Velvet Revolution

All right, darlin's, I believe it is time. Our side is going down. Going down in flames, actually. I believe Karl Rover picked Sarah Palin and it was a pick of pure political evil genius: It's pandering to the right, to the ignorant, to the bizarre. And it's working. There's more. The Republicans are feigning outrage at everything Obama and Biden are saying. And the Dems are spending all their time explaining. This happens every election. They let the Republicans control everything because they're worried about being nice. Nice doesn't get you anything except maybe nice words on your tombstone if anyone remembers who the hell you are! (Regular readers know that I differentiate between being nice and being kind. But that's another post.)

So now we need something spectacular.

A teacher/mentor/friend of mine pissed off a few people because she sent around the faux banned books list about Palin. (It's a list of books she supposedly wanted to ban. The list is false, but the story that she tried to get the librarian fired because she wouldn't get rid of some books is apparently true.) People were all huffy with my friend that "we" all had to have all our facts straight all the time in order to win this election. The balance of the world hinges on it!

Are you freaking kidding me? We've got to watch our p's and q's when we've got catastrophic climate change killing off species every day (and killing people as weird weather patterns bring horrendous storms and droughts). We've got people held illegally in Gitmo in our name. In our name people have been tortured. In our name a sovereign nation who did nothing to us was invaded. The constitution has been shredded. And speaking of shredding, look at our economy.

So who cares about a false list of books making the way around the internet?

I have a friend who every time I get upset or passionate about these issues tells me that I could win friends and influence more people if I was more calm and "reasonable." I have to laugh at this! This is a classic argument of the Republicans. And it's purpose is to stop the argument—usually because you're making good points that they can't defend. And it does stop the argument: Because we're taught to be nice and not get angry. So you've stopped your meaningful and well-reasoned argument to think about your tone and they're carry right on without you, saying, "See. They're so angry. And they abort babies usually with gay doctors. Do you really want them in charge?" They've stolen the moment and the argument.

They've thieves.

And I want my country back.

Yes, the balance of the world may hinge on who gets elected. It does not hinge on us getting the facts straight. The Republicans never get the facts straight!

I used to think that we had to be truthful above all so that we're not like them. But we've lost our focus. Worrying about whether we're saying everything just the right way is kind of like fiddling when Rome is burning. We've got to get down in the mud and do some wrestlin'. (Yes, I'm mixing metaphore. Who gives a crap?)

QUIT WORRYING ABOUT MINUTIAE. Get to the big stuff. Economy, jobs, environment, healthcare, war.

Quit defending every remark. "Yeah, I said it. Get over it."

Do something spectacular. I don't know what. You figure it out. Each of us must figure it out and then get together with other people and do it. Become full of your true self and go out there and do it! Make fun of them! Call them on their crap! Put up signs! Annoy people! If they say you're rude, say, "Yeah, so? You want jobs and healthcare or you want rich people getting richer?"

Hey, they want a culture war? Give them one. If they say, "You think you're better than we are! You're an elitist!" "Yeah, so what? I am better than you. For one thing, I believe in science. But I'm willing to continue to let you chew your cud, shoot your vermin, and scratch your private parts. It's your business. You want jobs and healthcare or you want rich people getting richer"

The talking heads say, "You're making fun of small towns." You say, "When's the last time you lived in a small town, you moron? I live in a small town. Anyone who lives in a small town knows that the mayor does squat. The city manager does everything. But look at me getting caught in the facts again. You want jobs and healthcare or you want rich people getting richer?"

(There was a paragraph here that somehow got deleted and I have no idea what it was...)

We all need to stand up. We're losing. I mean really. President McCain isn't going to do anything about global warming. Sarah Palin doesn't even believe in it.

Okay. I'm going to eat. And then I'm going to do something spectacular!

Love, love, love, babies.

May You Revolt in Beauty!