Poliogue [poly-og] » Opinion – theirs and mine

Moving on from Komen

nopasanada — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:45:24 +0000

I’ve struggled on where to start but the beginning is always best. That would be three years ago when my aunt – my mother’s sister – died after a years long fight against breast cancer. Whether or not it was metastatic are details of which I remain unaware but I do know that she was only 41 and that 41 is an incredibly young age for someone to die. I don’t know whether or not she was accepting of what might happen or how my mother really dealt with her death given that my grandmother – my mother’s mother – died exactly five weeks prior. I do know that from time to time I see my aunt’s dearest friend in the world around Albany and we speak. Briefly. And each time it kills me inside. A knot forms at the pit of my stomach and the second I am alone my eyes fill with tears and the sorrow that accompanies the wonder of how those left behind deal. I’ve kept from my family how I have dealt with Judy’s death because though expected it felt so sudden. I was leaving a friend’s home in Napa Valley when my mother called to say that she passed and I didn’t cry. That I remember. I drove to San Francisco, went out for drinks and dessert and spent the entire night in a guest bedroom awake. Not crying but thinking. She didn’t deserve this…any of it. She was incredibly sweet, kind and faithful and in times of anger I question the fairness of it all. But life isn’t fair, which is true but that hasn’t kept me from keeping gifts given to me by Judy that I glance at and wonder why.

At the time of Judy’s death my knowledge of breast cancer was fairly limited and I cannot say that all these years later I am any wiser. I knew that it could be a fast killer and that in some cases there is a genetic factor. I also knew that early detection of the cancer can give patients a higher survival rate. Of course during the month of October there were marches and runs and every store I entered proudly displayed pink products on behalf of breast cancer research but I am amazed at how little thought I gave to any of this. I purchased items because it was a good cause. Because I was doing something and contributing to breast cancer research. I contributed and bought Yoplait containers with pink tops because it felt like the right thing. Ignorance is bliss, my friends and no one told me otherwise.

Even when finally faced with breast cancer and to watch what it does to a person and a family, I felt even more empowered that years of pink crap was doing something for the overall good. Giving to the Susan G. Komen foundation would lead to prevention and a cure, I thought. They were doing good work. I type these words now while shaking my head. Feeling duped. How could I be so stupid? How could I believe that “pink washing” buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken would lead to a cure? How could I be so stupid to believe that an organization whose mission is to educate and inform the public on breast cancer would not fall into the political fray. This is what I wonder now. There was a fantastic interview after the Komen foundation pulled its funding from Planned Parenthood with Andrea Mitchell and Komen founder, former Ambassador Nancy Brinker. The way that Andrea – recently diagnosed with breast cancer – keeps pushing and digging at Ambassador Brinker with questions of why Komen changed their grant process, why underinsured or uninsured women shouldn’t be allowed to have their services and potentially life-saving early detection; there’s this urging and pain coming off of Andrea Mitchell. Not that she’s just pissed but that so many people believed in the Komen foundation and now that trust is gone.

There is something about death and the grieving process where we feel the need to do something, try harder and do better. When Judy died I wanted to go all in and at the time the Komen foundation was what I knew. Now I know different. Thank God. I will not give to them anymore not just because of this ‘scandal’ but because to honor those that have died from this terrible disease would not be to give blindly but to learn more. It’s not about covering shit in pink it’s about continuing the education and assisting groups and organizations that give more than lip service to the detection, prevention and the cure. I cannot end this without stating that it doesn’t make me a socialist to think that all women (and men), no matter their financial situation, should have the right to mammograms and early detection. It makes me human.

***

The wonderful, beautiful and amazing Susan Niebur passed away yesterday after a five year battle with inflammatory breast cancer. A rare and aggressive form of the disease. In lieu of flowers her family has asked for donations to the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Please consider giving.

***

By defunding Planned Parenthood the Susan G. Komen foundation betrays women

What breast cancer has taught me

Social Media Acts as a Catalyst for Policy Change

National Breast Cancer Foundation

the American Cancer Society

Avon Walk for the Cure

When Rick Santorum Makes You Weep

nopasanada — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:20:30 +0000

Before I lay into Rick Santorum and most of the GOP field I would really like to hear your thoughts on the clip below. The title of this post says a lot about my feelings but what I find myself most saddened by is that several of these candidates continue to spew ludicrous, over the top, bull shit which people actually believe. But that’s just my personal opinion. What say you?

