in sum: Arse slightly numb.
Sat on the cobbles of Columbia's campus (in front of the Low Memorial Library, fact fans!) for two hours, watching Obama and McCain pretend to get along cos it's the anniversary of sept 11th 2001.
This liveblog says it best (you start from the bottom. Obv.)
Went with other Europeans. Took a picnic. Hissed and heckled when they said, endlessly, that America is "teh Best Countree Evarr! Srsly!" The Swedes Among Us said "best at what? Free education? Healthcare? gender parity in the workplace or parliament or big business?"
Bloody swedes and their all-green, all-domestic energy. Smug gits. The English (well, there was one other with me) just rolled our eyes and asked if this was what it felt to be a victorian male in, say, 1870 - convinced, convinced that god was on your side and you had to make the world anew in your image. Particularly all those dark, foreign types who didn't wash.
Both candidates were pressed to express their opinions on the fact that Columbia (along with the rest of the ivy league) won't allow the ROTC to parade or recruit on campus. They do have an OTC, but they can't march about the place and they can't recruit on campus because they're not equal oppourtunity employers. (i.e. no gays, ta). Both candidates express their horror that this is the case. Both candidates think that they should be allowed to recruit and march about on campus. McCain cos he's not about to say "well, gay people are human" and Obama cos he can't risk not looking uberpatriotic, today of all days, cos he's, y'know, a bit non-white so has to be extra flagwavy.
But, y'know. they're not an equal opportunities employer. They're bigots. Oh, but they're our proud brave self-sacrificing military. Sorry. that's what I meant to say. Not gaybashing nobheads. Sorry. yes, of course.
bastards, all of them.
All v. depressing. had to go for beer afterwards. Cannot shake image of Hitler giving Triumph of the Will speech - substitute "American spirit" and "american people" for "deutsches Blut" and "deutsches Volk" and you'll see why we skipped out trying not to seig heil. Scary rhetoric. Ein Volk! Ein Flag! Ein Presidential wankfest!
Raaargh. Sleepnow. Don't wake me if the world ends. It's too bloody predictable.
This liveblog says it best (you start from the bottom. Obv.)
Went with other Europeans. Took a picnic. Hissed and heckled when they said, endlessly, that America is "teh Best Countree Evarr! Srsly!" The Swedes Among Us said "best at what? Free education? Healthcare? gender parity in the workplace or parliament or big business?"
Bloody swedes and their all-green, all-domestic energy. Smug gits. The English (well, there was one other with me) just rolled our eyes and asked if this was what it felt to be a victorian male in, say, 1870 - convinced, convinced that god was on your side and you had to make the world anew in your image. Particularly all those dark, foreign types who didn't wash.
Both candidates were pressed to express their opinions on the fact that Columbia (along with the rest of the ivy league) won't allow the ROTC to parade or recruit on campus. They do have an OTC, but they can't march about the place and they can't recruit on campus because they're not equal oppourtunity employers. (i.e. no gays, ta). Both candidates express their horror that this is the case. Both candidates think that they should be allowed to recruit and march about on campus. McCain cos he's not about to say "well, gay people are human" and Obama cos he can't risk not looking uberpatriotic, today of all days, cos he's, y'know, a bit non-white so has to be extra flagwavy.
But, y'know. they're not an equal opportunities employer. They're bigots. Oh, but they're our proud brave self-sacrificing military. Sorry. that's what I meant to say. Not gaybashing nobheads. Sorry. yes, of course.
bastards, all of them.
All v. depressing. had to go for beer afterwards. Cannot shake image of Hitler giving Triumph of the Will speech - substitute "American spirit" and "american people" for "deutsches Blut" and "deutsches Volk" and you'll see why we skipped out trying not to seig heil. Scary rhetoric. Ein Volk! Ein Flag! Ein Presidential wankfest!
Raaargh. Sleepnow. Don't wake me if the world ends. It's too bloody predictable.