And Now a Word (or several)

From President Obama's inaugural speech...

cloud by Jem Stone from Wordle

T, who thinks this speech will be remembered

I Didn't Think This Day Would Ever Come

Today is the beginning of a new day. I am so happy, and full of hope. Truly, it sounds silly, and I know I am supposed to be cynical. In this situation, I just can't be. I like him. I trust him. And I believe in the future we will create together.

There's a lot of work to be done, and a lot of mess to clean up. Crimes were committed and those who perpetrated them need to be held accountable. But, not today. Today is a day of joy. So I will just say....God Bless the United States of America.

T, who says let freedom...REAL freedom, ring

Wasssssuuuuuuuup??

I know the election is over, but I still really loved this. Remember the Wassuuuuup! guys? This is Wassup, revisited 2008, and done quite well.

and...

YES WE DID!

T, who thought the concept was just great

It's a New Day

With Apologies to Conservatives...

Just for today, we will revel in this victory. In this wall that has been blown down. We will revel in the dream that has been realized, the one that Martin Luther King Jr. talked about in his famous speech. We will revel in the joy of idealism, and the power that the people still have to believe in change, look past a man's skin to the person he is within. We will revel in the fact that negativity and evil words, ad hominem attacks and false witness did not prevail. We will soak it in.

And tomorrow? We will get to work. There is still work to be done. There is still poverty, oppression, hurt. And we start NOW.

Thank you Lord, that you hear and answer the cry of the oppressed. And always, always have.

How about you? What does this mean to you?

T, who is still crying

Something I HAVE to Say

Why I am voting NO on Prop 8

1. To God, there is no hierarchy of sin. From a Christian point of view, whether you steal a paper clip, or cheat on your wife or are gay, it does not matter, sin is sin. Would we create a constitutional amendment to say that men couldn't sleep with someone else's wife? Or that you can't call in sick to work and then go to the beach? Why THIS issue? I think we need to spend more time tending to our OWN marriages.

2. Also, the Bible tells us that we DO NOT judge those outside the church with our measuring stick. They don't understand, because God has not opened their eyes. We are not God. It isn't OUR job to change hearts, it's God's job. And legislating morality is not how to change hearts. Loving people, for who they are, and accepting them, while still presenting the truth is how to do it.

I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. 12What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you.- 1 Corinthians 5:8-13

3. 60 years ago, blacks and whites couldn't marry. It was illegal. Denying rights to a segment of the population simply because we disagree with it? Doesn't seem loving or Christian to me. It seems like fear-mongering. Separate is NOT equal, and almost 50 years ago that was upheld. The Bible was used to support that fallacious argument, as well. Time to stop the hate.

4. I have a brother in law who is now legally married to his spouse. They do love each other. As a Christian, it is my job to love them, while letting them know I wouldn't make the same choices. Where would Jesus be? I wonder if he would be in the middle of a gay pride parade helping those who need him the most? He met people where they were at. Jesus didn't silently judge people; he loved them. They won't believe they are loved until they stop feeling judged.

5. As Christians, our divorce rate is no different (and some say higher) than those outside the church! It is over 50%. Until we fix that in our own midst, who are we to tell others they can't be married? I can tell you my brother in law has been with his spouse longer than J. and I have been together. Until the church can practice what she preaches, maybe she needs to spend more time tending to the issues within the church and once those are straight, she can decide what to do outside the church. Protecting marriage is done by actually STAYING married, not semantics about what marriage IS.

6. In Biblical times, men could have MANY wives....why don't we protect that marriage? I see a lot of cherry-picking here, and it bothers me.

So tomorrow, I will be voting against Prop 8 and I hope you will join me.

T, who just wants to do the Right Thing

Do you feel that?

It's a paradigm shift!

See more Ron Howard videos at Funny or Die

I really liked this...and it makes sense

More info at Conservatives For Change...

T, who has conservative friends, and they still like me

Trick or Treat!

Happy Halloweeen!!

Frodo, Arwen and the Butterfly Fairy Princess say BOO!