Democracy Isn’t Sexy

nopasanada — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 23:36:01 +0000

I didn’t vote in a proper voting booth for the first time until 2008. Until then I had relied on paper absentee ballots that only required a writing utensil and a mailbox. The very first election I voted in (2002) I readied myself with a pen to make my mark on the democratic process. I was finally able to put my two sense in. I got the paper, filled it out, mailed it back and that was the end of that. My first non-midterm general election took place in 2004 where I voted for doomed Kerry-Edwards while working at their headquarters. I voted for them not only because I believed but because I was sure that there were cameras abound watching my every pen stroke.

My first voting booth experience left much to be desired. I was excited and nervous. What if I did it wrong, is what went through my head. What if for some reason my ballot was thrown out and Barack Obama lost by one vote in Albany country? What if. It was fine. Boring and uneventful but fine. There were retirees to point me in the right direction. Baked goods for sale. A father gripping the hand of his daughter. I pulled the lever and it was done.

It’s the lead up to Election Day that gets my heart pumping. Of course millions of people chant and burn sage while crossing their fingers just to get the first Tuesday in November over with. These days both on and off year races start two years in advance with ad buys, fundraisers, the daily email with a personal subject line making the recipient think that it’s a real email when in fact is just another ask for money by the filing deadline. This can all lead to weary voters who would be happy with just a brief fact sheet and one debate a month before the election. But the 24 hour news cycle and laptop pundits – I will add myself as a pain in the ass in the latter category – make it next to impossible.

It frustrates me when people don’t follow politics or care. When the act of living in a representative democracy turns into a royal non-stop pain in the ass full of mudslinging across the aisles, spin cycles and speculation. Unfortunately we have yet to find a happy medium. With our great fortune of a two party system and the first amendment come months – nay years – of in your face candidacy. Even I get sick of it and thank my lucky stars that I don’t live in New Hampshire or Iowa.

There needs to be a middle ground – or people need to find their middle ground. Somewhere between being an informed voter and being completely apathetic. I, personally, would like for you to be informed and I am going to be that annoying person who writes and tweets about debates and candidacies and why I would totally vote for Jon Huntsman. More importantly I think living in this democracy gives us an opportunity to ask those questions and talk about things in a candid – non-threatening and non-menacing – way.

Democracy isn’t the most exciting thing around but it’s the weeks leading up to standing in front of the ballot box that are the most important. And I just want to talk about it.

Related:

The Fix has a breakdown of tonight’s CNN Republican debate (follow on Twitter #cnnteaparty)

BlogHer Moms has a piece on why moms should get involved to make their schools better

The Union Thing

nopasanada — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 02:49:40 +0000

“The most violent element in society is ignorance.” ~Emma Goldman

The Screen Actors Guild or SAG awards is on tonight. Full of stars and pretty dresses and Guilianna Rancic being deliciously awkward. Good times. But you do know that the SAG is a labor union, right? A full fledged, AFL-CIO voting labor union. You know those pesky unions and their need for giving workers protection and making sure employees are safe and compensated fairly? Yeah. One of THOSE unions.

Then there’s the NFL Players Association. The same association preparing for a lock-out next season. The same NFLPA that has recently decided to join state AFL-CIO affiliates because of the solidarity and the protection? Again with the whole nasty evil union thing. But it’s the NFL and it’s ok and allow me to report on the irony of those in Right to Work states (places where it is harder to organize) being their most ardent supporters. The NFL players deserve more, they say. They do so much! That’s one way of looking at it but what about car manufacturers, steelworkers and bricklayers? Do they not deserve the same protections as the actors and the NFL players?

People say ‘union’ with disdain especially when it comes to teachers unions which are looked down upon like no other. God forbid teachers are paid fairly and are given due process. And shhh, don’t say ‘pension’ out loud. Public employees are forced into furloughs and pay freezes meanwhile Eli Manning is the hundred million dollar man. Are we seeing the disgusting irony in all of this? If a teacher could throw quickly while in the pocket would that make it OK? Or what if the teacher was a multi-millionaire who could make billions for a movie studio? How about then?

