Not ready to make nice

So now they're supposed to be nice to us.

Fuck that.

The audacity of blatant pandering

Here's a quick and easy way to read Barack Obama's Audacity of Hope: 

click to enlarge

The Senator mentions his own suits with the same frequency as either feminists or Hillary Clinton--but those are all mentioned half as often as dogs.

This is the word of the lord

So now he's a school parent who volunteers for watching the sandbox during recess:

"That means all of you have to be nice to Clinton supporters."

       --Senator Barack Obama, to 300+ of his disciples supporters, 5/17/08

What eloquence. What caring. What compassion.

No, seriously...

WHAT eloquence?

WHAT caring?

WHAT compassion?

I tell ya, he's a real sweetie.

The son-of-a-mill-worker is a whore

Did Senator Obama pay for just a one-time performance, or did he spring for the whole week?

A new kind of politics, indeed. 

And John, if you start to have doubts, just remember that you're doing it for the handbags:

 

Jesus F. Christ

Defecating on Blurring the separation of church and state, one pandering brochure at a time.

Let's play count-the-phalluses. Ready? GO!

The greatest of these is love ... change?

[as in changing your image, just like Madonna]

If you look closely, you can see Jesus (the original) trying to give Jesus (the actor) a high-five... and being denied:

This reminds me of the art activist installation I whipped up on the day of the Pennsylvania primary. We had Obama people coming to our door 3 times that day (on the 3rd visit the campaign worker actually admitted that she would keep coming back until my partner voted):

Having a stuffed Jesus doll comes in handy.

Hatred of women is just like biting your nails or smoking

"That's a bad habit of mine. I do it sometimes with all kinds of women people. I mean no disrespect and so I am duly chastened on that front. Feel free to call me back."

--Typical response from an abuser Senator Barack Obama, doing damage control once again [5/14/08]

So infantilizing a professional journalist is just a bad habit, like fake scratching your cheek with your middle finger when talking about your opponent.

And it's "okay" because he's an equal opportunity prick, blindly disrespecting "all kinds" of people. Anyone have that footage of when Chris Matthews was called sweetie? Yeah, I didn't think so.

Boy

This must be the kind of feminist sensibility that wooed Nancy and the sweeties over at NARAL.

The Catholic School phallus is large, firm, and intact

So I was visiting with most of my immediate family this weekend, in part to celebrate Mother's Day. 6 of my nieces and nephews were there, and it was great to spend time with them since I live at least 3 hours away from all of them.

So after dinner and dessert we were doing the usual hanging out and playing, and somehow the election came up. I think it was because one of my nephews had to finish homework for Monday, and the assignment was to come up with 10 facts on a U.S. President. By the way, all of the school-age kids in the room at the time all go to Catholic grade school.

He chose Ronald Reagan. So without judging his choice, I tried to give him some "legitimate" facts. I did a fairly good job of biting my tongue and editing myself. The first ones I could come up with were...

• he was shot while President

• he was old / the oldest one (so far)

• he starred in movies

• he rode horses

• he made at least one movie with a monkey

• his full name has 6 letters (first), 6 letters (middle), and 6 letters (last), and that often is the mark of the beast

• his full name is an anagram of INSANE ANGLO WARLORD [I don't think my nephew understood was "Anglo" meant]

• this one I said too fast for him to fully hear: he would have wanted your mom to stay in the kitchen and make your food

So my better half, the former elementary school teacher, went into to teacher mode and did a much better job communicating with and helping my nephew with his assignment.

And then more of the little ones ended up in our conversation and talk quickly switched to the election.

And at one point my nephew says to me,

"Kids at school said that if Hillary is elected then she will say that if you have a baby you will be able to shoot it or kill it if you want to."

Now, as someone who teaches college students primarily about race and gender, I had to refrain from going into one of my presentations about choice and reproductive justice. The best I could muster was something to the effect of "actually, no, that isn't true."

What I wanted to say included things like:

"Oh yeah?!? Well so does Barack!"

