bootstraps

to those of you who believe the drive to pick one’s self up by one’s bootstraps with which one is born is all that is needed in this world, remember this: some were born without boots, and yet others were born without feet.

perhaps it is not the success of the rich that mark a country’s greatness. perhaps it is the compassion with which it treats its vulnerable.

perhaps we can work together to fashion feet for those who need them, then work with the bootless to get their feet covered, then teach those with boots how to tug on the straps.

and only then, when all has been made equal, can we criticize those who don’t pull themselves up by their own bootstraps.

palin. one letter short of pain.

one can’t write off the importance of a presidential candidate’s choice for a vp, especially when the presidential candidate’s health is in question. that being said, my first reaction to mccain’s choice of palin was that is was a swift and brilliant political move that would make a lot of people happy, especially those who thought hillary was asked to step down because she is a woman. i was excited to learn more about this palin choice.

then i did.

and now i believe this move has turned out to be a horrible horrible mistake. i don’t mean just for the republican party. perhaps she’ll win it for them. i mean it is a mistake for our country. and this is why.

1. how does a candidate who shouted “ready to lead?” at a fellow congressman dare turn around a select a running mate with far less experience than his opponent? do you recall she said she didn’t even know what the vp does? well neither do i, but if i were in a position to want to be vp, you better believe i would know. and then there’s the point that she didn’t necessarily want the position… but come on, how does any red-blooded american pass that kind of invite up?
2. how does all of this hockey mom, get’er done, boot strapping, under dog, blather actually pan out? people think about it. you don’t want to vote for someone who you could go sit with at the local bar and drink a beer, and who don’t talk fancy because she’s a regular person with regular values, just like you. nope. do you all remember what happened the last time people voted for “aw shucks, speakin good ain’t important”? this isn’t a movie with a fool-proof (literally) happy ending. there is no deus ex machina to sweep in and save the day. (there is, however, a deus, who seems to getting mixed up in state affairs, because hey! why separate church and state?) 8 years later, some of our most significant national infrastructures are failing (economy, foreign policy, civil rights, etc.). why? because speakin good weren’t the only thing he weren’t good at. hmmm fool-proof. that’s one thing the keys to the helm of the entire united states is not. you screw up and it’s BIG.my president better be smarter than i am. and my president better be better at a lot of things than i am. i don’t care if i can’t relate to my president if my president is getting the job done well. so, past experience shows that saying “get’er done” and letting jesus take the wheel doesn’t actually get the job done. let us all learn from our mistakes and move forward.
3. okay, so back to palin. ah hem. sexism anyone? anyone? choosing a woman because she’s a woman is just as sexist as not choosing a woman because she’s a woman. i might even think that this is possibly more sexist because she’s being used as a tool to win an election. ridiculous.
4. talk about planning to win the battle and not the war. everyone’s touting mccain’s military experience but if his military strategy is nearly as short-sighted as his plan of attack on winning an election, we’re in trouble. so sometimes work piles up and you hire a temp to come in and help play catch-up. then the work is caught up and the temp goes home and you don’t have to deal with their questions and strange wardrobe choices and idiosyncrasies. where’s palin going after she wins this election for mccain? um, into the vp office. to stay. and quite possibly into the p office. where does that leave the rest of us? thanks mccain. thanks for planning ahead on that one. that was awesome.

so, after all of that. it is quite clear to me that voting for the ticket with palin’s name is right out. but you know? i hope i’m wrong. i hope i missed the mark entirely. i hope mccain made his selection with integrity and with the intent of providing our country with the best potential vice president that he could fathom. i hope that palin is not only qualified, but excited to go to office and make good things happen for all people in the country.

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in case you’re curious, my political affiliation:

here’s the deal. though i am technically registered democrat in the state of colorado, i used to be registered republican 4 years ago in pennsylvania. so what i am saying is, i don’t consider myself to be affiliated with either party and this election was wide open for me to think and choose what i feel best represents the needs of the country, not always MY needs, but rather what will keep my country healthy.

Moose Sightings in Colorado are Restricted to Tacky Gift Shop Windows

So what is it about ceramic moose that really get people going? They don’t even have to be ceramic. They can be printed on t-shirts, crafted into copper candleholders, or plush and furry stuffed versions. They can even be smiling unabashed on a paper bag full of licorice flavored “moose dropping” candy. A sure winner.

There is no questioning that moose souvenirs sell. I am personally guilty of purchasing a brushed stainless steel moose key chain with swinging legs and gold-colored antlers on a trip to Minnesota in my youth. Sadly though, when I began driving and actually used the key chain for more than a decoration on my corkboard, the legs promptly fell off.

There is, however, a need of explanation as to why the moose souvenirs sell. In Colorado today the moose population can boast a mere 2,000 members. Putting this into perspective, there are over 305,000 elk in Colorado and even they are rare to see. So what’s with the obsession? How on earth does a set of moose coasters remind you of a trip to Colorado when snow encrusted peaks and aspen trees are far more prevalent?

