Day 3: The Fear of the Unknown

I intern at a GLBT health center three days per week in Manhattan. On my lunch break, I usually grab a slice of pizza and sit on my favorite bench in a park on 9th Avenue. For some reason, today I couldn't sit still. I wandered around, running a few errands and window shopping at Brooklyn Industries (my new weakness). I walked past a bar on 9th & 19th that was showing Obama's first press conference. Naturally, I went inside and sat down. I watched proudly as he gave a speech and answered questions with poise.

There were only a few other people in the bar, and they were also watching intently. A man walked in, looked at the TV and said, "What's happening? Did he get shot already?" and laughed. While his (ill-humored) comment was meant to be a joke, it struck a nerve inside of me.

Our country is full of such an incredible amound of imbedded racism, as evident by the pre-election foiled assassination plan by two skin-heads. According to an international media report, "Obama assassination" is the most searched phrase on Google.com. In addition, the KKK has declared a race war, although they do not necessarily want Obama dead because they claim that would make him a martyr.

Honestly, this all gives me chills. I don't even want to think about it or I might cry.

Obama Wins - Emotional Edition

Almost a year ago, I went to an Obama rally in Hawaii. My uncle is the head of the Obama campaign out there, so he told us to come visit. Obama's sister, Maya, spoke at the rally and was simply fantastic.
Afterwards, she casually walked around the small elementary school auditorium and talked to everyone.
She came up to my aunt and gave her a hug. I figured they knew each other--Oahu is a very small island and my aunt seems to know everyone on it.
Maya then turned to me, hugged me, and said, "Thanks for coming out." I smiled, and she walked away.
My aunt leaned over and said, "She makes you feel like you've known her forever." She had never met Maya before.
Outside, Maya's four year old daughter was picking flowers in a field for her father. For some reason, that's when I subconsciously knew everything would be okay.
Now people are asking, "Where were you when Obama became the next President?"
Well...
I was in Hawaii, a long time ago, hugging his sister and watching his niece pick flowers.
I was there in the beginning, when the odds were against him and he had yet to win over the Democratic party.
I was in the voting booth twelve hours earlier, making sure my voice was heard.
I was smiling as I walked around New York and heard countless people yelling his name as they paraded down 14th street cloaked by the American flag.
I was in a bar full of fabulous gay men when he won Ohio and everyone freaked out.
I was united with my friends and family when my mother called, screaming, "HE WON!" and hung up the phone.
I was crying as he gave his acceptance speech, wowing the nation with his humble demeanor.
I was pinching myself the following morning to make sure I wasn't dreaming.
I was right there, filled with hope for the future, finally proud to call myself an American, and more than happy to call Barack Obama my President.

Al Smith Memorial Dinner

My mother just called to inform me of this highly entertaining event.

In the spirit of comedy, both candidates mocked the catch phrases and controversy surrounding their campaigns. I can't wait to get the transcript online, but some of the highlights from Obama included:

"You may know that I got my name, Barack, from my father. What you may not know is Barack is Swahili for 'That One.'"
"Not once have I ever put lipstick on a pig... or myself."
"My middle name is actually Steve... that's right Barack Steve Obama."
"Fox News actually accused me of fathering two African American children in wedlock. By the way John, im curious, is Fox News actually included in the media?!"
"At the campaign rallies, someone started yelling 'NOBAMA'.... I wish Joe Biden wouldn't have done that."

[more to come]

Racism on the Campaign Trail

"Off with his head."

"Kill him."

"He's a terrorist."

I think anyone could have predicted this time would come. A time when McCain falls so far down in the polls that his supporters start to, well, freak out. Now we're starting to see the true colors of Republicans around the country as they shout terribly racist things and make posters about asphyxiating Obama with a noose.

Wow.

It's hard to believe people like that actually exist in this world. ::sigh::

My Friends, Don't Vote For "That One"

Now, I understand that John McCain has a temper. And I'm well aware that he has very little patience (and tolerance). But he said something during last night's debate that didn't sit well with me. He knows he's behind in the polls, and he's starting to pull out the "last resort" stuff, so it's no surprise his feathers got a little ruffled during the town-hall style debate. While discussing energy policies, he turned and pointed at Obama, referring to him as "that one." The two words may seem insignificant, and used together they don't often convey a deeper meaning or a hidden message. However, McCain's comment was inherently racist, belittling Senator Obama as an African-American and as a person. In a time when public school teachers are equating Obama to the N word in their 7th grade classrooms, and people are shouting "kill him" at Palin campaign rallies, we can't afford to see such an ignorant display of racism coming from a Presidential candidate.

At least someone had the creative genious to turn his words into an empowering campaign slogan. I think I just might buy that t-shirt.

And who, exactly, is John McCain really friends with? Hmmm....

Gwen Ifill - Too "Write" to be "Moderator"

I must admit, I'm additcted to Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow. I'm not going to lie.

