Category: Politics
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At least we have our health … or do we?
A friend was recently recounting some challenges he's been facing, concluding with the observation that "at least I have my health." His challenges include a recent layoff, and I found myself wondering how secure this consolation would prove to be for him … or for the nearly 50 million other Americans who do not have…
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Augurs of hope, past & present: MLK, Milk, Obama & all of us’s
Last week, on Martin Luther King Day, Amy and I watched the film, Milk, about Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California (back in 1978). When we got to the Egyptian Theatre, Amy asked for two tickets to see "M-I-L-K", spelling out Milk's name. We laughed about…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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.…
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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 –…
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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…
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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…