in my very firstpresidential election! (I was 17 days too young last time!)
Obviously, you guys know who I voted for. It goes without saying. I also voted yes for Maryland to allow for early voting and no on slots! Yay me! I got to the polls around 6:40am and was out near 7:30 eventhough the lines were crucially long. Then my mom took me to get a presidential breakfast.
Yep, you can't get more patriotic than McDonald's!!! LoL! (Side note: My hash browns were extra greasy.) (Other side note: I always get a sausage biscuit with cheese and put strawberry jelly on it... My mom thinks that is the grossest/weirdest shit ever. What do you think???) Anyway guys, I hope all of you that are registered to vote get out there and vote if you haven't already. I am so sick right now and I still got my butt out there. I don't want to hear the my vote doesn't matter shtick either! I live in MD, we're going for 08AMA, I know my one vote didn't put it over the edge but there are other issues to vote on and then there's the whole people died for your right thing. Anywho... Enjoy this moving, powerful, and completely appropriate video from Miri Ben-Ari. (Last side note: I was very upset to learn about the passing of President 08ama's grandmother just hours before he makes history.)
"Symphony of Brotherhood" - Miri Ben-Ari feat. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Disclaimer: I want to write this disclaimer now while I am of sound mind and body, before any of the emotions that have been building up since Barack Obama announced that he was running for president cripple me. I want it to be clear that I don't write this to offend anyone, to generalize, to make assumptions, to appear racist, or to lose friends. I write this because I want to say my piece on this tiresome election and say no more ever again until after Nov. 4. I will even do my best not to comment back to those who comment. It is my hope that I cover everything I want or need to say in the following statements.
I am tired of this election. It makes me sick. The appalling behavior of people is not shocking, just disheartening. The racist attacks are depressing. I particularly get upset at all the accusations over Barack Obama being a secret Muslim and that meaning he's a terrorist. This is offensive on so many levels. I don't have the time or patience to run through every single disgusting thing that has occurred recently but I am so fed up. I personally know friendships are falling apart at the seams because people refuse to respect each other. It was easy to pretend that the feelings didn't exist, that racism was not a problem until the catalyst. This audacious (half) black man thinks he can be president. It is extraordinarily interesting to me that I can recall how quick many white people were to constantly remind us black people that Barack Obama half-way belonged to them. I remember feeling the implications (before he decided to run, back when he was just the enigmatic Senator from Iowa) from these people; he's so good because he's half white. Maybe I should explain that. Some (not all or most) white people would feel the need to point out that his mother is white every time a black person seemed too proud of this black man. It would seem that these same white people don't want him anymore because he has stepped over the boundaries that they set for him. I noticed this when he decided to run for president. Some of these same people who thought he was the sweetest breath of fresh air in 2004 had the hateful things to say about him in 2007. I let it go though. As a black person, you learn which battles to pick and choose. It is especially difficult for me. Growing up surrounded by faces that do not reflect your own, you learn quickly that you don't want to be the girl or boy who calls everything "racist" even when it is racist. Even as I write these words, I think of the accusations. You're the racist because you think anyone who doesn't like Barack Obama is racist. This is simply untrue.
I find it interesting that if I generalized and said all white people are racists (because there are so many that are) I would be harshly attacked and criticized for my words. It is apparently, however, an acceptable generalization to say that all black people are voting for Barack Obama. Most people do not jump at that. Even more, it is apparently okay to assume that if you are black and voting for Barack Obama it is because you are black. The last time I checked black people were in the minority so I would gather that non-black people would have to vote for Barack Obama for him to become the Democratic nominee. Why does no one seem to accuse non-black people of voting for Senator Obama because he is black? Why does no one seem to want to talk about the large group of people who won't vote for him because he is black? Why can't it be that most black people are democrats? He is, after all, the democratic nominee. I don't know that Condoleeza Rice could have had this following from black people. I seriously doubt Alan Keyes could have. I know for a fact Michael Steele did not fair well with black people in Maryland when he ran for Senate. Why assume that black people are not capable of voting on the issues just like you are? Parade all the videos you want in front of me about black people who don't know the issues; I don't care. That does not represent black people as a whole but of course you choose to think it does. It is easy to think ill of the people you named a word that means ignorant. "I wish these ignorant people wouldn't vote." You say this and you're only referring to black people who you think are voting for the wrong reasons. Why don't you just say what you mean? "I wish these niggers wouldn't vote." I move away from that. I move away from the collective you. It's starting to sound like I mean all white people and I don't. This goes out to anyone with these feelings. Especially, black people with these feelings. You are not better than me black Republican because you are voting for John McCain. You are not smarter than me. You are not more enlightened. You are not special. You are not different. Most of the time you just sound desperate to separate yourself from "us." No, I don't feel this way about all black Republicans but most that I come across, yes.
