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It's that time again, folks! Of course I am talking about the annual G8 summit, in which leaders from "eight major industrialized nations" meet up to rap about world problems. It should be of no surprise that this year's hottest issue is global warming. What is surprising (at least to me, a long-time G8 enthusiast) is that Bush is agreeing to maybe try to meet the emissions standards proposed by the group. Why is this so surprising? Well, the sub-heading to this WaPo article about the agreement says it all: "Deal Is the Furthest Bush Has Gone in Committing U.S. to Targets on Global Warming"
Did you read that? Take a moment and let it sink in. Just so we're clear, this agreement would cut emissions in half by 2050. Granted by the time the treaty takes affect in 2009, Bush won't have to deal with the logistics of putting any of this into practice. Anyways, I'm going to resist the urge to call this action on the president's part "too little too late" and congratulate him on taking this important first step towards not only acknowledging that global warming exists but actually doing something about it. I doubt that we'll see him driving a Prius or even taking his own bags to the grocery store anytime soon, but the first step is always the hardest, right?
It seems that even Barack's supporters don't always know what to believe! For instance, last December I was appalled when several people with whom I was canvassing (for the Democratic party, no less) insisted that Obama was Muslim. Although I don't personally think that religion should be any kind of issue in a political election, it seems important to most of the country.
Anyways, in order to combat this and other such rumors about the senator, his campaign created this website.
Every time I think about how the course of American history would be different if Robert Kennedy had been elected president in 1968, I can't help but cry. RFK was probably the last best hope for America, and he was tragically stolen from us forty years ago today. How would America be different today if Bobby had entered the white house instead of. . . Nixon? Would we be in the same trouble we're currently facing as a nation? Of course it is impossible to know for sure, but I imagine that we would be living in a better world if he had lived.
Last March I read a book that I highly recommend picking up if you are interested in learning more about the vision of RFK. It's called Robert Kennedy: His Life by Evan Thomas. It's a bit dense, but definitely worth the time. Thomas is thorough in his research and offers a balanced look at the life and times of RFK. After reading it, I felt like he was my long lost political twin: he was so dedicated to eradicating poverty and fighting for civil rights for all groups. He was also a relentless self-improver. But beyond that, I felt like we also shared many negative qualities. He was very moody; at one campaign appearance he would be energized and have a great rapport with the crowd. At the next, he would be shy and withdrawn. His behavior was completely dictated by his mood. And he, too, had a bad habit of taking on way more than he could handle.
This weekend, do something to remember RFK. Pick up a copy of Thirteen Days, his memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis, or one of the many books written about him. Watch Bobby, the 2006 film about the day he was assassinated. Or honor his memory by doing something good for humanity.
On Beauty is the third novel written by Zadie Smith, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite fiction writers. Last summer I read her debut novel, White Teeth, and I highly recommend picking it up. I'd love to go into more detail, but for this post I'm going to stick to OB. The novel discussed dealt with a lot of different themes relevant to this very blog, including the liberal/ conservative dichotomy, the purpose of art in society, aesthetics.
The story is rich in detail, so I'll only attempt a brief summary: Two families, the liberal Belseys and the progressive Kipps', interact with each other in a liberal college town called Wellington (near Boston). The fathers, Howard and Monty, respectively, are both professors in the Humanities department (Art History and Black Studies). Both are outspoken political pundits, both are renowned for their work on Rembrandt (who represents everything Monty loves and Howard despises). Anyways, I recommend giving it a read. Zadie Smith is a wonderful story teller, and I love the way she discusses race issues. Every time I read one of her books, I feel like I've learned something.
So, it's been a long time since I've posted anything- I really long time. But I've been bust with the relocation and all that. However, henceforth I will be making a valid effort to post more regularly.
Now I know it's all over the news and there is nothing new to say on the topic, but I cannot resist touching on today's big news. What better way to end this writing drought than by announcing that Barack Obama is now the democratic presidential nominee? I am elated. I cannot remember ever being this proud of my country (then again, I've never had a reason to be). Barack Obama, who I am proud to call my senator, is running for president of the United States. Neigh, is going to be the president of the United States. What a glorious day for Chicago!
I watched both Clinton's and Obama's post-primary speeches. Although Obama has secured enough delegates to cinch the domination, Clinton has not formally conceded, saying that she wishes to consult with advisers and party leaders. I know that everyone is up in arms about an Obama/ Clinton joint ticket, but I do not see that happening. While I do think that Clinton is remaining in the race as a negotiating tool, I for one think that she is waiting for Obama to agree to help her cover her campaign debt. Personally, I would like to see Edwards as second banana, but who nows if he will even want to step into that role again.
Golly, I'm so relieved that this lengthy contest is over! Obviously I am glad that my candidate won, but I really do think that Barack has a better chance of beating McCain. For now it is time to begin healing the party and focusing on taking back the country.
Obama 2008!
. . . and so does John Edwards! This is very exciting news.
