Am I A Democrat?

Recently, at a potluck, I was asked if I watched Sarah Palin's speech. I said that I hadn't. I did turn on the RNC for a second and saw a bunch of white people yelling and screaming, congratulating each other for something. Was it the war? Or I'm sorry- The surge? The surge worked, right? It must have been the surge. Or...the economy? Because it's getting better! Or the continued fight for the preservation of traditional family values? The new "Life Happens" values? I'm still not sure. Anyway, they were all very very happy. It frightened me.

"Oh, you're a Democrat?" this person said.

I was so offended! I've never had this feeling before, but I really wanted to turn around and look to see if this person was actually asking me this question. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I forget that not everyone knows automatically that I am gay. I am. I'm gay. I know that being gay doesn't automatically equal me being a Democrat. I could be a Log Cabin Republican. But I think I danced out most of my sexual shame and internalized homophobia listening to a remix of "Xanadu" in 1999 at Roscoe's So, no, I'm not a Log Cabin Republican either.

Eckhart Tolle wrote in his book "The Power Of Now" about people who are on the outside and how they view the world. Women, Disabled people, racial or ethnic minorities, gender and sexual minorities have a view of the world that is different from anyone in the majority. He says enlightened. I'm gonna say different. So with this different view the minority sees that if you are not in the majority- you are excluded. That's what I saw in that convention hall, exclusion and ignorance.

So yes, I am a Democrat. Because, among a myriad of other reasons, I see people excluded from things on the basis of who they are. Subtly and quietly erased.

And now, predictably, I point you to an excerpt from Madonna's "controversial" video interlude at her concert. I got chills listening to the cheer at seeing Obama's picture.

Madonna's Controversial Video



"You don't have the luxury of time, you have got to say what's on our mind." My MILF, the real MILF, sinews and all, sure does inspire me with her snappy lyrics. She really does.

the lady of the hour

Crazy lady livin' up there in Alaska. Former head of the Christian Athletes! A former sports anchor! A member of Feminists for Life (what a snappy contradiction). With her cute little glasses on. Can we just have her be president? I'm supposed to hate her but I love her. I am playing right into to his cold white hands.

Standing before all those sexy rugged men in Alaska her boots on, hand over her heart. I am really getting wrapped up in a snow covered lesbian Christian Republican fantasy. Someone better talk me down. The next four years could be a Republican Alaskan Christmastime! I'm thinking I could really give it all up to the corporations and the military. Screw Change and health care. I want the Karen Walker hair and glossy lips. I'll eat canned chicken.

Roseanne Barr said, "The one who cares the most wins...That's how I knew I'd be the last person standing when it was all over...I cared the most."

The one who cares the most, good or bad, will win. I vow to stop trying to control the election with my mind.

Sprinkler Rainbow Conspiracy

"Ahhhhh...July 6, 2007, its about 4:30 PM" Words that will life in infamy.

I applaud this lady for keeping her tinfoil hat on while the rest of us sleep. She's keeping an eye on things for us. It's a dirty job but someone has to do it. I can also relate to the sheer anxiety she feels. Turning something as beautiful as a sprinkler rainbow into a government conspiracy is a gift, I believe, I also possess.

I hope she can let it go. I hope she is able to sleep at night without dreams of death rainbows.

I just got back from Walgreen's. I bought my weekend essentials: coffee, coke and cigarettes. I also purchased an antidote for all the weekend fun, Prilosec. Another thirty two year old man might be purchasing a case of beer at 1:00 on a Saturday. I'm purchasing over the counter stimulants.

My world view is limited currently. The trek to Walgreens is about as adventurous as it gets for me on a temp salary. While Kara plans a trip to the moon with her mother, I'm keeping it real in the 60640. I don't need a fancy trip or a case of beer. I don't need another hero. Someday I will see life beyond my internal thunderdome. Right now it's black coffee and cigarettes and a Cliff bar (A leftover purchase from last weekend, good choice!).

No drama at Walgreen's, or on the trip there. Passing the weekend edition of the RedEye in my hallway was a bit depressing. It should have had a story about Joe Biden, Obama's pick for VP, but instead the cover story is something about "Do It Yourself Brides." Get it together RedEye. I wanted my sexy enthusiastic RedEye editors staying up late waiting for that text message like the rest of us. But no, they cashed in their chips early, "Stick with the DIY Bride story!" Then they got in their ZipCars and drove out to the suburbs for BBQs.

Joe Biden (is that even what is name is?) looks to me like a villain mayor of Gotham city from a pre-Ledger Batman movie. Oh! We're doomed. We really are. I mean I will be waving my big O flag from now until November but I fear it's a lost cause. The machine (the same one that makes the rainbow sprinklers) is going to steamroll it all to shit. I really wanted the VP text message to look like this:



Or RuPaul or Traci Lords, I don't care. Shake it up! If I have to listen to one more old white man talk I'm gonna turn into an old white man. Again, in the words of Anna Nicole Smith, "I know nothing about nothing. Oh Yes, Oh Yes."

no capitals? no problem.

