Leave Colin Powell Alone

I’ve been wondering for a while now if Colin Powell would come out again in support of Barack Obama. I was pleased when he did because I really like and respect Colin Powell. Colin Powell is a republican who is planning to vote for a democrat. That is a beautiful thing. As I have argued in previous posts, I think it’s a horrible idea to vote strictly along party lines. It is our responsibility as Americans to vote for the people who we believe are the best candidates. You should never say, “Well he’s a republican, I can’t vote for him.” The real question is whether you agree with a lot of his policies and whether you trust him. I don’t have a political affiliation. I’m voting for Barack Obama in this election, but truthfully, if Colin Powell was running, I would be voting for him. Powell is everything that a leader should be.

I didn’t expect the backlash from Romney’s team. John Sununu, a co-chair of Romney’s campaign, went on television and accused Powell of voting for Obama because he was black. Sununu later tried to backpedal and say that he was friends with Powell. If I was Powell, and my “friend” went on national television and called me an idiot, I’m not sure how close friends we would be afterwards. Before anyone corrects me and says that Sununu didn’t call Powell an idiot, let me first explain what I mean. Only a foolish person votes for or against a presidential candidate solely because of race. By Sununu insinuating that race was Powell’s motivation, he was implying that Powell was an idiot.

While I’m on the subject of race and the election, I feel the need to address something that has been ticking me off ever since 2008. Statistically speaking, the majority of the black vote has gone to the democratic presidential candidate since 1936. Though Al Gore and John Kerry lost their presidential bids, according to Gallup, Gore received 95% and Kerry received 93% of the black vote. I find it highly offensive that when the majority of the black vote goes to white democratic candidates, blacks are voting that way because they traditionally support the democratic platform, but when the majority of the black vote goes to a black democratic candidate, blacks are voting that way because he’s black. Get real!

 As for the myth that all black people support Obama, I know a few people who are counterexamples. Believe it or not, some black people are planning to vote for Romney. *Gasp* No your eyes didn’t deceive you: some black people are going to vote for Romney. It shouldn’t be a big deal. People should vote for the candidate who they believe in.

Now back to this Sununu thing. Romney’s co-chair inserted race in to the discussion then Romney’s backers became upset when the “liberal” media wanted to talk about Sununu’s comments. Here’s a hint for Romney’s camp: If you don’t want people talking about race then stop talking about race and making racially charged statements because you know that the “liberal” media won’t ignore it.

After the Debate…

When I discover that I have made a mistake, I do my best to apologize and make it right. In an earlier blog I wrote that Romney said he needed 10-13 years to fix the economy. During the debate last night, Romney said it would take him 8 to 10 years to balance the budget. I stand corrected. I’m glad that he lowered the amount of time that he needs, but it doesn’t change the fact that he needs two terms to get the job done but he’s condemning Obama for not doing it in one term. Last night, I almost mistook Romney for Obama. When Romney called for a “change” in Washington, I remembered Obama saying the same thing when he was running for president. Unfortunately, bipartisanship is a two way street. When the media was calling the Republicans in Congress the “party of no,” I didn’t hear much objection from them. Congress shouldn’t be about making a statement or punishing the current president because you wanted someone else. There should be very few times when all the Republicans or all the Democrats in Congress vote against something or for something (case in point Obamacare). Voting along party lines has become sickening. There isn’t enough outrage about what Congress has done and not done. Our national credit rating wasn’t lowered because of President Obama, it was lowered because Congress was too busy playing games. If Romney wins the election then the Democrats better not become the new “party of no.” I don’t think they will, but I just want to put that out there. I don’t want them to think that the strategy worked for the Republicans and so it will work for them. I disapprove of any political party using that strategy because it hurts the country. If Obama wins again then I hope the Republicans will come back to the table and everyone can work together and focus on improving America. We can’t fix America as Democrats and Republicans. We have to fix it as Americans. I have said it before and I will say it again: On November 6, I am voting for the people who I believe are the best candidates; I am planning to vote for some Democrats, some Republicans and a few Independents, and I’m not ashamed of it. I don’t owe the Democratic Party or the Republican Party anything.

My Review of 3 Day Weekend

I’ve heard bad things about 3 Day Weekend and I finally decided to watch it this morning. The movie is about a group of guys spending the weekend at a cabin in the woods reminded me of an older movie. 3 Day Weekend wasn’t a great movie, but it was definitely not as bad as people kept saying it was. The timing of some of the scenes was a bit off, but it was tolerable. I usually am a bit squeamish with 20 year age gaps in relationships (unless both parties are over 50…don’t ask), but I was okay with the relationship in this movie. It was sweet. 

I saw some comments on the movie in which people complained about the looks of the characters. I liked that they were regular looking. 