J really likes to carve pumpkins, and he is good at it

Headless Horseman

Princess Jackie O' Lantern, drawn by JBean, carved by J.

Silly Face

Say

and Vote for

Nov 4th

Designs from Yes, We Carve blog...a brilliant idea.

What's your favorite candy?

T, who likes Kit Kats and Mounds bars

Technorati: Halloween, Obama, vote

Tic Tac Dooooh!

T, who says it's his to lose

I Have It...I Admit It

I haven't been writing much, we are so close to the election that I have been thinking of that, instead. I am watching CNN, MSNBC, Daily Show and trying to keep up with the news. It's crazy. We are poised on the cusp of real change, and I so hope it happens.

I remember in 2000, when Al Gore won the popular vote...and lost the Presidency. It broke my heart. I am one of those conspiracy theorists who believes the election was stolen that day. Then, in 2004, when Kerry lost, the same thing happened. And I was done with politics. Around 2005, I stopped watching the news regularly. The knot that I sat in my gut afterwards was just too painful. I wasn't sleeping at night, I was having panic attacks, it was just too much. I would hear the evil (and make no mistake, what was done to this country has been evil) done by the Bush Regime and I would just cry. So I had to opt out, for my own peace of mind.

And then this upstart came in. He was young, comparatively. He had young daughters, which translated to me, means that he has a horse in this race. He was an idealist. He had ideas that made sense. He was personable, organized and trustworthy. And I fell. Now, I am participating again. I feel the stirrings and I am seriously feeling like something might be Right again. It has been a long, dark 8 years. And we are coming out of the tunnel. Now we just have to be sure that the sunlight doesn't blind us. We must hold our elected officials to what we elected them to do. And we have to stay informed, not just believe what they say.

Remember, they work for us. And we need to care, to vote and to demand change.

T, who says Change begins with US

It Wasn't Theirs To Steal, Anyway

Finally, a song I can get behind! I love that it's a country song. How deliciously ironic. remember the debacle with the Dixie Chicks and how country music fans tried to censor them? The song is called I'm Takin' My Country Back.

NINE DAYS.

9.DAYS

Then the siege will be over. We will have a new President. And while I DO NOT want McCain, if by some unfathomable act he is elected, he cannot be worse than Bush.

Change is comin'. There's a fresh wind on the horizon. Do you feel the stirrings?

>How about you? Are you starting to breathe again, too?

T, who actually might be able to breathe again

Who is the REAL America?

There is a culture war going on...some think if you live in a city, you aren't a Real American. Sadly, these are presidential candidates and government officials! Is this ok with you? When did it become unamerican to exercise free speech? Or disagree with those in power? For those who don't get cable...you have to see this clip!

So are you wondering if YOU are a real American? Take Jon's test:

T, who thinks we must live in the Twilight Zone

Barbarians at the Gate or I Finally Figured Out Who She Reminds Me Of!

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a closet political wonk. I tried to give it up because idealism hurts too much. But I am back, and knee-deep in the issues. Sometimes though, you just have to laugh. (it was THAT kind of day) Watching the debate tonight, I was struck by the similarities of Palin to an old character that Phil Hartman used to play on Saturday Night Live. Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer.

So, with apologies to the late Phil Hartman and SNL... I present:

Unfrozen Conservative VP Candidate:

"Doggone it! I'm just a hockey mom. I fell on some ice and later got thawed out by some of your Republicans, who thought you would vote for me because I don't have dangly parts."

"Your world frightens and confuses me! Sometimes, the big words your journalists use make me want to run for the hills or use folksy word endings. I can't pronounce the word, "n-u-c-l-e-a-r. I say nucular. I can't answer questions that you ask, I get all discombobulated. My primitive, backwoods mind doesn't grasp these concepts. I'm only a governor from Alaska! I don't understand your strange big-city politics. I don't know the names of the people I try to affiliate myself with, I don't understand runnin' for VP, 'cause I don't have to be competent, just all friendly-like!"

