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Well, I must say it's been a while since I've written anything on this blog. I figured today would be just as good as any to do so, so here it goes...
It's amazing that 5 years have passed since hurricane Katrina touched down in New Orleans, Louisiana, parts of Mississippi, and Alabama, with the worst of the carnage in just New Orleans alone. It's been 5 years since this country essentially showed the world that we are capable of sending aid and money quickly to every corner of this earth, except here at home. It's been 5 years since FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) showed this country just how inept it is at doing it's job along with the Federal government within the state that failed Louisiana.
Granted, it's not often that whole cities are required to evacuate in a matter of hours and days. It's not often that a city below sea level is threatened by a category 4 or 5 hurricane And it's definitely not often that levees built by the Army Corps of Engineers is breached flooding neighborhood after neighborhood and leaving people trapped where they sat by what the waters had to bring. But it is often that the world needs the USA's assistance with natural disasters, and this country answers that need mostly all the time, but when Katrina left and returned to whence she came, the USA and its citizens sat stunned watching on our television sets fellow Americans stranded on their rooftops, left on abandoned bridges, and waiting inside a dome and outside a civic center for transportation that never came in time.
I want to say that we were slow to react because we were shocked at the force of which Katrina destroyed everything in her path. I want to say that we were slow to react because we didn't know exactly what to do to rescue a whole city, over a million people attempting to get out by roads blocked or under water or gone. I would like to say that we just didn't know what to do and instead of admitting it right off the bat, we just sat idly by for days waiting for the water to reside so that our already thinned National Guard could get supplies and rescue attempts to people. I would like to say a lot of things, but I can't because honestly I think Katrina had her way with the people of New Orleans simply because of a failed infrastructure. One based totally on the age old fable of the haves vs. the have nots.
Anyone who knows about New Orleans knows about Mardi Gras and the days of debauchery and celebration that take over Bourbon Street. But people didn't want to or just didn't care at all about the somewhat sorry state that New Orleans, Louisiana was in before Katrina. With corrupt police forces, a faltering education system, and the list goes on, Katrina brought to light what New Orleans had been suffering. When the levees broke, the water took the lives of those either left behind because they had no means of getting out, the water took those who refused to leave their homes because they had no where else to go, and the water took homes, some of which still bear the battle scars 5 years later.
As much as people hate the mention of race and class, Katrina was definitely and eye opener to just how much race and class still matter in modern day times such as 2005. On television screens across the nation, it was not mostly middle class, white, well to do people sweltering in the heat of Louisiana on their rooftops, outside the dome, or at the convention center. It was predominately poor black, some poor white, and some poor Cajun faces of people dying of dehydration and heat stroke. I truly hope that we didn't take our time getting aid and help to those who were fortunate to survive because of what they looked like or where on the socio-economic ladder they may have come from. I like to hope that was not the reason why, but when you take a look at how much has and hasn't been done to re-build New Orleans, to bring back those who were bused and flown to surrounding states, or even to help those who stayed and are still awaiting their fair share of help from FEMA and other agencies, it makes my soul ponder just how much humanity can stave off the urge to succumb to race and class.
Mind you, this is just the rambling on of a concerned citizen who watched people suffer insurmountable death and destruction on her television, who had friends and relatives fortunately survive Katrina, who donated money to the Red Cross along with supplies to churches sending care packages to various parishes, and continues to meet people who were able to start their lives over. I just hope and pray that if this country were to see another major disaster such as Katrina, that we've taken notes and learned a lesson or two on what NOT to do and what DEFINITELY to do to ensure that more lives are not lost needlessly.
If you haven't done so already and have the opportunity to, please check out Spike Lee's first Katrina documentary, "When the Levees Broke Parts I & II" and now his sequel documenting the time since Katrina "If God is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise" from HBO documentary series collection. Both series give a true glimpse and non-sugar coated insight to what worked, what failed, and how those who survived are coping with what they've lost. And it not only deals with the black experience of loss and anger, but also the white experience from government officials to everyday Cajun fishermen.