Moving on... Surprise, surprise! There are hints that Good Ol' Party wants to *gasp* postpone the vice presidential debate! A-maz-ing.

Turns out, they had "no idea" Gwen Ifill, the debate's moderator, wrote a book about black politicians, even though the book was revealed in July, and was available for pre-order in August. Stop the press! The McCain camp/conservatives across the land had no idea about this book until they received an email late last night informing them about it. Uh oh.

Greta claims Ifill will sell more books if Obama wins in November, and that makes her a partisan moderator, going against the rules of the debates. Isn't that stretching things, Fox News? If she wrote a book on women in politics, would that suddenly make her incapable of moderating a debate between the VP candidates because one of them happens to be a woman?

Well, at least McCain said she'll be fair and unbiased in her moderator position. So that means the debate is officially on. And it'll be "kinda like the superbowl," according to one Alaskian friend of Sarah Palin. Yeah, girl. And I'll only be watching for the commercials.

>>Side note on Sarah Palin: She can't even name one single newspaper that she reads. What is up with that?? [I can't even comment on the Katie Couric interviews. It pains me.]

Obama Waffles: Are You Serious?

I like breakfast. Not my favorite meal of the day, but it's grown on me in the past few years. I like omlets, scrambled eggs, pancakes and even waffles.

But I don't like racist caricatures that create and perpetuate stereotypes that are harmful and hurtful. And I don't like them on a box of waffles.

Admittingly inspired by other food products featuring racist depictions of African Americans, the creators see no problem with their attempt at political satire.

It's not surprising that their bright idea sparked so much controversy that they were banned from selling Obama Waffles at the Values Voter Summit by organizers (after the product had been on sale for three days). Even the girls over at The View all agreed that this time, the joke went too far.

There is just nothing funny about

depicting Obama, a Catholic, in traditional Muslim headdress. There is also nothing funny about the recipe for "Open Border Fiesta Waffles" on the back, which can feed "up to 4 illegal aliens."

In fact, the whole thing is disgusting and I am, for once, speechless.

Fox News Watch: Terror Threat

Yes, for a whole hour this afternoon, Fox News Channel featured a segment called "America's Future: The Terror Threat." They interviewed a lot of random people, mostly McCain campaign advisors, and tried to paint a picture of each presidential candidate's readiness to fight the "war on terror" which we're apparently still fighting, according to Fox. (Last I checked, we were occupying a country which had nothing to do with 9/11, and still making a mess in Afghanistan--if that's a justifyable war, then I'm a flying squirrel.) It shouldn't be a surprise that Fox thinks McCain is ready and willing to continue the "war on terror," and that he's the guy who will keep America safe from future attacks. Obama believes racially profiling Muslims in America is unfair and blatantly racist, but McCain camp sees nothing wrong with it. In fact, his advisor said it is necessary because you have to "go where the problem is." (Then maybe we should start profiling evangelists for running child porn rings out of their compounds since that's where the problem is. I swear, look it up.)

The second half of the segment features stories of foiled attacks here in the US since 9/11. Full of sketches of traditional looking Islamic men and women in jails and courtrooms, the show tries to remind us that we are still not safe from terror attacks from the "scary" middle east. "While there hasn't been an attack on America since 9/11, it is important to remember that they've tried, there have been dozens of busted plots on US soil." Throughout the show, Fox flashes images of nuclear power plants, tall buildings, national landmarks intertwined with clips of terrorist training camps and Islamic radicals toting machine guns running up sandy hills. The intentions here are blatantly obvious.

The point of this show is to keep America afraid. The "fear" tactic worked for nearly 8 years, why not try it again? If we're still living in fear of another attack, then naturally we need to elect the guy who will keep us the safest. Before every commercial break, the segment features polls that ask questions like, "Which candidate do you trust to keep America safe?" and "Which candidate would you rather have as the president if America is attacked again?" The breakdown always looks something like this: Obama 35%, McCain 55%. And the number of each sequential poll seemed to lean increasingly toward McCain. Magic? Something like that. Perhaps the 10% unaccounted for think Governor Palin would be best suited for the job. Yikes.

And saving the best for last, the show rounds out the hour with a spotlight on Iran. The narrator tells us Iran now contains and supports terrorists and training camps, and has plans to create nuclear weapons in the near future. According to Fox, Iran is a big threat, and they essentially tell us that Iran will continue to be a threat until we take care of the problem. We know Iran has been on the minds of those oil thirsty Republicans for a long time now. I think there was a famous senator who recently sang, "Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran." Hmm...

While the whole show is completely transparent to me (and hopefully you), a scary number of Americans watch and believe Fox's rhetoric and twisted reporting. So, make sure you still have your terror attack kits in your closets, and plently of canned foods and bottled water just in case. Be afraid, people. Be very afraid.