I also liked that the movie looked at love from many different perspectives. There were single guys; there was a relationship that was just beginning, a relationship that was in its prime and a relationship that was at its end. The movie showed that you can find yourself in a relationship but you can also lose yourself in a relationship. Sometimes you can see that a relationship is about to end but you waste time looking for a reason instead of just acknowledging that it’s over.  

Overall Rating: C+

Anyway, watch the movie and make your own decision:

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Neither Candidate is a “Winner”

In my brief voting history, I have voted for democrats, republicans and independents. I don’t vote for a particular party, I vote for the candidate. In this election I will be voting for a mix of democrats and republicans. Yes the top of my ballot will be filled in for Obama but that won’t be the story of my ballot. I’m not voting for Obama because I think he is the cure for what ails this country, but rather because I believe that he is the lesser of two evils. I don’t want a president who believes in equal rights for some people but not all. People bash Obama for evolving his opinion, but now that he has, I can’t ignore it and I don’t want to take a step backwards. To treat certain people like second class citizens is un-American. However, I’m not going to bash Romney. I respect his right to his opinions even if he doesn’t respect mine. I have friends who are voting for Mitt Romney. There I said it. We disagree on politics but that doesn’t worry us because our friendships are not based on politics, but rather on who we are as people. Congress should probably sit in on a few of our conversations and take notes.

Obama didn’t fix the country in his first term. I don’t understand why anyone is surprised. If you listen to Romney’s timeline, he’s already said in advance that he needs 10-13 years to fix the country. How can you knock Obama for not accomplishing in four years what Romney says will take 10-13 years? 

I didn’t expect Obama to perform a miracle and once it became clear that partisan politics was the name of the game, I gave up on expecting much from anyone in Washington. When a democrat proposes a republican idea and has it categorically shot down by the very party that gave birth to the idea, the country as a whole suffers. For those who truly believe that Obama has been a horrible president, I contend that he had help. The government has been a horrible government. Congress seems to have forgotten that the constitution says “We the People” not “We the Party.” The democrats and the republicans have both behaved deplorably and if it was left up to me, I would fire most of them and start over. 

I began becoming disillusioned with our government when Gore won the popular vote but lost the election. The people spoke but their voices were ignored. I think that was also when this country really took a turn for the worse. Some people said the vilest things about President Bush. I didn’t like him, but I still felt that people should have respected him. As the Internet became more and more popular, I knew the next president would be welcomed by even nastier comments and I was right. Some of the things that have been written about Obama are not fit to print. The winner of this election will be accosted by vicious lies and nasty comments and they will have to suck it up because a lot of people in this country can’t seem to have a disagreement without name calling.

The truth is that neither candidate is a “winner,” but we have to choose one of them. Yes I’m choosing Obama, but I’m not going to whine, pout, finger point or name call if I lose.

Reality TV = Edited Drama

American society rewards bad behavior. What kind of nation glorifies public drunkenness, cheating and fighting? What kind of nation pays big bucks to see those things? I haven’t seen Jersey Shore, but I hear that it’s all about partying. It’s shameful. Fortunately for them, most of them are in their twenties, so I can kind of give them a pass. Then there are shows where the biggest attraction is manufactured drama among a group of grown ass women.  Yes Real Housewives and Basketball Wives, I’m talking to you. Grown women shouldn’t be throwing fists or wine bottles or flipping tables or running across tables trying to attack someone.  Grown women shouldn’t get paid to behave like teenage girls. 

I watched Hollywood Exes and I was pleasantly surprised that with the exception of one ugly exchange, the women behaved like adults. They had arguments, but they resolved them the way adults should. They talked things out and either agreed to disagree or agreed not to bring it up again. 

I’m ashamed to admit that I watch quite a few “reality shows.” The only “Housewives” I watch is Atlanta, but I watch a lot of the other “wives” shows. By giving them ratings, I contribute to the madness. I give my stamp of approval to shows that purport to feature wives but mostly feature girlfriends and single women. I give my stamp of approval to shows that essentially reward women for bagging a basketball player. Sometimes I wonder what that says about me as a person. I try to rationalize it and acknowledge that there is comfort in watching people behaving badly on camera, something about it being on television makes it seem less real and more acceptable. I view most of the reality shows I watch as being just like regular television shows, fake drama and all.

I'm Ready to Clone a Clergyman

Some members of the black clergy are supporting gay marriage in Maryland. Say what? I had to read the article (click here to read the article). The opening line read, “Reverend Donte Hickman believes that marriage is a union between one man and one woman, and he will not marry same-sex couples at his church in Baltimore.” I thought maybe I had clicked on the wrong article, but the next line explained that Hickman is in favor of the Civil Marriage Protection Act. Hickman said, “What I practice in the church does not have to be practiced by the state…We live in a democracy not a theocracy and I think it sets a very dangerous precedent when any religious organization can establish and legislate laws by faith tradition.” To that I say, “Amen.”

