Hey World,
He may be down, but he is not out. Ron Paul appeared on CNN's American Morning today to talk about the current state of political affairs and to promote his new book The Revolution: A Manifesto. He says certain candidates talk about making changes but aren't specific about what changes need to be made (A jab at Obama, perhaps?. Paul says there should be a new party entitled the "Republicrats" (lol. This man slays me!). His main point is that Washington should focus on fixing the economy by balancing the budget, paying down the debt, and also, lest we forget, bring the troops home. You've got to give it to the man. He is not giving up.
Be sure to digg the digg.com submission where I got the inspiration to write this post from: Ron Paul on CNN: GOP Can't Shut Me Out.
Or if you're too lazy to Digg, then just watch the Youtube clip:
Showing posts with label Politically Misunderstood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Politically Misunderstood. Show all posts
Monday, April 28, 2008
Monday, March 31, 2008
Politically Misunderstood: Obama as a Mixed Race Person
Hey World,
My latest Politically Misunderstood piece is on Barack Obama as a Mixed-Race candidate. Check out a New York Times article that has come out today. It is about how Barack Obama's speech on race has brought more attention to the lives of mixed-race people in America.
It is like the Times has read my mind. I brought up this topic last week in one of my graduate school courses. In the class, I mentioned how the mainstream media doesn't mention the fact that Obama is of mixed-race. All the media does is stress his Blackness but not enough of his Whiteness, or rather, the fact that Obama has qualities of both races. It is as if he has to choose a side.
I think that all people, regardless of race, can take something from Obama's life story, but I think that those of mixed race should especially look to Obama as an inspiration because he can empathize with their struggles in this country. To me, Obama is more American than the other candidates on the ballot because he has members of his family who are both Black and White, and because of this mixture, Obama is the archetype of the American "Melting Pot."
At the same time though, some may argue that Obama relates more to the Black race, which is why he is seen by many as a Black candidate rather than a mixed-race candidate. Obama may also be seen only as a Black candidate due to the revelation of his affiliation with Reverend Jeremiah Wright as well as his comments on his White grandmother. I understand how Obama identifies more with being Black because: a) Phenotypically, he can be seen as more Black than White, and b) America's One Drop Rule that hearkens back to slavery times that, namely, if a person has one drop of Black blood, then they are Black. Nonetheless, even though Obama may feel a sense of acceptance from the Black race that he has not felt from Whites, it does not mean that he does not like his White grandmother or other White people. It is this complexity that makes Barack Obama so appealing to mixed-race people, an entity who have never felt like they belong in just one group. These are folks who are judged their whole lives for being "different," "strange," or "alien." Most people of mixed race can tell you a plethora of stories about being mistaken for being one race over another or being criticized for claiming one race over another. They have stories about "trying to be White" and "not being Black enough" to be considered Black. Or these people have stories about "not being White enough" to be accepted by White people. Of course, I am generalizing, and of course, being of mixed-race in America is more than Black mixed with White. But the Black-White mixture is arguably the mixture that always and will always causes the most controversy because of the complex history America has with Black/White relations.
Anywho, the New York Times has really hit the nail on the head with this. Any thoughts? And check out Obama's speech to get more of a context:
My latest Politically Misunderstood piece is on Barack Obama as a Mixed-Race candidate. Check out a New York Times article that has come out today. It is about how Barack Obama's speech on race has brought more attention to the lives of mixed-race people in America.
It is like the Times has read my mind. I brought up this topic last week in one of my graduate school courses. In the class, I mentioned how the mainstream media doesn't mention the fact that Obama is of mixed-race. All the media does is stress his Blackness but not enough of his Whiteness, or rather, the fact that Obama has qualities of both races. It is as if he has to choose a side.
I think that all people, regardless of race, can take something from Obama's life story, but I think that those of mixed race should especially look to Obama as an inspiration because he can empathize with their struggles in this country. To me, Obama is more American than the other candidates on the ballot because he has members of his family who are both Black and White, and because of this mixture, Obama is the archetype of the American "Melting Pot."
