Listen, I think Joe Wilson is a jerk and an asshole, for sure. But did we really need to waste precious time at the capital with a house resolution to recognize his boorishness? This is exactly the kind of bullshit that has all decent people angry when the Republicans pull it, and it would behoove the Democrats to rise above it.
Regular readers of this blog know that I go on at length about the corrosive aspects of conspicuous consumption, and how our stuff takes a far too important place in our lives. While it is true that I sometimes talk about how this is destroying our planet, my main focus has been more about the prison we put ourselves in emotionally and spiritually by being so tied up and obsessed with our stuff. Of course, that is only part of the story, and a New York Times article this morning pointed me to an absolutely amazing video called “The Story of Stuff“, that details the ins and outs of the cycle of consumption, and makes some excellent points about the lack of sustainability in our current culture.
The maker of the video, Annie Leonard, is a former Greenpeace activist, and there are a few rather indelicate ways she describes some parts of the system in the video. At times, she makes some rather blanket statements about using resources that leave out some nuance. But overall, I heartily agree with her main points that this system can not continue indefinitely as is, and that we fundamentally need to change our relationship to consumption so that the true costs are put in evidence. Continued life on our planet depends on it. The video is only 20 minutes long, and WELL worth watching. Check it out here.
I was invited to a generally lovely wine party by my cousin Josh at some friend of his’ apartment in the Village this evening. Most of the people I met were very nice, but I met one young(ish) gay man who was a bit of a puzzle. He told me he was from Texas originally, and had lived briefly in San Francisco before moving to New York about a year ago. Loving SF as I do, I asked him what he thought of it, and he told me he absolutely hated it there because it was so “liberal”. I asked him what he meant, but his only response was, “They are just so liberal about everything” and then added for good measure “Just like Nancy Pelosi, I hate her, she is such a liberal.” Intrigued by this blanket statement, I asked him to give an example of a policy of Nancy’s that he disagreed with. His response was “Everything, absolutely everything about her! I hate her! She is so…liberal!” To which I responded, “You said that already. Can you give a single example of a policy position she holds that you disagree with, or do you just hate the way she looks or that she is a woman with some power?” To which he responded, “I don’t really want to get into it all, it is complicated and I am not drunk enough to argue well.”
“Or sober enough, apparently” I added helpfully. There isn’t a whole lot I find less attractive than knee jerk political opinions. It is all the more shocking when coming from a somewhat disenfranchised minority, but it just proves that no group is free of its know-nothings.
In the White House town hall meeting yesterday, Obama made reference to one of the most popular voted on questions solicited on his website:
“Do you think legalizing marijuana is a good strategy for growing the economy?”
To which he answered with a smirk,
“No, I do not think that legalizing marijuana is a good strategy for growing the economy”
It is sad that there are certain things that are untouchable in politics, even for someone as gifted as Obama. He must know what an abject failure the drug war is, and that treating drug abuse in this country as a criminal justice problem (rather than the public health problem it is) is likewise a costly failure. But there is a belief that there are some issues so radioactive one must never challenge the status quo, no matter how awful the status quo is. These issues exist on both the left and the right of course. They are kept in place by the willful ignorance of the electorate, and steadfast denial of reality (which would be fine if it wasn’t so costly and didn’t result in so much violence and death).
Obama apologists can hopefully and helpfully point out that he didn’t say he was against legalization, he only said he didn’t think it was a good idea for growing the economy. But the fact that he brought it up in the context he did, and passed on one of his teaching moments (remember how great the race speech was?) rather than ignore it completely was designed to appeal to a certain audience (and hint, hint: it wasn’t the legalization crowd).
Overwhelmingly, I have been pleased with the actions Obama has taken thus far in his tenure. And I give him wide berth on a number of things, waiting to see how these will pan out in the coming months. I understand strategically why Obama, with everything else on his plate, was reluctant to go there with anything resembling the cool logic he applies in most other circumstances. But it sure wasn’t pretty to watch.
Ok, I am feeling much more love for the change.gov website and the Obama administration than I was a week ago. Not only did they revamp and put back the detailed “Agenda” section, they included the issue that I (and others I am sure) wrote to them about, and more. And they stated in clear terms what they support. From the “Civil Rights” page:
Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples: Barack Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples. Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. These rights and benefits include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and property rights.
After the civil rights letdowns of the election, this is exactly what I wanted to hear. Thank you, Barack Obama, and thank you, transition team!
Wow, this is damning and powerful. I hope the Obama campaign uses it.
From Slate, here is the entire Democratic primary season in 8 minutes…
Gabe: Are you excited about Obama?
Me: super duper
and worried about Clinton
Gabe: how so?
Me: her ambition is more important to her than a democrat winning in November
it was more than a little disturbing that she refused to concede last night
Gabe: i hear you
Me: if we lose in November, and lose this chance, it will almost certainly be because of her
but I am very happy with Obama
this is the first time in my life that I will be voting FOR someone for president, not simply the lesser of two evils
Gabe: how could she cause a loss in November?
Me: she could cause a loss in any number of ways, including refusing to concede, continuing to say that Obama can’t win, continuing to say that McCain is more qualified to be commander in chief, convincing her supporters that she was “cheated” of what was “rightfully” hers, etc etc
her personal ambition is CLEARLY more important to her than the well being of the country
or I should say
more charitably, but still horrifying, that she identifies her personal ambition with the well being of the country
Gabe: I think that’s common for people in her situation
There’s a lot of attention paid to her craven need for power
But everyone in politics is after power
(it is, after all, about status – and we all love status)
Some merely wear it more transparently than others
Me: But how many people were out of touch enough to allow the “appearance” of destroying their own party? How many other power hungry people in her situation still refused to concede when it was obvious to ANYONE that the race was over?
Me: btw, do you mind if I use this IM conversation as my blog post today?
…
I’ll take your silence as a “yes” :)
Gabe: ha ha
i don’t mind
I sure as hell hope so. If you haven’t seen (or read) Obama’s speech on race (and care at all) click here. I found myself incredibly moved by the content of the speech (which I read beforehand) as well as its delivery. This was the first time in my political memory that someone stood up to declare that not everything can be reduced to a sound-bite, that issues such as race are complex. I have watched the political discourse in my country erode over the years to simple shouting matches with no real substance. I have watched the news media encourage this kind of simple blather. I have watched them avoid issues which didn’t reduce to neat mottos or phrases. I have watched this complete disservice to the American people in order to sell more scandal and acrimony. Obama took what could have been a crisis for his campaign and used it as a teaching moment, reaching out in a balanced and nuanced way to every American that has a stake, which is to say every American. His speech implored us to be honest with our feelings, and honest in searching for solutions. It appealed to the very best in all of us, and made me proud and humble at the same time. With every step forward such as this, I have a little more hope that we can move beyond the hatred and shouting matches and towards a politics of honest dialogue. This is why I support Obama.