Who would think that a former Vice President, who was mostly silent and unseen during his 8 year tenure, would be around every corner these days? It's like I can't turn on a television or read a newspaper or even a magazine for enjoyment, without seeing or hearing the craziness of Dick Cheney. During his first term as VP, the country wasn't sure if he was going to make it all four years with his somewhat severe heart condition. When he did and proceeded into a second term, we thought we'd hear from him or see him a little more than the previous term, but not so much. Now that he's finally been ousted from his throne of actually running the country into the ground through the use of his dancing puppet, Bush, he's always being interviewed, giving his opinions or making comments about our current administration's handling of everything!
Why isn't he doing the retired politician stint and writing a book and promoting somewhere at a local Walmart or speaking at some republican redneck rally in Texas or something? I'm sure he still hunts, hopefully not humans anymore, but you know what I mean. With the latest terrorist attempt (if you can call a failed underwear bomb that), he's at it again criticizing Obama's administration's handling of the situation. Now, if I can recall correctly, when someone attempted to blow up a plane using a show bomb, it was on Cheney's watch when he and Bush waited 6 or more days to respond to that attempt. At least Obama addressed the country's concerns the same day of the attempt, and even days afterwards, all the while on vacation still for the holidays. And lets not even discuss 9/11, which Bush's administration will forever go down in history for as their saving grace because they touted it as their reasoning for a "War on Terrorism" that hasn't garnered much progress in the years that have passed since that dreadful day! Where was Cheney's constant interviews, comments, and attacks then? Besides breaking the Geneva Convention's codes of ethics, torturing prisoners of war, and committing countless illegal acts of war, there's nothing to this date to show for it but the growing numbers of troops being shipped out with most coming back home wounded or worse. Yeah, Saddam Hussein was captured and executed, but has Osama Bin Laden been captured, detained, or hell, even questioned concerning 9/11, which supposedly started all of this?? Not to my knowledge.
Cheney thinks, and wants the rest of the country to think, that Obama and his administration has forgotten or is trying to ignore the fact that we're at war, hence admitting that terrorism to our country is still a threat. Hello?? How in the hell can ANY American forget that we're at war?? And Cheney should never let those words come out of his mouth considering he's one of the son's of bitches, if not THE son of a bitch, who put our hat into the ring with Iraq, Afghanistan, and God knows wherever else we have troops! I don't understand why he's ranting and raving like the lunatic he is all of a sudden, but even more so I don't understand why the media runs to print or broadcast his every word.
Maybe this is his way of preparing himself for putting his name on the ticket for 2012 as the head honcho. Maybe Cheney thinks that he'll get enough of a fanatical following to actually overtake the levelheaded Americans that I pray are still out there. Who knows what the deal is, but I pray that he'll eventually go away and never EVER be allowed to hold any type of position of power again in this country. Please, let us see Dick run...off into oblivion.
Alright people, let me get this straight so that I have a clear and concise understanding of what's happening in our country today. Sarah Palin comes out of nowhere, literally, and becomes Governor of Alaska, okay got that down and not a biggie seeing as though no one really cares about Alaska. But then McCain's people, being backed into a corner by Obama's choice of Joe Biden for his VP, decide to do a 'Maverick' thing by choosing not only a woman, but the dumbest woman possible as his VP to shake things up a bit and show that this country is ready for the leadership of a high ranking female. Then, as the election moves along at a crazy, hatred filled, propaganda throwing, throw everything at each other but the kitchen sink pace, we, the American public (or sorry, Joe and Jill six pack) begin to see that Palin is not only dumb but completely unqualified to even hold the position of a PTA president let alone Governor of a state or VP of a whole country! Luckily, a whole lot of SOMEONES woke up from the joke that became McCain's campaign and voted for the other guy, sparing us the further embarrassment of yet another idiot in office only to come to the point where we're at today.