"John McCain wants to force your sisters and mother to give birth against their will."

We did end up having a pretty good talk about rumors and not believing everything you hear. But in the end 4 out of 4 of my nieces and nephews who are all in school would rather see Obama OR McCain elected president. Yeah, because they have so much in common (besides the alleged genitalia?).

Although--and I'm not completely proud of this--I can also report that 4 out of 4 of my nieces and nephews are better at U.S. Geography than Senator Obama. And yes, I couldn't resist showing them the clip; they giggled and maybe they'll take it back to the dishing that takes place during recess.

Sigh...

All the more reason to keep fighting.

Dalton Hatfield for President (in 2036)

Dalton should be old enough to run in 2032, but my niece has dibs on the ticket then. They always could team up, though.

I'll take U.S. geography for 100, Alex...

Either he has already declared himself not just the Democratic nominee, but the winner of the general election as well, and he already has started emulating George W. Bush...

or, this is one of those moments when he's periodically feeling down....

or, he has lost his bearings...

And, by the way, what's the problem with Alaska and Hawaii that "his staff would not justify" going there?

So, so far he's snubbed Michigan, Florida, Alaska, and Hawaii.

That just leaves 56 states.

p.s. Visualize what the media response would be had Senator McCain had a moment like this. Or Senator Clinton. Exactly.

I've arrived!

I have received what I think is my first substantive anti- comment ever. I feel so tingly inside. Not as tingly as Chris Matthews, but tingly nonetheless.

It would have been easy to just delete it, but I figured that would be too easy. And I feel like procrastinating, so here we go:

You probably haven't notice but Hillary IS A RACIST.She wants to play with Guns.She seen getting drunk. She did everthing but burn a cross.You have a lot of lies on this sight. The U.C.C church is tollerant of gays.The new minister at Trinity gets death threats.The funniest thing that I heard on election night was Hillary has to appeal to uneducated,rural,gun owning voters.Oh Klansmen huh.Many of these site repeat Sen.Obama middle name ,call him gay,anti-gay, Muslim,Christian,too black,not black enough.Admit you're a racist.If youwant to learn about black people listen to black radio,Tom Joyner and Michael Baisden are excellent,later.

Let's break it down. 

First disclaimer, though: as a teacher I instinctually choose to acknowledge the writer's spelling and grammar mistakes. I fully claim the elitism inherent in that statement. But I know for me, the more fired up I am when typing (ESPECIALLY about things I'm passionate about), the more I mess up. I'm just excited that someone took the time to write something. Moving on...

You probably haven't notice but Hillary IS A RACIST.

Did your talking points memo tell you to put it in all capital letters for a more dramatic effect? Bill O'Reilly, is that YOU?!? Because the louder you scream it, the more true it is. Riiight.

I challenge you to a duel, kind commentator. Senator Clinton's alleged racism versus Senator Obama's demonstrated hypermasculine posturing, sexism, and misogyny. Following Senator Clinton's example I'll even spot you two frames' worth.

She wants to play with Guns.

And that's one of the few parts of the Constitution that Governor Bush hasn't wiped his ass with over the past 7 years. Did you intentionally borrow the capital "G" from god to spell that word (thereby making it more sacred, of course)?

It isn't clear to me whether you think putting "Hillary Clinton" and "guns" in the same sentence is somehow marring her character or her candidacy, like how many of my older relatives often say, "Poor Sharon, she's got...[whispers]...cancer." The President is sworn in with the promise to defend the Constitution. I'm not sure what the problem is here.

She seen getting drunk. 

And it would be just blatant pandering for a candidate for political office to stage an appearance like that just to court voters.

Barack Obama raises a glass of Pabst Blue Ribbon at the Raleigh Times Bar in Raleigh, NC

(at the weekly meeting of White Guilt Anonymous, Raleigh Chapter)

Senator Obama drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon. Pabst. Blue. Ribbon. 'Nuff said. By the way, when I saw this picture the first thing I thought of were my friends Sally & Johnny.

