I Need A Fix

Oh, those earnest days at K College, piling gals from the WRC into Amy's beige Hyundai for the trek from Kalamazoo to Ann Arbor to see Ani DiFranco at The Ark. Is it possible that was really 15 years ago? Christ, I'm old.

Wednesday my better half and I will amble down to the Moore to see Ani - and I need it! I'm looking forward to hanging out with a room full of 30something feminists for a couple hours...it's been too long.

America Disappoints Me, Again.

OK, so this isn't politics. But it is still political.

We proved tonight that America isn't ready for a gay American Idol. I'm not surprised that the judges and host are all too chicken shit to own up to the fact that homophobia may well be the reason that first Danny, and now David, have been voted off. I'm not generally one for victim-blaming, but oh how I wish one of the contestants themselves had grabbed the microphone to say:

"Yeah, I was voted off because I'm too flamey for middle America! You can't handle me!"

or

"Too bad my voice wasn't more important than my history of stripping for dudes! I mean, isn't this a singing competition?"

America, you stink.

It's In the Mail

It doesn't mean anything to the State of Washington, but the fact I just voted for a woman on a Presidential nomination election ballot means a lot to me.

Dear Super Delegates:

I am a voting Democrat from the 46th District, and I am writing to ask that you please support Hillary Clinton's nomination for the Office of President of the United States. Ms. Clinton's concrete plan to reverse the damage the Bush administration has done to this country is practical and pragmatic; she has the know-how and the political clout to get this done.

I understand that it may be appealing to join the Obama parade at this point. After all, everyone loves a party. But our country is in crisis, and he simply isn't ready to be our Commander in Chief.

Please, as a "super delegate," support Hillary Clinton.

We Went A-Caucusing

First, let me say that while Democracy is exciting, it is also exhausting. 5 hours after we first pulled up to the Wilson Pacific School to attend the 46th District Democratic Caucus, my voice is hoarse, my throat is sore, and my ass is signed up to be a Hillary Clinton delegate to the District & King County Democratic Caucus in April.

It was a madhouse. My better half and I arrived early, and were the first folks to sign up noting "Clinton" in the candidate of choice boxes. We felt outnumbered for a while - the Obama people were more visible, with T-shirts and stickers. Here's to organization; it makes a difference. I did wonder how fair it is that the people who were actually telling people where to sign and where to sit or stand were obviously entrenched in Obama-fever. I mean, at the polls aren't poll workers prohibited from wearing a candidate's T-shirt, just for the appearance of fairness?

Anyway, once underway, my precinct alone had 111 people. There were probably over 600 of us in the school gym - it was loud and crazy, and I felt bad for the few elderly people who clearly felt crushed and who couldn't quite hear what was going on. Individuals spoke up for Hillary, Barack, and Dennis (yes, Dennis - a couple of us, including my better half, called out "ok, who's for Ralph Nader? Nader supporters, stand up!" harkening back to all those votes wasted 8 years ago).

There were no microphones, no bullhorns, no podiums and, until we started hollering at each other and warming the place up, no heat. I get that this is grassroots community action going on - but people, please! Couldn't we have a set of smaller rooms so people could break up into precincts and actually discuss and debate civilly? Or microphones so no one went hoarse screaming to be heard?

We Hillary Clinton supporters knew we were outnumbered, but we held on. We emphasized the manner in which Clinton has already been tested - and passed; that although it's trendy to call her "divisive," she's actually been quite adept at crossing the aisle and making successful deals in the Senate; that she has concrete plans for how to get out of Iraq, how to made health care available to all, and how be make our country greener.

The Barack Obama supporters sang about "change," about him being a "uniting force," and about how this is a new time, a new day. There wasn't a lot of there there, and not for the first time I found myself saying that it's a "the Emperor wears no clothes" situation. Obama is just a man - nay, just a politician, just like the rest of the candidates. His speechwriters won't be in office if he's elected, he will be. And he's both untested and unsure.

When I pointed out that Barack thought nothing of getting in bed with the Southern Baptists and evangelicals, appealing to the homophobia of that region in order to be palatable to the more conservative South, some jackass shouted "Hillary stayed in bed with Bill for more votes!" Um, ok. Like that's worse? Or even as bad as what Obama did not 4 months ago? A woman stays with her unfaithful husband (who just happens to be the most powerful man in the world, and his affairs just happened to be played out on world-wide television for all to see) sublimating her own pride to preserve the family and its political clout. A man, vyying to become the most powerful man in the world, swings the door wide open for all the crazy right-wing Bible bangers, saying, "Hey, come on into the Democratic party and join us! Who cares if you're a hate-monger or a bigot, as long as you vote for me?!" Now, which scenario is morally bankrupt? More corrupt?

Yeah. I thought so. At least the former didn't get the Democratic Party in debt to the devil. The latter has, or will, if Obama gets elected and has to pay those bigots back in political kind.

And about that "she voted for the war in Iraq" shtick. As a good friend pointed out to me today, Obama wasn't even in the Senate for that vote! It isn't like he voted no. We have no idea what he would have done in that climate in the US Senate at that time. And, more importantly, Obama has no idea what he would have done. As of 2004 Obama said that "on paper" his position on the war was the same as George W. Bush's. Further, when asked what he would have voted regarding Congressional authorization to spend funds on military action, he said he didn't know.