How in the hell do you go from disgraced Governor of only barely 2 years who quits for no better reason than a rambling on of basketball and hunting analogies for almost an excruciating hour of press time and then now you have a best selling book and a whirlwind book signing and promotional tour to boot? Yeah, she might have 'gone rogue' but this country seems to be going stupid in a expedient manner. In her many interviews desperately trying to appear as if somewhat qualified for the VP position, we learned that she doesn't read anything of real substance, unless gun and hunting mags have just recently joined the ranks of Pulitzer prized literature! Now she's got a book, and a best selling book at that? As much as I hate the GOP c**t of the year, Ann Coulter, she can at least read and write her own ridiculous stuff and back it up, even if psychotically when questioned about it. But Palin? With a book? C'mon people, what the hell is really going on?
I guess in the time of a recession, not only does the economy take a turn for the worst, but apparently people's intellect does as well. As an educated woman, with a family, I not only find Sarah Palin a disgrace as a mother toting her children all over the place during the campaign like trophies of failed birth control, but a total disgrace and embarrassment as a possible woman in a high ranking position of power. Any woman that's educated past the 5th grade should find her appalling, ignorant, and a slap in the face by our male dominated society who continues to push her as a competitive option for any political nomination.
Sadly, if this is the best the GOP can come up with in the ranks of feminine representation, there's no further hope for a party that used to be of high educational standards and morals, conservative thought, and practices. Instead of going rogue, maybe they should just go home and pray to their God for another 'great white hope', because Sarah Palin does not fit the bill.
Yesterday, thousands of people of different racial, political, and socioeconomic backgrounds gathered in front of the U. S. Capitol to march for equal rights for gays, lesbians, bisexual, and transgendered Americans. It also happened to be National Coming Out Day as well, which set a unique added tone to the fact that all this occurred the day after President Obama gave a speech supporting Domestic Partners benefits and a congressional repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, along with addressing the military's stand on the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy for gay and lesbian soldiers. One of the most poignant moments during the march was when Judy Shepard addressed the crowd concerning the 11th anniversary of the brutal kidnapping and beating death of her son, Matthew Shepard, simply because he was gay.
I remember vividly when this happened back in 1998. I was a freshman in college at Florida State University. It was my first time away from home, ever, and it was like a whole new world, not just because I was in a new city, but because I was surrounded by thousands of others my age who were all doing the same thing, exploring our personalities and beginning to shape ourselves into the people we eventually have become today as adults. In high school, I didn't have many gay friends, heck I didn't really know any gay people, unless you count our volleyball coach and a few other members on the teaching staff that didn't hide it. As far as students, I knew of a couple that were in band at the same time I was, but they kept it secret, didn't openly show their emotions for their lovers, except during band camp where they knew none of us would really care what they did because everyone was too hot and sweaty and tired to pay attention to anything else besides our marching show. But in college, I found a whole new group of people, people who thought like me, who acted like me and who accepted everyone like me no matter their differences. In fact, my best friends, the people who I spent all my time with and did everything with, were gay, lesbian, bisexual, and even transgendered. I know that sounds so cliche to say "some of my closest friends are...", but it's the truth, and to this day I love and appreciate every last one of them for all the trials and tribulations we've been through as stumbling 18 and 19 years olds trying to find ourselves in this crazy life.
