. . . and now this

Never underestimate the lengths to which people will go to gain power. From the Clinton camp . . . a picture of Senator Obama in traditional Kenyan dress during a visit to that country during 2006. The best the Clinton camp can do is state that there are plenty of pictures of Senator Clinton in the native dress of the countries she has visited in the past.

Frankly, anything short of a denial confirms the Clinton campaign's initiation of this obvious attempt to portray Senator Obama as something other than American and something other than Christian.

Shame on you Hillary.

Obama's Patriotism Questioned?

It is sad to have to admit to this, but I am no longer surprised at the depths to which the radical right will go to discredit its opponents. Now, it appears, they are going to bring Senator Obama's patriotism into question.

Like the Christian who thinks wearing a big cross of gold about his neck makes him a good Christian, our fellow citizens on the right have convinced themselves and their sheep-like followers that wearing a lapel pin with an American flag emblazoned upon it makes one a patriot. Come again? How does sticking a piece of metal through a bit of fabric relate to one's commitment to the ideals of one's country? Are we so superficial that we actually buy into this garbage? I suppose next they will expose the lack of a magnetic, yellow "Support Our Troops" ribbon on his car as proof positive of the senator's subversive, anti-soldier intentions.

It is clear that symbols have come to replace the actual values for which they once stood. The American flag waving in the breeze above Guantanamo Bay no longer stands for opposition to torture and a commitment to the rule of law. The Christian cross has been subverted to stand for economic prosperity and a focus on often violent self-righteousness that would have horrified the humble, loving, impoverished founder of the sect. Even the quintessential symbol of American consumption and arrogance, the Hummer, is now being presented as a tool by which those wealthy enough to afford one can help the "little guy" in times of crisis. I'll bet there were oodles of Hummers in the 9th Ward during Katrina and helping to evacuate families during the recent wildfires in California. (I bet Obama even wants to increase the mileage these tools of salvation get!)

Expect more of this. Lots more. The "conservative" movement is ethically and politically bankrupt and has nothing to present as positive evidence for its claim to power. All that's left is for them to attack the ideals and commitment of those whom they hate so deeply. It's a dark time for America.

"Bush - McCain"

On the February 17th episode of NBC's Meet the Press during a discussion of the problems the Democrats face as they get closer to the convention without a definite nominee, Senator Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) used the phrase "Bush-McCain" to refer to the candidacy of the presumed Republican nominee, John McCain. Simply brilliant.

The more the Democrats can connect John McCain to George W. Bush, the better off they will be. Forcing McCain to distinguish himself from President Bush will reveal the essentially identical policy positions of the pair. I doubt very much that John McCain wants to focus on the fact that he would want more troops in Iraq and is more inclined to take military action against Iran. Similarly, it is doubtful that the senator from Arizona wants to focus too much on his willingness to blur the lines between church and state or trumpet his commitment to an overturn of Roe v Wade. No matter how one slices it, linkage to Bush will hurt McCain where he lives -- with the independents and the cross-over voters -- all of whom have had enough of the Bush family.

It will be interesting to see if the phrase catches on.

The Liberal Gun Nut

Who would have guessed that I, Mr. Liberal from "Up North," would have come to love handguns? I know, I know, it's shocking to me as well. In any case, the journey started, I suppose, many years ago with boyish curiosity about the mysterious power that guns posses. Laying dormant for years under a patina of knee-jerk anti-gun sentiments (now known for the anti-violence sentiments that they truly were) my interest re-emerged late last year.

Inexplicably, I started to research handguns on the Internet. Glock, Walther, Kel-Tec and SigArms became names with which I was intimate. Caliber was no longer a descriptive term used to define value, but a measurement of specific size and power. 9mm., .38, .40S&W, 357 Magnum. I knew what double-action, backstrap and 1911 meant. I entered a new world.

On Christmas morning, I opened a gift from Mary Beth to find a $35 gift certificate from Shoot Straight in Tampa. Not coincidentally, this particular amount was the exact price for a month's membership at the range. I was on my way. Being the cautious type, I thought I better get some lessons before I headed out to blow my fingers off -- or worse. So, Kelly (who also got a $35 gift certificate) and I signed up for an N.R.A. (yeah, that N.R.A.) course at The Indoor Shooting Company, a nearby range. (One nice thing about Florida is that with the liberal gun laws, there are gun stores and ranges all over the place.) After our lessons, I took my first trip to the range. I felt as if I had moved to a country where I didn't speak the language. Men, women, kids -- all buying, shooting and admiring guns! We're not in Boston anymore, Toto.

Anyway, to make a long story short, I LOVE handguns! I've only shot a few times, but I'm hooked. I'm not sure whether I want a Glock 19 (shown above) or the smaller Glock 26. In Florida, I can get a permit to carry the darn thing with me wherever I go. How cool is that? For my Concealed Weapon license, all I need do is take a course (done), get fingerprinted (doing next week) and pass a background check (do the words "been there, done that" mean anything to you?) As a teacher, I've been checked out so many times I feel like the library's copy of Harry Potter.

Perhaps I'll write more one day about the thinking that has gone into this dramatic turnaround, but for now, let's just leave it alone and scratch our heads regarding how to label a Kennedy-loving, Obama-supporting, 9mm packing, 45 year-old white male. If you think of anything that fits, let me know.

Endorsement: Obama

Obama-Clinton. Clinton-Obama. What's a Democrat to do? On the one hand, Hilary Clinton has a grasp of policy and politics rivaled by none (excepting, perhaps her husband.) On the other hand, Barack Obama presents the country with a chance for real change. Obama's electable. Hilary has high disapproval ratings. Obama lacks experience. Absent some fast-track genetic manipulation, there is no clear answer to the question.

I've lined up with the Obama movement for several reasons. First off, I think he can win. Convictions, expertise and loyalty are great, but if it all leads to defeat, it begs the question of their value. In a race between Clinton and McCain, McCain will be able to present himself as more experienced, more likeable, a break from the past (neither a Bush nor a Clinton) and male. That's right, male. Despite the nation's determination to embrace the notion of women in positions of power, the reality of a female Commander-in-Chief of the world's largest military doesn't pass muster with a large segment of the population. Hilary comes across has having all the negative qualities of a strong woman (domineering, vindictive, sharp-tounged) but few from the positive side of the register (protective, loyal, supportive.) In the end, the American people will choose McCain over Clinton.

Also near the top of my list of reasons is the sense that Barack Obama truly presents a chance for change. I'll grant that it's all a bit murky and that the change might be more superficial than substantive. Nevertheless, this country needs something new. I'm willing to take a chance on Obama. He's smart, compassionate, not a son of privilege, and a compelling orator. I see shades of Ich bin ein Berliner when I hear him speak. It's a shame that he'll have to rebuild our ties with the civilized world, but I believe he's up to the task.

Anyway, it'll all get solved one way or the other in November. At least this time around the opposition is someone with whom I can honestly disagree but not fear. That's already a change for the better.