I've been on vacation with Manthing's family in the Outer Banks, Duck, NC to be more exact.
It was a nice vacation lots of doing nothing in particular. I read, did a little research for an article, some cross-stitching, lots of laying around, kid- wrangling (we have 6 nieces, ages 3 to 12), swimming, movie watching and video game playing.
I also got together with some dear friends also down on vacation for an afternoon of shopping. Manthing and I took a trip to the Aquarium at Roanoke Island , where I delighted in watching the Otters. I got used to nothing in particular, quickly. Photos forthcoming.
But now I am back and I got my Rantipants on.
Last night, I got an e-mail regarding my comment on Twitter about Obama. So far, I haven't made public comment on the DEM Race. I am so fucking glad it's over, I nearly wet myself. But now, it seems more than a little obvious to me that what the American people want (the popular vote) is not what is important here.
I belong to neither party. I see my political leanings as moderate. I vote my conscience, who I believe is the best person for the the job and as a famous Queen once said: "We are not amused".
The choices presented to me suck- big green ones. Obama or McCain: a choice between bad and worse.
There's a lot of talk about Civil Rights and how far we've come, "in just 50 years", now that Obama has enough Dem Delegate votes to win the nomination at the convention. It isn't only that he is inexperienced, Obama's speech/pandering last night was nauseatingly condescending and sickeningly hypocritical. To her credit, Clinton stuck to the topic at hand and thanked everyone who has supported her and continues to do so.
Just as I would not vote for Clinton based solely on her gender, I would not vote for a man or a woman based on their ethnicity. That's right I said ethnicity and not race. To refer to Obama as a different race, is stupid. Despite skin pigmentation and ethnicity differences, he is still a member of the human race is he not?
This Dem nominee race has also seen a little history repeating itself. No matter how things change, they still stay the same.
In 1848 the first Women's Rights Convention was held in Seneca Fall, NY. 68 women and 32 men sign a Declaration of Sentiments, which outlines grievances and sets the agenda for the women's rights movement. A set of 12 resolutions is adopted calling for equal treatment of women and men under the law and voting rights for women.
The Emancipation Proclamation abolished American slavery in 1863.
The 13th Amendment, ratified in 1865, made abolition law and prohibited all forms of slavery.
" Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime where of the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction".
The 15th Amendment, ratified in 1869 gave Black men the right to vote.
Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
Seventy years later, the 19th Amendment, ratified in 1919 gave women the right to vote.
"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."
True enough, it is a historical first that an American woman campaigned for a presidential nomination and it only took 22 years. The first woman to run for "high office" was Ferraro in 1984.
I won't pretend I won't be disappointed if Clinton chooses to become Obama's running mate. In thinking about it, it does take the sting out of a nomination for Obama. If change from the status quo is what we are truly looking for then perhaps, tenatively and cautiously I would be open to voting an Obama/Clinton ticket. Once I quit retching, anyway. Worse than an Obama/Clinton ticket would be a McCain/And Anyone He Picks ticket.
Given how history appears to repeat itself, I wonder if I will see another qualified woman run for and win the office of President of the United States in my lifetime. I sure hope it won't take 81 years to see a qualified woman in the office of the President of the United states.
In case you are interested you can find a pretty comprehensive list of Women Presidents Appointed Heads of state around the world here.
*Note: I used the candidates voting records instead of the usual wiki bios in the links.
***UPDATE***
For those interested:
You can find info about Victoria Woodhull here.
Info about Margaret Chase Smith can be found here.
Info about Shirley Chisholm can be found here.
