11.05.2004
11.03.2004
As a friend said today, "Why did America dump me?"
It feels like a breakup.
I love this country, with all my heart. It is my home. I love the land itself, the mountains and the forests and the deserts. I love the people, the diversity of opinion, culture, and lifestyle. I love that I can live in a city teeming with life and excitement, or a small town surrounded by quiet and calm. I love that I can freely travel between the two, and that most of the time, I will find good-hearted, friendly people when I do.
That's why today has been so terrible. It's like watching someone you love continually make bad decisions, slowly becoming the exact opposite of what you love about them. Like watching someone descend into alchoholism or some other form of self-abuse. What can you do? You are helpless. All you can do is stand by while this place, this beautiful, amazing place, becomes ugly and cold. The beauty and sanctity of the land you love is polluted and destroyed. The diversity of the people is squelched so everyone must mimic the lifestyle of the powerful few. The good will and kindness and trust of the people is squandered until they become bitter and mean. The lofty ideals are twisted into self-righteousness and false patriotism.
What a shame.
It feels like a breakup.
I love this country, with all my heart. It is my home. I love the land itself, the mountains and the forests and the deserts. I love the people, the diversity of opinion, culture, and lifestyle. I love that I can live in a city teeming with life and excitement, or a small town surrounded by quiet and calm. I love that I can freely travel between the two, and that most of the time, I will find good-hearted, friendly people when I do.
That's why today has been so terrible. It's like watching someone you love continually make bad decisions, slowly becoming the exact opposite of what you love about them. Like watching someone descend into alchoholism or some other form of self-abuse. What can you do? You are helpless. All you can do is stand by while this place, this beautiful, amazing place, becomes ugly and cold. The beauty and sanctity of the land you love is polluted and destroyed. The diversity of the people is squelched so everyone must mimic the lifestyle of the powerful few. The good will and kindness and trust of the people is squandered until they become bitter and mean. The lofty ideals are twisted into self-righteousness and false patriotism.
What a shame.
What have we done?
My friends, I am devastated. I thought I had prepared myself emotionally for this, but I was wrong. I am heartbroken, depressed, hopeless. America has declared a culture war. It is rural, conservative, "Christian" versus urban, liberal, scientific. And I am on the losing side - we are outnumbered, and the trend only seems to indicate it will get worse. There is a lump in my throat when I think what this could bring.
I was raised in a strict Catholic family. Although I am no longer a practicing Catholic, and consider myself agnostic when it comes to the question of the existence of god, many of the values I learned in that environment remain with me today. I remember my favorite song in church was "They Will Know We are Christians by Our Love." Years of Catholic school, religion classes, and parental guidance taught me that being Christian meant love, tolerance, and acceptance. It meant leading by example, not shoving your beliefs down people's throats. It meant that only God has the right to judge men - "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." Yet somehow these values do not seem to be shared by many, many Christians. How is it that so many people have taken such different lessons from the same Bible? How - and why - have so many taken the "thou shalt not" directives to heart, but seem to have left the overall theme by the wayside? And finally, why do they feel it is acceptable - imperative, even - that these lessons be legislated accross the board? I just don't understand.
Today I am in mourning. I mourn for the concept of a secular government. I mourn for the environment. I mourn for my gay and lesbian friends. I mourn for women's rights. *sigh* I think I need to get away from the TV and internet now, go out in the sunshine and fresh air, and just breathe.
My friends, I am devastated. I thought I had prepared myself emotionally for this, but I was wrong. I am heartbroken, depressed, hopeless. America has declared a culture war. It is rural, conservative, "Christian" versus urban, liberal, scientific. And I am on the losing side - we are outnumbered, and the trend only seems to indicate it will get worse. There is a lump in my throat when I think what this could bring.
I was raised in a strict Catholic family. Although I am no longer a practicing Catholic, and consider myself agnostic when it comes to the question of the existence of god, many of the values I learned in that environment remain with me today. I remember my favorite song in church was "They Will Know We are Christians by Our Love." Years of Catholic school, religion classes, and parental guidance taught me that being Christian meant love, tolerance, and acceptance. It meant leading by example, not shoving your beliefs down people's throats. It meant that only God has the right to judge men - "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." Yet somehow these values do not seem to be shared by many, many Christians. How is it that so many people have taken such different lessons from the same Bible? How - and why - have so many taken the "thou shalt not" directives to heart, but seem to have left the overall theme by the wayside? And finally, why do they feel it is acceptable - imperative, even - that these lessons be legislated accross the board? I just don't understand.
Today I am in mourning. I mourn for the concept of a secular government. I mourn for the environment. I mourn for my gay and lesbian friends. I mourn for women's rights. *sigh* I think I need to get away from the TV and internet now, go out in the sunshine and fresh air, and just breathe.
11.02.2004
Yay!
I voted! Got to the polls by a little after 6, and was on my way to work by 6:35. There was a short line. It was disappointing to see how many people didn't vote for the judges. Understandable, when you have to go through 70+ of them, but disappointing nonetheless. Speaking of disappointments, I didn't get an "I voted" sticker. :(
I voted! Got to the polls by a little after 6, and was on my way to work by 6:35. There was a short line. It was disappointing to see how many people didn't vote for the judges. Understandable, when you have to go through 70+ of them, but disappointing nonetheless. Speaking of disappointments, I didn't get an "I voted" sticker. :(
11.01.2004
Everyone best step back
I am in a mood today. Grump grump grump. My computer at work is a mess and I can't fix it and can't really ask the IT guy to fix it because it's not a work essential thing. The sound is fucked. It plays everything (and I mean everything, even Windows system sounds) back at a higher-than-normal speed. Obviously I don't need the sound to work in order to do my job, so I can't really expect our lone IT guy to spend time on this. But I'm so annoyed! I want to play my music. I can hook the speakers back up to my iPod directly if necessary, I guess. But man I'm grumpy. Stay outta my way, people!!
I am in a mood today. Grump grump grump. My computer at work is a mess and I can't fix it and can't really ask the IT guy to fix it because it's not a work essential thing. The sound is fucked. It plays everything (and I mean everything, even Windows system sounds) back at a higher-than-normal speed. Obviously I don't need the sound to work in order to do my job, so I can't really expect our lone IT guy to spend time on this. But I'm so annoyed! I want to play my music. I can hook the speakers back up to my iPod directly if necessary, I guess. But man I'm grumpy. Stay outta my way, people!!
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