She did everthing but burn a cross.

Response #1:

And if I said something in reference to Senator Obama like, "He's done everything but kill the hooker after taking back his money." then what do we think the response would be to that? Yeah, that's what I thought.

Response #2:

EVERYTHING but?!? Wow, she IS the more experienced candidate! 

I don't know how she finds time to campaign when she's so busy doing everything. She sexually harassed an elderly woman while courting her for her vote? She murdered a choir director? She had oral sex in the back of a limo while getting high? She voted for legislation in her state that screwed over her constituents? Hypothetically speaking, If those were true of a candidate I could not imagine ever voting for them.

You have a lot of lies on this sight. 

Point them out and I'll be happy to consider a retraction. It IS my blog, though, so I get to treat it the way Governor Bush treats this country (but with fewer murders and much less nonconsensual exploitation) and do whatever I want. If there are any, they are unintentional. I DO know that there are fewer lies, omissions and half-truths on this blog than in this document.

The U.C.C church is tollerant of gays.

Yeah, because in an ideal world underrepresented and marginalized groups should be tolerated.

Tolerate: 

• digest: put up with something or somebody unpleasant

• have a tolerance for a poison or strong drug or pathogen

• allow

I tolerate one of my cats peeing where he shouldn't be. I don't like it and it pisses me off (no pun intended). I tolerate it because I've owned him for a long time and I love my cats. But I own him. I control when and how much he eats. I control his health maintenance. I allow him to live with me. I allow him to sleep wherever he wants. But, ultimately, I still have control over him.

Yeah, tolerance is what we should be striving for.

The new minister at Trinity gets death threats.

Response #1:

I'm going to (try to) always forfeit any competitions in the Oppression Olympics. You DO get that the more we invest time and energy into battling over "whose oppression is worse", WE ALL LOSE--unless of course you're part of, or benefit from, the white supremacist capitalist heterosexist patriarchy?

Snarky, sarcastic, and somewhat childish Response #2:

That is deeply troubling. He should contact Bishop Gene Robinson for advice and as a kindred spirit (pun intended). Bishop Robinson usually has to wear a bullet-proof vest when making public appearances. He had to wear one at his own ordination. If only we lived in a world where these men could just be [or be just] tolerated! Maybe we should find a lesbian Chicana hearing-impaired minister who can trump all of them and teach us what real oppression is!

The funniest thing that I heard on election night was Hillary has to appeal to uneducated,rural,gun owning voters.

Response #1:

Oh yeah? Well on election night this week I heard that John McCain was peeling a potato but it turned to actually be a kitten. 

Response #2:

I can't tell whether you're implying that that intersection of identities is somehow "less than" or "of lesser value." Last time I checked, my formally-educated-suburban-pro-gun-control vote was worth the same as anyone else's. Although I lived in a mobile home for 8 years, so maybe my vote isn't at 100% value...? And then there's the gay thing. Woe is me, if only one of the major party candidates had an official gay logo, THEN I would know who I'm supposed to blindly vote for.

Oh Klansmen huh.

So if you don't have access to formal education, and live in a rural area, and own a gun, then by definition you're in the Klan.... but I'm the bigot? You. Make. An. Excellent. Point.

There are no formally educated, city-dwelling, gun-owning people worthy of Klan membership. None whatsoever.

And we ALL know how making generalizations or stereotyping is ignorant.

Many of these site repeat Sen.Obama middle name ,call him gay,anti-gay, Muslim,Christian,too black,not black enough.

Let's make a deal. I will vocally and passionately spend time, energy, and voice on critiquing and dismantling the racist, classist, and xenophobic attacks on Senator Obama--and I could theoretically, possibly, potentially imagine the chance that I might actually vote for him if he is the nominee--when you and your candidate commit to honestly, earnestly, and consistently speaking out against--AND cease committing, condoning,  and remaining silent about--the blatant, pervasive, and obscene misogyny in the media and (all) other social institutions. Until Senator Obama does so, I unproudly channel Vice President Cheney here and say, in the angriest way possible: go fuck yourself.