Why can Aaron Rodgers and Natalie Portman be given a contract and paid for their work but not your kid’s sixth grade teacher? I don’t get it. Even more bothersome is that by these standards it’s the former who is clearly worth more and that makes me sad and angry more than anything.

Compromise This!

nopasanada — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 21:25:13 +0000

“Downside: Leaders in Washington can’t even schedule a simple meeting. Upside: name plates will be ready for high chairs once they do meet.” – John Dickerson

Let’s just get this little fact about me out of the way: I want what I want when I want it. If I suddenly find myself jonesing for a piece of strawberry shortcake, I want some damn strawberry shortcake. I want to stomp on those diet books that say “If you’re craving something sweet try some grapes!” Grapes, shmapes. I want whipped cream on my chin and angel food cake in my belly.

People who know me know that I’m not really one for compromise but because I am 27 years old I will do so. Begrudgingly of course and maybe with a little passive aggressiveness sprinkled on top. The key is that I do it. Now given my proclivity towards getting my way, one would think that I would be all gung ho over this Hell No to Compromise sentiment going on in the Beltway. But I’m not. Here’s why:

We elect representatives to both houses of Congress to represent us and our interests. Of course we also vote for them based on their positions on issues and their subjectivity but there’s a point where it is imperative for us to step back and question whether or not a Representative’s opinions are harming us and the country. Putting a foot down to compromise is not only selfish but possibly destructive and contrary to what members are supposed to be doing while in Washington, which is to move the country along (and forward). Gridlock does not equal movement. Government shutdown – or a threat to do so – does not equal movement. It all goes against what I believe and hope we all want which is to get better and as of now I have the sneaking suspicion that we’ll be wading in the murky waters of “No YOU go first” for a few months.

I’m exasperated and angry to say the least. I should also add disheartened. I have a bit of a soft spot for Congress which leaves me with a Pollyanna-ish outlook on how members should behave. So when I hear of grown ass adults acting like a two year old whose mommy wouldn’t let him play with the remote, I get annoyed. My mood worsens when I read storiesabout entire groups and organizations who are also charged with representing the interests of their members saying that they would refuse to work with representatives of certain parties. My eyes bug out of my head when I hear things like that; that adults cannot put their own agendas, feelings and bullshit aside in order to be true representatives.

We all have “Me first” moments. We all fall prey to our own needs and wants. And though I, personally, sometimes crave a decidedly “liberal” agenda I am adult enough to know that everything I want might not be best for the country. But I could be wrong; what do y0u think of this whole Gridlock or Bust/I’m not sharing my toys with you type behavior going on in Washington?

Dude, Where’s Your Base?

nopasanada — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 12:08:20 +0000

“Take a magic marker, cross out the word “objectivity”. Your constituents want you for your opinions, your philosophy, for you subjectivity.” – Shelly Runyon, The Contender

I bet if you wanted to get your base back the quick answer would be grow some balls. What? Too easy?

The long answer? It still involves growing some balls but perhaps I should say it in a far gentler way. But let me think about it…nope. Just man up and get your shit done. Enough said.

Everyone suddenly wants to get their game face on and get all up in the grill of not just their opponents but their supporters. During a September 27th fundraiser, Vice President Biden told a group of contributors to tell the [Democratic] base to “stop whining”. Which came to applause because no one wants to listen to another person’s endless bitching (this is where I should plug No Pasa Nada and the concept of ‘irony’). That said I’m sure the Democratic base – African Americans, the middle class, labor families, the LGBT community – would do less complaining if congress and the administration made more of an effort to, I dunno, HELP.

It seems so simple, at least in my head, and probably in yours as well. I mean if you want the middle class to be into you then maybe you should pass middle class tax cuts. Then again their really is no middle class right now. There are the uber-rich and the rest of us who are facing 25.9% APRs from Chase who recently received its own bailout via TARP payments while we all sit here and enjoy Ramen.

Man, I love this place.

