Tuesday, November 04, 2008

The end is in sight.....

Well, it wasn't this morning. I walked to my polling place (it is less than a block from the house), and the line had about 50 people in it. They were standing all the way back to the picnic pavilion. My polling location is the local Knights of Columbus (a Catholic service organization, they do bingo and lots of picnics). This is PA, and it's chilly in the morning. So my hands would have been too cold to knit as I stood in line. We're expecting the low 60s today, so I'll go back during the day.

None the less, while I'm extremely concerned about a BO presidency, I am floored by the behavior of our fourth estate and that concerns me more than anything. If things keep going the way the election coverage has been handled (e.g., Chis Matthews and "Softball" etc.) who is going to be "watchdog". We don't need a press smiling benevolently at everything a new president (of either flavor) does. We need a press that is going to ask the questions we would ask, without reservation. Anyone else have no hope for that?

And finally, thank you Governor Palin! You performed the ultimate service for all women in this country, though some won't think so. You "outed" the feminists. I cut my teeth on the feminist movement in the mid-70s, but somewhere in the late 80s I began to realize that what I had thought and learned as feminism (equal pay, the right to choose ...everything, standing up for ones self, etc.) was way out of the feminist mainstream. Instead, feminism was blaming everything on discrimination, whether it was or not, not the right to choose-but the absolute necessity of abortion, the right NOT to be a stay-at-home mom (and heaven help those that chose this option), and the right NOT to disagree with any of these tenents. In other words, it wasn't about rights at all, it was about being a victim. It wasn't about having freedom, it was about a new kind of cage. But like many women of my generation, I went about my business, stepped on the toes that needed stepping on, and didn't worry about the rest. Apparently, Governor Palin, thought the same thing. So what if I have 4 (and one on the way) kids why can't I be governor....why not indeed?

So when she was picked as the VP choice and the Sally Quinns and the Gloria Steinems, as just two examples, hauled themselves out of their cauldrons, and began the barrage of criticism, they let the cat out of the bag. Rather than embracing this a different model of feminism, they disparaged it. Rather than celebrating diversity, they dumped on it. This woman has a husband who handles housework and childcare, he supports his wife, the uh, GOVERNOR of Alaska (a little more responsibility, then a journalist and a editor, don't you think?), and because she chose to give birth to a 5th child, knowing he would have challenges, is a religious person, and has values that conflict with their antiquated philosophies, they attacked. And they attacked in the very same way that they were critical of way back. They attacked her fitness as a MOTHER. For cripes sake--when I interview someone for a position, I can't even ask if they are married (male or female) because the Sallys and Glorias determined that that was a discriminatory question! The response of these whiners was more illustrative than any writing I could have done. I can't give credit for this, but the best quote I read during this election was "Tolerance ends, where diversity begins." This seems like it should be the new liberal mantra.

To all the Sallys and Glorias, we're here, we're not whiney, and we're happier and more satisfied than YOU. And if we're not, we take responsibility for our own lives. Get used to it.

And just for fun, I thought I'd show you a deep dark knitting secret. I hate the idea of hauling charts and instructions around. So instead of trying to follow a chart, and keeping track with post-its and highlighters, for every pattern I knit here's what I do:


This is a monkey sock, but that little ring of colored index cards there-that's the pattern. I simply write one row of the pattern on each card, punch a hole in the corner, and slide a ring through it. As I go through the pattern I flip a card. The card on top is my place in the pattern. I never have my cards flip around, and it is quick, easy and portable, for someone who is not very careful transporting knitting. Also you can put something down for a long period of time, and go right back to it without post-it notes, or pencil marks or whatever. Easy peasy.


Want a closer look?






The only down side is when you have very LOOOONG patterns--way too much writing. But the up front work is worth it.









Edited to add (2:00 pm EST):

I stood in line, in 54 degree chill, for nearly two hours to vote. Why? Because the Knights have TWO precincts in their hall. Precinct A has all the apartments housing the students in our neighborhood. Precinct B has residents. Guess where we fall? Yup, you got it, precinct A. The precinct B had NO LINE AT ALL! Yes, read that again. NO LINE. To add insult to injury, there were annoying helpful poll workers (outside) asking you to check your precinct to make sure you're in the correct line, and they are all wearing and handing out Obama stickers. Nice huh? The inside folk, can't show their political affiliations. Then there is the "cheerleader". An idiot excitable woman, probably a student, who kept walking up and down the line, asking if people wanted coffee or water, and literally screaming "Aren't we EXCITED? We're VOTING! Wooo hoo!" I was knitting a sock, but she never came near enough to me for me to stab her with my #1 needles. What I wanted to yell was...where the hell were you people two years ago when we elected a governor and a senator. And NO, "we're" not excited. My husband participated in a miserable war 30 odd years ago, and we exercise this right yearly. It's not excitement. It's a duty, and an honor, and if you've been 18 for any length of time, and this is the first time you're voting, then you should be ashamed not excited! So if all the twenty-somethings who were in line around me, were "excited" to vote, then I have grave doubts that they were even informed.

To make myself feel better, I took a few MORE minutes away from the office, and went to my LYS and vented to Cynthia, the owner, and squeezed the Ella Rae laceweight, and bought some Lamb's Pride to felt a hat for my sister for Christmas.

I have to admit Ted of the "Drive By Thinking" blog comments is probably right. These people are going to get what they think they want, and we're going to be magically transported back to the 70's. By then they'll be working and trying to get established, and damn, those payroll taxes are gonna be killer, and geeze, why are all the goods and services going up (to make up for the higher taxes they'll be paying out). Oh yeah, and then there's the thing where the people with money, who understood this to begin with.......they don't wail about moving to Timbuktu because we have a liberal president. They'll simple protect their assets, take their investments out of the market, and jobs will dry up. (Anybody remember Herbert Hoover?) They'll show up again when they aren't penalized for making sound financial decisions. Some people never learn.

4 comments:

kemtee said...

"Tolerance ends where diversity begins." Yes. I like that. I may steal it, with your permission.

Although if I had your permission it wouldn't technically be stealing. More like "borrowing." Ah, this conscience thing….

Thanks for quoting my brother. He may still be my PITA little brother, but he does have a good head on his shoulders.

Bezzie said...

Ah what a refreshing post. Although I wasn't a Palin supporter--the way women got down on her was sad. Had she been a man, would anyone have cared two squirts about her "get out there and get it done" attitude? Nope!

Mag said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mag said...

my first comment was too long

The postmortem is no better. Mrs. Palin is being hung in effigy and set on fire once again by her own team, after she's worked her ass off to help the cons. Again, if she were a man, none of this nonsense would be gossiped about. Wet hair and towel! Going 'rogue'!
Whining and burning Palin at the stake won't help the GOP get its act together for the next battle royale.