But one thing I do understand: I was given a list of talking points, and you betcha I am gonna hit every one! I can't think for myself, but I can use your boomstick to hunt a moose and sure make you some good BBQ mooseburgers, a heck of a lot of 'em! Do you want to go for a ride on my scary Snow Machine? We can look for Putin rearin' his head over the ocean over there."

Watch and see if you agree: (only link I could find was here).

T, who says sometimes you have to laugh or you'll cry

Technorati: politics, silliness, Palin

We Interrupt This Blog For An Important Announcement

photo from NY Times

I missed Clinton's speech at the DNC, and thought, on this, the third evening of the RNC, it was a good reminder. I know it is long, but you really need to read it. If nothing else, at least read the parts emphasized. (emphasis mine)

I don't normally blog politically, but this election is so important. I have many friends who are conservative. They have wonderful hearts, and I understand their views. But the party has abandoned them, as proven in the last 8 years. We are worse off than we have ever been in my lifetime. The house across the street from me finally sold after a year. For half what it was worth. Other houses on my block are in foreclosure. And I live in a prosperous area! Truly scary stuff. Also known as The Orange Curtain, for a reason. Red, all the way. I am one of the few Dems in the area. One of the few who does not drink the Kool-aide. Add to that the fact that I am a born-again Christian, who is not a Republican, and I am a serious Fish Out of Water. At the risk of alienating you, I really want you to read this and understand where we are right now. What future is left for our children?

Clinton's speech:

I am honored to be here tonight to support Barack Obama. And to warm up the crowd for Joe Biden, though as you'll soon see, he doesn't need any help from me. I love Joe Biden, and America will too.

What a year we Democrats have had. The primary began with an all-star line up and came down to two remarkable Americans locked in a hard fought contest to the very end. The campaign generated so much heat it increased global warming.

In the end, my candidate didn't win. But I'm very proud of the campaign she ran: she never quit on the people she stood up for, on the changes she pushed for, on the future she wants for all our children. And I'm grateful for the chance Chelsea and I had to tell Americans about the person we know and love.

I'm not so grateful for the chance to speak in the wake of her magnificent address last night. But I'll do my best.

Hillary told us in no uncertain terms that she'll do everything she can to elect Barack Obama.

That makes two of us.

Actually that makes 18 million of us - because, like Hillary, I want all of you who supported her to vote for Barack Obama in November.

Here's why.

Our nation is in trouble on two fronts: The American Dream is under siege at home, and America's leadership in the world has been weakened.

Middle class and low-income Americans are hurting, with incomes declining; job losses, poverty and inequality rising; mortgage foreclosures and credit card debt increasing; health care coverage disappearing; and a big spike in the cost of food, utilities, and gasoline.

Our position in the world has been weakened by too much unilateralism and too little cooperation; a perilous dependence on imported oil; a refusal to lead on global warming; a growing indebtedness and a dependence on foreign lenders; a severely burdened military; a backsliding on global non-proliferation and arms control agreements; and a failure to consistently use the power of diplomacy, from the Middle East to Africa to Latin America to Central and Eastern Europe.

Clearly, the job of the next President is to rebuild the American Dream and restore America's standing in the world.

Everything I learned in my eight years as President and in the work I've done since, in America and across the globe, has convinced me that Barack Obama is the man for this job.

He has a remarkable ability to inspire people, to raise our hopes and rally us to high purpose. He has the intelligence and curiosity every successful President needs. His policies on the economy, taxes, health care and energy are far superior to the Republican alternatives. He has shown a clear grasp of our foreign policy and national security challenges, and a firm commitment to repair our badly strained military. His family heritage and life experiences have given him a unique capacity to lead our increasingly diverse nation and to restore our leadership in an ever more interdependent world. The long, hard primary tested and strengthened him. And in his first presidential decision, the selection of a running mate, he hit it out of the park.

With Joe Biden's experience and wisdom, supporting Barack Obama's proven understanding, insight, and good instincts, America will have the national security leadership we need.