No one loves Congress more than me but it’s the idea of Congress and, as I have mentioned, representative democracy, that makes me swoon. And here we sit in this very, very wealthy nation, wringing our hands, cutting coupons and “playing chicken” with filling up our cars with gas because, I could use that extra $2.89, dammit! Perhaps if the administration and the entire House of Representatives which is currently shitting its pants as we get closer to November 2nd, did something to focus on the people who elected them (let’s see, I’ve already mentioned tax cuts but what about Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell) in the first place, then maybe…just maybe…their base would be there. Here we, the middle class, are working our asses off going from paycheck to paycheck and there sits congress at home with Democrats shrugging with a meager “Well, we tried…” Perhaps there wouldn’t be that ‘enthusiasm gap’ and apathy of those representing us weren’t apathetic about the public.

But, sadly, this is not where we are. There are, of course, exceptions to all of these rules. I know House members who want nothing more than to help their constituent struggling even with Medicare or those on the cusp of a layoff. That’s not enough though; those 20 or 30 out of 535 will never be enough. And yet we’re supposed to hop out off our couches, away from Gossip Girl in order to help them. Help us, help you. Do something for us and perhaps we – as your base, the middle class, the people to whom you made promises to – will help you.

Waiting for Superman: A rant

nopasanada — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 22:09:19 +0000

“You cannot have a superior democracy with an inferior education system” – Newark, New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker

I should preface what I am about to write by saying that I honestly cannot remember the last time I was so incensed. I’m livid. I’m outraged. I am disturbed. And I loathe people with these great platforms to incite change, who don’t do their homework thereby perpetuating myths and causing scandal where none is to be found. It also drives me crazy to watch and listen to people follow, with blinders on, without seeking the truth for themselves. I can understand why and how it happens but it doesn’t mean I have to like it. So, there that is.

This is Arne Duncan. He is the Secretary of Education and he’s a hell of a lot better than his predecessor, Margaret Spellings. She whose sole purpose was to tell states what to do, how they were to do it and not give a damn as to their thoughts on the matter. But that’s just my opinion. This photo was taken by me during an event where New York was praised for its innovation in education and what the state will do in order to improve education.

Now, if you haven’t heard lately, let me be the one to inform you that recently a film called Waiting for Superman came out and apparently it’s a big fucking deal. Even Queen Oprah is talking about it and we all know that when she speaks people listen. Which can be good but and hopefully get people involved but this is the time I find myself to be discouraged and peeved to say the least. You see, last Monday Oprah had on her show Davis Guggenheim, the director of Waiting for Superman, Bill Gates, billionaire and strong proponent of charter schools, John Legend, singer and supporter of education issues and Michelle Rhee, Chancellor of DC Public Schools. They all made an appearance to discuss the documentary that, in Oprah’s words, “will shake up how people view education in this country”. It will cause and has caused quite the storm in the education community.

The movie follows a group of young students whose current circumstances in public education leave much to be desired. They all deserve to have something much better than what they’re getting so some decide to attend private school others hope to attend a charter school which allows students in via lottery. The story in itself is heartbreaking and poignant. It’s a tearjerker and no one wants to watch a six year old have to go through such turmoil in order to get a good education. The question then presented as we follow these children is who is at fault? Well the bad teachers of course. Or is it the teacher’s unions who protect the bad teachers? No mention of the parents of course and their role in their child’s education because that’s not where the compelling story is; it’s with the bad teachers and what to do with them and how to get rid of them. And this film and Oprah Winfrey do a fine job of making the public think just that. Fin.

Why I am seething right now is because of the glaring omission of the truth from this film. For those of us who follow education day in and day out we know that it isn’t at all sexy. It’s overly detailed and nuanced and kind of confusing. And boring. Oh so very boring. I once sat in on a two hour meeting on teacher evaluations – a key component of any sort of reform within the education system – where I spent the entire time waiting for either vodka or a sledgehammer to knock me out cold. People don’t want to hear about Race to the Top or the collaboration it fostered between school administrators, chief state school officers, the (evil) teacher’s unions and local education agencies. Hell, no one knows who or what half of those things do, and that’s fine as well. But if Queen Oprah is going to devote two full hours to education then she sure as shit better get her story straight. You don’t get to talk about how awful education can be for some children in this country without telling the entire truth. That is how NOT to use such a powerful platform.

