oh happy day

I knew it was coming...I have worked as a volunteer for many months--me and millions of others--to make sure this would happen...and yet....when the cable news network officially declared him the winner, I sat there bawling like a baby! My son thought I had lost my mind..."but Mom, you've been saying for a long time that this would happen!" He doesn't quite get it....his whole life I've told him he could grow up to be anything he wanted...including President....and I always believed this....and yet I cried. I cried because I thought of my step-dad, my dad, my uncles who have passed on. I thought of how bright and talented they were...but they faced limitations in what they could accomplish.....not because they weren't capable...but because of the color of their skin.

For me, this election process has never been about race...I simply am inspired to work for the best candidate America has seen in a long time....but, in that brief instant...when I saw the 'official' status of his nomination....in that instant it hit me just how far we have come as a country....still have a long way to go...but a whole lot closer.

oh happy day!

Americans Will Rise

There is a sadness....or maybe it is shock....among friends and neighbors in my suburban Southern California neighborhood. I see it at the gas station, at the grocery store, at the schools, and at church. It's the unmistakable look of grief.....grief for a 'shop-til-you-drop' lifestyle that has come to an end. We are collectively 'going broke.'

Everywhere I go people speak of worry and anxiety about what the future holds for their families. Many are realizing that the value of their house may drop even more, and they no longer have the equity cushion they had counted on. Some lament their decision to move so far away from their job in search of affordable housing....gas eats up more and more of their monthly income. Others worry about taking care of older relatives, or paying for college tuition.

Yes, in my neighborhood, there is anxiety at every corner and not too many are resting comfortably at night. The truth is--American middle-class lifestyles are changing more rapidly than anyone could have predicted.

And yet, in spite of all we are facing...there is a glimmer of hope as we slowly adapt to our new circumstances. We are staying home more with family and friends--picnics at the park, or a day at the beach, are replacing lavish trips. We are eating in more and taking the time to cook wholesome meals including vegetables (to offset expensive meat.) Some are growing their own fruits and vegetables. More people are using public transportation and WALKING THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL! Kids are taking lunches again instead of eating cafeteria pizza slices every day. Mom and Dad are moving in with the kids, or vice versa, to support each other financially and otherwise.

Yes--in spite of it all....there is good that will come from this...I know it! Americans will rise to the challenges like we always do!

Stay tuned.....

Enemies of the Clintons

Ex-President Bill Clinton is attempting to define the 2008 Democratic nominating process. He seems to have reached the conclusion that the reason his wife - Senator Hillary Clinton - will not be the nominee, is because of the media, moveOn.org, and pressure from the Obama campaign.

These 'enemies' are discussed in a Politico.com article:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10715.html

Mr. Clinton is entitled to his 'version' of the story...and whether or not he really believes what he is saying who knows...however, I do not think Clinton is correct in assigning blame to a vast-left-wing-majority.

Yet, Clinton is right....there were 'enemies' working against his wife. They include the following:

1. Hope -- Yes....hope is 'just a word,' however-- it is what gets us up in the morning! It is what keeps us going in spite of all we are struggling with these days! Barack Obama best addressed the hope of Americans of all races, ages, incomes, and lifestyles. While Senator Clinton also offered hope to millions of supporters....she LOST the hope argument when she was compared to a candidate who remained positive and upbeat, and appealed to our better selves.

2. Judgment -- The decision to go to war in Iraq was one of the most devastating in U.S. History. American losses have been great in terms of lives and resources. Not enough questions were asked prior to the authorization vote -- particularly questions on the concrete objectives of the war and the exit plan. Many believe that Senator Clinton voted to authorize the war because she was more concerned with a future run for office, than doing the right thing. She LOST the judgment argument when she voted to authorize the Iraq war.

3. Fairness -- Senator Clinton reversed her position on the seating of delegates in Florida and Michigan once it became apparent she was losing the delegate fight. She is seen as trying to change the rules in the middle-of-the-game (or at the end of the game.) One senses that her concern is not so much with the delegates of these two states...but, rather with using them in a last-ditch attempt to secure the nomination. Senator Clinton LOST the fairness argument when she accused her opponent and party of trying to suppress votes in Florida and Michigan.
   
   
4. Change -- Many Americans are unhappy with where we are as a country. They see gridlock in Washington, and politicians who are more interested in slinging mud than discussing solutions. We want leaders who will unite us not divide us. Senator Clinton LOST the change argument when she and her husband showed Americans, and Democrats in particular, that she will bring more of the same finger-pointing, divisiveness, and disunity, that we have suffered through for years....to the detriment of progress.

