Rick Perry, So Strong!

"I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a Christian, but you don't need to be in the pew every Sunday to know there's something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can't openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school. 
As President, I'll end Obama's war on religion. And I'll fight against liberal attacks on our religious heritage.
Faith made America strong. It can make her strong again.
I'm Rick Perry and I approve this message" 

Ok, so this is a rant. This is me barely scratching the surface of what is so very wrong with this campaign ad. 

           1) "I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a Christian" When has being Christian ever stopped someone from being President of this country? I know his middle name is Hussein, but Obama is a Christian. GET OVER IT. 

         2) "you don't need to be in the pew every Sunday to know there's something wrong in this country" ... true. I actually agree with these 4 seconds. 

         3) ..."when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can't openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school." Damn Rick Perry! I was so happy to agree with you! I want to like you because your accent, swagger and rugged manly cowboys style is very attractive to me no matter how hard my liberal self tries to fight it! But seriously? A kid can pray at school. Administrators can't and should not officially lead prayers. The whole point of that is religious freedom. So, Rick Perry, you are the one who talks about the founding fathers all the time...does religious freedom ring a bell? Or maybe its one of the many aspects of our government that you cant remember. (Im still waiting on that 3rd reason by the way, anyone got an update on the 3rd government agency he wants to remodel?) 

           And, Im sorry, are you really implying that Christmas should get more public attention? Yes, some progressive schools in towns chalked full of those horrible liberals changed "Secret Santa" to "Secret Snowflake". Elementary school children are free to make Chanukah decorations during holiday arts and crafts. And yes, when my family hangs dreidels and Jewish stars on our Christmas tree, and sing some hebrew songs mixed in with our Christmas carols, it is a direct attack on your religious heritage. We actually had a liberal meeting where Jews and atheists teamed up with homosexuals to plan our the takedown of people who are not ashamed to admit they are Christians. 

           Rick Perry knows the only reason a homosexual would want to serve in the military is so that they can break down the faith that made America strong. So strong, in fact, that threat of a gay man serving side by side with a soldier he could be sexually attracted to doesn't scare us at all. Oh, wait... 

            4) "end Obama's war on religion" His what? When was he fighting this war? Probably not while he was at church with his family. Maybe Perry is referring to Obama occasionally standing up to fanatical Christians in Rick Perry's beloved Tea Party. 

             5) "And I'll fight against liberal attacks on our religious heritage." blablabla Liberals hate God and Christians, blablabla. Let me go into the greatest contradiction in modern American politics; believing that the most famous and celebrated "Christian" was a republican. And by "Christian" I mean Jew.  

and my personal fave...

               6) "Faith made America strong" Woah, time for the daily Tea Party fact check! It was RELIGIOUS FREEDOM that encouraged OPPRESSED people all over the world to come to this country. This country was made strong by IMMIGRANTS who who worked hard in this country because SEPARATION of CHURCH AND STATE allowed them to. If you care so much about the damn founding fathers than why don't you actually take a 5th grade American History class? 

               And every time you and your ilk say that you are the original Americans just shut the fuck up because y'all come from immigrants too. And they were here to escape religious persecution in England, and they then used their faith and their manifest destiny to decimate the real original Americans. 

               7) "It can make her strong again." I hate "her" when its used to talk about anything that is not a woman. Especially when the other times Perry says "her" he says shit like "its not HER right to choose". 

TONIGHT'S FORECAST: DARK: Daily Show: 2011 Election: Womb Raider

TONIGHT'S FORECAST: DARK: Daily Show: 2011 Election: Womb Raider: The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c Red Dead Rejection www.thedailyshow.com Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor & Sat...

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Red Dead Rejection
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog The Daily Show on Facebook

My Favorite part is the Womb Raiders part...and the general mockery of nutjobs who don't approve of birth control. "Having an IUD turns women in to mass murderers." Classic.

Overall I am very pleased with the election results, especially in Ohio where I voted on tuesday. I am pleased but frustrated at the same time. People voted against the policies put forward by the candidates they voted for in the midterm elections ! While I agree with the vote this time around, the whole cycle demonstrates what is wrong with the American Political system.

The Policies that we recently voted against did not come as a surprise. They are directly connected with the rhetoric of the elected candidates. If people had voted with their interests in the midterm elections than they would not have had to shoot down SB5 in and the Personhood Amendment.

If we just keep electing back and forth from left to right and don't give either party a chance to actually implement their policies, see results and alter them, then how are we going to progress to a better America ?

Trust In American Government

            Lets talk about the state of politics in this lovely country of ours. Lets talk about the state of our democracy in this melting pot, this leader of the free world.

            For America, democracy has always had specific connotations, yet our political rhetoric has always focused on what democracy is NOT. American democracy is NOT communism. NOT socialism. NOT the Middle East. 

It means hearing the voices of everyone. Except immigrants. Except homosexuals. Except planned parenthood. Except pacifists. Except the 99%

           Is that why we have this inherent fear and distrust in government? A distrust that makes it hard for the government to function? We dont trust them so we impose upon them restrictions and checks and balances so that when one party tries to progress and bring about positive change, they are thwarted and meddled with. Wait, which party is it that likes progress and change? Oh right. Lefties. 

           We see this slow messy policy making as the government being ineffectual and therefore we trust them less. Anyone who tries to get involved and become a politician has to fight incredible odds to make positive change. 

            Its no wonder that people are frustrated ! Its no wonder that we have the Tea Party advocating for smaller federal government ! We dont see the government working ! 

