Peace

Friends:

Robin's father died today, and I will be on the road, away from computers, for the next 5 days or so. In my absence, please explain to me why we have a president who is supporting an amendment to enshrine discrimination in our constitution, while we cannot get the Equal Rights Amendment passed. Please explain to me why the Democrats are going to have oxymoronic "free speech zones" set up for their convention. Please explain to me why Colin Powell has lied so brazenly to us and the rest of the world, and why his son is supporting the monopolization of the media. Where are we going in this handbasket?

Missouri Governor's race

It's going to be an interesting year in Missouri. One reading of the tea leaves shows Blunt beating McCaskill 51/49. If that happens, you'll hear insurance companies popping champagne corks while the most horribly injured victims of negligence will go without adequate compensation.

Women, Race & Kansas City

I had the opportunity this morning to attend a breakfast at which Sherry Lamb Schirmer, the author of A City Divided: The Racial Landscape of Kansas City, 1900-1960 delivered a sobering speech about how deeply race has divided our city, and how much the tradition of "Kansas City nice" has kept race from being addressed directly in our conversations. Duke Ellington was arrested in this city for riding in a convertible with a lighter-skinned woman. If a black man was seen by the police with a lighter-skinned woman, it was common for them to be brought into the police station for a "fingernail check", on the theory that black women do not have a halfmoon of white at the base of their fingernail. (Is this true? I've never heard of that, or noticed it.)

What is shocking to me is how recent this is. Ruth Margolin was at the breakfast, and spoke of needing to seek out opportunities for her children to interact with other races. During the lifetime of my parents, prostitution was shut down in the downtown red light district, but was allowed to flourish in the black areas, including the vicinity of Lincoln High School.

Colin Powell on Bush's Service

While not speaking directly about his boss, Colin Powell had this to say about silver-spoon kids who weaseled their way into the National Guard:
"I am angry that so many of the sons of the powerful and well-placed... managed to wangle slots in Reserve and National Guard units...Of the many tragedies of Vietnam, this raw class discrimination strikes me as the most damaging to the ideal that all Americans are created equal and owe equal allegiance to their country." Via the ever-entertaining This Modern World.
Hey, he said it, don't go blaming me!

Bush Kerry Debate Digest

Here is a Reader' Digest version of the yet-to-be-held debate between Bush and Kerry. It's enjoyable, in a darkly comic way, from either side of the aisle. Link corrected - sorry!

Homebrew Club

Went to a meeting of the Kansas City Bier Meisters on Friday evening. Got to taste a wide range of commercial beers and homebrew, and listen to an informal talk on the process of lagering. This a friendly, knowledgeable group of people having fun with a great hobby - contact me or go to the website if you're interested in joining or learning more.

Gay Marriage

I have hesitated to post on this issue, because I have so little to add to the discussion. I honestly don't understand the right wing's perspective on this, so I can't respond. How is it that allowing a gay couple to wed harms the institution of marriage, or a straight couple's marriage? I don't ask that question in a tone of incredulous indignation - if someone can explain it to me, I would love to know your perspective. I probably won't agree with it, but I'd love to at least be able to respond.

The only argument that makes even a modicum of sense to me is that if we allow this form of non-traditional marriage, we may be called upon to allow other forms, as well. Polygamy, incest, bestiality, etc., they argue, will follow. (Some leftists claim that articulating this position amounts to equating homosexuality with these other forms of sexual behavior. I don't think that's fair. To acknowledge that other non-traditional relationships exist does not equate them.) My rejection of this argument is two-fold, though. First, if that's really your concern, then why aren't you supporting a definition of marriage allowing two unrelated consenting adult human beings to marry? Second, and more radically, so what?

I attempted to write a humorous piece about a couple that broke up because a gay couple moved in next door, and the wife saw that both parties to a marriage could be treated as equals, and males are able to do all household chores. Ultimately, though, it was just a play on stereotypes. In fact, many of us live in marriages where household chores are divided (though imperfectly, I confess!). Also, let's not glorify gay relationships. Gay couples, just like straight couples, face stress, infidelity, inequality, and even domestic violence. They're just people, struggling to get by in this world. If society can make their lives a little more joyful by allowing them to marry, then let's toss some rice.

