Interrelativity

Category: Current Affairs

  • Revenge of the Community Organizers

    One of the low points of the recent U.S. presidential campaign for me – and there were many – was Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's contemptuous dismissal of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's earlier career chapter as a community organizer during her acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention: I guess a small-town mayor…

  • Hope and Dreams trump Fears and Smears

    The speeches of the two U.S. presidential candidates Tuesday night were hopeful and inspiring, a welcome change from the fears and smears that dominated much of the campaign … or, at least, one side of the campaign. John McCain delivered the most gracious concession speech I have ever seen, and Barack Obama delivered yet another…

  • Conservativism, Liberalism and Independence

    As the campaign draws to a close, two classic Doonesbury cartoons have been regularly recurring to me, a visual analogue to the aural experience of a song I can't get out of my head. One of them was the pithiest summary of the differences between conservatives and liberals I've ever read; the other was a…

  • Ignorance, Incendiaries, Ironies and Inspiration

    I’ve been growing increasingly appalled by some of the ignorant and incendiary statements made by Republican John McCain‘s presidential campaign and its supporters. Ironically, one of the McCain campaign’s political advertisements that appears to have had the most incendiary effect on evangelical supporters, “The One”, is one that I find, personally, to be positively inspiring.…

  • Consistency, Change and Conventions

    Between the Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention, and their coverage on PBS (especially the Lehrer NewsHour), I’ve probably watched more TV in the past two weeks than I have in the past two years. It seems that change is very much in the air – or, at least, on the air –…

  • Satirization or Assassination?

    The New Yorker published its July 21 edition this week, with a cartoon on the cover depicting U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, in a way that reflects some of the worst fears of what I suspect is a nontrivial percentage of the electorate. On the cover, shown on the…

  • What Would Your Toaster Say to Your TV?

    The recent announcement of the Sprint / Clearwire WiMax venture generated a great deal of excitement in many quarters. In an Advertising Age article,  "WiMax Could Bring Dramatic Changes, Wherever You Are", Abbey Klaussen writes: WiMax is essentially the network that will deliver data and voice services to phones, but much faster than what consumers…

  • Religion, Politics, Racism and Invisibility: Obama and Wright vs. McCain and Hagee

    Robb’s comment on my post about the Capitol Steps show in Seattle got me thinking – and writing – [again] about some of the religious and racial issues in the U.S. presidential race. I started to write a comment in response to Robb’s comment, but as it grew longer and longer, I decided to move…

  • Political Song and Dance – and Humor – with The Capitol Steps

    Amy and I enjoyed a hilarious political revue by The Capitol Steps comedy song and dance troupe ("We put the ‘mock’ in Democracy’") at The Paramount Theatre in Seattle last night with our friends Dave and Lisa. Among the entertaining songs – and insightful (and inciteful) prologues – included in last night’s show were: Ebony…

  • A More Perfect Union: Obama and Transracialism

    Barack Obama’s speech last week was the most inspiring speech I’ve seen by a U.S. president – or a major U.S. presidential candidate – in my adult life. I’ve seen video footage of inspiring speeches by Lyndon Johnson, John F. Kennedy, and Robert F. Kennedy, and a number of other inspiring speeches by earlier presidents…