I haven't written anything about the election for a while- and by election I do of course mean the democratic primary. In short, I'm getting kind of sick of it. You probably are too. Admit it. And the worst thing is we all have six more months of the longest presidential election in American history before the fate of our nation is decided. Now don't get me wrong; I am not trying to negate the importance of this contest. I am just 1) getting impatient waiting for this ass hat to leave, and 2) kind of bored. Not much new is being said (with this notable exception)- I feel like we are in a stale mate. And the longer it continues, the more we lose focus on what should be everyone's main goal- beating McCain. But enough of this self-indulgent rant.
Hillary won West Virginia, meaning we have who knows how much longer of this bickering, which is only weakening the party. Total bummer, in other words. This swing-state, electoral college crap seems so nonsensical at times. Why can't we just rely on the popular vote? And that ends my two cents on the latest in primary happenings.
I only scored two out of five correct. Test your knowledge here!
Hillary Clinton won the Pennsylvania primary last week. I’m rather disappointed about in her victory for several reasons. First and foremost, the longer this bitter contest continues, the more it will continue to divide people. Obviously, supporters on both sides continue to grow more impassioned. But beyond that there is a rift in the feminist community between second wave Hillary supporters and third wave Obama supporters. I think that the longer we go without a candidate, the harder it will be to heal the rift. Will we repeat the mistakes of 1968 and wind up with McCain in the house?
Here’s another thing that concerns me: in just about two weeks, I will begin working on the campaign trail. I will be running a canvassing office in Chicago, working to promote progressive candidates at the state and national levels. Since the progressive candidate is still up in the air, we will have to begin simply arguing against McCain. Personally, I would rather run a campaign in favor of someone, focusing on her positives, than run one against an individual, focusing on her negatives. I have done canvassing and call center work on congressional and gubernatorial elections for the last two years, and one theme that I hear often is how disillusioned the average American is with negative campaigning. Running a campaign against McCain and not in favor of Obama or Clinton will likely decrease our support. Kerry ran as the anti-Republican candidate in 2004, and I believe it ultimately harmed him.
Finally, I think that based on voter trends over the last two presidential elections, the youth vote is absolutely crucial to winning the presidency. Youth are mobilized like never before- and behind the charismatic junior senator from Illinois. If Clinton takes the nomination in a coup at convention, many of these youth are going to be disenfranchised, probably resulting in reduced support for the democratic candidate. Again, this feeds my nagging suspicion that we will not win back the White House is Clinton gets the nomination.
Obama is still ahead in delegates- and he is winning substantially by total number of votes. We were all outraged in 2000 when Al Gore won the popular vote but not the presidency. By that logic, shouldn’t Obama get our nomination? Ultimately, I believe that we need to focus our energy, and keep our eyes on the prize- winning back the White House. Although I am just an amateur pundit, I really think that Obaba is the candidate most likely to win that prize.
*As a side note, I am currently about halfway through Obama's early memoirs, Dreams from my Father. I think it's an honest, interesting look at race relations in the United States.
Other suggested reading on the topic:
White Teeth by Zadie Smith, and Caucasia, by Danzy Senna.
In case you couldn't tell, I've been on a big documentary kick lately. I watched three yesterday (while simultaneously catching up with email, reading the news online, doing office work, and probably writing some blog posts). While I'm not going to write three extensive reviews, I will offer a brief vignette.
Documentary #1: For the Bible Tells Me SoThe Human Relations Commission of Bowling Green (of which I have been the university rep for the last two years) screened this interesting film, and I was happy to be a part of it. The purpose of the HRC is to promote diversity within the community, so it was fitting that we sponsored the event. For the Bible Tells Me So takes an objective look at the Bible and homosexuality (ie: reading the original text and putting it into the context of the times). All things considered, the film was well done, and I really think everyone needs to see it. If you live in Bowling Green, the HRC is donating a copy to the public library so you can see it for free!
Documentary #2: Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Prices
I'm a little late in seeing this. Since most of you have already watched it, all I am going to say is that if you haven't watched it yet, you need to watch it now. I've always known that Wal-Mart was bad for the world (I refuse to shop there, and so should you), but I didn't know how bad. Bottom line: stop giving them money right now, and watch this doc when you get a chance.
Documentary #3: Breasts
That's right, it's a documentary about breasts. More specifically, it is about how women feel about their breasts. I loved this film when I saw it in Women's Sexuality last year, and I couldn't resist seeing it again. It's only about an hour long, it's insightful, it's great. Watch it when you need something lighter (I think it would work well paired with this amazing documentary!)
So the BF and I decided to make Sunday night documentary night (again, I acknowledge that I am super late in blogging about this). This week's title: The US vs. John Lennon, a film about the treatment the coolest Beatle received at the hands of Nixon and him henchmen after he moved to NYC. I'll give you a hint: apparently Tricky Dick was a McCartney fan.