Barack Obama is ready to lead America and restore American leadership in the world. Ready to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. Barack Obama is ready to be President of the United States.

He will work for an America with more partners and fewer adversaries. He will rebuild our frayed alliances and revitalize the international institutions which help to share the costs of the world's problems and to leverage our power and influence. He will put us back in the forefront of the world's fight to reduce nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and to stop global warming. He will continue and enhance our nation's global leadership in an area in which I am deeply involved, the fight against AIDS, TB and malaria, including a renewal of the battle against HIV/AIDS here at home. He will choose diplomacy first and military force as a last resort. But in a world troubled by terror; by trafficking in weapons, drugs and people; by human rights abuses; by other threats to our security, our interests, and our values, when he cannot convert adversaries into partners, he will stand up to them.

Barack Obama also will not allow the world's problems to obscure its opportunities. Everywhere, in rich and poor countries alike, hardworking people need good jobs; secure, affordable healthcare, food, and energy; quality education for their children; and economically beneficial ways to fight global warming. These challenges cry out for American ideas and American innovation. When Barack Obama unleashes them, America will save lives, win new allies, open new markets, and create new jobs for our people.

Most important, Barack Obama knows that America cannot be strong abroad unless we are strong at home. People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power.

Look at the example the Republicans have set: American workers have given us consistently rising productivity. They've worked harder and produced more. What did they get in return? Declining wages, less than ¼ as many new jobs as in the previous eight years, smaller health care and pension benefits, rising poverty and the biggest increase in income inequality since the 1920s. American families by the millions are struggling with soaring health care costs and declining coverage. I will never forget the parents of children with autism and other severe conditions who told me on the campaign trail that they couldn't afford health care and couldn't qualify their kids for Medicaid unless they quit work or got a divorce. Are these the family values the Republicans are so proud of? What about the military families pushed to the breaking point by unprecedented multiple deployments? What about the assault on science and the defense of torture? What about the war on unions and the unlimited favors for the well connected? What about Katrina and cronyism?

America can do better than that. And Barack Obama will.

But first we have to elect him.

The choice is clear. The Republicans will nominate a good man who served our country heroically and suffered terribly in Vietnam. He loves our country every bit as much as we all do. As a Senator, he has shown his independence on several issues. But on the two great questions of this election, how to rebuild the American Dream and how to restore America's leadership in the world, he still embraces the extreme philosophy which has defined his party for more than 25 years, a philosophy we never had a real chance to see in action until 2001, when the Republicans finally gained control of both the White House and Congress. Then we saw what would happen to America if the policies they had talked about for decades were implemented.

They took us from record surpluses to an exploding national debt; from over 22 million new jobs down to 5 million; from an increase in working family incomes of $7,500 to a decline of more than $2,000; from almost 8 million Americans moving out of poverty to more than 5 and a half million falling into poverty - and millions more losing their health insurance.

Now, in spite of all the evidence, their candidate is promising more of the same: More tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans that will swell the deficit, increase inequality, and weaken the economy. More band-aids for health care that will enrich insurance companies, impoverish families and increase the number of uninsured. More going it alone in the world, instead of building the shared responsibilities and shared opportunities necessary to advance our security and restore our influence.

They actually want us to reward them for the last eight years by giving them four more. Let's send them a message that will echo from the Rockies all across America:

Thanks, but no thanks. In this case, the third time is not the charm.

My fellow Democrats, sixteen years ago, you gave me the profound honor to lead our party to victory and to lead our nation to a new era of peace and broadly shared prosperity.

Together, we prevailed in a campaign in which the Republicans said I was too young and too inexperienced to be Commander-in-Chief. Sound familiar? It didn't work in 1992, because we were on the right side of history. And it won't work in 2008, because Barack Obama is on the right side of history.

His life is a 21st Century incarnation of the American Dream. His achievements are proof of our continuing progress toward the "more perfect union" of our founders' dreams. The values of freedom and equal opportunity which have given him his historic chance will drive him as president to give all Americans, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability, their chance to build a decent life, and to show our humanity, as well as our strength, to the world.