But what still bothers me to this day, even with all the gains that have been made with some states recognizing domestic partnerships and even actual marriages, is that here in Florida, my friends are still unable to legally get married. They are still unable to legally have domestic partnerships granting rights to share property and insurance benefits or even have the rights to adopt healthy children. Throughout all my relationships, I always had a tinge of guilt whenever my friends and I would all go out because I knew that my boyfriends and I could show PDA without getting threatening and menacing looks. I always knew that we could live together for up to 9 years and qualify for common law rights, which are almost as equal to marriage rights as you can get. And I always knew that if we had a kid or two, even if we weren't married, he would have the same rights to that child's care and love legally as I would. But my friends, can do the PDA thing and ignore the looks, they can do the living together thing and ignore the common law rights, they can even already have kids and just bring them into the relationship. But they can't do the mass majority of this with the law recognizing and granting them the same carefree attitudes towards it all as us straight folks have
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Today, President Obama has been honored with the coveted Nobel Peace Prize. The hoopla surrounding this win seems to be the question of what has he done, in less than a year of his Presidency, that deserves this high honor? As much of a supporter of the President as I am, I can honestly sit here and say not much when you size him up next his prize winning predecessors. But the major task that he accomplished that I personally never thought I'd live to see is that he was able to bring a divided country (on all levels, not just political) together for one moment on one day to cast their vote for a change that we've never seen before. Yes, we've had Democratic Presidents before, but never in our entire history have we had a viable African American candidate to make it as far as Barack Obama in the primaries and on up through being the sole Democratic candidate against John McCain.
I'm only old enough to have voted 3 times (2000, 2004, 2008) and in the previous two elections that ended in the mistake that was George W. Bush, I had never seen the turnout of people like I did last year. The 2008 election united not just African Americans and other minorities, but brought together young folks who wanted a major change in the makeup of our leadership and the older folks who never would have imagined they'd be casting a vote for a minority, nonetheless, a black man for President! For once, in a long while, it was as if this country put aside racial differences and decided to be united for one day and vote a radical change in the appearance of our country. By Obama's election, we finally showed the world, that our leader represents the makeup of the United States of America in that we are all of mixed heritages and backgrounds, not just caucasian. Even if this moment has swiftly disappeared back into our political and racial divides.
The world also stopped for that same moment to recognize that the USA was making a statement for once that didn't involve war, invasion, or threats to the terrorists of the universe. The world took note and joined in the celebration, the recognition, and the historical inauguration of President Obama. And today, the Nobel Peace Prize didn't award him for his accomplishments in his first 9 months of office, but instead chose (I'm assuming) to award him for his feat of pulling off such an incredible campaign and election to the white house as the first President of color. As an American, I must say that I'm truly proud to have a standing United States President receive such an honor. The last President to achieve this was Jimmy Carter in 2002 and former Vice President Al Gore in 2007, neither of which were actually still in office at the time of their awards. But for many Americans, especially the RNC, today isn't a patriotic acknowledgment to our leader
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September 30th 2009 15:43
Facebook is a great place to socialize with people you've lost touch with over the years or to just make new friends and see their lives in pictures and read their words and their thoughts daily. I have to admit, I've joined the application revolution and am almost addicted to it weekly. But the news that someone had the guts to post a poll concerning a death threat to our President floored me. I realize that not everyone in the country will like a President or even respect his decision or political affiliations, but any threat made against a leader should be taken seriously and handled with the utmost of importance. The Secret Service is doing their best, according to news reports, to track down and scold whomever posted the poll. They should even, in my opinion, go a step further and investigate those who actually voted in favor of the threat just to make their point clear that threats like these will not be ignored or laughed at. But then again, what's going to happen to these people when you've got crazies on a daily basis protesting with threatening signs in their hands about our President's safety, the safety of his wife and children, and even going so far as boldly standing outside of town hall meetings fully armed because they have the rights to bear arms even at a Presidential rally?
Former President Bush had his protesters, he had some things said to him publicly, and heck he even had a pair of shoes thrown at him in a foreign country. But I'd be willing to bet that he didn't receive half as many threats towards his life and that of his family as President Obama has since his campaign for the Presidency began. As a country, we're setting a dangerous example for future political figures, and especially for the highest office in the land. In 1963, when President Kennedy was assassinated, this country took a moment to realize just how easily our leader could be exposed to an assassin's bullet. In 2001, our country took another moment to realize just how easily our country is open to terrorism on our own soil. And now in 2009, our country should take a moment to realize that politics have become a new breeding ground for left wing radicals and bigots from every corner of North America to hash out their hatred and possible threats of violence against not only our leadership, but any political figure who openly supports his policies.