So...these are the real enemies of the Clintons....Hope, Judgment, Fairness, and Change!

Let's tell it like it is and not have to wait for a tell-all book in a few more years!

Lies, Lies, and More Lies, Got Us Into Iraq

The American people were hoodwinked over Iraq...many of us knew this from the beginning!!

My personal opinion is it's not just the Bush Administration that needs to answer for this. How about the journalists who didn't ask the hard questions?? How about the Congress members who not only didn't ask enough questions...but AUTHORIZED the action (I remember Kennedy and Wellstone being the most vocal of the dissenters...and Byrd...where were the others?) How about the evangelicals who were USED by the warmongers to support the President at any cost?

And...what about all the American citizens who were more concerned with buying bigger houses and bigger cars and more toys, and didn't pay enough attention to what was going on at the time?

Goodbye Gouda

Somewhere along the way my kids developed a taste for Gouda cheese. They love it with crackers or by itself. Unfortunately....Gouda is not in my budget these days.

Grocery prices are astronomical now and a trip to the supermarket involves trade-offs I never thought I'd make! We eat a lot more chicken, and I can't remember the last time I bought steaks! I also realize that day-old bread is fine for my family, especially since my kids seem to go through a loaf a day!

So the only cheese I get these days is the sliced American brand, for sandwiches. "Where's the Gouda?" my kids ask. "In the gas tank," I tell them.

Deferred Dreams

"What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore-- and then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over-- like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags like a heavy load

Or does it just explode?"

Langston Hughes

The recent 40^th anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King was a time of reflection for the African-American community and the nation as a whole. Many have speculated on what Dr. King’s thoughts would be on the state of race relations in today’s America. We wonder if he would think we have progressed. Have we made it to the Promised Land that Dr. King so eloquently spoke of the night before his death? Or, have we—like the Old Testament Israelites—wandered aimlessly for forty years?

It is easy to be dismayed when one looks at oft-repeated statistics of African-American incarceration and high school dropout rates. In addition, we still lag in net worth, adequate health care, and home-ownership.

However, we cannot deny that progress has been made in some areas. Today, many African-Americans live in ways unimaginable to their parents and grandparents. We reside in integrated neighborhoods, travel the world, lead corporations, and run for the highest office in the land.

Perhaps Dr. King would remind us of the Israelites whom did not reach the Promised Land because they did not believe it was theirs for the taking. In today’s world, we don’t have to sit in the back of the bus…however, many seem to want to sit in the back of the bus—especially when it comes to education. Too many of our young people today devalue academics although it remains the sure-fire way to opportunity—just as it did forty years ago.

We have to teach our children that there will always be those who will try to put them down because of the color of their skin; however, opportunity exists, and achievement is possible, for those willing to study and work hard.

When a Woman Runs For President

After watching the Iowa debate, my eight-year-old daughter informed me she might decide to run for president one day. She said it nonchalantly, as if there were no question that she, as an African-American female, could someday be a serious contender for the American presidency. I knew this was because of the people she saw on stage during the debate – an African-American man and a female.

We have indeed come a long way in America, and I hope that my own daughter, and little girls of all races, KNOW that they can run for office. They see the possibilities and this is good. I have no doubt that we will one day have a female president…but, when we do, I hope that she wins because she is the best PERSON for the job, and not because she is a woman. I hope this woman rises to the top on her OWN accord, without depending on the record of a spouse, or dad, or brother. I also hope she ‘stands for something’ other than getting elected.

One day we will have a woman candidate for president who reflects the values of the American people, and stands strong on her convictions. We will know her policies because she will tell us. She will be confident, but not smug….strategic, but not crafty….smart, but not condescending. She’s coming! She’s not here yet…but, she’s coming!

I am encouraged by the strength and the confidence I see among the young women and girls of today. Even my own daughter has been known to show her toughness when necessary. Recently, after being picked on by a male classmate at school, she didn’t run crying to the playground supervisor, instead she reminded him, “I have a foot and I’m not afraid to use it!” This is the kind of PERSON I want for president!

It goes without saying, I support Barack Obama for president. Not because he is black, not because he went to Harvard, not because he can dance…but, because he is the BEST PERSON running in terms of intellect, judgment, and character. Also, he “has a foot, and isn’t afraid to use it!”