We see that humanity, that strength, and our future in Barack and Michelle Obama and their beautiful children. We see them reinforced by the partnership with Joe Biden, his wife Jill, a dedicated teacher, and their family.

Barack Obama will lead us away from division and fear of the last eight years back to unity and hope. If, like me, you still believe America must always be a place called Hope, then join Hillary, Chelsea and me in making Senator Barack Obama the next President of the United States.

T. again:

Hope you all still love me, I am really just about doing the best for my family and looking at myself in the mirror while doing it. And teaching my children compassion. How about you? This is a discussion. What do you say?

T, who wants a future for my children that I can be proud of

Technorati: Clinton, Democrat, DNC

I Wouldn't Get This From Any Other Guy?

When I heard that Barack Obama was going to make history by actually involving citizens in the political process, I was excited. Call me idealistic, I like to believe that politicians get into the game to make a difference..

So when Barack said he was going to let a select few be the first to know who his Veep was going to be, I said : "Sign me up!" I eagerly sent a message to 62262 and sat back and waited. I was going to be in the know, baby! I was going to find out, before all of y'all, who Barack picked as his #1. (Since it couldn't be me) All day long, I waited, sneaking peeks at my phone, just in case. Nothing. Is this thing on?

I ate dinner,sneaking peeks at my phone. It remained silent. I put the kids to bed, but still, Barack didn't call. Did he forget? Did he lose my number? I stayed off the phone, to free it up for his call. In an effort to pass the time, I sat down with twitter and started seeing stray messages: CNN says Biden is Veep announcement. Hmm, are they just predicting? It can't be! Surely, they don't know...since Barack said I would know first? Then more questions arose as the WSJ and HuffPo began confirming it. And still? My phone remained silent..

Maybe he wrote the number down wrong? He couldn't be like all the others, could he? Not Barack? He said he would never run around and desert me..

All night long, my phone remained mute. Finally, when I had given up hope, in a slump of betrayal, I was headed to bed I couldn't wait no more. And as I was brushing my teeth? At 2 a.m.? after the bars close (and I assume that he couldn't get any other action), my phone buzzed. I had a message. Barack, Rock-Star and Next President had just given me the equivalent of a text-message Booty Call. That's right, girls. Say it with me now: a man callin' that late only got one thing on his mind, and it ain't your brain. Barack didn't find it terribly important to call me earlier. He waited until the news broke, and then he texted me (and you?)_ as an afterthought..

I feel so used. My heart is broken. I know how this works. First it's a booty call here and there. And you relax your standards, cause, hey, he looooves you. Next, it's a vote hoping we look the other way. But, just this once. Finally, you're rationalizing deregulation of the telcom business and charging tax on the Interwebz.

Don't you leave me feeling cheap. Barack, I thought you were different. Turns out that maybe you were a playa all along.

*yes, this is satire. Meant to be funny. I get that it was leaked by accident, and no I am not broken up about it.

T, who don't play that

Did Barack call you? Did you want him to? Did you feel used? What do you think of his buddy, Joe? Is he cool?

Technorati: Barack, Obama, text_message

Reason #247,602 why I will be voting for Obama

If you are one of the 2 people on the Internet who hasn't seen this yet (I was) I wanted to share with you.

You've Just Been Barack-Rolled. Like Rick Rolled, only MORE PRESIDENTIAL

Barack FTW!

Hey, you have to admit, the video is awesome. What other videos are a must see? Share your picks

T, who had to share

Technorati: YouTube, video, Barack

Pennsylvania Leads the Way, California, Step Up!

All eyes are watching Pennsylvania where lawmakers recently passed a state bill that will require insurance companies to begin covering autism treatments a year from now, next July. Private insurance companies doing business in the state will be required to cover diagnosis and traditional therapies considered by experts to improve communication, behavioral difficulties and learning deficits. Under the law, insurance companies would have a limit of $36,000 in benefits annually that they must provide for those who need it.