Hickman represents tolerance. He will not perform a gay marriage in his church, but he understands that in our country his personal beliefs should not be used to infringe upon the rights of others. He gets that there has to be a separation of church and state in order for our country to be at its best. We need laws that protect all of the people, not just some of the people. We’ve never fully enacted our constitution. There has always been a group that we as a country have deemed as unworthy of liberty and the pursuit of happiness. My ancestors, whether we discuss my Native American background, or my mostly black background, each had a keen awareness of what it was like to be that group that was singled out as lesser than. Unfortunately, most minority groups in this country have ancestors who were familiar with the idea of being American but being treated like second class citizens. I don’t want to talk about the state of minorities today because that’s a lengthy discussion, but I do want to point out that people often compare gay rights to the civil rights movement because at its core, gay rights is about civil rights. As a citizen of America, each person should be entitled to certain rights. The right to marry should be a guarantee; the fact that people have to fight for it should be an embarrassment to every American citizen.

When certain religious groups argue that homosexuals are trying to force their beliefs on everyone, they should really take a look in the mirror. It’s okay to be against gay marriage, but it stops being okay when you try to force that belief on the country. I wish more clergy would stand up and join Reverend Hickman. Acknowledging that two consenting adults have the right to get married is not the same as marrying them. Hickman has made his position clear: he will not perform a same-sex marriage. That’s all that clergy against gay marriage should say. Hickman made sure that the Civil Rights Marriage Protection Act in Maryland “would not require any religious institutions to perform same-sex marriages if they did not believe in them.” The law provides an easy out for any religious institution that is against same-sex marriage and I think that is a good thing, because I believe that it would be wrong to force gay marriage on a religious institution. For me, it’s an issue of respect. I respect an institution’s right not to do certain things, but that institution must respect the right of other institutions to do those things. Each institution and each couple should be free to make their own choices. That’s what Reverend Hickman believes and that is what I believe, too.

African-American Christians: What is there to waver about?

I read a very disturbing article this morning titled African-American Christians waver over vote. I have been hearing mumblings about African-Americans who are planning not to vote because they disagree with Obama on gay marriage and they can’t bring themselves to support Romney because they disagree with Romney’s policies. I’ve been ignoring those mumblings because I was dismissing them to media hype, but after a recent conversation with a family member, I know that it is more than hype. There are some people out there who are seriously considering not voting in the election because of Obama’s stance on gay marriage. I can’t speak about other areas, but I have seen billboards in Ohio and in Michigan in which the Republicans are pandering to these people. The billboard reads: Obama supports abortion and gay marriage. Do You? What the sign should say is: Dear ignorant people, thanks for your support.

This is a presidential election. Agreeing with each candidate 100% of the time is next to impossible. I haven’t made it a secret that I’m not a big fan of either candidate, but I am a big fan of me. I want the candidate who I believe will look out for my best interest. For me that candidate is Obama, for some people that candidate may be Romney. Whoever it is, everyone should go out and vote. Obama supporters who opt out of voting because they don’t want to vote for a guy who supports gay marriage might as well go out and vote for Romney because that is essentially what they are doing. Technically speaking, I should be voting for a third party candidate because my beliefs and policies align more with them (yes I took the survey), but I’m a realist. Voting for a third party candidate in this election is worse than a wasted vote, it’s the equivalent of voting for the candidate that you don’t want because this election is predicted to be close which means that literally every vote counts. 

To the African-American Christians who are thinking about not voting in this election, I present one simple question: what would Jesus do? Would Jesus turn away a gay man who came to him asking for help? Would Jesus pass judgment on a woman who has had an abortion? 

This type of hypocrisy is part of the reason why I no longer attend church on a regular basis. As a child, I was taught that God is love and that everyone is welcome in God’s kingdom. I believed that we were all sinners and that God would forgive us of any sin if we simply humbled ourselves and asked for forgiveness. Jesus welcomed murderers and prostitutes with open arms. Yet we as people do not. My pastor used to love to say, “Judge not lest ye be judged,” but as I grew up, I realized that he didn’t truly mean those words. If he did, he wouldn’t be able to say that quote in one breath then damn gays to hell as abominations in the next. I never lost my faith in God, but after a few too many church scandals I did lose my faith in the people of my church. 

According to the article “pastors say their congregants are asking how a true Christian could back same-sex marriage” to those congregants I ask, how can a true Christian not back same-sex marriage? If being gay is a sin, then it is a sin for God to judge. If you think homosexuality is wrong then don’t get involved in a homosexual relationship and continue living your life, but stop passing judgment on others. 

As for the election, here are a few pointers: Don’t vote for Obama because he is black, don’t vote for Romney because he is white; don’t vote for Obama because he’s a democrat and don’t vote for Romney because he is a republican; vote for who you believe is the best candidate to secure American beliefs and remember that our country recommends the separation of church and state for a reason.

If you choose not to vote then you are choosing to accept the consequences of your inaction so do not open your mouth to complain about the results of an election in which you decided to sit out.