I am proud to live in Obama’s America too. Long time coming. Let’s work together now to bring us back into the international fold.

- Steve, November 4, 2008

There are many lessons to be learned from the recent U.S. Presidential election – but many more lessons commentators claim we have learned.  It’s been a month since the election, and it’s time to look back with some perspective.

• It was a historic election – this should not be understated.  A Black man was elected to the highest office in a country where 2nd-class citizenship and economic inequality was written into our laws just 55 years ago.  A woman was a serious competitor for the candidacy of one of two major parties in a country where gender inequality is still rampant and largely unaddressed.  This represents progress along racial and gender lines.
• It was a historic election – but this should not be overstated.  Despite the competitive candidacies of a person of color and a woman, racial and gender disparities are real and ongoing.  They are not merely anecdotal, but devastatingly economic.  The average white household made $48k last year; the average Black household made $30k.  The fact of Obama as president is not going to close that gap. Read More…

Posted under Culture, Economy, Politics

Over at the Magnes Zionist, I posed the question (in the comments) of when we might expect to see the first Palestinian Prime Minister of Israel. My guess, rather generous to Israel, I think, is 2037. I view this as generous in light of the fact that Palestinians are politically marginalized as a matter of law and of practice to a degree far greater than that to which black people are politically marginalized in the US.

Those who are subjected to the Zionist propaganda that permeates Western culture, and don’t have or don’t use the requisite intellectual self-defense, could be forgiven for viewing the relationship between Israel and the Palestinians as analogous to the relationship between the US and black people. This analogy follows from the liberal Zionist script: Israel is a democracy, albeit an imperfect democracy that has a race problem, just like the United States; and just like the United States, things are getting better for Palestinians in Israel.

Read More…

Posted under Uncategorized

First of all, yes we did, everybody!

I’m sort of confused about what this means. It’s a site launched by the office of President-Elect Barack Obama (!), where you can read about our soon-to-be administration’s agenda and policies, share your experience of the election and campaign, and, most startlingly, submit your ideas about how we should deal with the myriad challenges we face.

I feel dizzy, almost giddy. It’s starting to sink in. I live in a republic! The US government is my government! Oh my God!

And I know it’s trivial, but I was so grateful that Obama mentioned gay people in is speech — included us in the list along with people of different races and people with and without disabilities, where we damn well belong.* Included us with respect, and without being asked to. That was an amazing moment for me.

If you missed the speech, you can watch it here.

(Look, I know Obama is a moderate. I’m sure there will be disappointments in addition to joys. But for now, I want to revel in this. I was eleven when George W. Bush took office — I cannot remember having a government of which I was consciously aware that was not utterly abhorrent to me, that was not overtly hostile to my rights, my very existence. So if Obama’s administration can even manage to be decent, I’m likely to be very glad, at least until the shock of it wears off.)

* And where many other folks who weren’t mentioned damn well belong, too.

Cross-posted at Our Descent Into Madness.

Posted under Politics

As I write this I can hear beeps from cars passing Obama volunteers with signs.  The response has been enormously positive, with only a stray middle finger or scowl from an old McCain/Palin supporter to suggest they even exist.  When I went to vote, I saw about 8 Obama volunteers next to one McCain/Palin volunteer.  Since I went at lunch, there was no line (although we did have a bit of confusion about where in the library to vote, at one point I joked perhaps either the nonfiction or the large print aisles were the spot to be).

While there was no line at my polling location, there was a line at Obama hq.  People were standing in line to volunteer!  Inside, they had us waiting in a room that was burning up from all the body heat.  Not because they didn’t have enough signs.  Because so many people were coming into help they were having trouble keeping up placing them where they were needed most.

Helping out with visibility was like yesterday.  People gave thumbs up, grinned, shouted “Go Obama!”, beeped (sometimes repeatedly), and pumped their fists.  One driver in an suv pulled up and handed me a water bottle!  Another woman crossing the street stopped by to offer to buy me a drink from Cosi.  We regularly got compliments and instructions to “keep up the good work” from passersby.  Two old ladies walking back from voting strolled past headed to starbucks for their free coffee.  One gave my shoulder a playful punch saying “We done voted, don’t get wet now!” with a big grin.  It was raining, and not a McCain/Palin volunteer in sight.  Just grins and Obama/Biden signs.

I didn’t see anywhere near this kind of enthusiasm or turnout in 2006.  Today Virginia feels blue.

Posted under News, Politics

If John McCain lives through the first 4 years of office, he will not seek a second term.  His advanced age will become even more of an issue in 2012 than it is currently.  Imagine Sarah Palin running for office, with more unified Republican support, and 4 years of experience in the White House.  Part of the VP’s job is to meet with foreign leaders.  This would decimate the experience issue, which has been chief among the complaints of the more conservative Republicans who have reluctantly embraced Obama’s candidacy.

There are many reasons to vote:

And I’m not saying there’s a possibility we might not end up regretting Obama. But that’s a lot better than the 100% certainty I think we’d have of regretting Vice President Palin.

Palin shouldn’t be in office.  No matter who was running, I’d vote to keep her further than a heartbeat from the highest office in the country.

[ Find Your Polling Place | Voting Info For Your State | Know Your Voting Rights | Report Voting Problems ]

Posted under Politics

A plot to assassinate Obama was broken up by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms. According to George Stephanopoulos’ Blog, the plot is not being treated as a serious threat:

An Obama aide tells ABC News that Secret Service headquarters “would be notified of anything that mentioned” Obama. But adds that “it never rose to any sort of serious level,” which explains why Obama’s personal detail was not notified.

