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August, 2008

  1. torn

    August 30, 2008 by elenamary

    Barack Obama is speaking in Columbus, Ohio this evening.  I am torn whether to go or not.  I am torn whether to go in support or protest.  I am torn that if I do go do I make a sign “Ohio Latinas ♥ Obama”?  Or do I take a sign “Obama voted for the reauthorization of the patriot act”  or “Obama believes in Separate but Equal for Gays”?

    Last night, I was listening to a local call in show and a caller claimed that Obama was a socialist.   When asked by one of the guest speakers, Herb Asher professor emeritus of Political Science at OSU, how it was Obama was a socialist the caller claimed three main points,  1.  Obama is Pro Choice, 2. He will only allow limited drilling in Alaska 3. He wants to pull troops out of Iraq.  None of these points argued Dr. Asher had anything to do with socialism.  And if anything were contrary to socialist ideology that would want more government involvement in  for example abortion, while Obama wants less government involvement.

    This doesn’t mean I don’t stand behind Obama.  This doesn’t mean that he isn’t inspiring a new and positive movement.  It only means that I don’t think this movement is as radical as either side would like to believe.

    Author and blogger, Ana Castillo, wrote her views on the DNCC too,  post on 08/25 (this is not a permalink), and I think in some ways her views articulate how I feel too.

    Category personal, Politics | Tags: | 2 Comments

  2. Registering new voters

    August 28, 2008 by elenamary

    Rumor is that tonight, Barack Obama’s speech will include an initiative  to start registering new voters, especially Latinos.

    “Voting Latinos”, one could whisper this into my ear only to watch the passion start seeping out of my pores.

    I’ve written before about what the Democratic Party, particularly what the Ohio Democratic Party, needs to do in order to court Latino Voters.  I hope someone will take note.  Below is a shorter version of the original post and includes six ways to reach potential voters.

    (more…)

    Category Latinos, Ohio, Politics | Tags: ,, | No Comments

  3. Yes officer, today I’m white

    August 28, 2008 by elenamary

    I was driving down Fourth Avenue today.  Fourth is a speedy one way, five lane street.  Many of the streets that deposit into and exit out of Fourth Avenue are also one way.  I was on the phone talking to a friend, as I started to make a left turn and was getting ready to make joke with my friend that on the corner of the street was an Asian police officer…something I’d never seen before in Columbus.  It was then I realized that I couldn’t continue with my turn because the street was one way in the wrong direction.

    The officer saw me and told me not to back up and continue with traffic (I was not blocking traffic) but to go ahead and continue down and then turn around…so I did.  I drove a few hundred feet and turned into an abandoned lot in order to turn around.  During all of this there was porch with about seven or eight black men on it, and they kept screaming something at me which I couldn’t make out.  I figured they were telling me I was going the wrong way and decided to ignore it at first but then realized they were saying things like “Ohh they are gonna get you”.  Almost at the same time I saw a police car pull up behind me blocking my exit.  In the car were two white officers.  I turned my car off and then heard the people on the porch loudly arguing that nothing was going to happen to me because I was white.

    One of the officers got out of the car and came up to my window.  “Do you know this is a one-way street?” Trying not to sound nervous I said “Yes, but  the officer standing on the corner told me to go ahead and come down this street to turn around, rather than back up into traffic.” He smiled and answered “Well next time try to pay more attention.  Have a nice day.”  I said thank you and turned my car back on as the men on the porch began to holler that they were right that the police weren’t going to do anything.  As I drove past the men a few yelled that I was only being let off because I was white.

    Odds are really good that I wasn’t hassled because I was a woman, and because in the eyes of everyone involved, I was white.   But what was I going to say?

    Category Ohio, personal, race, womyn | Tags: | 4 Comments

  4. DNCC protest

    August 27, 2008 by elenamary

    I got this from my Compadre El Tin.

    (I’ll be, God willing, participating in the March on the RNCC, Stop The War, in Minnesota…get at me if you’ll be there too.)


    Category personal, Politics | Tags: | No Comments

  5. Barack Me Tonight

    August 27, 2008 by elenamary

    Last night I learned what happens if you type “Barack Me Tonight” into google. I am still giggling about it.

    Category personal, Politics | Tags: | No Comments

  6. Yeah, I am a nerd for the DNCC

    August 25, 2008 by elenamary

    I didn’t watch a single bit of the Olympics…had no interest to…but the Democratic National Committee Convention?!  I am watching all four days of it, and as much as my schedule will permit.

    Watching tonight left me so excited, and overcome with emotion.  I got teary eyed with Caroline & Ted Kennedy, I was cheering with Tom Harkin,  and got animated with Michelle Obama.   I can’t sleep because I feel as if I am intoxicated with vivaciousness and passion.

    If you want to follow my emotions as I watch the DNCC, you can do so at my twitter.

    Category personal, Politics | Tags: | 1 Comment

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