Every President walks in the doors of the white house inheriting the problems and pitfalls of the former one, but President Obama is getting way more than just a national deficit, a flailing economy, and another Vietnam-esque war, all of which he had no hand in creating as our leader. But he's also getting a hatred and disrespect like I've never seen before in my 30 years on this earth. I could be wrong, maybe other Presidents, within my lifetime, have received the same type of brick wall that Obama keeps having to deal with and we, as the public, just never heard about it much because we didn't have things like Facebook and 24/7 news coverage. But now that we are hearing it and seeing it 24/7 on the television, radio, and the world wide web, I think it's time this country took another gleaming moment to put a halt to something that could possibly lead to another ugly and tragic stain in American history
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September 15th 2009 19:19
Okay, I couldn't resist, as much as I was trying to avoid even wasting time on this ridiculous subject! Why is America all of a sudden so consumed with Kanye West insulting Taylor Swift at the MTV VMAs Sunday night? Every media facet from reputable CNN to gossip mags like People Magazine are still covering this topic. First off, the mass majority of people who are probably making such a big deal out of all this probably don't even know who the hell Kanye West is or Taylor Swift, for that matter, but are jumping on the band wagon that he should be crucified for interrupting a tween queen stumbling through a silly acceptance speech for a bronzed popcorn statuette!
Secondly, I could see if he would have hit her, or pushed her out of the spotlight so he could be seen, or even if he would have snatched the award out of her hands and bolted for the back door! But he didn't do any of these things, all he did was make a valid point that her video sucked in comparison to the other nominees, namely Beyonce (who's shocked expression was a great plea for her lack of acting skills). Yes, I agree, he was outline, rude, and just a complete ass for doing it, but he did it and no one was physically hurt, if anything he just helped skyrocket this little girl's career because she's now the poster child for award acceptance abuse.
Lastly, lets be brutally honest, this chick has as about much singing talent as any American Idol reject. Her vocals might be great for a tween awards show like the Teen's Choice Awards, but she is no where near the talents of Pink, Kelly Clarkson, or even Lady Gaga (crazy outfits and personality aside). I'm not even mentioning Beyonce because anyone who's heard her sing knows she's got some serious chops and shouldn't even be insulted by having to share an awards category with the likes of a Taylor Swift. I'm not trying to be mean, but this is like putting a high school quarterback against an NFL quarterback! And Beyonce bringing her back on stage to finish her speech was a nice gesture, but please don't mistake that it was all about saving her own face in this debacle. I'm pretty sure that she could care less about this girl's feelings over a VMA
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September 10th 2009 20:17
Last night, as with millions of other Americans, I tuned in to hear our President address the nation concerning the hot topic of health care reform. As usual, I wasn't surprised with the overwhelming support of Democrats for a fellow Democrat in rousing applauding and standing ovations. I wasn't even surprised by the Republicans drab facial expressions and still responses to most of the President's speech. Actually, it's rather amusing to watch the up and downs of part of the crowd because you have to wonder if that's protocol during these types of occasions that you stand and applaud practically every single point your guy makes just because he's part of your party.
But I have to admit, I was totally caught off guard and personally angered when Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina heckled the President with 'You Lie" in response to whether the proposed reform will offer coverages to illegal immigrants. My jaw dropped, my heart skipped a beat, and my eyes widened in response to what I was unsure I heard. It wasn't until the President acknowledged and addressed him, along with the accompanying boos that I realized he did in fact flat out call the President of the United States a liar! Now, don't get me wrong, ALL and I do mean ALL politicians lie and the President probably has to do more of it than any one else in a 4 year span of time. But for a United States Congressman, one elected to represent and uphold the reputation of the highest office in the land, to heckle the President and call him a liar is beyond words or thoughts. Not only has he embarrassed and humiliated himself, even amongst his own party (who probably agree with his sentiments, but have the decorum not to have said it at that time and place), but he has embarrassed and shamed the country in my opinion.