Admit you're a racist.

Response #1:

You first. Well, bigotry at least. Let's clarify how you're defining racism. 

Response #2:

No shit, sherlock. I was neither raised nor socialized in a test tube, or alone on a desert island, so of course I'm racist. As a multi-ethnic person who has often been able to pass as white, I have enjoyed white privilege more than I realize. But do us all a favor and please stop buying into the convenient politicized attack of "critical of Obama = racist". Pretty please. It is disingenuous and it ignores, devalues, and protects institutional and systemic white supremacy.

Response #3:

How about we take a ride to the airport and spend some time in baggage claim together? There's due to be long lines for the flight arriving from White-Guilt-Ville, but my bags will be easy to spot--they're the ones without any "O" stickers on them.

Response #4:

Cue the music...

If youwant to learn about black people listen to black radio,Tom Joyner and Michael Baisden are excellent,later.

Response #1:

How phallocentric and classist of you. Following your candidate's example, you keep women invisible.

Response #2:

Tom Joyner--been there, done that. I'm vaguely familiar with Baisden. You forgot Tavis Smiley (but he's on the Obama Shit List, so I'm assuming you're penalized everytime you mention his name). I see your Joyner-Baisden combo and raise you 1 cup of Michael Eric Dyson and 1 heaping scoop of Eduardo Bonilla-Silva.

Response #3:

I was never a boy scout [and not just because I wouldn't be allowed to be] but I offer the most authentic pledge possible, that I will spend as much time listening to more Joyner and Baisden as you spend reading some bell hooks. E-mail me your mailing address and I will send one of her books. Seriously. I will. No strings attached. Actually, make that two books. I use them in one of the classes that I teach, so I have extra copies.

Why should it be any different with women?

All hail Reclusive Leftist's powerful articulation.

That’s why I won’t vote for Obama. I’ll be sending a message to the Democratic party: if you want my vote, then you need to earn it. If you throw me under the bus — me and my sisters and my grandparents and my friends and everybody in this country who isn’t a rich man — then to hell with you.

Go on, Democrats, try to get elected without me — me or any of my friends. See how far you get. Go on with your bad self.

And when you figure out that you need my vote, give me a call.

Testify!

Keep fighting for Hillary...

...because she keeps fighting for us.

STRONGER

Christina Aguilera

After all you put me through
You'd think I'd despise you
But in the end I want to thank you
Because you made me that much stronger

When I, thought I knew you
Thinking, that you were true
I guess I, I couldn't trust
Called your bluff, time is up
'Cause I've had enough
You were, there by my side
Always, down for the ride
But your, joy ride just came down in flames
'Cause your greed sold me out in shame, mmhmm

After all of the stealing and cheating
You probably think that I hold resentment for you
But, uh uh, oh no, you're wrong
'Cause if it wasn't for all that you tried to do
I wouldn't know just how capable I am to pull through
So I wanna say thank you

'Cause it makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
It makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
Makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter

Ohh, ohh, ohh, ohhhh, ohh-yeah ah uhhhuh

Never, saw it coming
All of, your backstabbing
Just so, you could cash in
On a good thing before I realized your game
I heard, you're going around
Playing the victim now
But don't, even begin
Feeling I'm the one to blame
'Cause you dug your own grave

After all of the fights and the lies
Yes you wanted to harm me but that won't work anymore
Uh, no more, oh no, it's over
'Cause if it wasn't for all of your torture
I wouldn't know how to be this way now, and never back down
So I wanna say thank you

'Cause it makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
Makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
It makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter

How could this man I thought I knew
Turn out to be unjust so cruel
Could only see the good in you
Pretended not to see the truth
You tried to hide your lies, disguise yourself
Through living in denial
But in the end you'll see
YOU-WON'T-STOP-ME

I am a fighter and I
I ain't gonna stop
There is no turning back
I've had enough

'Cause it makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
Makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
It makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter

Thought I would forget, 
Though I, I remember,
I remember,
I remember

'Cause it makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
Makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
It makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter 

Clinton leads Obama by more than 3400...

