She tried, but he beat her, and beat her righteous!
6/7/08
It's Over!
Well, Hillary suspended her campaign today, finally. She did not release her delegates. She did not even get to the suspension till near the end of her speech. I cannot believe the whole thing went on this long, and still some want to pin some of the blame for the unseemliness on Obama. I don't see it. The sexism, I don't see it. Misogyny, again, don't see it. Unless you mean Glenn Beck, or Rush or O'Reilly, I just didn't see it. Sure Chris Matthews says stuff that could be considered, well, ill advised, but he's not sexist. Nor is Olbermann. But they get the feminist heat all right!
Shakesville is one site that refused to engage in anything but ad-hominem attacks. They claim the mantle of the LBGT community, preaching tolerance. Go look at the comments on some of the Obama v Clinton threads. Disgusting.
Should we associate Clinton with Shakesville? No, we should not. But, identity politics is the way we roll in America, for the next few months anyway. Here's hoping we get out of our identified funk, come together as the totally funky party, and funk McCain into oblivion (you know, beat him in November)!
Shakesville is one site that refused to engage in anything but ad-hominem attacks. They claim the mantle of the LBGT community, preaching tolerance. Go look at the comments on some of the Obama v Clinton threads. Disgusting.
Should we associate Clinton with Shakesville? No, we should not. But, identity politics is the way we roll in America, for the next few months anyway. Here's hoping we get out of our identified funk, come together as the totally funky party, and funk McCain into oblivion (you know, beat him in November)!
6/4/08
The New White House
In my lifetime, I never expected to see this, nor did I expect to expect what I am pretty sure is coming. I am very excited, and proud. Look at what America just did! I told my students to watch the news last night because something historic was going to happen. I was right. I am hopeful.
What Does She Want?
Who knows what is going on in her head. Her speech last night was missing an important statement: "Congratulations Barack on your historic nomination. I will be here to work and fight for you. It has been an honor to run against you, and if I had to lose to anyone, I am glad it was you" or something like that. But, no. What we got, and then heard from Lanny Davis on CNN (I saw it with my eyes, no link) was the distinct possibility that she will take this to the convention.
Disgusting! Pompous! Arrogant! Divisive! How could she?!
Well, if she has shown us anything, it is that she can do whatever is in her interest, no matter what. So many Clinton supporters have said "Don't worry, we will come together" and "Why not let her fight on? She has every right!" Yes, I suppose she does. But doesn't she have a responsibility to the party and the country? Is it really all about her 18 million supporters, and not about his 18 million supporters? Oh, and HE WON! Jeebus!
She will not be VP. She shouldn't be. She is allowing her supporters, and using their mantle, to hold the party hostage by claiming misogyny. What a pile! Sure, there has been sexism, racism, ageism, mixed racism, shrillism, coolism, and I don't know how many other isms. But Barack Obama won the nomination, and he will be president--unless Hillary doesn't see it that way.......stay tuned!
Disgusting! Pompous! Arrogant! Divisive! How could she?!
Well, if she has shown us anything, it is that she can do whatever is in her interest, no matter what. So many Clinton supporters have said "Don't worry, we will come together" and "Why not let her fight on? She has every right!" Yes, I suppose she does. But doesn't she have a responsibility to the party and the country? Is it really all about her 18 million supporters, and not about his 18 million supporters? Oh, and HE WON! Jeebus!
She will not be VP. She shouldn't be. She is allowing her supporters, and using their mantle, to hold the party hostage by claiming misogyny. What a pile! Sure, there has been sexism, racism, ageism, mixed racism, shrillism, coolism, and I don't know how many other isms. But Barack Obama won the nomination, and he will be president--unless Hillary doesn't see it that way.......stay tuned!
6/1/08
Playground Supervision: Who Needs It?
Every elementary school playground I have ever seen needs better supervision, on a couple levels at least.
First, school is a place for kids to engage with each other socially. In fact, I suggest that socialization is one of the most important aspects of school. Children need time and experiences to help integrate into the real world. Of the most important socialization experiences is the playground.
On the playground kids learn to share, take turns, accept a loss, be gracious in a win....WAIT A MINUTE! Do they really learn this stuff on the playground? Is is through osmosis, or guided instruction? Is it teacher led or a kid free-for-all? Or are there underpaid, under-qualified "yard supervisors", sitting on their asses, talking on their cell phones? Well, no matter what the configuration of your school yard, you can be sure there is not enough supervision.
First, school is a place for kids to engage with each other socially. In fact, I suggest that socialization is one of the most important aspects of school. Children need time and experiences to help integrate into the real world. Of the most important socialization experiences is the playground.
On the playground kids learn to share, take turns, accept a loss, be gracious in a win....WAIT A MINUTE! Do they really learn this stuff on the playground? Is is through osmosis, or guided instruction? Is it teacher led or a kid free-for-all? Or are there underpaid, under-qualified "yard supervisors", sitting on their asses, talking on their cell phones? Well, no matter what the configuration of your school yard, you can be sure there is not enough supervision.
- Teachers should supervise the yard.
- There should be hard and fast rules of conduct on the yard that are enforced religiously (I am an atheist, but its a great word).
- There should be organized games for the kids that need more organization.
- Rules of the games should be made explicit, and changing them should have a process.
- Bullying.
- Inappropriate play.
- Fighting (an emulation of our fabulously selfish sports heroes)
- Horrible language.
- Segregation.
- Loneliness.
Clinton And Reality
So, the Rules committee gave half a vote to the delegates from MI and FL. Forget about the minutiae, the details. All you need to know is that Harold Ickes basically made a promise to take this to the convention. What a tool!
Clinton supporters at the meeting interrupted about 4000 times. They yelled, were disrespectful, and an embarrassment. Obama supporters, if there were any there, remained quiet and attentive, and always respectful, like their candidate.
The accusations of sexism and mysogyny, along with tacit approval by the Clinton camp of all sugestions that Obama might be a Muslim, or might not be ready to be CIC, are biting the party in the collective ass.
Please Hillary, stop your campaign, apologize for your attempted theft of the election (since you couldn't buy it) and let the rest of the party, and country, get on with our lives.
This is what we should all be scared of: talk about angry!
Clinton supporters at the meeting interrupted about 4000 times. They yelled, were disrespectful, and an embarrassment. Obama supporters, if there were any there, remained quiet and attentive, and always respectful, like their candidate.
The accusations of sexism and mysogyny, along with tacit approval by the Clinton camp of all sugestions that Obama might be a Muslim, or might not be ready to be CIC, are biting the party in the collective ass.
Please Hillary, stop your campaign, apologize for your attempted theft of the election (since you couldn't buy it) and let the rest of the party, and country, get on with our lives.
This is what we should all be scared of: talk about angry!