My task today is to try hard to keep from feeling demoralized about the enthusiastic reception to Sarah Palin's speech last night at the Republican National Convention.
She called herself a "pit bull with lipstick," a phrase I find completely insulting on Jake's behalf. She behaved like one, sarcastically insulting Obama and the Democrats over and over again. She is a really nasty person.
By calling herself a pit bull with lipstick, she aligned herself with one face of America, my least favorite facet of this country's soul. American society is indeed aggressive yet glamorous. It made me think of Johnny Depp's explanation about why he lives in France - because the U.S. is like a really viscious puppy, biting hard, causing damage while seeing itself as sweet and/or heroic.
Four years ago I was so sure that this country could not be stupid enough to re-elect G.W. Bush. The day after the election (a week we in my household refer to as "The Birth of Chuckie"), I counted myself among the stupid, not because I voted for him, God NO, but because I was naïve enough to believe the U.S. would elect a classy, intelligent man instead of a stuttering monkey (my housemate John's perfect description of Dubya.)
One thing I'll be glad to do is volunteer to help register voters in Northern Virginia this Saturday and next. It seems like such a small contribution, but at least it's constructive.
If they win the election, or steal it, someone please shoot me, OK? Thanks.
16 comments:
reya, maybe the negative campaigning will count against her? i know people over here get so sick of it - it might help fuel the hunger for change?
and yes, what an insult to all canine creatures everywhere!
Reya, temper your worry with the knowledge that she was preaching to the choir.
I agree. Some of the things she said were so snotty. But predictably, they got applause. It's embarrassing. She gives pit bulls a bad name.
A report this morning on NPR debunked her comment that she said "thanks but no thanks" to congress on the "bridge to nowhere." Basically, even though the bridge hasn't been built, the money was apparently kept.
My homeopath always refers to Bush as the village idiot.
I caught part of Guliani's speech last night as well as the beginning of Pallin's. My heart sank. Guliani said that the Democrats refused to use the term "Islamic Terrorists" because they were afraid of offending someone. Of course the term is offensive - equating the whole of Islam with terrorism. The rest of his speech was filled with hate and fear - meant, I suppose, to keep us all afraid and oh so ready to sign over our rights.
Gotta go settle down......
Salima
I have to disassociate a bit from the politics in order to stay sane. I figure, I know who I'm voting for, and I firmly believe I'm right, and I try not to get too upset about all the people who disagree.
My heart sank, too, upon hearing all the hate, fear-mongering, divisiveness, disingenuousness, and outright nastiness in the two speeches that I endured (Giulani's and Palin's), and upon hearing the enthusiastic response that all that vitriol drew from the choir. My heart sank even more when it occurred to me that these purveyors of negativity actually have a chance to win.
My fiance sums it up like this: God is testing us -- we have an old-fart warmonger and an inexperienced, self-described "pit bull with lipstick" on the one side who are playing to our worst traits as a nation; on the other side we have two experienced, principled, and thoughtful men who are trying to get us as a nation to embrace our good traits for a change. Which will we choose? The fact that it's even a close race saddens me to no end.
Reya, my Reya, if our nation chooses poorly, I will not shoot you, but I will be happy to have you along as I relocate to a saner country.
P.S. to Steve: You are both sane and very wise.
It is disturbing.
She landed some good blows and our team needs to find a way to avoid "wrestling with the pig" while still addressing the charges.
It's interesting to me, also, that the Republicans continue to successfully define this class warfare... elitist/educated versus small-town/plain-spoken. Curious.
merle is right they were preaching to the choir that was all in attendance, the thing is the rest of us (who choose to tune in) were subjected to their distortions, lies, and bullshit...
it's incredible to me how the republicans cry 'the media is picking on us' and foul when their nasty little secrets, etc are revealed - but when it comes to mud slinging and nastiness none one seems to do it better than the g.O.p (operative word OLD) .....
I cringe when I hear how palin is described as a 'reformer' .... oh yeah.... back to mandatory motherhood for women. and the cult that every sperm is sacred...pardon me I really don't need to be going off on a rant....
I won't be demoralized because I know that we will prevail....we can't have stupidity once more trump intellect when it comes to the 'highest office' .....people, have we not learned anything from 8 years of w and darth?????
be positive - I find that humming 'we shall overcome' helps.....
Hi Reya,
I love the images on your blog...very soulful and very beautiful. I think your worries are resonating around the world - there was an excellent piece about Macain and Obama that i found provoking and reassuring at the same time on a blog called Cocktail Party Physics. http://twistedphysics.typepad.com/cocktail_party_physics/ Even here in UK we are desperate for compassion and hope ..Palin seems to hold neither.
I'll be back....
Tanvir (Chimera)
hey reya..if something like palin gets in? come live in tanzania sweetie...x.x.x.janelle
Oh, I just want to yowl. I can't believe the rounds of applause. Giuliani is despicable; how can he characterize a moral high road as something to snicker about? I don't know; if this doesn't galvanize the independent vote around Obama/Biden, then I fear we need to pool our cash and decide on an alternative venue. I've ordered a used copy of Country Commune Cooking, btw, so I'll be ready in the kitchen, anyway.
I'm with you, tut.
And you, Janelle! In fact, earlier today I entertained the "move to Tanzania" fantasy.
Though - some of the hoopla is dying down, thank God. One newsperson said the speech was "entertaining and rude" and mentioned that when the debates begin, we're likely to see a different side of Ms. Pit Bull with Lipstick.
We're a nation that loves watching freaks. As for McCain's speech, I'm going to tuck in to bed early, read a book. I've had enough!
Poor Jake. Maybe he needs to join a pit bull protest line for using their breed name for ill gotten gains. Lipstick indeed! ;)
She's scary, the people at that convention are scary, and the prospects are scary. I can't even begin to repeat all the things that made me shout and snarl at the tv.
Most upsetting was when someone else was speaking (I just caught part of it on NPR, so I didn't catch who) and the chant went up, "DRILL, DRILL, DRILL!" Who are these people?
Well, you've asked to be shot, my neighbor down the street has asked to be blasted into outer space, and several people I know who have kin in Canada have asked to be imported if the elephants reign.
Go subterranean? I don't know, but escape plans may be in order.
-D
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