At the same time though, some may argue that Obama relates more to the Black race, which is why he is seen by many as a Black candidate rather than a mixed-race candidate. Obama may also be seen only as a Black candidate due to the revelation of his affiliation with Reverend Jeremiah Wright as well as his comments on his White grandmother. I understand how Obama identifies more with being Black because: a) Phenotypically, he can be seen as more Black than White, and b) America's One Drop Rule that hearkens back to slavery times that, namely, if a person has one drop of Black blood, then they are Black. Nonetheless, even though Obama may feel a sense of acceptance from the Black race that he has not felt from Whites, it does not mean that he does not like his White grandmother or other White people. It is this complexity that makes Barack Obama so appealing to mixed-race people, an entity who have never felt like they belong in just one group. These are folks who are judged their whole lives for being "different," "strange," or "alien." Most people of mixed race can tell you a plethora of stories about being mistaken for being one race over another or being criticized for claiming one race over another. They have stories about "trying to be White" and "not being Black enough" to be considered Black. Or these people have stories about "not being White enough" to be accepted by White people. Of course, I am generalizing, and of course, being of mixed-race in America is more than Black mixed with White. But the Black-White mixture is arguably the mixture that always and will always causes the most controversy because of the complex history America has with Black/White relations.
Anywho, the New York Times has really hit the nail on the head with this. Any thoughts? And check out Obama's speech to get more of a context:
Friday, March 28, 2008
Politically Misunderstood: Meghan McCain
Hi World,
I am starting a new feature on this blog called Politically Misunderstood. This feature will profile those in the political world who are often misunderstood by the general public. My first topic will be on Megan McCain, one of John McCain's kids.
I was inspired to write this blog piece after reading a Washington Post article on Meghan McCain a few days ago. To make a long story short, the article noted the irony of Meghan, the fact that even though she is the daughter of a presidential candidate, she has no interest in politics whatsoever. She is interested in fashion, movies, and just about everything else except the political world.
Even though Meghan says that she doesn't care for politics, I disagree. She does care about politics because her father is directly involved in it, and because of this involvement, Meghan is able to merge political culture with a style and youthfulness that American politics is seriously lacking. For example, Meghan gives her blog readers a list of things that they don't know about her mother, Cindy McCain. This is smart to me because I feel like Meghan knows that much of the general public doesn't know as much about her mother as they know about the spouses of the other political candidates. Granted, the information she gives is frivolous and not issues-focused, but it humanizes Cindy to me a bit because, up until this point, she just seemed like someone who smiles and nods. Another blog post provides pictures of John McCain's fundraising event at New York's Plaza Hotel. In it, Megan writes a funny caption under a picture of the crowd at the event: "The place was packed full of people... there ARE Republicans in New York! :-)" An ironic comment due to the fact that New York City is very Democratic.
Of course, this is not what spurred me to write about Meghan. What piqued my interest is how she is seen as a silly girl who talks about silly things, but in reality, her media savvyness not only makes her clever, but more relateable. Meghan's relatability is beyond party partisanship, because her take on things appeals to me, and I am a Democrat. Meghan is appealing because she caters to people, especially young people, who are political virgins who probably usually wouldn't be into politics. On her blog McCainBlogette, a visitor to the site writes that she finds Meghan's blog to be "fun and informative without making you feel like you're being pestered to believe one thing or another." Oh and by the way, the person is not only an Obama supporter, but she is also from Great Britain.
Another site visitor from Alabama writes to McCainBlogette: "I have always wondered how I could mesh my love for politics and national events with my love for fashion and fun and still be taken seriously." I totally can relate to this comment because it is the reason why I have chosen to call the blog Politically Chic. I gave it that name because I wanted to give a perspective on politics that was young, hip, and fashionable. A perspective that is the antithesis of the stodgy, old, and White bread image one thinks of in regards to politics, and Meghan McCain is successfully and cleverly doing this.
I wonder if Meghan will still keep this blog going should her father win the presidency, and even if she does, will she be able to be as candid about her thoughts as she is now. If her father becomes president, what Meghan chooses to write or not to write will be given more media attention. It will be harder for her to give her opinions such as, for example, calling Barack Obama, a presidential opponent of her father's, "sexy." It seems like Meghan is already being hassled by the media a bit too much. She wrote a recent blog post admonishing the media for the scrutiny she is getting for not being rail-thin.
