"Americans Can Do Anything"

Yes, Bobby Jindal, like ELECT BARACK OBAMA. The guy whose economic plan we support in a majority that vastly overwhelms those who actually believe the moronic talking points you just spouted.

Here's the thing - as I've said, I am pretty fiscally conservative. There are a LOT of programs/projects in the stimulus bill that I think should either be eliminated in general, or seriously re-vamped before we throw more money at them. You know what? I also hate spending $5 - 6 for a gallon of milk. But I do, every time, to buy organic. Because not only does it benefit me immediately, but it also has a positive global effect. The organic certification/regulation system is far from perfect, and I could easily spend less on "regular" milk. But I refuse to save myself a few dollars now in an unwillingness to at least try to invest in a better future for myself and the world around me.

And until the GOP grasps this concept, they will continue down their road to dinosaur-hood.

Kids These Days

I get SO tired of hearing about how teens/tweens/children in this day and age are growing up with no values or sense of their place in the world. Sure, they have an insane amount of information at their fingertips, and unprecedented access to things that were previously reserved for "adults". And they often communicate in ways that older folks (myself included! I refuse to even check Twitter out) don't understand. But to say that these things have distanced them from their humanity is deliberately myopic.

Last fall, I was moved to tears by the story of teens in complete sincerity electing a girl with Down Syndrome as their Homecoming Queen.

And today, I learned of this:

http://sports.espn.go.com/highschool/rise/basketball/boys/news/story?id=3914375

A basketball player lost his mother to cancer, and wanted to play in the game that evening. He had been left off the roster due to his family situation, but he wanted to play. The visiting team argued with officials to allow it without a penalty, but the officials basically said "rules are rules" and declared that the visitors needed to take their 2 free throws. In a wonderful gesture of sportsmanship and compassion, Darius McNeal volunteered to take the free throws, and then basically threw them both away.

These are just items that were noteworthy enough to make national news. How many more stories like this occur every single day? I'm willing to bet that it is FAR more than adults give "the younger generation" credit for.

Same/different

Why do I feel like I'm on Sesame Street?

It's like I'm Grover (who I despise), doing that "near/far" routine. Only it's a red/blue "two Americas" scenario.

I consider myself to be a fiscal conservative and social liberal. I am totally for gay marriage (marriage, not the "civil union" sop) and against universal healthcare. There are many other examples, but these are the hallmarks. I don't believe in judging people, and I also don't believe in paying to support them. Do your own thing, and let my tax dollars go to support the maintenance of this nation, not you. I have a number of friends who are fans of different areas of public policy, many of which don't overlap with my own.

But I refuse to believe that there are two different "Americas" occupying the geography of this country. To assert otherwise is pathetically simplistic and near-sighted. I have a LOT in common with a lot of people who share different social views, as well as with people who share different fiscal views. I will never sign on to the idea that there is a "my" America, and an America of people who are so different from me as to constitute a separate nation. To ascribe to this belief is to harken back to pre-Civil War-times, and to expect/hope to divide this land into areas where certain beliefs/ideals hold sway. I could never choose which "America" was more my own, and I think that's the point.

Our country is fluid. Our leadership and representation are fluid. Hell, our beliefs are fluid! Do you truy believe the exact same things you did 10 - 20 years ago? I sure as hell don't! If I did, there wouldn't be a point in my ever voting again. But my thoughts and ideals have changed. And they will continue to do so.

The beauty of this nation is that, for better or worse, it represents the current ideals of its population at any given time, plus a short lag time between election cycles and social evolution. As much as it often pains me that we are still entrenched in ignorance and fear, the fact that acceptance and populism and humanism are on the upswing makes me somewhat optimistic for homo sapiens as a species.

Gee.

&*I can't imagine WHY I was pulling for a filibuster-proof majority in November... Fuckers. I'm sorry, but DIE IN A FIRE already, you foot-dragging bastards! This country is sinking in a tar pit and you want to freaking nit-pick???

No. Just no.

And Barack and the dems - shame on you for squandering the majority and mandate we granted you, in efforts to be "post partisan". Those fuckers will NEVER be post-partisan (as was demonstrated over the LAST EIGHT YEARS). Work around those assholes and save this country. PLEASE.

While you're at it, keep the nightlight on inside the birdhouse in your soul...

Why do I torture myself?

I know what happens (or will happen). I know how evil people are, and how realistically they can be portrayed. So WHY am I watching 24?

I liked that this season finally addresses Africa (initially, at least - who knows where it will go?). And I was amused at the whole This! Time! Jack! Is! Working! Outside! The! Government! angle.

But as much as the subject matter is slightly varied, and the potential for a somewhat new approach (given the current "real life" administration) is enormous, my personal problem remains: I am given to expect the worst from people. When a government agent turns out to be a traitor, or a Secret Service agents tries to assassinate the president's spouse, it's par for the course with me. But when an average person (or a government agent/employee) is portrayed - as so often does happen in real life - as laying down his or her life to protect/save the lives of others, it tears me up completely. Because I am not wired to expect that from anyone other than my family. The notion that a person could and would make that sacrifice for an untold (and unanticipated/unexpected) number of strangers who may never know the magnitude of their sacrifice kills me. I can hardly bear it.

I'm sure there are a million ways to analyze this, especially considering my own guilt/self-worth issues. I just don't understand why I keep coming back for more upset. From a tv show. Maybe I want to be convinced that this really happens, or could happen?