In order to stay somewhat sane and depression-free, I've been actively trying to stay away from any politics tv and news reading (because I have been severely addicted to it for the past year) while donating and volunteering to go to PA and hopefully OH so that I can focus my outrage into something productive.
But I had a chilling thought today while on the train to work from Harlem with the Post &
Daily News headline screaming in my face. The culture war bullshit is not only polarizing, but it's underscoring a lot of proclivities within the media and perhaps even the culture that we would not like to see as true.
And as a black woman, I would like to say that there have been more instances of racism than sexism with the gender card being used as the overreaching outrage meanwhile it's okay to question his blackness, and whether his working in communities is experience enough because it was in the cities and whether his name is scary enough.
In general, black people as a whole have been watching what's been going on without all out screaming racism because pulling the racism card doesn't do anything positive but instead puts both parties in uncomfortable places.
But if indeed McCain wins off of all of this bullshit, bullshit and lies and distractions, then I fear that there will be a more pervasive gloom over America. Remember, all of this is happening during what can be easily seen as indicators of one of the worse economic times we may see in a long time and certainly in my lifetime.
All of this is depressing. And I am losing hope. Only because I feel that this cast change for the sweeps season (and isn't it? don't they always add some sexiness and a bunch of babies to shows to raise the ratings on tv?) will actually work for those who don't pay attention or would rather pay attention to the things outside of hard issues.
This is not liberal panic, this is me, as an American, as a mother and a daughter who lives in the city in the crosshairs of any possible terrorist attack, who is concerned that nothing good can come from this and America is beginning to rear its ugliest head.
So, yea, I need to step away from the news for a while.
And then I see this and a silver lining starts to peek out from somewhere.
When do we get to act like adults again? When do we leave the name calling and juvenile finger pointing on the playground and get back to class to get anything done?
Also:
Excellent post from
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ninamonkey