Perhaps this blog will enable Meghan to be a different sort of presidential daughter than the ones we have seen in the past, at least if her father becomes our next president. Usually, presidential families are seen and not heard. They are expect to behave themselves at all times and be knowledgeable and interested in politics. Maybe Meghan will be the one to change the rules. I know one thing for sure. Meghan is really not helping her dad to shake the doubt some people may have as to how conservative he is. These doubters may say that if he was really all that conservative, he wouldn't be letting his family members conduct themselves in such a way as Meghan is conducting herself, but it is a free country.
I am starting a new feature on this blog called Politically Misunderstood. This feature will profile those in the political world who are often misunderstood by the general public. My first topic will be on Megan McCain, one of John McCain's kids.
I was inspired to write this blog piece after reading a Washington Post article on Meghan McCain a few days ago. To make a long story short, the article noted the irony of Meghan, the fact that even though she is the daughter of a presidential candidate, she has no interest in politics whatsoever. She is interested in fashion, movies, and just about everything else except the political world.
Even though Meghan says that she doesn't care for politics, I disagree. She does care about politics because her father is directly involved in it, and because of this involvement, Meghan is able to merge political culture with a style and youthfulness that American politics is seriously lacking. For example, Meghan gives her blog readers a list of things that they don't know about her mother, Cindy McCain. This is smart to me because I feel like Meghan knows that much of the general public doesn't know as much about her mother as they know about the spouses of the other political candidates. Granted, the information she gives is frivolous and not issues-focused, but it humanizes Cindy to me a bit because, up until this point, she just seemed like someone who smiles and nods. Another blog post provides pictures of John McCain's fundraising event at New York's Plaza Hotel. In it, Megan writes a funny caption under a picture of the crowd at the event: "The place was packed full of people... there ARE Republicans in New York! :-)" An ironic comment due to the fact that New York City is very Democratic.
Of course, this is not what spurred me to write about Meghan. What piqued my interest is how she is seen as a silly girl who talks about silly things, but in reality, her media savvyness not only makes her clever, but more relateable. Meghan's relatability is beyond party partisanship, because her take on things appeals to me, and I am a Democrat. Meghan is appealing because she caters to people, especially young people, who are political virgins who probably usually wouldn't be into politics. On her blog McCainBlogette, a visitor to the site writes that she finds Meghan's blog to be "fun and informative without making you feel like you're being pestered to believe one thing or another." Oh and by the way, the person is not only an Obama supporter, but she is also from Great Britain.
Another site visitor from Alabama writes to McCainBlogette: "I have always wondered how I could mesh my love for politics and national events with my love for fashion and fun and still be taken seriously." I totally can relate to this comment because it is the reason why I have chosen to call the blog Politically Chic. I gave it that name because I wanted to give a perspective on politics that was young, hip, and fashionable. A perspective that is the antithesis of the stodgy, old, and White bread image one thinks of in regards to politics, and Meghan McCain is successfully and cleverly doing this.
I wonder if Meghan will still keep this blog going should her father win the presidency, and even if she does, will she be able to be as candid about her thoughts as she is now. If her father becomes president, what Meghan chooses to write or not to write will be given more media attention. It will be harder for her to give her opinions such as, for example, calling Barack Obama, a presidential opponent of her father's, "sexy." It seems like Meghan is already being hassled by the media a bit too much. She wrote a recent blog post admonishing the media for the scrutiny she is getting for not being rail-thin.
Perhaps this blog will enable Meghan to be a different sort of presidential daughter than the ones we have seen in the past, at least if her father becomes our next president. Usually, presidential families are seen and not heard. They are expect to behave themselves at all times and be knowledgeable and interested in politics. Maybe Meghan will be the one to change the rules. I know one thing for sure. Meghan is really not helping her dad to shake the doubt some people may have as to how conservative he is. These doubters may say that if he was really all that conservative, he wouldn't be letting his family members conduct themselves in such a way as Meghan is conducting herself, but it is a free country.
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