So why does this even come to mind? Yesterday I was on a photo recon mission, snapping stock shots of the souvenir capitol of Colorado, the 16th Street Mall. This is an easy task. With interesting art and architecture everywhere, the photo ops are far more prevalent than members of the state’s live moose population (and far less than that of its ceramic moose population). This photography task was not so easy in the other neighborhood I visited prior to the 16th Street Mall photo buffet.

The Highlands neighborhood in Denver is divided into 2 parts: Highland Square, which is fancy and boutique-rich; and Tennyson, which is rougher, more artful, and a little scary in places. Naturally, this recon project was in the Tennyson side of the neighborhood.

It really felt like putting lipstick on a pig (sorry prickly GOP, this is an actual expression that existed and was used far before your sexist use of Sara Palin as a vote catcher was put into place. Furthermore, you can’t claim that every time the word “pig” is used, it is in reference to Palin. oh wait, I mean “lipstick,” either way, I suppose.) Which is to say, I was trying to sell the neighborhood as opposed to simply showcasing it in its own fabulousness. I struggled with this a little bit. Do I personally want to send people to a neighborhood that is less than the lipstick I am promising? Perhaps I can craft a look and set of information that is more lip-gloss or lip-balm in its approach. But seriously, the food options are weak, the residential areas between retail districts are crumbling, and it took me two hours to find what might be the cover shot for the project. T’was a bit frustrating. Which is why, in contrast, the energy of the 16th Street Mall on a Saturday afternoon in early September was all the more enticing.

There was the skinny girl walking her skinny dog, the homeless guy shouting insults from atop his worn, red milk crate, that robot guy with the huge afro that was making conversation with confused passers-by, an excellent argument between strangers about the integrity of the two presidential candidates, and much much more.

Of course, if only I had stopped to buy a moose lamp, I could remember the day in its full glory. Alas, I did not and this memory is destined to be dashed into the abyss of forgotten days as the years pass. And that, folks, is why we buy moose souvenirs.

role model

for the first time in our country’s history, we may have an african american man, an man whose skin tone is half white and half black, be our president and leader. the positive impact of having a man of non-white skin tone lead our country as president is monumental and far-reaching.

not only is he in line to be president (an accomplishment in its own long-overdue in our country), but he carries an even broader message of HOPE–a message that has been missing from our presidency since franklin d. roosevelt, and from the underprivileged households and neighborhoods suffering from prejudice, drug abuse, and poverty.

a double whammy.

we’d all get a president who is inspirational (for the first time in my life time), and for the first time ever, middle class african american families get proof that their sacrifices have not been in vain. but the most exciting piece is that underprivileged african american boys will learn that there is hope for them. they don’t have to be destined for gang life and crime. there is something now, something big, for them to bootstrap-up to. at last the face of “the man” may be a black man and the ripple effect would be huge.

and that’s just within our country. what about the world view? let us not forget how crucial this is to our own economy and safety. though we tout our country as the great melting pot, racist and classist thought ooses in and out of decisions that affect all people of our nation, and therefore, foreign relations. when we have 8 years of gun-toting religious right shouting their very specific and exclusive beliefs as the voice of our people, no doubt others (including many of us in our own country) are offended.* at long last, we could have a man that can speak to other world leaders without the context of white privilege shrouding him.

for the first time, i care about an election. for the first time, i see a man who can speak to all of the people of this country as people and not just as demographics, case studies, and problems to work around. for the first time, i feel like we the people are on the agenda and that decisions will be made with us in the forefront of the process, not just an after-thought. for the first time, i see a man with compassion, intelligence, and a profound ability to unite and lead. and this, this is exactly what this country has needed for so very long now.

i know my expectations are high, but to the sad contrast, they have been set so very low by previous candidates.** even if he can’t solve every problem (which is a very tall order for one man), he is working to do so and is instilling HOPE in all of us. and hope is an invaluable gift. 2 years into his term, when we are upset that our problems have not been solved, i want to retain appreciation for the fact that at least they’re being addressed, and being addressed by a person who cares about his people and not just lining his pockets and those of his friends.

november 4th feels so far away. and after a victory for hope, january 20th feels even farther. but when the message is made that the people of this country chose hope over fear & hatred, and unity over bigotry & war, the wait will be well worth it.

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*in a country as physically, economically, and culturally vast as ours, it may very well be impossible to satisfy people of all beliefs at once. however, knowing that there is at least one person (the head person) who is trying to act in an inclusive, not exclusive, way, for the maximum benefit for the country, makes sacrificing or struggling so much more palatable.

**here’s an excellent example of political satire about the choices we had for the 2004 presidential election. South Park episode 808: Douche vs Turd