Category: Politics

Lowering the Bar

On By SarahIn Opinion, Politics1 Comment

This article in the New York Times today really p*ssed me off.

As I have expressed before, I admit that my political views are not moderate. However, I like to think that I can be respectful of others. Just last night, Gillian was challenging me to try to reach across the political divide in the blogosphere and engage with social conservatives to try to find some middle ground, or at least try to have a respectful dialog with people.

But all week I have been listening to the analysis of the lies that the McCain campaign is telling about Obama and the Democratic Party platform, and I get a little impatient. Then I read the story on Salon about what people in small town America think about Obama. It is so frustrating that these people look the truth in the eye and continue to believe that Obama isn’t Christian like them. And they also choose to believe McCain’s lies that Obama intends to raise taxes on the middle class, when what he really wants to do is tax the rich.

The Republicans are again having huge success in convincing people to vote against their own interests.

This is all bad enough, but then there is this article in the Times about Obama waffle mix, depicting a racist stereotype in his image, and another one of him dressed in Muslim garb.

I’m ashamed of these Americans. This makes me feel incredibly hopeless about the state of American political discourse. How could I possibly engage in any kind of meaningful dialog without having the desire to scream, throw up my hands, and say some equally offensive things right back?

Someone on FriendFeed responded to all of this by saying that he was disgusted with the hate that was flying back and forth from either side against each other. I agree people have stooped to some pretty ugly lows on the left, but at least their actions are not being sanctioned by anyone who represents the Democratic Party.

The racist waffle mix was sold at the Values Voters Summit in a booth sponsored by the lobbying arm homophobic Family Research Council. Speakers at this event included Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney. The New York Times article says that people didn’t realize that there was anything offensive about this product, and I do not believe them. Even if it were true, there ignorance is not an excuse. In the words of MLK:

Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.

Not to mention that calling Obama a waffler is like the pot calling the kettle, er, black. But I digress.

I hold out hope that those on the left and right can try to find some middle ground, but how can we even begin to trust each other at all when people are doing and saying stuff like this? They ought to be ashamed.

Surely we are a better nation than this.

On Being Politically “Moderate”

On By SarahIn Opinion, Politics4 Comments

In this campaign season, I have been thinking about all of the people I know who describe their views as “moderate.” Democrat, Independent, or Republican, I wonder what “moderate” means.

In this society of ours we over simplify things by envisioning ourselves along some sort of spectrum between opposite extremes. We feel the need to define who we are and what we believe about the way our country should be governed by fitting ourselves into neat little boxes. Yet paradoxically, we resist being pigeonholed or put into what we think are little boxes that limit our true expression.

The truth is that humans are complicated beings. If there’s one thing I know about people, we are not moderate about the opinions we hold. I have very strong opinions about social justice, civil rights, economics, foreign policy, and health policy. I may express my views in moderation, but when engaged I don’t hold back. I am more than happy to speak my mind.

I bet that my “moderate” friends have strong opinions, too, and when pressed would say emphatically what they think is right.

I’m not suggesting that people dig their heels in on one side of any issue and be unwilling to compromise or see the other side of things. But it seems to me in contemporary politics if you’re not strong in your convictions, you stand for nothing. Another definition of the “moderate” is “mediocre” or “fair.” Indeed, the reality of politics these days is that if you occupy a moderate political platform, you end up making compromises on some of the very most important issues. It happens to every politician as they achieve greater power and success.

To my mind, identifying your political views as moderate is akin to staying in the closet. I’ve met a lot of queer people in my life who say things like “I don’t want to be labeled,” saying that they don’t want people making assumptions about who they are because of their sexual identity. Coming out, calling themselves gay or lesbian, would cause others to stereotype and believe things about them that aren’t likely true, thus limiting who their self expression. Indeed people do stereotype, and it sucks.

As difficult as it is, I argue that not expressing who you really are is even more limiting. When you don’t express your true self, people make even more erroneous assumptions about who you are, and then you’re really pigeon-holed into an identity that is not you.

Coming out, whether its about your sexuality or your political views, is hugly important for yourself and your community. It might make some poeple uncomfortable, but we’re going to have world peace, really learn to live together in this world instead of flocking to spearatist communities of the like-minded, we had better learn to be honest about who we are, and we had better learn how to talk to each other respectfully about it.

Being politically moderate is like being in the closet. Perhaps it is true that our politics do exist along a spectrum from left to right, but even if you identify smack dab in the middle I bet you money that you don’t feel your political convictions moderately.

Mixed Metaphors and Glass Houses

On By SarahIn Friends & Family, Opinion, Politics1 Comment

Since I’m on a roll with my opinions, here is what I think about the recent revelations of John Edwards extramarital affair. Or more accurately, here are some metaphors that describe what I think about what the Dems’ and left-leaning political folks are doing to Edwards (and themselves) in reaction to the affair:

  • Throwing Edwards under the bus (or to the wolves or the lions)
  • Cutting of their nose to spite their face
  • Shooting themselves in the foot
  • Throwing the baby out with the bathwater

Like many people, I was disappointed to learn that John Edwards cheated on his wife. And yes, he shouldn’t have lied to the press when he was asked about it. But I’m willing to forgive him for both transgressions, because like many of us, Edwards is imperfect. And more importantly, he remains committed to his marriage and his wife. It’s equally important that Elizabeth Edwards also remains committed to her marriage and her husband, when most would agree that she would be well within her rights to walk out in heartbreak.

Love. Commitment. Forgiveness. Honesty. These are all the family values that we should aspire to embody in our daily lives and our relationships with our loved ones. If anything, John and Elizabeth Edwards should be regarded as role models; imperfect, able to forgive, committed to family, and able to own up to and learn from their mistakes.