I was lucky in my public education. I went to a top public elementary, middle and high school in Upstate New York. I graduated from my high school with 28 college credits which afforded me a senior year in college where I got to take golf and work for the Kerry/Edwards campaign and then spend a semester in Spain. It was amazing. It was during that time that I was able to read about the inequalities of education not only in this country but in my home state. Have you read Jonathan Kozol before? He’s brilliant. He writes these haunting tales of the broken school systems of the Bronx and other urban environments. Reading his book Savage Inequalities was like having someone shove your heart down to the pit of your stomach. Everything hurts knowing that something like that is going on just down the thruway but Kozol showed all the grittiness of something so broken that it couldn’t be how to fix it but how to prevent it from happening somewhere else.

Years later I was speaking with the Mayor of Albany, Gerry Jennings during an ESEA roundtable discussion. He stood up in front of a packed house in a school in downtown Albany and said, “We can discuss charters vs. no charters until we’re blue in the face. Let’s talk about the real issue here which is that children who live in predominately urban environments…children of color especially…are the ones who are continually left behind in this education system”. I, for one, cheered and agreed. You have to because it’s true.

The discrepancies in education between urban and suburban districts is nothing new. People have been talking about it for over 30 years but it takes Oprah’s voice to really get people to notice which is devastating in itself. People only have to look out into their neighborhoods or perhaps they keep their eyes closed when going through the “rough parts” but what we should be doing is walking around our communities and being aware of what is going on. On the one hand I am grateful to this film for bringing it all to light but on the other hand really? What was going on was so well hidden that no one noticed? Or maybe they just didn’t want to see.

My favorite part of this hoopla was during Friday’s episode when the reaction to the film was taped. Oprah had on her show Chris Christie, Governor of New Jersey, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook and Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, Cory Booker. She kept going on as to how important education is to Governor Christie, he even fought the unions, he’s a “human bulldozer” and a force to be reckoned with. He was up on stage with Zuckerberg and Booker to announce that New Jersey was going to be getting a grant of $100 million from the former in order to make their own innovative plan for education. And that’s when I rolled my eyes and laughed. That wasn’t some grand new plan as much as it was doing the same exact thing that the US Department of Education accomplished in its Race to the Top program. The same program that New Jersey lost out on – in flames – because they couldn’t double check their application to make sure their numbers were correct. That’s how much New Jersey cares about education, enough to have a major flub on a major grant program that would have afforded them well over $100 million. Of course all that was left out of the Oprah program.

Now do you have some understanding as to why I am angry? Why I cannot just let this go? I’ve talked to friends and colleagues about this ‘phenomenon’ with my voice rising gradually as I gesticulate dramatically because why can’t people research and find the facts? Why can’t people understand that unions are a help more than a hindrance? Or that Randi Weingarten and teacher’s unions aren’t what is evil but they are former educators who dislike bad teachers and want to get rid of them just as much as the next person? Why isn’t that in the film and discussed? Because it’s not fun. It doesn’t provide that much needed soundbite. People want to be moved to tears but don’t want to know what really happens.

That’s the true devastation here. Not that children are suffering but they are suffering at the hands of adults to are too involved with themselves and their personal ambitions to tell the truth. And that will take much more than a documentary to fix.

Party, Party

nopasanada — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 19:11:45 +0000

“There are no foolish questions, and no man becomes a fool until he has stopped asking questions.” ~Charles Proteus Steinmetz

Contrary to what might be popular belief or just a general assumption of me as some flaming liberal, I do not have a problem with a multi-party system. Such as the one that has developed over the last two years with the Tea Party. In fact I enjoy it. I enjoy Democracy and a product of living in a Democratic Republic is the ability for everyone to have a voice. If you find yourself displeased with the direction of the country then you have the opportunity to man your own ship. It’s what makes this country great. Furthermore I do believe – and this might leave some of you in shock – that when it comes down to it all people of all parties have the same goal: To see this country that we live in succeed with great leadership. I mean that is what it is or at least should be all about, right? It’s just that we have differing opinions on how to go forward which, again, is the by product of living in this country where people are afforded the right to be heard.