...in number of "anti" images being sold at CafePress.com*.

I'm not an expert on U.S. political history, but does anyone out there know how many times a presidential candidate has been targeted with such attacks--simultaneously, not just as isolated individual attacks, by the way--as:

• Bitch
  
• Liar
  
• Hates America
  
• Will eat your children
  
• Beat her
  
• Bitch
  
• Throw rocks at
  
• Urinate on 
  
• Anti-Christ
  
• Bitch
  
• If only O.J. had married
  
• Deceitful
  
• Bitch
  
• Delusional
  
• Deranged
  
• Bitch
  
• Not wanted even by their spouse
  
• Needs to get back in the kitchen
  
• Cries like a baby
  
• Scares me
  
• The Devil
  
• Sucks
  
• Cow
  
• Mad Cow
  
• Communist
  
• Rotten
  
• Bitch
  
• Can suck my conservative dick
  

The goal is here is NOT to advocate for more offensive slogans targeting Senator Obama. That's not the kind of "equality" I'm fighting for. 

But it is noteworthy that the masses seem to know that certain things just aren't okay. I haven't seen any t-shirts with 

• white hoods, or 
  
• nooses, or 
  
• rope tied to the bumper of a pickup truck, or 
  
• burning crosses, or
  
• calls for the Senator to return to the cotton field...
  

and the list could go on.

*This is far from a scientific study. And granted, many of the same slogans are listed in both "Anti-Hillary" and "Anti-Obama" sections. But just by perusing both sections you can't help but notice some interesting distinctions.

Words of wisdom

[Feeling antsy waiting for Tuesday's primary results.]

"We come together in fields and factories, in village markets and supermarkets, in living rooms and board rooms. Whether it is while playing with our children in the park, or washing clothes in a river, or taking a break at the office water cooler, we come together and talk about our aspirations and concern. And time and again, our talk turns to our children and our families. However different we may appear, there is far more that unites us than divides us. We share a common future, and we are here to find common ground so that we may help bring new dignity and respect to women and girls all over the world, and in so doing bring new strength and stability to families as well...

What we are learning around the world is that if women are healthy and educated, their families will flourish. If women are free from violence, their families will flourish. If women have a chance to work and earn as full and equal partners in society, their families will flourish. And when families flourish, communities and nations do as well. That is why every woman, every man, every child, every family, and every nation on this planet does have a stake in the discussion that takes place here...

At this very moment, as we sit here, women around the world are giving birth, raising children, cooking meals, washing clothes, cleaning houses, planting crops, working on assembly lines, running companies, and running countries. Women also are dying from diseases that should have been prevented or treated. They are watching their children succumb to malnutrition caused by poverty and economic deprivation. They are being denied the right to go to school by their own fathers and brothers. They are being forced into prostitution, and they are being barred from the bank lending offices and banned from the ballot box...

We need to understand there is no one formula for how women should lead our lives. That is why we must respect the choices that each woman makes for herself and her family. Every woman deserves the chance to realize her own God-given potential. But we must recognize that women will never gain full dignity until their human rights are respected and protected...

Tragically, women are most often the ones whose human rights are violated. Even now, in the late 20^th century, the rape of women continues to be used as an instrument of armed conflict. Women and children make up a large majority of the world’s refugees. And when women are excluded from the political process, they become even more vulnerable to abuse. I believe that now, on the eve of a new millennium, it is time to break the silence. It is time for us to say here in Beijing, and for the world to hear, that it is no longer acceptable to discuss women’s rights as separate from human rights..."

Hillary Rodham Clinton

United Nations 4th World Conference on Women

Beijing, China

September 5, 1995