As for me personally, I was not sold on Barack Obama - well, I am still not fully sold on Barack Obama. I guess I like him about as much as I can like a politician. I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure I like Michelle Obama more than I like Barack Obama. When he announced he was running my feelings were mixed. I was very pro Hillary but happy for Barack. I thought he would make a nice vice-president. I had no intentions of voting for him in the primaries until... Hillary lost it for me. Her behavior, I won't get into specifics, turned me off. Most people didn't know I was initially for Hillary because they assumed. Yes, I always liked Barack Obama but I did not always plan to vote for him. It was assumed by Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Green party members, etc. that I was for Barack Obama. Why is that? Simply because we're both black. I didn't know who to vote for when our primary rolled around so I just voted for Barack just because. I didn't vote for him because he is black. I feel my gender more than I feel my race daily so if that were the case I would have voted for Hillary. I just couldn't not vote for someone. I am black and I am a woman. Too many people died, too much blood shed, too many tears, too much went on for me to have the right to vote. I will never not vote no matter how much I don't like the options. So this is the truth of the matter. I'm not a Republican. I'm not a whole hearted Democrat. I'm not anything. I don't like John McCain or Sarah Palin. I didn't pay attention to the other parties candidates. So It's Obama/Biden. My truth is the truth for a lot of people. Vote for the one you dislike the least. Yes, Barack Obama is handsome and a wonderful public speaker but I'm voting for him because he's the best option I have. Not voting is not an option to me so this is it. If I wanted to vote on race or gender or something I'd vote for the Green Party candidate - I mean, she's black and a woman! Two for one! To be honest, I constantly fret over how well Obama will do. I am completely confident he'd do much better than McCain but the odds are stacked against him since the country is already going to shit and he hasn't even made it to office yet. I worry that the job is nearly impossible, our downfall inevitable. I worry that he will become the scapegoat and we will never again have another black president.
But I know, some of you are still not convinced. You are convinced if Barack Obama had the same platform as John McCain I'd still vote for him. You make these assumptions simply because I am black. I've already told you how wrong you are but you will still believe it. So, now I ask you to look at it from another angle. I know I am asking too much of some of you when I ask you to try to see it from a different point of view. What if I were voting for Barack Obama just because he is black? What if every single black person in the country only voted for Barack Obama because he is black? So what? Unfortunately, people have the right to vote for whomever they choose and the reasoning can be as trivial as they'd like. But, race is not trivial. Especially not to those older than I. Those who remember segregation. My mother was born in 1954, the same year as Brown v. The Board of Education. Explain to me then why it was not until she was already in high school that the schools in Tangipahoa Parish, LA were desegregated. She remembers. This fair chance for a black man means something to her. Even if she weren't voting for him, she would be in awe that he made it this far. Can you imagine what it means to her to be able to vote for him after she has spent her whole adult life voting for white men and women. This is her youngest child's first presidential election (I was 17 days too young in 2004) and I will be able to vote for a black candidate. Can you imagine what that means to a black woman raised in the south during the civil rights era? Can you? I think back to Michelle Obama's now infamous statement about how for the first time she felt really proud of her country. So many jumped at the chance to call her un-American. I hate to break it to you but this is the reality for those unfairly handed second class citizenship status. I have still not seen a reason to be truly proud of my country. I refuse to feel ashamed of black people who only are only voting for Barack Obama because he black. Like I already said, it is no more than the white people (and other non-black people) not voting for Obama because he black. Besides, haven't white people always voted for white people because they were white? White men specifically? Isn't that why a black candidate and a female candidate never had a chance until this year? Or am I not supposed to point that out?
With all this being said, I just want everyone to vote - Period. I don't care who you vote for and all I ask is that you extend me the same courtesy. On the other hand, if Barack Obama doesn't win I will have no choice but to feel that it were not his merits and credibility that lost it for him. I will believe it to be something more sinister and evil. I will believe it to be racism. You don't have to agree with me, I'm not asking you to. I'm just being honest. I wish I could believe it to be his political stance but I can't delude myself. I can see. I also fear his victory. I fear people will think racism doesn't exist here anymore because we have a black president. Racism will still be here no matter who wins.