Although I've been interested in Lennon's life for a number of years (in another life, I am also an amateur music historian. Don't believe me? Let's go to the Rock Hall together), this film gave me a new appreciation for his protest art (the bed-ins for peace, press conference in a bag, etc. I still don't get the "Primal Screams" album).
The way I see it, Lennon was a PR genius. He knew the status of his celebrity around the globe- and he turned it into a medium for his protest art. For instance, let's take the bed in for peace. After Lennon and Ono got married, they knew that their chances for a normal honeymoon were slim; paparazzi all over the globe wanted a picture of the newlyweds in bed together. So they decided to give the media what they wanted; only they turned it into an anti-war protest. The whole thing was a beautifully executed, avant garde political masterpiece.
Anyways, his artsy stunts didn't sit so well with everyone; Nixon and his pals at the FBI actually considered Lennon the dissenter a threat to the nation. They tried to deport him on bogus charges (crooked cop busted him with weed in Englandseveral years previous), but really waned him out because he vocally disagreed with US foreign policy.
The treatment Lennon received at the hands of the US government was shameful. Definitely worth watching, even for those who aren't Beatles fans. More than anything, it's an interesting look at freedom of speech (or lack thereof) in America.
Seeing as I'm not a morning person, I've kinda forgotten what 6:00 am looks like. However, this morning I was not only awake at the ungodly hour, but driving to Columbus. Why, you ask? Feminist Majority Foundation's Get Out Her Vote Ohio Summit. I went as half of a delegation representing the Organization for Women's Issues, one of BGSU's feminist groups (of which I am president, at least for three more weeks). And in spite of the fact that I was running on like, three hours of sleep, it was a great time!
As the name implies, the conference focused on the importance of women's involvement in the political process- from voting and volunteering to running for office. Speakers included OH Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell, and other women from varying levels of local government. I moderated a panel on running for office, which featured great advice from Lucas Co. Auditor Anita Lopez and and Columbus City Council member Charleta Tavares. The best thing they had to say? If you want to run for office, start with a small position (like running for the local school board) and go from there. Only run when you have a purpose (ie: you can create positive change for your community).
The opening and closing speakers were Jennifer Brunner and Jane Campbell. Both women have been working in public service for a number of years, and it was great to hear their stories. Brunner: "An election is like giving birth- it's gonna happen whether you're ready or not." Campbell was funny and gracious, and Cleveland was lucky to have her (read: screwed themselves over by not re-electing her). She once had to hide her pregnancy to get on the committee she wanted. Fun fact: there are diaper changing facilities in public rest areas because of her!
All things considered, it was a great conference and I can't wait to be more involved with politics myself (luckily, I only have to wait until May).
Today was unusual- it was an absolutely beautiful day in Bowling Green. In fact, it was so nice that I decided it would be a great idea to take my cat, Harry Potter, for a walk. The BF and I tried taking him to Video Spectrum, the neighborhood video store with a bigger, better selection of movies than I have ever seen in one place. While trying to handle Harry on a leash was a relative failure, the trip did yield one success: we left Video Spectrum with a wonderful documentary, One Bright Shiny Moment. It's all about George McGovern's 1972 presidential bid (he was the guy challenging Nixon, and boy, if only Americans had had the foresight to support him!). Fascinating! I enthusiastically recommend giving it a watch. Even though I've been fixated on 1960s and '70s politics since, oh, age twelve, I must admit that I did not know much about McGovern. Little did I know that he was the presidential candidate I have always dreamed of! With a pragmatic, populist message of peace, McGovern built a grassroots juggernaut that should have taken him to Washington. Unfortunately, he was a little before his time. Americans weren't ready for his promise of progressive change, and we wound up with a national embarrassment in the White House (story of American politics- always so close, yet so far away). Anyways, this film is a must-see for anyone interested in the inner-workings of American politics, or for anyone with leanings toward social justice. Plus, it featured interesting cameos by Warren Beatty, Howard Zinn, and Gloria Steinem (one of Toledo's favorite daughters) just to name a few. Skip this week's Gray's Anatomy re-run and give it a try!
I know- Ron Paul has his "Texas Straight Talk" column, and John McCain's got that creepy bus, the "Straight Talk" express (Remember kids: Never get into buses with strangers!) Both use the phrase as a kind of shallow promise, an absurd attempt at the validity of their sentiments. While Paul may actually believe what he says (which in itself isn't a very comforting thought), I think we can all agree that McCain is full of shit- and even more full of lies. But I am not here to bash McCain (well, at least that is not the only thing I'm here for).
I am an American citizen who is increasingly dissatisfied with the state of our so-called union. Although I consider my views to be moderate in nature, most would label me as a radical. I prefer to call myself a critical thinker, one who values logic and reason above all else. And it happens that thinking critically leads me to support progressive politics.
So here is my promise to you, dear reader: I won't try to persuade you to support all of my ideas. I am just an avid follower of American politics, and I call things as I see them. If you're interested in hering a new point of view, then read on. Welcome aboard!