Rather than explaining why the candidate’s detail was not notified, it raises questions about how seriously the government is pursuing these plots. Despite the FBI’s push to charge the Colorado Three, Troy Eid (a Rove Apppointee) dismissed the charges. This makes me wonder:

Is this administration — and particularly this Justice Department, as deeply compromised as it has become by the Bush White House’s crass politicization — capable of ensuring that true threats against Democratic figures like Obama are taken seriously and dealt with appropriately?

These men were found with firearms, and further investigation may lead to more charges. The Attorney General for Tennessee is Democrat Robert E. Cooper Jr, appointed in 2006. His office can be contacted here by phone.  It can’t hurt to encourage his office to take this threat with appropriate gravitas.

Posted under News, Politics

Via AP:

The ATF says it has broken up a plot to assassinate Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and shoot or decapitate 102 black people in a Tennessee murder spree.

In court records unsealed Monday, agents said they disrupted plans to rob a gun store and target an unnamed but predominantly African-American high school by two neo-Nazi skinheads.

No more details are available currently.  Lot’s of questions remain:

Are there any links between the neo-nazi’s and existing hate groups?  How many assasination plots are currently under investigation?  Would Sarah Palin consider these skinheads terrorists?

Posted under News, Politics

Image this here (Associated Press):

NEW YORK, New York – Syrian military helicopters launched an extremely rare attack Sunday on United States territory close to the border with Canada, killing eight people in a strike the government in Washington condemned as “serious aggression.”

A Syrian military official said the raid by special forces targeted the network of al-Qaida-linked foreign fighters moving through America into Canada. The Sysrians have been unable to shut the network down in the area struck because the US was out of the military’s reach.

“We are taking matters into our own hands,” the official told The Associated Press in Damascus, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the political sensitivity of cross-border raids.

The attack came just days after the commander of Syrian forces stationed in the eastern states said Syrian troops were redoubling efforts to secure the United States border, which he called an “uncontrolled” gateway for fighters entering Canada.

A United States government statement said the helicopters attacked a small family run Farm near the town of Malone, fifteen miles inside the US border. Four helicopters attacked a civilian building under construction shortly before sundown and fired on workers inside, the statement said.

The government said civilians were among the dead, including four children.

We read about US attacks inside another country’s soil all the time.  We also hear the remarks from the country.  How would you feel if American civilians, including children, were killed when another country invaded our territory without our permission?  What if it was to fight a war much of the world (and much of that country’s citizenry) condemned as unjust and unlawful?  If the invading forces were widely seen as using their force to secure that country’s power?

Both candidates would support cross border raids.

Posted under Politics

I have the great fortune to be living in a swing state during a historic election.  This is the first in a series of observations from Northern Virginia.

At about 30 strong, the crowd of children gathered outside the metro entrance in Arlington were an overcrowded-classroom full of energy and enthusiasm.  A few parents waded through the Obama/Biden signs, yet this was all the work of one 11 year old student: Mariah Brescia-Weller.

Mariah had put together an impressive show of force.  I talked briefly with her about the rally (note to self: should have brought a tape recorder!  I will paraphrase from my notes).  As we glossed over initial motivations (Excitement about the election, and wanting to channel that excitement and energy into persuading people to vote for Obama), issues came up.  Education, Health Care, Woman’s Right’s, Taxes, Immigration.  I found that last one rather interesting coming from an eleven year old.  So I inquired further.  Mariah had friends who were in various stages of immigration, and it was very important to her that the next president be someone who would help them.  The idea of the personal driving the political occured again when another Obama supporter, Jeremy, chimed in.  He knew a 5th grader who broke her arm, and had no health insurance.

I spoke with one of the mothers, Sandra, about where political beliefs come from at such a young age.  She acknowledged that some were sure to come from parents, but kids have their own ideas on things.  Pressed further she shared that she’d noticed with her son this year, when they watched the debates, he’d become incredibly animated and engaged around the issues that struck him.

Two elections from now these children will be voting, and they are a part of Northern Virginia’s continuing journey to blue state status.  Its easy during an election to focus purely on those eligible to vote.  But an election is an opportunity to invite people into the process of active citizenship.  All of the kids at that rally have taken a wonderful step into a life of civic engagement.  In particular Mariah, who at 11 was articulate, to the point, and organized a political event.  Her mother is a wonderful person for encouraging and nurturing her daughter’s political expression.  She’s also wise.  We can all use this election to meet future senators, community organizers, and activists.  In 7 years children like Mariah will be voting.  Imagine where they will be in 27.

Posted under News, People, Politics

The Facebook group Obama Out of Afghanistan came to my attention.

My first thought: Why not send Obama to Afghanistan? They’ll make quick work of the warrior-king.

My second thought: Wait. His replacement would be Joe Biden, a hawk who supported the Iraq Massacre.

My third thought: How far down the Presidential line of succession would we have to go to find a principled anti-war Presidential replacement?

The answer: assuming that Congress stays in Democratic hands, it would be to number four Robert Byrd.

I don’t see Nancy Pelosi as a serious opponent of war (and I hope Cindy Sheehan kicks her ass). Byrd, however, has been a leading voice in the Senate against the Iraq war, and he opposed funding for Afghanistan as well. He did support Clinton’s war against Serbia, and his overall record is not especially progressive, but he’s still pretty good for an Exalted Cyclops. Besides, if he’s not counted as an anti-war potential successor, you could go all the way down the list and reach (ugh) Michael Chertoff, without reaching anyone who is as anti-war as Byrd.

Posted under People, Politics