the president should be chosen on a reality show competition. i think it would make a lot more sense than electoral colleges and superdelegates. i think hillary and obama and mcain should have to do challenges each week. like one week it would be who gets closest to ending a war. the budget for the show would be taken out of our taxes or something (its in the planning stages right now, i'll iron out the kinks as we get closer to production). anyway, so each candidate would be given a certain amount of money-- a billion dollars or something. whoever gets closest to ending the war moves ahead and the person who screws up gets sent home. i would be the host of the show and would eventually choose who is president of the united states and it would be hillary clinton. unless i decide i dont like her. there are a lot of times when im watching a reality show that i think i like someone but they say something dumb or start acting up, get too cocky and i'll decide i don't like them. things change when you're being videotaped 24/7. then i might decide that i like obama better. then he could be president. but the main thing are the challenges. i need to see them in action to decide who is better. i think this is what our forefathers would want as far as im concerned. and i am concerned.

from my vantage point, on my couch, smoking my cigarettes and eating macaroni and cheese -there is a lot going on thats not good. i think its time for a change. but i dont see any other way to handle it other than a reality competition.

i watched big brother last night and i think its a great show. a real class act that you are missing out on. get involved. i watched oprahs big give. blah. i love oprah but im sick of her dragging around that nate berkus that everyones so crazy about. i saw his line at linens n things or bed bath and beyond or whatever and i wasnt impressed. lots of oversized decorative wooden bowls that are supposed to hold decorative wicker balls. so stupid. it was all on clearance. real depressing.

whats with the lincoln park ladies and bringing there lunches to work in bags from high end retailers. gives me a headache. i probably mentioned it before but its real trashy. its like wearing big sweatshirts with rubber logos on them. get with it. a classic brown paper bag would suffice.

it was a real freak show on the train today. very jacobs ladder. distorted faces and people that looked not well. it was probably me. its probably a side effect of one medication or the other but i had to close my eyes and listen to some janet jackson to take the edge off.

lost my debit card in the atm machine. they dont need to make the kind that take your card in anymore. its asking for trouble. i have enough money problems as it is-- then you take my card away. get out of here.

im in one of my "clear it all out" moods. everything in the garbage. sanitize and start again. i want a clean blank canvas. too much crap.

the best tip from martha stewart? just a spray bottle with dish detergent and water. never have to buy any kind of ripoff cleaning agent again. soap. usually works for most things, people. and water. soap and water. for cleaning. exactly.

supporter

so i marched in the march on monday. i dont know too much about the issue, i know its incredibly complex-- my basic feeling is that its ridiculous to criminalize millions of people who live in america, have american born children and who work in the shadows of the "legal america." who is a real american?

anyway, because my gay and lesbian studies class was being held right about where the march was taking place (jackson and michigan) our teacher cancelled the class-- but encouraged us to go if we were interested. i was.

i started out very shyly-- as i saw probably two or three "european" faces in the whole march. as many have reported it was crazy huge. a life changing moment. i walked with or on the periphery of the march past michigan and up to grant park. when i got to grant park people started calling me "honky" and asked me if i was in the wrong march. i didn't feel like putting up with this for another three hours, so i stepped out of the march and watched it go by. im a pussy.

the chicago march, at least from what i saw was predominatly hispanic. not many "supporters" at all. in other cities (from what i saw on the television) it wasn't wasn't this way.

it's all tied together. if you do not fit into what those who make the laws see as "american" and "right" then you are unnecessary, disposable, invisible. thats essentially what this is about. the march was a demonstration to show how necessary every american (legal or not) really is. corporations (including my old stomping ground mcdonalds) have been megaprofiting by paying low wages and attracting and accepting those who will work for these wages. to criminalize these americans now is a day late and $5.15 short.

bush is hesitant to support this bill, not because he is suddenly benevolent to illegal immigrants, but because corporations are his homies.

american idol is on. wells, out.

barbara mandrell and george bush

ok, i've seen it. you've seen it. we've all seen it. the video of george bush and barbara mandrell shaking hands with george bush on his recent visit to the grand ole opry. he was running off his mouth with another one of his gobbelty gook speeches about working hard, evil doers and tyranny. we're all a little shaken.

but we must remember as barbara mandrell's biggest fans- that she did have a head injury in the 1980's when she got into that car wreck. so we can't blame her. someone put her up to this.

so don't throw out all your records and t-shirts. do not burn your satin tour jackets and crush your vhs copies of "barbara mandrell and the mandrell sisters" that you bought on ebay. she knows not what she does.

we all saw the confusion in her eyes as she limped her way through her last lifetime original movie, "The Wrong Girl." she's a shell, a husk of what she once was.

not to say that we can't bring her back from the dark side. i'm sure it all boils down to an addiction to painkillers, like everything does nowadays. she's probably just hooked on the junk.

we all know her website hasn't been updated in 3 years. she had to move out of her beautiful log home mansion and move-- into a subdivision! a subdivision!! no, no. you don't go from being the only woman who won entertainer of the year the most times to living in a subdivision. it's unthinkable and absolutely unacceptable.

perhaps dolly parton should give up some of her precious amusement park money and help the BM out.

revolution

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO MY FIRST RADIO ADDRESS

California Pizza Kitchen

My mom and I have been having dinner every Thursday. I meet her after her class at the Newberry Library gets out.

Over pizza at California Pizza Kitchen we discussed many things. How I should get a job, documentaries I've watched, my sister, my father, my nephews, my brother-in-law.

Somehow we got on the topic of the Department of Homeland Security.

Tonight she said, "Ugh..everytime I hear someone on television refer to 'homeland' I want to strangle them. What is this Nazi Germany? Are we living in the fatherland?"

like a prayer

www.saintclinton.com