On Nov. 4, 2008, I will vote for Barack Obama. I know that no one is shocked. Your reasons for being not shocked depend on your character. If you choose to think ill of my decision and want to continue to assume it's based on race then more power to you. I do not wish to discuss this further. If you are offended and hate me now. Feel free to never speak to me again. Delete me off Facebook, MySpace, delete my number, etc. I don't want to lose friends over this madness but I'm always going to be black so if that's the kind of person you are it will come up again later in life so let's get it out the way now. This does not mean if you are a McCain supporter I don't want to be your friend. I mean if you think less of me because I'm not one or you question my intelligence (meaning you think I'd vote for someone just because they're black) then I don't want to be your friend anyway. I think voting for John McCain is incredibly stupid but I'm trying to respect that everyone doesn't think the way I do, can I have the same in return? I don't think that's too much to ask.
Also, I can understand if you are a John McCain supporter who won't like me anymore because you will wonder if I think you are secretly a racist. I can answer that, I don't unless you have given me some reason to feel that way.
(Saw this a couple days ago... It came to my mind again so I decided to post it this time. Thanks Jinnelle.)
For those who still can’t grasp the concept of white privilege, or who are constantly looking for some easy-to-understand examples of it, perhaps this list will help.
White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin and everyone is quick to insist that your life and that of your family is a personal matter, and that no one has a right to judge you or your parents, because "every family has challenges," even as black and Latino families with similar "challenges" are regularly typified as irresponsible, pathological and arbiters of social decay.
White privilege is when you can call yourself a "fuckin’ redneck," like Bristol Palin’s boyfriend does, and talk about how if anyone messes with you, you'll "kick their fuckin' ass," and talk about how you like to "shoot shit" for fun, and still be viewed as a responsible, all-American boy (and a great son-in-law to be) rather than a thug.
White privilege is when you can attend four different colleges in six years like Sarah Palin did (one of which you basically failed out of, then returned to after making up some coursework at a community college), and no one questions your intelligence or commitment to achievement, whereas a person of color who did this would be viewed as unfit for college, and probably someone who only got in in the first place because of affirmative action.
White privilege is when you can claim that being mayor of a town smaller than most medium-sized colleges, and then Governor of a state with about the same number of people as the lower fifth of the island of Manhattan, makes you ready to potentially be president, and people don’t all piss on themselves with laughter, while being a black U.S. Senator, two-term state Senator, and constitutional law scholar, means you’re "untested."
White privilege is being able to say that you support the words "under God" in the pledge of allegiance because "if it was good enough for the founding fathers, it’s good enough for me," and not be immediately disqualified from holding office--since, after all, the pledge was written in the late 1800s and the "under God" part wasn’t added until the 1950s--while believing that reading accused criminals and terrorists their rights (because, ya know, the Constitution, which you used to teach at a prestigious law school requires it), is a dangerous and silly idea only supported by mushy liberals.
White privilege is being able to be a gun enthusiast and not make people immediately scared of you. White privilege is being able to have a husband who was a member of an extremist political party that wants your state to secede from the Union, and whose motto was "Alaska first," and no one questions your patriotism or that of your family, while if you're black and your spouse merely fails to come to a 9/11 memorial so she can be home with her kids on the first day of school, people immediately think she’s being disrespectful.
White privilege is being able to make fun of community organizers and the work they do--like, among other things, fight for the right of women to vote, or for civil rights, or the 8-hour workday, or an end to child labor--and people think you’re being pithy and tough, but if you merely question the experience of a small town mayor and 18-month governor with no foreign policy expertise beyond a class she took in college--you’re somehow being mean, or even sexist.
White privilege is being able to convince white women who don’t even agree with you on any substantive issue to vote for you and your running mate anyway, because all of a sudden your presence on the ticket has inspired confidence in these same white women, and made them give your party a "second look."
White privilege is being able to fire people who didn’t support your political campaigns and not be accused of abusing your power or being a typical politician who engages in favoritism, while being black and merely knowing some folks from the old-line political machines in Chicago means you must be corrupt.