Insurance companies balked at this, saying that it would raise premiums. The PA lawmakers continued their work to pass the bill and now PA has a precendent-setting law on the books that could force insurance companies to cover needed treatments. Early-intervention can make a huge difference once diagnosed, and this law will ensure that those who need the care will get it.

California is known for the groundbreaking laws, so will we follow suit? One can only hope. In a state that allows Regional Centers to determine coverage on their own, with no state-wide mandate, there are many who are diagnosed and are falling through the cracks. Regional Centers will often delay decisions to run out the clock before a child starts school. Then, the treatments can become the school district's responsibility. In a system that is all about passing the buck, it would be good to see some accountability.

What could the average family do with $36,000 for treatments? Here is an example:

• a year's worth of Occupational Therapy (52 weeks) @$100/visit $5200
• a year's worth of psychological therapy (50 weeks) @$135/visit $6750
• a year's worth of speech therapy (50 weeks) @$130/visit $6500
• a year's worth of doctor visits (DAN) (10 visits) @ $400/visit $4000

That leaves $13,550 left over, for..incidentals.

What could you do with $36,000 per kid, annually until age 21?

Honestly, one of the hardest things about homeschooling is that we pay for all therapies privately. It puts a strain on our finances.

The point of insurance, is to provide care to the people who need it, and possibly turn a bit of a profit in the process. But the insurance companies have forgotten they are first and foremost an avenue for care. It is time to hold them accountable.

edited to add: Yes, in CA many are able to get coverage under other labels for certain treatments, for instance, DAN doctors, but it is a "don't ask..don't tell" type of arrangement. Some don't divulge that their child is diagnosed with autism, for fear at some point, their care will be denied as a "pre-existing condition" under HIIPA laws. If the insured doesn't carry continuous insurance, when next insurance is obtained, companies can deny services. This leaves many in fear and paying privately for services.

Are you listening, California lawmakers? 1 in 150 kids are diagnosed with autism. Two of them are mine. Now that Pennsylvania has done the right thing, when will California step up?

T, who just wants what is fair

Technorati: autism, activism, law

Let's Call the Whole Thing Off

The salmonella outbreak is not over. Could be tomatoes, could be tomahtos. Or, it could be a host of other things: jalapenos, serranos, cilantro... the bottom line is, they just don't know.

So now what am I going to eat with my tortilla chips? Hershey's syrup is too sweet. Don't think I didn't consider it! Hummus is too... yeah. Plain tortilla chips are boring.

Now what??

T, who is tortilla-chipless until you guys figure this out for me

Technorati: health, food_supply, food

Let Freedom Ring (Will Anyone Be Left To Answer?)

(The figure of 349 billion in the above video is now at 3 TRILLION dollars. Yes, you read that right. I don't even know how many zeros are in that, do you?)

I love this country. It is not unamerican to believe we are headed in the wrong direction. Today, I prayed and participated in a parade with my children. I believe in change, for the better. And it starts with us. We have to want it. We have to want the government to do what is right and just. We have to want them to care for the interests of more than just the Almighty Dollar. We have to pull the power out of the hands of the few, those who would sacrifice us to the special interest groups. We have to fight those who would destroy our air, water and our very lives in order to grow richer!

We have to be informed. We have to vote and we have to think. We need to think about what we are doing to our childrens' future. What is the legacy we are leaving them? What values are we instilling in them if we stand by and let our resources be squaundered by those who have made it clear they have an agenda and don't care about anything else? I weep for our future if those in power continue to "stay the course."

