Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Morning Becomes Electric

With apologizes to Eugene O'Neill.

And Electra.

Perhaps it should be "mourning" becomes electric. It is cold, cloudy, foggy. And I am spacey. I'm supposed to be on the Oregon coast, but I'm still not there. When Mario arrived at the motel, he discovered they had recently shellacked the walls. I can't believe people still use that poisonous stuff. Man. They only had one room left, a kind of closet they don't normally rent out. So that's where Mario moved. I'm not sure I'm in the mood to sleep in a closet. Or not sleep in a closet since I almost always have trouble sleeping away from home for the first night or two.

So I'm still here. Feeding the hummingbirds. Watching the ants.

Last night I curled up on the couch and watched the election returns. It was kind of like watching a baseball game. To watch the lead narrow between them was something. Clinton won Indiana by about 20,000 votes. That ain't much. When I watch Hillary Clinton, I feel sad. I really want a woman as president. I see every day how misogyny is alive and well (or alive and sick) in this country. The snide remarks commentors make about her and other women are sickening. I've read articles about how feminists just don't get it, in relation to this election. Why don't "they" just back Obama. Give me a break. I'm a feminist. If you believe in equal rights for women, you're a feminist. Those people who say feminisit don't get it, don't get it if they don't see how Clinton has been talked about—if they don't see the scorn that has been heaped upon her because she's a woman. (I apologize for that tortured sentence.) You don't think it's time for a woman to be president? How about it's two hundred years past time. 2,000 years past time.

However, Clinton's mistake was that she voted for the war. Man or woman, she shouldn't have done that. Yes, Obama has voted to fund the war every chance he's gotten. He probably would have voted for the war, too, had he been in the Senate then. Also I do not like the way Clinton has campaigned. I talked with our Washington insider, and he said he doesn't care about negative campaigning. And I think that's indicative of Washington insiders. I don't think they understand that most of America is disgusted with politics as usual; we want a change. I want a revolution: A revolution of ideas which can transform our country and bring back our ideals and make them work for everyone. I think all this nonsense about Rev. Wright is just that: nonsense. When all of that started happening, Clinton should have said, "This is crap. Let's talk about the issues." Instead, she said, "I would have left that church." That showed such a lack of integrity, I thought.

Anyway, it's easier to think about politics than other things, isn't it?

I'm not looking forward to Sunday. Mom's Day. My first Mom's Day without my mom. *sigh* I need to cut my nails. Some are long, some are broken, some are short. My mom had beautiful, hard nails. Long. After my mom died, I didn't recognize her in that coffin. Just her hands. Momma's hands.

I'm no longer having reassuring dreams about Mom. I had a nightmare the other night.

I suppose it's part of the process.

Better eat something. Then maybe the morning will actually become electric.

7 comments:

Stephanie said...

It may be too much to hope for in my lifetime ... humans are herd animals and they just don't change very quickly. But how about choosing leaders NOT on the basis of gender or party affiliation. How about choosing them on the basis of leadership, vision, or a deeper grasp of the ideas under all the opportunistic words words words? Maybe that's why politics as a pastime is so irritating! It's a desecration of the high art of words!

(Of course, that makes me an Independent voter. So far, there's no party for Moderate Libertarians with who believe in social justice and natural medicine. Let me know if you hear of one.)

Kim Antieau said...

Well, I think Dennis Kucinich would have been great! Woulda, coulda, didn't. He's more a person of the people than any of the others. Of course, at least Barack Obama understands what it's like not to have money. And he's earned much of his recent money the way I'd love to make my living (by writing). I'm not much of a libertarian. I do think government is valuable and I want my government to fund schools, roads and other infrastructure, and medical care. I am an independent voter, too. But this time I'm voting for a Democrat no matter what, just like I did last election, because I think we've got to do everything we can to save ourselves and the planet. Maybe, maybe, maybe, I'm hoping, a Democrat back in the White House will help.

Stephanie said...

Yeah - roads ... schools ... that's the "moderate" in Moderate Libertarian. I'm with you. Hm. Are there any Libertarian Socialists? You know what I like best about Obama? Nearly everything he says cannot be reduced into a sound bite (or, should that be "byte"?) very easily. There are whole thoughts there. If nothing else, such a thing is certainly different!

Kim Antieau said...

That's funny, Stephanie! A Libertarian Socialist! Yep, I agree. You can't boil his stuff down to a sound bite. I think that's great. Because, really, how much in life can be coherently reduced to a sound bite?

Anonymous said...

I am having so much trouble w/ this election. First, Dennis Kucinich--now gone and he would have been awesome. Then Edwards--more mainstream in appeal. Gone! Now Hillary (I have such a problem with the sniper fire in Bosnia story) and Obama (just not enough experience).I could never support McCain--when I weigh "maverick" (like) to cozying up to Bush after the smear tactics in 2000 (black OOW baby---distrust), the later has more weight.Is there really any hope in any of these candidates to get the US out of this awful mess we are in? I'm just torn totally. Thaks for all the excellent observations, Kim. Stay away from toxic walls on the coast. How horrible!

Kim Antieau said...

Vancouver Gal—I was initially concerned about Obama's lack of experience. I would have preferred a Governor. However, I'm taking my cues from the younger gens. If he inspires them and they will actually start participating in their communities and our government, that's fabulous. Also, I think he's got good sense. He knows how to organize, and that's a good ability to have as CEO of a country. I'm also hoping he knows how to hire people. We need inspiration now and then we need someone who can get to work. Clinton and McCain are so tied up in the old way of doing politics. I'm hoping Obama wasn't too contaminated by his Senate experience where pedantic is the operative word! We need a mover and groover. Someone who can cut through the red tape without cutting up our constitution at the same time.

Anonymous said...

I do have to say I like his down to earth approach. I'm also curious who he might choose as a running mate? Any ideas, Kim?

 
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