Never before, in my lifetime, can I remember a Congressman/woman or Senator resort to name calling the President on national television during an address of the union speech! Even with the shameful and disgraced two terms George Bush served, he never was the recipient of heckling from his own Congress and Senate. And if ANYONE should have been called a liar flat out, it should have been him along with Cheney and so many others in his cabinet. Although Wilson has apologized and many, within a 24 hour time period, have offered excuses for his outburst, it still doesn't cover the fact that last night's actions have summed up the continuing downfall of the Republican Party and the American people. Disruptive town hall meetings, cries of racism and reverse racism, and comparisons to socialism and communism have plagued our society from everyday citizens. This is to be somewhat expected, as it is our right to express our opinions no matter how offensive, ridiculous, or scandalous they may be
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The newest controversy to sting the Obama administration is not still our ailing health care system, but instead a speech. Not a speech inciting violence or an uprising against the stupidity of the GOP party. But instead a speech geared towards American's youth to stay in school and better themselves and their futures. Now, as a parent, I am not offended by this. I mean my kid is not school aged as of yet, but I'm already starting to explain on a daily basis the importance of an education. Why would parents of any aged child, be offended by a positive speech urging children to not drop out?
If you continue to listen to the hatred that has become prevalent in our daily existence in this country for the past 6 months, you would think our President were turning into the despised dictator that he is constantly compared to concerning congress's health care reform. You would think that he was instituting propaganda tactics to our children to get them to conform to the party's ideals and principles in goose stepping down their city's streets to town hall meetings to salute Big Brother! You would ultimately think that this was the true beginning of the end of free thinking, free will, and freedom period from the government and their control!
But alas, no, it was none of this. It was simply a speech concerning the true American spirit of this country to utilize the right to an education. It was simply a speech explaining the power of a high school diploma, college degree, and even technical and higher learning degrees of distinction
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It's funny how no matter how far we come as a country, no matter how many advancements we make in racial relations, race is always going to be a dividing factor in the United States of America. Even with an African American in office as President, we still have major issues with race. It seems even more so stressed now that certain groups fear their rights will be threatened or taken away altogether because someone from an oppressed race is now in the highest office of the land. Some Republican pundits have said it so eloquently that 'the President has a grudge against the MAN (the white establishment that is for those who aren't familiar with the connotation of the MAN) and is out to destroy him in any way possible'. Now, the MAN has been mostly in charge of this country for hundreds of years. Any grudges he's had against other races might manifest itself in different shapes and forms of socio-economic status and rights, etc...But I have yet to see any particular races completely obliterated or returned to physical enslavement.
Why are people, and I could say specifically white people (but I don't want to generalize an epidemic that is far spread beyond just white people) so afraid that a black man has now become somehow a new THE MAN 2.0? Why are soo many people afraid that a black man with power is somehow a frightening dictator in disguise? Why are soo many people afraid that he will inflict upon them what their ancestors probably inflicted upon his hundreds of years ago hundreds of years later, and maybe not for revenge, but maybe just for shits and giggles? I don't really know why I can just guess that guilt coupled with fear or maybe just total racial ignorance could be at fault. Guilt for those who know and recognize their prejudices and bigotry, have relished in it, have embraced it, and have proliferated it for the whole span of their and their kids lifetimes, but don't find anything wrong with it? Fear that a minority group with such a history in this country of racial injustice and discrimination might actually decide to rise up and avenge all the wrongs done to them as an entire race and put whitey in a place of subservience?
As thrilling and chilling and maybe angering as those two options sound, hopefully they are not the truth behind this epidemic of racial reaction. I think the real reason is racial ignorance with fear sprinkled in. Racial ignorance meaning, as a country, we've become accustomed to having a white male in a position of power, that now that younger generations of Americans are embracing the fact that it's time to break away from the norm and move into a 'new' norm of positions of power being held by someone other than just white males. I think people are afraid that too much change might lead to too much equality that might lead to too much United in the States of America. Change is a difficult thing for most people to deal with and accept when they've become comfortable and set in their way of thinking, acting, and living
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