So. At best he hedged his bets, not committing to a position because the wind was starting to change regarding public opinion of Iraq; at worst, he was aligned with George W. in 2004 but now touts himself the "anti-war" candidate, disingenuously. The fact of the matter is, his Congressional voting record on Iraq is substantially the same as Clinton's. And, see the above paragraph - in my opinion, pandering to hatemongers and homophobes not 4 months ago is so much worse than being swept up in the fervor for military action back when--let's be honest--the only people against the war were those of us left-wingers who are, for the most part, always against any war or military action.

I look at the cultish Obama fever sweeping the country right now and I'm afraid. Haven't we just lived through (some of us - so many have not made it) 8 years of the "aw shucks, we can do this" kind of down-home talking guy you'd like to have a beer with? Have we learned nothing?

Why don't we care about substance? Why are we so enamored of flash?

The group-think going on right now is quite amazing and disturbing. I could see the "undecideds" yesterday looking to the Obama camp, and looking to the Clinton camp, and simply moving toward the bigger, louder camp. Everyone loves a party, right?

It looks like Hillary Clinton isn't winning the majority of Washington State's delegates right now - but I am holding out that she'll pull this thing off in the end by maintaining more delegates over the long-term. Deep down, we have to know better not to be dazzled by bullshit.

I just hope enough of us go out to our caucuses and our polls to make that difference.

She's The One

In the words of Robin Morgan:

Me? I support Hillary Rodham because she’s the best qualified of all candidates running in both parties. I support her because her progressive politics are as strong as her proven ability to withstand what will be a massive right-wing assault in the general election. I support her because she knows how to get us out of Iraq. I support her because she’s refreshingly thoughtful, and I’m bloodied from eight years of a jolly “uniter” with ejaculatory politics. I needn’t agree with her on every point. I agree with the 97 percent of her positions that are identical with Obama’s—and the few where hers are both more practical and to the left of his (like health care). I support her because she’s already smashed the first-lady stereotype and made history as a fine senator, because I believe she will continue to make history not only as the first US woman president, but as a great US president. The Women's Media Center

Hillary Is My Homegirl

I am so sick of the mainstream media--not the mention the good liberals of Seattle--pretending that the fact that a woman is a viable candidate for the office of President of the United States isn't a monumentous event. It's bad enough that gender is ignored these days (in the eye-rolling "Aren't we, like, so over this already?" sort of way) even as women still have to be better than in order to be considered equal to. But don't you for one minute more dare to diminish the importance of this moment in history.

The fact that Obama is male is far more important in this campaign than the fact that he is African-American. A woman with his experience and background simply would not be considered a viable candidate. He is imbued with a presumption of competence that women don't benefit from yet. Media pundits and the "average Joe" alike have railed against Clinton for her hair, her dress, the sound of her voice, and the fact she stayed with her unfaithful husband. Does Obama suffer from the same scrutiny? Of course not. Some parts of his life are just off limits. He's a man, after all.

But when someone tries to bring gender to the fore, the conversation is cut short--a kind of "oh, you wanna play the hierarchy of oppression game?" swagger starts up. Fine, ok, I get it. But to acknowledge that gender still matters does not negate that race matters also. And, if it's a contest, Black men won the right to vote in this country in 1870. Women of any color didn't get that right until a generation later, in 1920. Women's rights have lagged behind civil rights for men of color in this country in undeniable ways. Sexism is still acceptable in this country, in ways that racism is not - people aren't embarrassed to be sexist, for example. They at least know better than to be out and proud with their racism. Sexists, though, can be as loud as they like and they still always get a laugh from a crowd.

I'm tired of calls of "identity politics" when people of color dare to vote for or endorse Clinton. I'm sick of people chanting for "change" and talking about how "divisive" Clinton is. Did anyone see Bill Maher the other night, when some Republican asshole started pontificating in response to the question of "Why is Hillary Clinton so divisive?" Well, he started blabbing about health care and how she dared to get involved in a "really important" issue and "overstretch" her role...essentially saying that bitch didn't know her place and that she dared to take on a serious issue when we all know that First Ladies are supposed to be planning charity balls and appearing on the Today show talking about literacy. Heaven forbid she has a brain and she tried to get something done.

The fact of the matter is that some people perceive Clinton as divisive because she's female, and because she doesn't know "her place." I mean, the very gall. She's ambitious, keen, and sharp as a motherfucking tack. If she were a man, they'd be building statues in her honor. Instead, they're falling in line behind the newest sexy thing, the dude with the silver tongue who can orate like nobody's business. A sweet talker does not a competent President make.

Listen up, people. We're talking about candidates for the office of President of the United States of America. This isn't a radical, left-wing position we're filling here. The fact, though, that this position could be filled by a woman in 2008 is pretty fucking radical, and if you think that doesn't matter, well, then you don't know shit about politics.

Where I've Been

It's true. In the last couple of months, ever since my better half brought a Wii home unexpectedly (honestly, I didn't even know what it was when she walked in with it) I've been a bit obsessed. I practiced "guitar" and "bass," I chose my Judy Nails character and dressed her up, I beat Slash in a boss battle.

As of now, I've gotten through all of the songs on "easy." I tried one song on "intermediate" and sucked royally. I practiced so hard I had to take Advil for the pain in my fingers. I'm sure that I'm becoming highly annoying to my better half and to our poor dogs, both of whom sit on the couch watching me with their heads cocked and their ears at half-mast.

Rock on!