Within the public discourse, it seems that the general public would rather see high-profile people (especially women) whose spouses cheat on them leave their adulterous partner than struggle through the pain to uphold the integrity of their families. When it comes to adultery in marriage, there is no paradigm for forgiveness and reconciliation in the public eye. This exposure and pressure in the media (and the public consumption thereof) reveals a wider public sentiment of judgment, stubbornness and self-righteousness. It is no wonder the divorce rate is so high.

I’m disappointed in Edwards because of the affair. I’m equally disappointed to see that fellow Democrats are so quick to condemn him. They are saying that Edwards political career is virtually over since the revelations of his affair. I’ve seen within the so-called “progressive” blogosphere comparisons with Edwards and Newt Gingrich’s indiscretions, which make me scoff.

Gingrich’s moral compass points to heterosexuality and the “traditional” family. Meanwhile, he has been divorced twice and married thrice. Both of his first two marriages ended because he began relationships with other women. And it is worth articulating clearly that he left his first wife for another woman while his wife was recovering from cancer. All of this while simultaneously condemning committed same-sex partnerships as “immoral.”

Edwards is the only high-profile politician, Republican or Democrat, whose moral compass consistently points to finding a solution to the enormous tragedy and injustice of poverty. He had an affair with a woman that he doesn’t love, and in the end admitted to his bad judgment.  The bottom line is that he is staying with his wife and family, and taking full responsibility for the betrayal. He may have cheated on his wife in the midst of a health crisis, but he did not abandon her the way that Gingrich abandoned his wife.

Edwards done wrong, he admits it and he’s trying to do the right thing. Let’s all make peace with it and move on.

While I believe that any public figure has a right to work out their marital difficulties in private, I also recognize that the choices that a politician makes in private are a reflection on decisions they make in public office. Indeed, I am disappointed in Edwards, but he is not the hypocrite that Gingrich is, and even making the comparison is ridiculous.

I am taking the long view on this, and I hope that Edwards will be able to again take his place with his important voice for social and economic justice within American politics. And maybe even John and Elizabeth Edwards will stand as an example of marriage and family values, honoring commitment in spite of their trials and tribulations, and the cruel attention of the media and judgmental public.

Throw stones if you will, but be prepared to replace some broken windows.

Trickle Down Hatred

On By SarahIn Opinion, Politics1 Comment

On Sunday this week, Jim Adkisson saw fit to shoot up a Unitarian church in Knoxville, TN. His motivation? Hatred for liberals and gay people. I believe that this is the fruit of the Right-Wing agenda, promoting intolerance in combination with the right to bear arms and the belief that this is their mission from God.

And my belief is reinforced by the story in the New York Times today, reporting that senior aides to Attorney General Gonzeles broke the law by using politics in their hiring practices.  Monica Goodling, who is at the center of the investigation, was caught awarding Justice Department jobs to less-qualified right-wing political hacks instead of qualified candidates who were believed to be gay or lesbian, or who had political leanings that were not in lock step with the Republican agenda.

The American Family Association has been saying lately that don’t want to be accused of being motivated by hate, as evidenced by their recent boycott of McDonald’s. But when the beliefs they espouse are used to justify actions like Jim Adkisson’s last Sunday, I think it’s fair to call things what they are: Violence against gays motivated by hate that is promoted by the likes of Monica Goodling and the AFA.

The conservative Christian Right-Wing is deliberately spreading fear and hatered towards gays and lesbians, and pushing their anti-choice, pro-death penalty, pro-gun agenda on the rest of the world. I’m not generally a conspiracy theorist, but when I hear about people like Monica Goodling, a graduate of the late Pat Robertson’s Regent University’s Law School blatently discriminating against people because she thinks they might be queer, or she thinks they might be pro-choice, I see a conspiracy afoot.

And its feeding the ideology of people like Jim Adkisson who feels he has some God-given right to go shoot up a church on a Sunday. I hope that justice will be served in both of these cases.

This Week At The AFA: Homosexual v. Gay

On By SarahIn Fun & Entertainment, Opinion, PoliticsLeave a comment

I follow the foibles of the American (anti) Family Association, and they have been busy lately. I have received several emails from them telling the latest about the boycott of McDonald’s, who made a donation to the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and made a public statement in support of the gay community. And a couple weeks ago, the AFA successfully launched a campaign to get a supposedly “pro gay” Heinz Ketchup ad off the air.

I was ambivalent about these specific incidents. While I am grateful that McDonald’s is making a statement in support of civil rights for the LGBT community, I am not prepared to patronize the business because I think their selling crap to poor people and making a product that is bad for the world. It’s as bad as smoking. That’s not even scratching the surface. There are myriad reasons why I won’t go to McDonald’s, like the unsustainable way they raise their meat…but I digress. Also, the boycott of McDonald’s just reveals the bigotry and ignorance of the AFA and their friends. Do they really believe that buying a Happy Meal will harm the institution of marriage? Yup, they do. It’s really laughable. I don’t need to waste my energy pointing out what’s obviously funny and ridiculous about that. It speaks for itself.

And I saw the Heinz ad, and it’s just weird. I didn’t find it particularly pro gay. If anything, I thought it was making fun of gay relationships in a way I didn’t appreciate. However innocuous it may appear, I think that it revealed a somewhat homophobic attitude by making fun of same-sex relationships. I guess any kind of visibility is better than none, but at this point in history we’re not at a place where we have to take what we can get.

This week, however, they’ve really embarrassed themselves at the AFA, and this also speaks for itself. The AFA’s news service, One News Now, has an auto-replace for the word “gay” — they use instead “homosexual.” With the news release about Tyson Gay’s Olympic trial this week, they reported a story about “Tyson Homosexual” instead.

I laughed so hard I cried.