I think you can tell that there’s a big ol’ BUT coming on and you would be correct. BUT, I do not necessarily agree with how certain parties or I suppose I should say ‘individuals’ within these parties as I would hate to look at an entire party as a monolithic cohort devoid of individuals with differing opinions. But I digress. What I am trying to say is that some individuals within a certain party (*cough* Tea Party *cough*) are bringing people to their side in a way that makes me wholly uncomfortable. Or if I’m just keeping it real here: Some Tea Party members are full of shit and they’re really good at playing on people’s fears.

The Becks and Palins of the world are easy to cast off as extreme right wing nutjobs with nothing better to do than make things up and everyone and everything are fair game . Despite that diss and dismissal of them as leaders I can see the appeal. There are some very unhappy people who feel they are on a sinking ship need something to cling onto. Let’s be honest; that’s how so many of us leftist, progressive, Socialist, Marxist whatever the hell else we are democrats felt before President Obama was elected. We needed that hope and change and were clawing at the side of a rowboat hoping for someone to put out an oar to essentially save us from the past eight years of pure torture. Many of us found what we needed in the President which buoyed him and us to something new and…well…hopeful. And that is what Tea Partiers see in Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin: Someone new and hopeful to hold onto through rough waters. And suddenly get it. I don’t agree with what they do or how they do it but I do see how it can be done.

Here is where I start to question: I cannot think of a single progressive who has been 100% happy with everything over the past two years. In fact I would question anyone who told me that they could not take issue with or find flaws in this presidency. What is that saying? If you aren’t angry (or maybe it’s ‘outraged’) then you aren’t paying attention. Is that it? All I’m saying is that one should not ever follow blindly and from where I sit that’s what I am beginning to sense. Glenn Beck stood up on 8/28 to spout his wisdom under the guise of religion. The evening before he has several reverends on his show one of which tells him (Beck) that God is using him (Beck) that God is using him to spread His (God’s) word. Then Glenn Beck stands up on a stage on Saturday in front of what looked like easily 600,000 people to help preach the word of God and says that God wants them to take their country back. Emphasis on ‘their’.

Annnnd this is when I roll my eyes dramatically.

Does this country not belong to everyone as opposed to a select group? Do people question Beck and Palin? Do they question their motives or intentions? And I ask these things earnestly and with a shrug because I honestly do not know. And I want to know. I am naturally curious about the views of a group that are a polar opposite of my own. I question the intent of those that seem to lead them and lastly – and I’m sure this will come back to bite me in the ass – I wonder why they follow.

I want to be told that there is more to the Tea Party than what I’ve witnessed. I’d really like to be told that God doesn’t speak through Glenn Beck but I fear I’m pushing my luck on that one. But mostly I want to be told that I’m wrong. And here is why…

The Women

nopasanada — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:01:24 +0000

“Because I am a woman, I must make unusual efforts to succeed. If I fail, no one will say, “She doesn’t have what it takes.” They will say, “Women don’t have what it takes.” ~Clare Boothe Luce

Did you know that women are 51% of the population yet only 17% of congress? Every time I hear that statistic I cringe because on the one hand, how is that so? On the other hand…well…yeah, I can see it. On average women need to be asked three times to even run for office not to mention that the thought of diving in head first into a very male dominated world is so very daunting. I was at a luncheon months ago for a female Senator where the above facts and other figures as to the state of women in politics were thrown out. And there I sat absorbing and sipping iced tea looking around the room at the sea of politically oriented women in the room. And then I looked around the room again and got that sinking filling. The ‘I’m the only one…’ feeling. The one that I get upon realizing that there are no other blacks are in the room, let alone black females.

I won’t pretend to know the exact numbers of black females involved in politics especially not the exacts of black females under the age of 30 (holla!) which would probably yield an even smaller percentage. And really, I have not nor would I ever complain that I am not feeling represented enough and pound my fist on a table top when making that point. My feeling is that women in general are rarely asked to run and black women are probably asked in even smaller numbers. It is what it is, is how I look at it. Is that wrong? Should I feel more outrage?

