people", which jolts my system and makes me feel much like Dorothy when she says, "Toto I don't think we're in Kansas anymore." Because when something feels normal to you, you just don't think twice about it.
When I grew up I didn't think about this either. Only after moving to NYC when I was first confronted with the issue of race from a young black man I was working with who told me to watch any black men that walked into the store to make sure they didn't steal ( I was appauled and told him so BTW), did it make me even stop to think about all the kids I went to high school with and their last names and what they represented. I don't think any of us ever gave one thought to our last names or ethnicities. We were just friends.
There is only one time I can honestly think of where race/religion was an issue in my young life. A family moved in down the block from me and I being the friendly kid that I was knocked on the door to ask if the boy who lived there wanted to come out and play with the rest of us on the street. YES in THOSE days you could do this safely. His father didn't want him to come out and play with us.
Later on while in school that boy, who was about 11 or 12 maybe, and one of his friends snickered at me in the lunch room as I walked by, "JEW" as if it were a dirty word. And if you must know, although personally I don't think it should matter, the last name of the family was of German decent (Schnieder). Funny enough they lived next door to a family that was half Arab and half white and American on the mother's side (Farah) and they didn't have any problems playing with their kids. Hmmm
But I never really thought about that until today. It never left a lasting impression upon me because the overall experience I had was that those of us who chose to be friends, just were friends. Race just didn't play any part in our lives EVER.
It's not about to play a part in my life now either. Nor will gender.
A penis and vagina serve the following purposes only: to urninate, to procreate and have pleasure and to birth babies (for the vaginas, for all you smart asses out there!)
Friday, August 29, 2008
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15 comments:
I too am a McCain supporter becasue I share the most vaules with him. I am not an Obama supporter because of all the reasons you listed.
Now I am with you on not sayiong much about the VP pick untill I learn a little more about her. I will say that this race is so close I think McCain had to pick someone to balance him out more with the non Republicans whatever they be and picking a young women fits that.
The things I ahve read so far seem to show me that she is a conservative who has been a mayor and a govenor which means she has experience leading which I like. No matter what I will still vote for McCain because he is much better than the other choice.
I completley agree with you! Who cares what the "equipment" is just as long as their is experiance and knowledge! Thanks for stopping by my blog today! I posted a response to your comment in my comments! LOL Have a great weekend!
Did you see the press conference announcing Palin as VP candidate? There most certainly was a direct appeal to the women (including Hillary supporters) to join the fold, so to speak. Her limited political experience is definitely going to be the drawback.
Despite this, there is something I like about her--probably that she brings another somewhat "maverick" style to bear on the political machine.
Things are bound to be very interesting from here!
I had never heard of this woman before--so it does make me leary that she could potentially be the Pres.! I am voting for Obama, however--this will be an interesting election!!
I have spent some time reading about her, and I think I'm in love. I can't wait for global warming so I can move to Alaska if she doesn't get to the White House.
She seems as eminently qualified as anyone I've seen run for President before. To me, running a state government trumps serving in Congress any day.
Jwilson, thanks for stopping by today. Of course it's always nice when someone agrees. :-) I have been listening to talk radio in the car and they have been listing her credentials. They actually sound rather strong. Again I don't agree with some of her positions as I don't with some of McCain's either. But overall I feel he is the better person to lead us. And I for one am tired of hearing about Bush. HE'S NOT RUNNING!
Ms. Chatty, interesting points! And yes she is 44 years old with limited experience to some degree but even her limited experience is MORE than Obama has which I find ironic. And her limited experience still encompasses the Executive branch of government. I have to hear more about her of course. Thanks for your perspective. Things to ponder.
Jennifer, I just want to point out that you say you never heard of her before so it makes you leary. Until less than 2 years ago Obama's name was never uttered in anyone's household except for extremly local towns in his home state. Even after winning a seat in Congress mainly due to a sex scandal over divorce proceedings of the current candidate, no one heard of Obama. Now of course I don't know what state you are from and maybe you knew a little about him before if you are from his town. Just something to think about. Personally not knowing about Palin doesn't make me leary of her being the possible next VP. It just makes me want to know more to make an informed decision.
D.O.M., you're just in love cause she's a hot 44 year-old woman and you're an old goat. ;-p JUST TEASING, although I have seen the photos you post over at your blog :-D She does seem pretty qualified from the things I am hearing. I heard that she told Congress to shove it on the bridge to nowhere. That tells me something about her character.
I totally agree ... on all counts.
When my husband was applying with the fire department, it asks right on his application if you are a visible minority. I told him to answer "Damn right! Caucasion male!" Everyone is so busy trying make sure there are just so many of this gender and that race, that they are, in fact, discriminating the white men.
As far as I'm concerned, may the best PERSON win!
Rhonda, You are so correct. The definitions in this country have been overtaken by special interest groups who then redefine words.