Today is a holiday. The Fourth of July. Some privileged white guys threw a tantrum, and now we have freedom. Don't get me wrong, I am sincerely grateful that they did what they did, I value my freedom greatly. Which is why I wanted to post these quotes today..just a little reminder:

When the government fears the people there is liberty; when the people fear the government there is tyranny. --Thomas Jefferson

"What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?" --Thomas Jefferson

"Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech" -- Benjamin Franklin

"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." --Benjamin Franklin

"But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever." --John Adams

"Fear is the foundation of most governments; but it is so sordid and brutal a passion, and renders men in whose breasts it predominates so stupid and miserable, that Americans will not be likely to approve of any political institution which is founded on it." --John Adams

"[H]owever weak our country may be, I hope we shall never sacrifice our liberties." --Alexander Hamilton

"An elective despotism was not the government we fought for; but one in which the powers of government should be so divided and balanced among the several bodies of magistracy as that no one could transcend their legal limits without being effectually checked and restrained by the others." --James Madison

"Where an excess of power prevails, property of no sort is duly respected. No man is safe in his opinions, his person, his faculties, or his possessions." --James Madison

"Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism." --George Washington

"Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect every one who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are ruined.... O sir, we should have fine times, indeed, if to punish tyrants, it were only sufficient to assemble the people!" --Patrick Henry

And finally, I leave you with my favorite quote, by a famous cultural anthropologist:

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it's the only thing that ever has" --Margaret Mead

*I wrote this two years ago, and it is even more true now than it was then. Gas prices, dangerous toys, global warming, loss of freedom...when do we stand up and DO SOMETHING?

T, who wants her inalienable rights back

Technorati: politics, patriotism, vote

Time for Change

Let's talk Old School vs. New School. I have been impressed with Barack Obama since day one. He just seems real to me. Today I read something that cemented my feelings. We all know about the floods in the Midwest. Hearing about them, John McCain issued a statement:

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those impacted by the flooding throughout the Midwest. Cindy and I would like to extend our sympathies to all those who have lost loved ones, and stand ready to help those in the Midwest to recover and rebuild."

That's all well and good, nice sentiment, right? In contrast: THIS is what Barack Obama did: He pulled on his boots and his jeans and he grabbed a shovel. He put his money where his mouth was. If you go to his site, the cover page is a plea for the victims of the flooding, and at his site you can donate to relief efforts. Imagine, a candidate who wants you to give to someone else besides him? When is the last time that happened?

For me, this really illustrates a Bible verse about faith and deeds:

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.-James 2:14-18

What do you get with John McCain? More of the same: platitudes, old conservative platitudes. (and 100 years in Iraq). Time has come for the Old School to move aside. Obama is here, and you are about to be schooled in a whole new way.

Do you want change? It starts with you. Go GIVE SOME. The flood victims need your help. Send some money their way through the Red Cross. Tell them Barack sent you.

T, who put her money where her mouth is...how about you?

Technorati: Obama, Red Cross, politics

Oh No They Di' nt!

I generally stay out of the political blogging arena, because, let's face, it, so many say it so much more eloquently than I could. But when racism and sexism is so blatant, how does one stay silent? To say nothing, isn't that like tacit acceptance?

And yes, I know, it's Fox News. They say something offensive every day, that's nothing new. We're used to it. But maybe, that's the problem. We're used to it. Should we ever get used to one-sided news that is really not much more than opinion masquerading as Truth? It amazes and frightens me that so many continue to watch a channel that has been proven time and again to outright manufacture facts to suit the spin of the story they are "covering."

At what point do we say, "Enough?!" We know Fox News and their antics. We know the way they "accidentally" put the wrong party affiliation under a Senator who is in disgrace. We know they use every chance to discredit Democrats. But this goes beyond party lines. When a national news station starts using ghetto slang to describe the potential First Lady of the United States, how much lower can they go? To flash on screen: "Obama's Baby Mama" as Michelle Obama is speaking? Lower than I have come to expect, even from Fox News. What's next, playing Usher's "My Boo" in the background? I also find it interesting that Michelle Malkin is who they trot out: look, she's a minority and she agrees! Long Live the GOP! (never mind, just blame it on the liberals)

Make no mistake: if Michelle Obama was white, this racial slur never would have seen the light of day. If she was male, it wouldn't have been addressed. This isn't about partisanship. This is about bigotry. And the fact that despite the Million Man March, Martin's Luther King Jr.'s Dream and the first black Presidential Nominee ever, we still have a long way to go, baby.

T, who is just incensed

Technorati: politics, bigotry, feminism