Whose table is it?

I am a feminist. And as a feminist, I am going to say something that will offend many other feminists who would have me stripped of my right to say that I am a feminist: I am against abortion. Go ahead. Stone me.

Ready to listen now? Look, I do not support illegalizing abortion. I don't support blowing up abortion clinics. I don't support harassing people who want to get abortions. I don't support the sexist(and at times racist and classist) ideas that lead many to oppose abortion. I oppose abortion because it is too much of a gray area, because I am not entirely convinced that that fetus is not actually a human being. But at the same time, I have no problem with the morning after pill, so what right have I to judge where someone else draws the line?

The reason I bring this up is because of some people's unwillingness to see that not everyone who views abortion as murder is a horrible misogynist, out to control the bodies of women. I do not hold an extreme view of abortion, but I think the vilification of those who do view a fetus as a life tends to become ugly and extreme itself.

Currently, there is a lot of hoopla about Obama's decision to have Rick Warren speak at his inauguration. Pro-choicers are angry because Warren is anti-abortion. Gay activists are angry because Warren has a moral issue with homosexuality.

"By inviting Rick Warren to your inauguration, you have tarnished the view that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans have a place at your table," Solmonese said in an open letter to Obama that was released by his organization.*

This statement bothers me greatly! Because what's happening is, Obama is trying to invite many different people to his table. He's trying to unite America and this means opening his arms to many different viewpoints. I personally have a problem with a lot of what Warren has said...but I also have a problem with the way some of his words have been taken out of context. But more than that, I have a problem with liberals who feel excluded, who condone excluding their conservative neighbors, instead of inviting them in and saying, "Hey! Meet me, know me, and realize I'm human too." And maybe that's because they don't realize that the evil, evangelical, white, homophobic, misogynistic man is human as well?

Links:

• Obama's inaugural choice sparks outrage
• Make Room for Pro-Life Democrats

The Blame Game

On November 4, 2008, it was announced that Barack Obama had been elected the new president of the United States. Despite being a rather tepid supporter when compared to his large, rabid following, I still cried tears of joy at the announcement. I cried, not because I see him as a Messiah in the midst of our country's dark days, but because he is, symbolically at least, a light. I do not know whether he will be able to take the giant strides we all hope he will in getting this country back on the right track economically, socially, and globally...but I hope he does. I do not know if the country's morale will survive if his term is not "successful," but I hope we never have to find out.

At the end though, I cried, because now I can look at my little nephew and say, truly, "You can be whatever you want to be." I cried because it seems that maybe, hopefully, we can end this age of scapegoating and entitlement. Regardless of the past, regardless of circumstance, there comes a time when every person, of every race has to pull him or herself up by his or her own bootstraps. And there comes a time when we must lift our neighbors up too.

It's amazing, because you find a sense of entitlement amongst the wealthy and the poor, amongst all of the races. The wealthy feel entitled, well, because they are wealthy. The poor feel entitled, because they are oppressed. You know what? Now I feel free to say, "Get to work!" It's time to stop worrying about what we're "entitled" to. It's time to roll up our sleeves and get to work. The time for pointing fingers is not now...because finger pointing will not allow us to succeed and move forward, individually or collectively.

Right to Choose Right and Red Bull

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American President

While watching the movie Dave earlier today, I got inspired to compose a list of my favorite fictional American Presidents. However, as I was making the list out, I realized that it would all just be an elaborate ruse, superfluous fluff intended only to justify the posting of this video, of this fictional president whom I would follow to whatever end:

Blah

At the moment, I'm that person...the one who's completely apathetic about politics...who doesn't watch the conventions or get into debates about the candidates. I just can't care anymore because it's true: you can't trust anyone. Why? No matter how awesome a politician may seem, he or she is still a person, subject to all of the failures and weaknesses of any other person, and well, I've met a good number of people in my life and every single person I've ever met is a fuck up in some way. I don't want my government to be run by people; I want it to be run by gods and goddesses, heroes and paladins. But it's never going to happen. Tomorrow, next week, next month, I'll return to my normal sense of realism...my devotion to selecting the lesser of however many evils, my hope in humanity, my drive to champion the democratic process and the importance of the involvement of every single citizen. But right now? Right now I'm that person who just says do whatever the fuck you want with my country because no matter what, life is going to be hard.

Food for Thought

"I truly believe that people like myself, who are in a position of entertainers in the limelight, should keep their mouth shut on politics because at the end of the day, I'm good at writing songs and singing. What I'm not educated in is the field of political science. And so for me to be sharing my views and influencing people of who I think they should be voting for ... I think would be very irresponsible on my part."
-Kid Rock

A politician by any other name is just as sleazy

Can We Do That?

[At a Thurston Moore solo show]
Girl in front of crowd: Thurston, who are you going to vote for?
Thurston Moore: The black dude or the chick. ... Actually, fuck 'em all.

--Knitting Factory

via Overheard in New York, May 12, 2008

Edwards out, Obama in

My immediate reaction to the news of John Edwards backing out of the presidential race:

It's no secret (though I like to pretend it is) that I've been a supporter of John Edwards for a while...I believe he's stayed in the race this long, not because he thought he had a chance at the White House, but in order to keep his issues at the forefront. He's consistently stood up for the every-American and has been one of the few liberals who seems to actually know who the every-American is. That being said, I also think he's holding out on endorsing a candidate until he has a better idea of who's going to the White House, in order to not burn any bridges and to keep open the opportunity of once again being a running mate. (But I do think he's a Barack supporter at heart.)

Now I think my original prediction of a Hillary/Barack ticket is more likely to come to fruition. But we shall see. Until then, Barack gets my support, despite my inability to vote in primaries due to being an independent and being registered to vote in a state that only lets those affiliated with political parties vote in the primaries. "Fresh Intelligence: Radar Online: What's Next for John Edwards?"