White privilege is being able to attend churches over the years whose pastors say that people who voted for John Kerry or merely criticize George W. Bush are going to hell, and that the U.S. is an explicitly Christian nation and the job of Christians is to bring Christian theological principles into government, and who bring in speakers who say the conflict in the Middle East is God’s punishment on Jews for rejecting Jesus, and everyone can still think you’re just a good church-going Christian, but if you’re black and friends with a black pastor who has noted (as have Colin Powell and the U.S. Department of Defense) that terrorist attacks are often the result of U.S. foreign policy and who talks about the history of racism and its effect on black people, you’re an extremist who probably hates America.
White privilege is not knowing what the Bush Doctrine is when asked by a reporter, and then people get angry at the reporter for asking you such a "trick question," while being black and merely refusing to give one-word answers to the queries of Bill O’Reilly means you’re dodging the question, or trying to seem overly intellectual and nuanced.
White privilege is being able to claim your experience as a POW has anything at all to do with your fitness for president, while being black and experiencing racism is, as Sarah Palin has referred to it, a "light" burden.
And finally, white privilege is the only thing that could possibly allow someone to become president when he has voted with George W. Bush 90 percent of the time, even as unemployment is skyrocketing, people are losing their homes, inflation is rising, and the U.S. is increasingly isolated from world opinion, just because white voters aren’t sure about that whole "change" thing. Ya know, it’s just too vague and ill-defined, unlike, say, four more years of the same, which is very concrete and certain.
White privilege is, in short, the problem.
-Tim Wise (anti-racist activist and writer; author of White Like Me: Reflections on Race From a Privileged Son)
I was going to update my blog on some other topic and I may still do that later but I had to share with you part of the reasoning I often miss writing in my own blog...
The reason is, I am too busy over at the The Black Snob salivating over her words and rejoicing in the fact that she's like me, only older, smarter, and wiser. I love to write, sort of... But I don't like to try at it. I almost want to reject being good at it. When I read her posts, I am reminded of when I would be assigned a topic in some class that I really wanted to talk about and I would show out. I would be the example that the professor uses for the other students when he/she eventually tells them all that they need to re-write their papers. This is what yours should have looked like. The thing is, The BlackSnob is always a step above the rest. I read a lot of blogs but I am fickle and I get tired of themes and concepts very easily but never with her. I think I have a crush on her blog. I am permanently on the lookout for what she has to say about everything. I concede on topics I know I will never be able to touch on like her.
I guess I should say what prompted me to write this... She has written a piece on the perceived elitism (or uppity negroism) or Obama that is a must read. I'm sure most people who read my danish at least know of The Black Snob but for those of you who don't or those of you who have clicked and only skimmed, I am letting you know what you are missing. The Black Snob, or Ms. Danielle Belton, is exactly what the world doesn't want you to know that people like me can be. Black women can express their opinions without being angry, we can admit our flaws, we can be superficial, funny, insightful, creative, and more. You cannot pigeonhole us forever. We come in variety packs.
Anyway, please click any of the links and enjoy. She also does a lot of her own art for the blog too. Talent.
I would like to give say BIG UPS to Oregon because they said HELL NO to Hillary Clintron! Please enjoy this pointless post brought to you by lazy Google Image searches, Wikipedia, and Currah.
University of Portland (Cara's School) - PURPLE PRIDE WHAT! Focus The Nation in Portland. Somewhere in Portland. Gay Pride in Portland. Random pics (from Currah) of Portland. I LOVE THIS FACE. ♥You Currah Currah drankin a beer. Cuteness in Oregon. Clark Gable (a famous Oregonian) is a hot piece. Tragic FigureTonya Harding (Famous Oregonian)
JUST REMEMBER: THEY DIDN'T LIKE KING IN 1967! THEY DIDN'T LIKE MALCOLM IN 1968! THEY DIDN'T LIKE FANNIE LOU IN '72! THEY DIDN'T LIKE NELSON IN '88! THEY DIDN'T LIKE JESUS, NO MATTER THE DATE! THE WORLD STILL TAKES HIM OUT OF CONTEXT! -Rev. Wendell Anthony
He has hate speech, listen to how bombastic he is.
Linguists knew that nobody in here speaks English but only black children 50 years ago were singled out as speaking bad English.