O'Reilly Apologizes

It appears I owe Mr. O'Reilly an apology, since he has issued his own apology. He gave the Bush administration the benefit of the doubt on WMDs, he says, and now regrets it. Does anybody still think Bush is invincible in the November?

This is NOT America, is it?

An activist group asked a federal court Monday to block a judge's subpoena ordering Drake University to turn over names of its local members and others who took part in an anti-war gathering.

The judge's subpoena, linked to a grand jury probe, seeks records relating to the Drake chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, including names of officers. It also orders the university to turn over records about a Nov. 15 forum for anti-war activists.

The Budget in Oreo Cookies

Ben Cohen, of Ben & Jerry's fame, explains the budget in terms of Oreo cookies. Simplistic? Perhaps, but watch the movie and see what you think. (Link corrected - Sorry!)

Kerry & Edwards observed

My son, Sam, is a senior in high school. At 18, he has a political awareness and sophistication I didn't achieve until, umm, well, sometime after I was 18. This past Saturday, he saw Kerry speak in the morning and Edwards speak in the evening. I asked him to write up his thoughts, and here's what he has to say:

Kerry's event was much more of an event than Edwards', first of all. Kerry blocked us off into a small area of the ballroom, so that while many weren't able to actually see the event, those who could were packed together and were very much a sea of bodies. Thus, the photos from Kerry's event look like they're in the middle of a huge political event instead of the mid-sized early morning rally it was.

That's the main impression I took away from Kerry - he's a politician, and a damn good one. He played to the crowd, he went left-center-right and back again on the stage (literally, not politically (for the most part)), and he showed knowledge of those who introduced him and where he was. People yelled "give 'em hell, Kerry" and he instantly responded, "well, what Truman said to that is 'I tell them the truth and they think it's hell.'" Cue applause.

Kerry did have an impressive set of people to introduce him (although Barnes was the first to take the stage, to snickers), and they really led up to his speech well. They talked a little about the issues and a lot about electability. They did talk about the war, which was Kerry's undoubtable strength, and one that will likely only do him more good as time goes by. He really did work the war well - his basic statement, that he supported the war in theory and as a possibility, but that Bush's drive for war was what is responsible for the problems, and that war should only be used when fully justified, etc, etc. In summation, about the war, he:

1. Made it Bush's fault
2. Came across strong on terror
3. Didn't leave any room open for unamerican attacks.

Which was good. He really did that well. His domestic programs didn't impress me as much as Edwards did, but that could have been because they were so consciously realistic - "20% alternative energy by 2020", for one. He knows not to promise the ridiculous, and he also knew that this crowd was excited just to hear things like "alternative energy" and "health care" from a politician. It'll be interesting if he's the candidate whether the new Gallup results bode well or not. It seems like he should be able to convince people of his stands on the issues when he gets the chance - but... Who knows.

One last thing - if the "too smart" thing is what one of Kerry's big problems is, this appearance didn't do much to worry me. He's smart, but he's too good of a politician to come off wrong.

Edwards, on the other hand - in a bad venue, with much less "name" support (although a crowd that might have been bigger), and with several obvious problems with his speech... Just was more enjoyable. He didn't do anything astounding, just did a stump speech. The biggest things I really had to say about him right afterwards were (of course) the negative things - how could he not mention the war?

I guess that's the real question of the Edwards campaign - will the positivity / "two Americas" / "this is what WE're gonna do" (something he said often) really work? Is electability key? And how exactly did he come out of nowhere in Iowa?

For me, I think a lot of it was explained by seeing him. After four years of Bush, this is the President we want - a President who's unapologetically enthusiastic, who is not only a firm believer in American primacy but someone who realizes America's issues and the problems we face. His ideas aren't particularly new or surprising, and definitely along the same areas as Kerry's.

Here's what I thought above all after seeing both - Either one could make a great President or Vice President, and either one could defeat Bush.