political blather

[rm]

I've finally managed to watch some of the DNC, and I saw Kerry's wife speak for the first time. It wasn't a great speech, and she's not a great speaker (and I hadn't realized about the accent -- I wonder how that will play), but she she just radiates power in a way you pretty much never seen from political wives, and really even female politicians or female public figures in general. I mean, there's just this undefinable Bene Gesserit sort of thing about her that leaves no doubt she would be ruthless in defense of whatever she viewed at her domain. Interesting.

Meanwhile, there a controversy errupting over shirts you can buy on the Planned Parenthood website that say "I Had an Abortion." Without touching the actual abortion part of the debate, I think these are interesting, powerful and problematic. In our all-irony, all-shock all-the-time culture I can too easily see them being baby-t's on 13-year-olds trying to look cool, and that disgusts me. But as women who are encouraged to be silent about these choices, who are encouraged to let everyone believe that no matter what they think about abortion it only happens to other people who aren't as good as them... I love these shirts, I love the idea of stark words speaking silently, because I am that sort of marketing person. Of course, my understanding of protest comes from Act-Up, which was shocking, stark and marketing savvy. Anyway, I think the shirts are smart and interesting in a world that can't keep up with them. http://store.yahoo.com/ppfastore/ihadabt.html

How do we say we do not celebrate a thing, while also saying I am not ashamed of it? How do we talk about doing what is necessary in a world that seems broken into craven and lazy? How do we say, life is full of terrible choices and the critical thing is that we remain capable of choice, not just in the law, but in our hearts and minds? When politicians talk about moral education, character education, what they should be talking about, and I think are often talking about in code, are reasoning skills.

I don't believe you can teach morality. I believe you can demonstrate kindness, and love and that you can teach reasoning skills and ethics, and if you're serious about it, morality is the result. But if you seek to solely instill a set of beliefs over a code or framework from which to find beliefs, all you will do is beat fear and lack of thought into a mind.

Finally, I know most of the people reading this are ass broke, and of a range of political spectrums, however I think we can all agree we are fighting for our country's future in this election, and are devided with a hostility and fierceness I don't think any of us have previously seen in our lifetimes.

If you want Bush out of the White House, please give money to the Kerry campaign. If you're ass broke, dig the change out from under your couch cushions, count it up, and make a contribution that size. Even if it's only $10. Kerry may not be the man you want on the environment, or gay rights or whatever your specific concerns are. I know he's not a perfect fit for me, but I also know he will at change the current direction of things that terrify me so much.

To the few Republicans who hang around these parts. To my knowledge, you're all my type of Republicans, which is to say smart, more libertarian than not, and annoyed by your party's constant distraction from important stuff like the economy and national security to wage wars on crap like the marriage ammendment. Vote for whomever you're going to vote for, but do me a favour and take the time to get involved in your party and make it a party that doesn't require me to roll my eyes when you talk about the party of Lincoln. I'm for smaller government, and I could get behind your cause and we could have a lot more unity and civility in public discourse if you would all stand up and take your party back. So do what you need to do, donate money where you need to donate money, but do something.

Comments

[heron61.livejournal.com]

How do we say we do not celebrate a thing, while also saying I am not ashamed of it?

Of course, my question is why not celebrate it, it is one of the basic freedoms First World women now have, and also each abortion means one fewer person on an already overpopulated world. On a side-note, Japanese attitudes towards abortion are simply fascinating. Over there, it is far more accepted than in the US (or IIRC, in most of the EU). There is no stigma attached to it and there are ceremonies where women honor the children they did not have. Yet another case where the legay of Christianity is far less positive than some of the alternatives.

[saltbox.livejournal.com]

If you want Bush out of the White House, please give money to the Kerry campaign.

People need to do it soon (I forget the exact cutoff date) because of the campaign finance laws regulate candidates who are accepting public funds. After the cutoff date, he can't accept any money. It might be too late now, actually.

People can still donate to the DNC or to Moveon, though. And the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is also important, because he can't do much if the House *and* the Senate is controlled by Republicans.

[lllvis.livejournal.com]

If you're for smaller government, I'm surprised you don't advocate the Libertarians more.

I understand certainly why you prefer Democrats to Republicans, and you don't strike me as a single-item voter. I have strived to keep myself from becoming such..although I must say there are a small number of topics that are exceptionally important to me, and smaller (ie. less) government tops the list.

You bring a fantastic way of putting things - how do we say we not celebrate a thing while at the same time we are not ashamed of it? I think that fits a number of issues politics has become involved in. I think I'm going to borrow that line if that's ok?

and also

[schpahky.livejournal.com]

This week's New Yorker (July 26th) has an excellent profile on John Kerry. I feel better about voting for him now - at least I have a better idea of what I am voting for, and not just against.

[calieber.livejournal.com]

Re the abortion shirts: there sems to be an idea in our culture that privacy is the same thing as shame. I don't write about my sexual fantasies on my Livejournal, but that doesn't mean I'm ashamed of them. Silence perpetuates stigmas, which is why, for instance, it would advance civil rights if people in stable same-sex relationships had framed pictures on their desks. This even applies to marriage, which is a public declaration of a relationship -- something I think anti-same-sex-marriage people understand.

[ladyofthelog.livejournal.com]

My boyfriend peeked over my shoulder and said, in reference to the t-shirts, "I want one of those."

Interesting T-shirts. . .

[magicwoman.livejournal.com]

Not exactly on topic, but I would be interested in your take on this marketing blitz that came through our town earlier this month. http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/4873008.html

Semi-trucks and plane banners were used to advertise abortion - huge pictures of abortion byproducts were plastered on the sides of the trucks and banners. The main thrust of advertising took place during lunch hour. I wasn't sure how I felt about it, I thought at first it was a good idea to get the idea across (I am pro-choice). However, a co-worker had her 5-year old daughter downtown and she saw the truck and asked questions about it. She was nail biting mad about the advertising.

What do you think?

Susan

[iamrobertsworry.livejournal.com]

sorry. I just can't vote for Kerry.

[heron61.livejournal.com]

If you want Bush out of the White House, please give money to the Kerry campaign.

My problem with doing so is that everything I read or hear about Kerry indicates that he is another waffling, ultra-wealthy, Clintonian pseudo-liberal with no strong convictions other than the desire to get elected. Edwards seems like he may be a substantial improvement over Kerry, but voting him in as VP means he wouldn't be president for 8 years, if then. Obviously, Kerry is a vast improvement over Bush and I will certainly vote for him, but I'm not inclined to donate money to someone solely because they are the lesser of two evils, even if the other evil is far worse. I'm exceptionally tired of my choice for president being between plutocrats and plutocratic theocrats