The nation's oldest civil rights organization has changed America's history. "Despite violence, intimidation, and hostile government policies, the NAACP and its grassroots membership have persevered." Now, somebody, please tell the Oakland County Executive that that sentence starting with the words, "Despite violence, intimidation, and hostile government policies" is a direct quotation from the NAACP's Profile in Courage. It didn't come from Jeremiah Wright. Otherwise, he will attribute the quote to me and continue to say that I am one of the most divisive people he has ever heard speak when he's never heard me speak! And just to help him out - I am not one of the most divisive, tell him the word is descriptive. I describe the conditions in this country. Conditions divide, not my descriptions. Somebody say, "Amen!" If you can't say, "Amen," you're too mad, just say, "Ouch!"
Many of us are committed to changing how see others who are different (number 1) and many of us are committed to changing how we see ourselves (number 2). Not inferior to, or superior to, just different from other. Embracing our own histories, embracing our own cultures, embracing our own languages, as we embrace others who are also made in the image of God.
You could have been so much more. You could have ended this all. You could have saved us from evil... But you chose not to. Now... Who knows how long this will go on? Who knows how long we will all suffer the slings and arrows of this bullshit election that will provide us with no real change and will bring forth a surge in apathy.
Let me be clear, unlike a lot of people, I never really hated Hillary Clinton before this primary season/election/whatever. I was not a 100% supporter of Obama, initially. To be honest, the more I hate her the more I'm for him but lately I just don't know.
I have had my own conspiracies from the start... I didn't want to but the thoughts floated through my brain. I figured they'd misconstrue/miscount/mishandle votes and then there were the assassination theories. I've gone another way. I think something is brewing here they're all in on it... Even you Obama. I haven't yet worked out what their angle is but here is what I'm thinking...
Obama was never supposed to do as well as he was doing. They wanted him to get the nomination but not with the tremendous amount of support that was beginning to build up for him. They didn't want him to have such a big chance to beat McCain.
To deal with this blow to their plan, Clinton went into outrageous attack mode. This was semi-working but it wasn't good enough because he still was doing well.
Then it's Obama's turn... Stupid little mistakes here and there. Doing/saying little things to crack away at his solid campaign.
Hillary Clinton will not win the nomination but Barack Obama will not win the presidential election.
John McCain will be the next president but for how long???
This is where I wonder should we watch for McCain's VP nominee. What if McCain's old ass dies/becomes ill and the VP takes over??? Will the VP be some evil Cheney style character? In my brain... Probably.
...Or, is Hillary Clinton only staying in to sabotage Barack Obama so that he definitely loses and four years from now she can be in this same position only winning heavily on the underlying mantra of, "I told you so."
I'm not sure what to think but this whole situation just seems fishy to me. I'm mad and I don't know who to be mad at so tonight I focus my anger on the state of Pennsylvania because I truly believe that tonight, they could have ended some of this madness. All it would have taken was for 5%-6% more of you to vote for Barack Obama. But who knows? Maybe y'all did? *Sigh*
Making Moves
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http://thatdarnjasmine.tumblr.com/
http://thatdarnjasmine.tumblr.com/
http://thatdarnjasmine.tumblr.com/
http://thatdarnjasmine.tumblr.com/
I did it.
Drake – Best I Ever Had
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To be clear, I love Drake. I’ve loved Drake for some time now. I even loved
that fool with the baby fro on Degrassi – Wheelchair Jimmy Before the
wheelchai...
I go by my real name now but you may have known me as J'amour Amethyst Stefani Faux or The New Lisa Turtle. I'm still a suburban gangster. I still would like to start a brand of condoms called "Optimus Prime." I hope you enjoy reading my strudel. :)
in my very first presidential election! (I was 17 days too young last time!)
Yep, you can't get more patriotic than McDonald's!!! LoL! (Side note: My hash browns were extra greasy.) (Other side note: I always get a sausage biscuit with cheese and put strawberry jelly on it... My mom thinks that is the grossest/weirdest shit ever. What do you think???) Anyway guys, I hope all of you that are registered to vote get out there and vote if you haven't already. I am so sick right now and I still got my butt out there. I don't want to hear the my vote doesn't matter shtick either! I live in MD, we're going for 08AMA, I know my one vote didn't put it over the edge but there are other issues to vote on and then there's the whole people died for your right thing. Anywho... Enjoy this moving, powerful, and completely appropriate video from Miri Ben-Ari. (Last side note: I was very upset to learn about the passing of President 08ama's grandmother just hours before he makes history.)
Happy Voting!