           But seriously, how are we supposed to see results? Try mixing 435 people in the same room, with radically different perspectives, and get them all to agree on what's best for the American People. Thats the House of Representatives. Try mixing almost equal parts Democrats and Republicans and getting a well thought out solution or plan? Thats the Senate. 

         Lets give politicians the benefit of the doubt. Lets assume that they really are bringing the voices of their constituents to the table and they really are fighting for what their constituents need. How are they supposed to succeed in this environment ? 

        We love to blame politicians for all the voices they leave out of their democracy. How much are they to blame ? How much is up to the individual politician in this political climate? 

       Admittedly, we should also ask how much is it fair to let them off the hook? How much can we let them excuse when the majority of them are men, white and in the 1% or at least the 10 %? 

       This is a frustrating situation, and the consequences are even worse. 

What political party is all about small government ? GOP. What political party stands to gain a buttload of support as people trust the government less and less ? The Tea party. What happens if the GOP/Tea Party gain so much support that they start winning elections left and right ?The possibilities are terrifying.

       Basically, if you want women's comprehensive health care, LGBTQ rights, Union rights, sex ed and evolution taught in schools, publicly funded radio, health care, childcare, special education etc. then you need to get on board with Obama, even if you feel a little deflated about him right now. We need to keep SOME democratic presence alive in government, even if the only argument is that he is better than the alternative. 

     Of corse, if you are down with Herman Cain's "Mexican Zapper" and you want to bomb people who support a woman's right to chose, than maybe the GOP is for you. Sorry, that was a exaggerated overgeneralization of this countries right wing. Regardless, I hope you are happy with losing your collective bargaining rights! I hope you dont get sick because damn, you probably will go broke ! I hope you dont have an unwanted pregnancy ! The chances are high, because with the GOP you are less likely to afford birth control, and you will have to jump through incredible hoops if you want an abortion. 

     But, as always, I am a firm believer in everyone expressing their own opinion.

      And, since I dont want to be a hypocrite, I feel compelled to express my opinion and say that if you support the Tea Party and the GOP than you are a huge idiot. I will never forgive you as I watch the country go to shit.  






Click to see pictures 

Pro Union Rally in Columbus

             Maybe I have a warped perception because I grew up in a liberal college town in Massachusetts and now I am attending the super liberal Oberlin College, but SB-5 and the similar pending changes in Wisconsin seem like a huge step backwards. I know conservatives are never big on what I consider progress, but does the November election switch from blue to red really mean that we need to move backwards? So far all the signs I have seen are pointing towards yes, yes we are taking huge steps back to an era where workers had limited rights, before progress made this an area of our countries practices that people were proud of.

            On Tuesday I went to the rally in Columbus to stand in solidarity with the union workers who are facing the SB-5 bill that will eliminate most of their collective bargaining rights. These people are public servants, and yet the government that they work for is ready to strip teachers, firefighters and other public servants of their union rights. SB 5 stands to eliminate collective bargaining rights and gives the government the right to take the reigns without any checks and balances whenever they hit a "fiscal emergency"(which is most likely at government discretion). It also proposes merit pay, again at the government's discretion. At the rally I stood with about 50 Oberlin students, stood alongside firefighters holding signs that said “firefighters should be in charge of their own safety” and teachers with amusing signs that read something along the lines of “fyre the teechers, we don’t nead them!”  There were security guards who simultaneously kept us out of the state house and offered their sympathy for our cause. I was very caught up in the group dynamic. I waved a sign that said “against SB-5” with as much enthusiasm as I could while also chanting, texting updates and taking notes on my surroundings. Some signs were much more amusing than mine, my personal favorite being “off with his head”, directed at Governor John Kasich. There was a homemade “United we Bargain Divided we Beg” sign, a “wall street took the money don’t blame the workers” sign that I found poignant, lots of official red white and blue “stop war on workers” signs, an overwhelming number of “Kill the Bill”, and one family holding an “SB-5 hurts families”. However, the signs were not nearly as motivating as the chants. There was an ongoing “kill the bill” chant to go along with the sign, as well as “What’s Disgusting? Union Busting!”, “The People United Will Never Be Defeated” and my personal favorite, call and response Tell me what democracy looks like? This is what democracy looks like! Show me what democracy looks like? This is what democracy looks like!”

            Overall it was crowded and people were showing lots of enthusiasm but there was not a clearly identified plan or leader. The only time everyone was focused together, truly united chanting “Teddy” was when Ted Strickland took center stage, a.k.a. center steps.  He took hold of the megaphone and articulated what the union workers were looking for; respect. He shouted the message to the state: “Hell no, we wont go”, and ended his speech with a rousing “power to the people.”

 It was the biggest rally/protest at the Ohio state house since 1966, but this rally didn’t have a 60’s vibe.  This was evident in many ways: there was but one musician with a guitar in the entire crowd, no art, and no detectable recreational drug use. This is not a social revolution. At this point we are not even idealistic enough to try to move things forward, it is enough, for now, to keep them from moving in reverse.

I was happy to chant and wave a sign for this cause, even though my emotional connection to labor unions comes 2^nd hand, through the classes I have taken and the books I have read. This bill will not directly effect my life the way that some of the other aspects of progress the conservatives are trying to reverse will.  At one point some Oberlin students entertained the idea of getting arrested for this cause but personally I am not close enough to the issue. It is appropriate and good for us to be there, bringing fresh energy and our opinions to the rally but I know that many students at Oberlin still don’t feel like Ohioans, myself included. I think it is important for us to show where our allegiances lie in a way that allows us to support and follow the lead of the people SB-5 is really effecting, and that is the public servants of Ohio, and the permanent residents.