(I read a blog the other day through that nasty poster that is PRO BLACK where the blog writer makes statements that Sociology is a white science and defined by whites and that it needs to change and be redefined by the black experience. This is a large movement and scares the shit out of me.)
So minority doesn't really mean minority anymore. But by the true definition whites are almost the minority in this country. But don't worry those groups are so powerful that they will make sure it can never be seen or counted that way. "By any means necessary" The most qualified person should get the job PERIOD. White, Black, Carmel, female, male i don't care. I am not going to question who is rescuing me when there is a fire. And let me tell you something...about 3 years ago there was a HUGE fire in my building just down the hall from my apt. So believe you me I understand this.
It'll be interesting to see how McCain's pick of Palin as his running mate plays out. Will it sway more of the Hillary supporters McCain's way or will he lose more votes because some don't like the prospect that should something happen to McCain, we'd have a female President?
You mentioned that until less than 2 years ago, Obama's name was never uttered in anyone's household except for extremely local towns in his home state. In actuality, Barack Obama came to national prominence 4 years ago when he gave the keynote address at the DNC in July 2004.
Malcolm, just because someone gives a speech at the DNC doesn't mean people knew about the person or remember the person or speak his name. The reality is that no one knew who the heck Obama was. No one paid any attention except his close-knit cronies and people in his district. The media didn't pump him up at the time, you didn't hear about him in all the states. There was no chatter about him. What you did hear last go around was a whole lot about Edwards and a $400 hair cut.
So Malcolm IN ACTUALITY you are not correct.
But even furthermore that is NOT the issue. Although again you try to attempt to make this about something I said rather than sticking to the issue. Typical typical liberal attempts to put so many directions in the conversation that we get lost and forget what's really the topic.
The point was that it's not a good enough or valid enough argument to be afraid of someone because you never heard of them. Heck I never heard of YOU before I blogged or even a few weeks ago. Should I be afraid of you Malcolm or should I give you the benefit of the doubt and let your words(which I have) stand for who you are and also read some of your stuff (which I have) to see who you are before I make a decision as to not like you or like you etc....? Hmmmm
Malcolm, stick to the topic of the original post and not about me. Otherwise I won't post your comments. It's that simple!
Malcolm, if that's how you feel then don't visit this blog. You don't get to set up the rules on my blog. You continually write comments about me. You continually try to change the topic and subject and each time I address your new topics you make another change, but always about me. This is a very psychologically abusive tactic meant to exhaust a person. Since I own my words and thoughts and I am confident in who I am I have no need to defend myself with you on my blog. Sadly an otherwise less confident person might see the need to prove just how open-minded they are, rather than letting their own thoughts in their original posts stand for themselves and get into the back and forth with you or people like you. NOT HERE. Ooops I wrote in all caps.
If you choose to come here then take responsibility for your words and actions and intent behind it. Know that you are choosing to come here to work within my blog system and stop demanding I do things your way. No wonder you felt so badly for the man who came here weeks ago to tell me how wrong I am on my feelings that abortion affects no one but the woman who must make that very hard personal decision. I replied and spoke to personal responsibility and choices instead of allowing him to come here looking for enabling sympathetic words. I say the same to you today about this topic.
And this Malcolm is the last you will get from me on this, where the rest of my readers are being distracted by your insistance on my attention and constant comments to me about me which clearly you know I won't post.
If you want to write about the topic I posted and the thoughts I posted on the topic which was Penis or Vagina I don't care, I'll give your comments consideration. If you find my blog one-sided and boring then don't come around. It's that simple.
Good points all the way around. I've heard a lot of people talk about how great it will be to have a black president and how McCain is just trying to appeal to women voters with his VP pick and etc.
Frankly, none of that matters one whit. Someone is either a good public servant or they're not. That's the bottom line -- does someone have the ability to reprent the constituents?
As for Palin, I like her. Yeah, she's a cutie, but she's also a scrappy reformer who has fought with Democrats and her own party for what she believes to be the public good. I like that quality a lot.
We'll hear a lot about "she's got no experience," but that's more or less code for "I don't like Republicans and I want a reason to attack her that sounds like it's grounded in reality." The truth, of course, is that Obama's vast experience involves less than five months in the Senate (and he didn't even bother to show up and vote half the time when he was an active member).
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Hi Lauren--Just wanted to mention that I have known about Obama for quite awhile--before he made the 2004 speech. But I will definitely spend some time looking into Palin--she does seem interesting!
Natural State, Thanks for coming by and for writing so intelligently AND staying on topic. :-) Hope you continue to come around.
Jennifer, Glad you are willing to do research. Making an INFORMED decision is really the key. For me, the more I learn about Obama, the more I not only cannot vote for him but am scared of him. But I did my research. I am so glad to know you are willing to do the same for Palin. Way cool!
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