Maritzia’s Thoughts

Today is the 5th anniversary of a war that most of us never wanted and are still fighting against.

Today, let us take a moment to sit in our safe peace here in the US and remember those who have lost their lives to this ill advised, misbegotten mess. Let us remember the soldiers that have died and those that have returned irreparably altered in mind, body and spirit.  Let us remember those who are still there fighting.  Let us remember all of the Iraqis who have died, those who have been injured, those living in starkest poverty without even the barest of necessities like clean water and power.

Let us remember the victims of this war, and let us remind our government that we demand an end.  Call your Representatives and your Senators.  Call the White House.  Flood every phone with calls demanding an end to this war.  Make clear that Bush’s so-called mandate is *not* from the people he serves.

Regardless of your feelings about the war, this video will make you think:

Things like this make me absolutely, batshit crazy! There’s an underlying assumption here that if you don’t support Hillary Clinton, then you must be a bad feminist.

Let me tell everyone out there, the reason I’m not supporting Clinton has nothing to do with our misogynistic, patriarchal society. I’m absolutely thrilled that a woman has come so far in our country to be vieing for our main political office.

The reason I don’t support Hillary Clinton has nothing to do with how I see her as a woman. I don’t care what she wears, how she looks, how old she is (although I do wish I’d see a few more wrinkles on the 60 year old face), whether she’s too tough or too soft. The reason I don’t support Hillary is simply because I don’t *expletive deleted* like her!

I’ve disliked Hillary since the day over a year ago that I got a so-called “grassroots survey” from her, because she wanted to get feedback from the people of the country. It was a survey so slanted that there was no way anyone who has even slightly considered themselves a Democrat would have answered any way other than the way she wanted them to answer it. She didn’t really want to know what people thought. She wanted to be able to wave a survey around and say that the “people” supported what she supported. Oh…and of course, she wanted our monetary support.

That thing left such a bad taste in my mouth that I instinctively distrust everything she says. I assume everything is just as slanted as that mailing she sent out. At that point, I had barely even heard of Barack Obama. And honestly, even if he hadn’t run, I probably would not have supported Hillary. I probably would have been a lukewarm Edwards supporter.

Barack Obama sparked something for me that no one in my voting history has ever done. For the first time in my life, I’m not just voting against someone….I’m voting for someone.

You know, if Hillary manages to win this nomination, I’ll do what I’ve done for the vast majority of elections I’ve voted in for the last 28 years. I won’t be voting for her….I’ll just be voting against whatever candidate is running against her.

I’m tired of voting against people in elections. I want to vote for someone I trust, for someone I can truly believe in, for someone with integrity and someone who I am intuitively drawn to.

I’m not a bad feminist because I support Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton. I would be a bad feminist, though, if I supported Hillary Clinton just because she’s a woman. That would be saying a woman isn’t good enough to get there on her own. When a woman runs for President who I truly believe is the best person for the job, I’ll be breaking down the doors of the voting booth to cast my ballot. Unfortunately, that just hasn’t happened for me yet.

I don’t usually get too political on this blog, but today I am.

The Senate has passed the bill providing an extension to the warrantless wiretapping and providing immunity to the telecommunications companies that provided information to the government illegally!

Write to your Congressman and make clear that you do not want the House passing the same bill. Then write to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and make clear the same things.

I made clear in my statements that I was totally against compromising the freedoms we enjoy as Americans. Actually, I was quite eloquent. Too bad I can’t remember now what I wrote then *laughs*.

Anyway, get your pens out, boys and girls (or your keyboards as the case may be). This is democracy in action. Stand up for your rights and freedoms!

I’m already slacking on my resolution to post here more, but I have a good excuse. I’ve been down with the flu all week, and let me tell you, it’s a nasty strain this week. That’s why I haven’t posted this little gem for you yet.

Obama’s Iowa Victory Speech

I’m so thrilled with the Senator’s victory in Iowa. It’s beyond even what I’d been hoping for. This will really throw momentum into the campaign! Enjoy the speech. The man is a great orator.

I knew I forgot something I wanted to say!  The coordinator for the local campaign for Barack Obama came by last night and we redid the website.  I’m actually quite proud of it, especially considering we finished it in about 2 hours *laughs*.  Well, I’d been working on the template off and on for a couple of weeks, but the actual guts of the site we put together in two hours last night.  Tell me what you think.

Whatcom for Obama 

I’ve been trying since Friday night to figure out what to say about the event…seeing Barack Obama in person!  How can I convey the sense of wonder…of optimism…of hope….the sense of great responsibility that he conveyed to we who were listening to him.

He spoke a little about himself…of his 3 years of community organizing in poverty stricken neighborhoods in Chicago, of going into civil rights practice after law school, and of eventually entering the political arena.  But more than about himself, he spoke about us.  Unlike most politicians, he didn’t talk so much about what he would do when elected, but about what we would do.  He emphasized the need for grassroots efforts to bring about real change in our society.  We all have to be involved if we want to truly change the direction in which our country is moving.

Senator Obama spoke very eloquently of visiting Selma and walking the bridge where protests were so violently put down on “Bloody Sunday”.  The realization struck him that everything we are today, everything we have, is built on the shoulders of those who came before, those stalwart, mostly nameless people who one day decided that enough was enough and took a stand that helped to dramatically change the constructs of our society.  We owe it to all of those who took a stand before not to give up the fight!  Don’t let our hard won freedoms slip away from us out of fear!  We all have a responsibility to continue to fight, not just for our civil rights, but for an end to all the injustices in our society.

We must fight for every child’s right to a decent education and the chance to go to college, regardless of income.  We must fight for every person’s right not just to healthcare, but to good healthcare at a price that doesn’t bring them to the brink of bankruptcy.  We must fight against an unjust war that is draining our economic resources and returning damaged men and women to our society without the support they need to recover from their physical and phsycological injuries that could plague them for a lifetime.  There are so many ills in our society that we must continue to fight to overcome.  But, as the Senator said, we can fight what is wrong in our country with what is right about our country! (paraphrased due to poor memory).

It was a great event and a great speech.  I left with a renewed sense of vigor and excitement!

Then I got to spend several hours with two wonderful women on the way back from Seattle.  Rosemary and Stephanie, if you’re reading this, thanks for keeping me company and helping pay for the gas!  I had a great time with you two.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14814940/

See, everytime I start blasting Republicans, a few of them step up and remind us that not all Republicans are alike.  I tell you, I’d still vote for the man, Republican or not.  He’s a man of conscience, and we haven’t seen that in the White House in a long, long time.

Rumsfeld likens war opposers to Nazi sympathizers; calls them fascists

Good god almighty…does the man have no sense whatsoever? Here’s an administration that is tearing away at the civil rights of it’s citizens right and left, and yet they call those who oppose them fascists? Hate to be the one to break the bad news to Shrub and his cult…the only fascists around here are them! If you look at how Hitler got started, it was just like this…eroding the civil rights of the citizens of his country. And rather than failing to learn the lessons of Nazi Germany, we learned them only too well, and we are standing up to the fascists who would destroy our country in the guise of protecting it. Take note, Mr. President. The opposition is strong and growing stronger. We will not tolerate the road you are going down. You can call us whatever names you want, but we know the truth, and we will not rest until you and your ilk are thoroughly defeated.