Olbermann says it all.
Woe is Wal-Mart
I saw this list of ten healthiest grocery store chains on the Today show last week. You can view the list HERE. Sadly, the only one of these chains within a reasonable driving distance of my house (20 miles or so) is Target. So what is there to choose from around my house? Wal-Mart, Super 1, Brookshire’s. While I would love to shop somewhere other than Wal-Mart, Brookshire’s and Super 1 are both more expensive, and in the midst of the craptaculous economy, I can’t pay more overall. I splurge on various items for organics of other Earth-friendly products, but, let’s face it, none of the stores in my area are terribly green.
We do have a farmer’s market with a few vendors who sell fresh eggs and fruits/veggies, but it’s a sad turnout most weekends. The most I’ve ever seen were three vendors at a time. It’s enough to get by and get some fresh produce, but again, not much variety. I would loooove to dig into some free range meats, but I’ll have to do a bit more homework before I can pull that off.
How about you? Where do you shop?
Open Letter to Friends I Had in High School…
It’s been a hectic couple of days since the election. I worked, I finished a sizable assignment, I spent half a day at a class, I got sick. I haven’t been able to react here, which means all that commentary sort of got ditched without a conclusion. Although, in truth, there’s won’t be a conclusion for a long time. There’s much more news to follow, appointments to be made, a transition from the Bush administration to the Obama administration.
As I was doing my usual surfing today between bouts of vertigo, I checked on MySpace and Facebook and was heartened to see lots of positive, celebratory comments. Then I started to notice the hateful ones. The comments about Obama being the anti-Christ, impeachment planning, and my favorite was a bulletin titled “F You Obama”–a sarcastic thank you letter to those who voted for him and an assurance that Americans will lose all their civil rights shortly. Most of these comments and scriptures were posted by women (girls?) I went to high school with, and with whom I have little in common anymore. They invite me to drinking parties occasionally, or I run into them in a grocery store, or they pop up in one of my English classes at the college. For the most part we lead different lives, don’t talk, but “see” each other online.
While I admit to loathing and despising the Bush administration, I don’t recall ever calling him the anti-Christ (not out loud anyway) or publicly throwing a hissy fit that involved rampant cursing. I didn’t vote for John McCain and I’m not fond of Sarah Palin (to say the least), but I didn’t call him a Communist or her a whore.
A couple of commentators on some news channel or other were talking about the difference between the people and the politics. That’s something I need to keep in mind, as do many others. I can disagree with someone’s politics without being ugly to them. Instead of writing back to my former girlfriends whose beliefs are so far removed from mine, I came here to talk it out with cyberspace and whomever might drop by. This is the way my unfinished bulletin started:
If you’re thoroughly confused and upset that so many of us could vote for Barack Obama, check out this latest post from Heather B. Armstrong of Dooce.com. In the latter part of this latest letter to her daughter, Leta, she explains what happened in the ’08 presidential election, why it’s important, and what drove her to vote for Obama.
http://dooce.com/2008/11/05/newsletter-month-fifty-seven
Aside from the issues that liberals and conservatives will never agree on, in general what’s wrong with voting for a man that urges Americans to be accountable for their choices, urges us to roll up our shirt sleeves and dive into the job of fixing our problems, is educated, well spoken, calm and collected under pressure? At least let him take office before you plan the impeachment.
Knowing full well that this wouldn’t do any good I decided to just let it go. The point is, I’m sick of hatefulness. It’s hard for me to take these women seriously–who so openly advertise their Christianity–when they’re so willing to spew their filth without so much as a nod toward the reasoning for their political decisions or even an even-tempered discussion of the scripture. I wonder if they ever watched a debate or if they did, whether they listened. I’m not saying they should agree with me, but it would be nice to have a civil conversation at the very least.
Alas, I know it won’t happen, and I know those pods of angry people will exist after any election. At the end of the day I can’t let it put a damper on my own joy and celebration. Politics is hard because it’s directly tied to who we are as people. It is an outward expression of our personal ideologies. I hope this election makes me a better part of the political process–more tolerant, more open, more willing to discuss the issues with those who don’t agree with me.
While I can’t claim to have always been perfect, or even close, in these regards, there comes a time to stand up and talk instead of screaming. I’m glad to say that I’ve had a number of civil, informative, intellectual discussions with McCain supporters throughout the course of this election, and for that I’m grateful. It makes me hopeful that those who are willing to talk are a larger number than those who choose to hate.
One of the many reasons I voted for Obama is that he makes me want to be a better person…to strive to be more responsible, more active in making the world a better place, and increasingly more informed and reasonable. It’s an important lesson and, sadly, one that needs to be continually rediscovered.
What is there to say at this point…
Just watching, waiting, afraid to get too excited. I can’t forget how crushed I was when Gore lost in 2000. Moreso when Kerry bombed in 2004. Democrats have been waiting for a very long time now.
Need wine. Much wine.
What?!!!
Rachel Maddow has a Twitter feed? What what?? Yayyy!!
That’s Not America
Colin Powell says:
Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer is no. That’s not America. Is there something wrong with a seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing he or she could be president? Yet I have heard senior members of my own party drop the suggestion that he is a Muslim and might have an association with terrorists. This is not the way we should be doing it in America.
I feel particularly strong about this because of a picture I saw in a magazine. It was a photo essay about troops who were serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. And one picture at the tail end of this photo essay, was of a mother at Arlington Cemetery and she had her head on the headstone of her son’s grave. And as the picture focused in, you could see the writing on the headstone, and it gave his awards – Purple Heart, Bronze Star – showed that he died in Iraq, gave his date of birth, date of death, he was 20 years old. And then at the very top of the head stone, it didn’t have a Christian cross. It didn’t have a Star of David. It has a crescent and star of the Islamic faith.
And his name was Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan. And he was an American. He was born in New Jersey. He was fourteen years old at the time of 9/11, and he waited until he could serve his country and he gave his life.”
Posted in Politicking
The End of America Movie
This promises to be a provocative documentary based on Naomi Wolf’s The End of America: Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot. Read my review posted at Bibliobuffet. Visit the official website for more clips and release information.
Posted in Politicking
A Sad Day…
It’s a sad day for Barack Obama and those of us who have come to feel acqainted with the grandmother who was such an integral part in his life. Read about Madelyn Dunham’s passing.
Posted in Politicking
Unlikely Activist 