I’m not saying anything revolutionary here it’s just that it makes me mad (in the sense of crazy not angry) that we – as females in general – don’t put ourselves out there more. No question about it. WE need to feel that in this very male dominated territory that we can hold our own and that we can be leaders and representatives and quite literally conquer the world if we so choose. It’s just that we don’t think we can. Or at least that is my perception of things. We think that we might not be good enough or smart enough or knowledgeable enough to break that glass ceiling. Perhaps what hinders women the most in getting themselves involved in politics isn’t men or even the electorate it is ourselves. And that is something that we need to work on as a group and as individuals.

In an interview with Marie Wilson of the White House Project she said very simply that women need to be encouraged to run. Just asking a women to run for any office or to involve herself in some sort of leadership position goes along way. So, on this day, the 90th anniversary of the 19th amendment I have this simple request: Think of a woman who would make an awesome leader or who is a leader and say, “Hey, have you ever thought about running for office?” chances are she might have but she was waiting for someone like you to ask.

The Mosque in the Room

nopasanada — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 17:04:19 +0000

“This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness. ” ~Dalai Lama

Every election there’s the inevitable Thing – from here on known as The Thing. It’s The Thing that drums up controversy but has nothing to do with what is actually going on in the real world. It gives something a little more exciting and enticing for voters to talk about: This Thing that can either make or break an election to an unwitting candidate. Could you imagine being Kendrik Meek in Florida and being forced to comment on something that is located a thousand miles away nowhere near the Gulf of Mexico where you have actual problems? But alas not, this Mosque and positions on it will be the cross to bear of politicians this year. Well, the Mosque and jobs but unemployment figures don’t pack quite the wallop as “Did you hear that they’re building a Mosque ON Ground Zero?”

You can read anywhere that the Mosque isn’t physically on Ground Zero. It is near Ground Zero and requires walking and perhaps a stop at Duane Reade on the way there. But who cares about those minor details. The Mosque is not being built because the ‘terrorists will win’ it’s being built because there was probably space. I dunno, cheap space, perhaps? It is Manhattan after all. And they figured why the hell not? I truly do not know. What I am very well aware of is how this Mosque that is NEAR and not DIRECTLY ON TOP OF Ground Zero is taking away from the real situation at hand. It’s a diversion of sorts where the magician wants us to focus on his right hand as he pulls a bunny out of hat with his left.

This midterm seems not more volatile but more out there and in yo’ face than any other midterm I have experienced and there are still 77 days to go! Midterms are usually quite boring unless you a) are in politics for a living or b) there is a brand new President and this midterm is the bellwether for his entire presidency. Or something. But that is an entirely different post. What happens to be driving me crazy right now is not just general discussion about Mosque and the debate on the Mosque from the right (They aren’t real Americans and people who agree with having a Mosque ON Ground Zero aren’t patriots) and the left (Well, everyone has their freedom of religion and they should be able to worship where they’d like) and the Tea Party (Well, I mean, yeah that whole defend the constitution thing but do we still want to defend the constitution when Muslims are allowed to practice the First Amendment? Have we decided on that one yet, guys?) It’s just that it seems so very constant. So! Instead of discussing a real solution to the unemployment problem, whether or not a July 2011 is actually feasible to be out of Afghanistan, what USDOE would like to do to public education or did I mention the 9.5% unemployment? Instead of discussing all of these very real issues we keep talking about the Mosque that realistically will not directly affect 97% of us. Because quite frankly the former aren’t all that sexy but a Mosque? HOOO BOY! Pass me a fan.

I have received several emails about the Mosque and my feelings on it and whether or not I wanted to debate the merits of “Having Hamas right next to Ground Zero” and I have to politely decline. To me it’s just The Thing. It had to happen soon enough and if we’re lucky we might get another Thing in the next 70 plus days but right now just watch and listen and politely turn the conversation back to jobs, jobs and more jobs.

Mosque related reading if you are so inclined (or bored):

Ted Olson, Former Bush Solicitor General and Husband of 9/11 Victim, Backs Obama on ‘Ground Zero Mosque’

Pelosi’s Preposterous Pontificating On the Ground Zero Mosque

Gibbs: Mosque by Ground Zero a Local Matter