Archive for November, 2004
Four More Years…
Wednesday, November 3rd, 2004
So it’s decided, we have Bush for Four more years. Frankly I was surprised by the quick response on the last post there, which should remind us all how divided this country is over one man. In fact, I find it incredible that his elections have been so close. If you think about it, what are the odds that the country would be divided almost exactly in half? And worse, the implication of that fact is that half the country feels horrible today, and will continue to be angry for the next four years. If it had gone the other way it would be the other half, but the same would be true. The country is divided, plain and simple, and it probably always will be.
What kills me is that the division is on issues people have such strong opinions about. I was talking with a friend yesterday, no longer quite the same friend after that conversation, who said she would never vote for a president who would let fags get married. I’m sorry, but that’s racism, no question. I don’t care what your reasons are, if you use a derrogitory word for a group of people (which is all a race really is) and you really mean it, you’re racist. It’s one of those things that will cut off all ties with me in an instant — if you never want to talk to me again, just call someone a fag in front of my face. Same is true for many people on the abortion issue. A friend of mine has a pin: “You cut off my reproductive choice, I’ll cut off yours,” and you’ll get a heated speech if you mention it. I don’t even want to start there, aside from saying that it’s another religious debate, and I hate religious debates.
I’ll leave you with some other reflections on the results from some other intelligent people. And also, just that I had hoped to read Maya Angelou’s “On the Pulse of Morning” this morning, a poem written for Bill Clinton’s inauguration, which expressed such hope and glory and peace that it uplifted the spirit of the whole nation. I still remember her reading the last line on TV, and I know now why my parents had me miss the first hour of school to watch it.
This morning, cold and dreary here in Berkeley, feels the opposite. Lets just say George Bush would never comission a poem, and that makes me sad. Yet, I still will say simply, very simply, with hope, Good Morning.
Election
Wednesday, November 3rd, 2004
This election seems closer than last year, maybe because more is at stake. Last election it was just a disappointment that the republican won, a man we knew would have policies toward the environment, business, and fiscal policy that we disagree with (I am of course using the term “we” loosely). This year, we know this man who should not have been president in the first place caused a war, destruction of the environment, the largest defecit in recent history, and lowered our international respect to nil. He is manipulative, dishonest, unintelligent, and what bugs me the most is that he can’t talk worth beans. Frankly, a man who can’t master the English language (or any language for that matter) isn’t fit to be a president.
Keep that, my opinion, in mind when I say I am scared about the outcome of this election. My parents are already talking about moving to France (Canada’s not far enough I guess) and about opening accounts and setting up residence there in case I need to leave for a draft. Don’t get me wrong, I love my country, and I would gladly serve in any truly justified war, but not for our current president, not for his war. But moving to France, wow… yes, they were half joking. But half serious, too.
Well, I just thought our country was smarter than this. I lost a little faith in it tonight, even if Kerry does win. It shouldn’t even have been close.
“The human being is the ONLY animal in the world that commits the same mistake twice.” from DailySnap