I'm a big blog reader and not just art blogs. I'm a political addict... I keep up with lots of op-ed blogs and usually know what's going to be on the evening news before noon. I married a career Air Force Officer who served during the Viet Nam era but was never 'in country,' only over it (B-52's.) I have two sons, one served in the Navy, the other in the Marines. They were on the edge of wartime, but not in it, thank God! Even with all this military background running through our family, I cannot, for the life of me, read any of the blogs our solders are writing from Iraq. The wife and mother in me just isn't strong enough to live this war on such personal terms. This NYTimes article reminds me why. I couldn't finish the first page, much less six... I voted for Bush... twice. I carry the burden of guilt and regret.
Unable to read tea leaves I do my best to be better educated this time around. I know you can't get out of quicksand by yourself... this country made the quagmire but it's going to take a global effort to pull out of it. My gut tells me that Obama, if he isn't flayed raw and stripped bare for every evidence of human error, has the ability to bring that global effort together.
John McCain should have been elected eight years ago but I wasn't paying enough attention when lies defeated his prospects. It's too late for him now. My healthy, athletic, sharp of mind husband is about the same age as McCain... I wouldn't vote for him for community leader, much less President of the USA. He served well, but it's over.
Senator Clinton is to be admired... for shear tenacity if nothing else. She's undoubtedly as smart as they come. She should continue her role in government, in any suitable position that requires her kind of fortitude. She's a pro and she can get a job done. But she doesn't have that special quality that brings the kind of universal respect so necessary at this point in time. Obama's got it.
I could go on... in fact just deleted a bunch of 'going on'... but a couple of 'next generation' g-kids are in-house and they need my attention... and they'll also get a dose of how important it is to pay attention to what's happening to THEIR country! I wish I had...
8 comments:
i'm glad you voiced this
as i'm always too shy and afraid of my political ignorance.
good job.
Thanks for this, Karen. I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment of the candidates.
I also appreciate your speaking of your experience as a military wife and mother. I think it's important for all of us to be reminded of what's being asked of our young military men and women and the families back home who worry and wait. As a country, we need to keep them ever present in our thoughts and prayers.
My feelings about the candidates are a lot like yours, KJ. I have military men in my family, too -- father, brother-in-law and two nephews who have served. Of the soldiers in my family, only my father served during a war. I saw first hand what it did to him and it pains me so much that we sent our soldiers to Iraq with so little forethought about how and why. Thanks for this post.
Thanks too for the post below about your camera. I'm on my way to a printmaking conference in VA with a new camera; will be reading the manual on the plane. So sorry about your camera "accident." I hope I can manage with mine...
Hi Karen.
I agree with your view on Senator Clinton and where she can function best.
Bush terrified me from the beginning but perhaps it was that my Canadian media showed less skewed coverage of him right from the start. Perhaps it is that I am not a conservative voter...who knows?
American media has a lot to blame in all of this. Most countries would tell you how amazed that we are at how dishonest most of the news in the US is. CNN is a joke. The level of fear-mongering prior to elections and senate votes is unbelievable.
I forced myself to read the whole NY Times article and had tears in my eyes when I finished. We've got to do something drastic about this situation and I think the only person that can push to accomplish it is Obama.
We hit 4000 troop deaths this week, not to mention all the injured whose lives are changed forever and for what purpose?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, although it always depresses me when I read about people that I admire supporting a man like Bush (and, I guess, Republican "ideals"). Very sad - our children are in a world of hurt, especially after the last 7 years.
I voted the same...twice...what was I thinking?
So glad to hear I'm not the only one.
Obama 08 -
enjoy your blog so much!
kc
I don't know why it took me so long to really study the politics of the day... guess I just felt it was so far beyond my control. Am so excited to see so many young people take an interest, as witnessed by the throngs supporting Obama. I don't expect perfection... just the ability to pull us back on track.
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