CURRENT EVENTS & OPINIONSdigdigilSeptember 4 2005, 12:00:12 UTC
When I was a little kid I used to wish that I was American instead of Canadian. My paternal grandmother was born in the U.S.A., in Michigan. She married my grandfather because he was a newspaperman and had been working as the editor of the Detroit Free Press and living there when they met. She became a dual citizen of both the U.S. and Canada when he got a new job as editor of the Montreal Star and they moved there where my father was born. I still have a lot of relatives in the U.S., spread out all over, from Boston to Austin, Texas. I have travelled in the U.S. a lot, but I have never visited New Orleans (although my parents have). However, now I am glad to be living here. Canada is a vast, spacious country of people united in one thing. We have our differences, yes, one of the primary ones being our "Two Solitudes", (the French and the English), but it seems such a little problem now compared to the stuff going on in the great United States. The one thing that binds us Canadians is our love of one another (of people) in all of our differences, and out supreme wish to preserve a certain quality of life. That is why we have gun control (citizens CANNOT own guns without a permit and these are not given out lightly), medicare, and large government. My hearts go out to all Americans in need, who are suffering, and for the devastation of the beautiful city of New Orleans. Whatever I can do to help, I will. As a Canadian, I love you all, my American neighbors, through good times and bad. And Dawn, things will get better. They always do. One thing I learned from my business background is that things go around in cycles. And in a few years' time, Bush will be out!
Re: CURRENT EVENTS & OPINIONSdawn_felagundSeptember 5 2005, 17:40:44 UTC
::huggles Jenni::
As always, you are there to cheer me up :)
It is just intensely frustrating because everything that I ever thought of as an "American value" suddenly seems to mean nothing: the safety of our citizens, our freedom, our equality. He'll be out in a few years, but the way things seem to be now, people will elect another selfish moron just like him. I'm surprised that they're not lobbying to have the Constitution amended to give him a life term as a dictator with full powers. /snark
I also love my country, through good times and bad. If I didn't love my country and my fellow citizens, I would sit quietly and be a good lemming, like so many others do. Or I would be one of those people who talk of running off to Canada or Europe because it's easier than speaking out and changing things here. The funny thing is that I thought the activist in me had died when I became an adult, but lo, as soon as this crap started to happen, it woke back up, screaming and kicking, and hasn't shut up since. :)
Re: CURRENT EVENTS & OPINIONSdigdigilSeptember 6 2005, 18:10:53 UTC
No, no, no, Dawn, do NOT give in to despair! Keep repeating to yourself - "He'll be out in a few years - he'll be out in a few years!" No dynasty lasts forever, and usually there is a backlash against the types of policies and stuff that a current dynasty has. (I'm sorry, I'm not very coherent because of my sinus infection. I can't think of the words I want to say.) Didn't he almost lose twice? Weren't they really close election results both times? You KNOW there are enough voters out there that want him GONE! If the Democrats can come up with a viable candidate then I'm sure they can beat the Republicans in the next election. And if not, well then, maybe the next Republican guy will be someone with some reason and sanity. Your country is a great one, for sure. If more people voted, then they'd get what they want. But voter apathy is the same everywhere. We have it here, too. It just goes to show, you get what you put in, every time!
Re: CURRENT EVENTS & OPINIONSdawn_felagundSeptember 6 2005, 18:55:52 UTC
No, no, no, Dawn, do NOT give in to despair!
I'm trying very hard not to.
I used to love to follow current events and *especially* loved political cartoons (the nastier, the better! :D) but gave it up because it was all depressing me so much. Now I remember *why.* But I think my discomfort is worth speaking out for those who can no longer speak.
Didn't he almost lose twice? Weren't they really close election results both times?
He DID lose once! He lost the popular vote in the 2000 election against Al Gore and quite likely also lost the electoral vote, but the Supreme Court was involved and they stopped the recount of the Florida votes in question. Keep in mind that George's brother is the governor of Florida, and Florida (being a lot of old, Jewish, and Hispanic people) can quite easily go to the Dems.
There were questions in the '04 election too, with voting machines becoming prevalent and the owner of one of the companies promising George W. the election. Big surprise, there were problems in several key Democratic districts that when people cast a vote for Kerry, it recorded one for Bush. Again, nothing was investigated.
And this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg about my frustration.
One of the major problems (and then I'll stop gnawing your ear about American politics ;D) is that one of the few *very* mobile voter blocs are the Bible beaters. In the midst of a war, with the economy in the tank, more people voted because they were afraid Kerry would "legalize gay marriage" than on any of those other issues.
Ignoring the fact that it is legally impossible for a President to simply "legalize" something and that Kerry also opposed gay marriage, personally, I'd sooner see two men get married and have the 18,000 American lives lost in 9/11, Iraq, and now Katrina restored. (But I'm for gay marriage anyway!)
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As always, you are there to cheer me up :)
It is just intensely frustrating because everything that I ever thought of as an "American value" suddenly seems to mean nothing: the safety of our citizens, our freedom, our equality. He'll be out in a few years, but the way things seem to be now, people will elect another selfish moron just like him. I'm surprised that they're not lobbying to have the Constitution amended to give him a life term as a dictator with full powers. /snark
I also love my country, through good times and bad. If I didn't love my country and my fellow citizens, I would sit quietly and be a good lemming, like so many others do. Or I would be one of those people who talk of running off to Canada or Europe because it's easier than speaking out and changing things here. The funny thing is that I thought the activist in me had died when I became an adult, but lo, as soon as this crap started to happen, it woke back up, screaming and kicking, and hasn't shut up since. :)
Reply
Reply
I'm trying very hard not to.
I used to love to follow current events and *especially* loved political cartoons (the nastier, the better! :D) but gave it up because it was all depressing me so much. Now I remember *why.* But I think my discomfort is worth speaking out for those who can no longer speak.
Didn't he almost lose twice? Weren't they really close election results both times?
He DID lose once! He lost the popular vote in the 2000 election against Al Gore and quite likely also lost the electoral vote, but the Supreme Court was involved and they stopped the recount of the Florida votes in question. Keep in mind that George's brother is the governor of Florida, and Florida (being a lot of old, Jewish, and Hispanic people) can quite easily go to the Dems.
There were questions in the '04 election too, with voting machines becoming prevalent and the owner of one of the companies promising George W. the election. Big surprise, there were problems in several key Democratic districts that when people cast a vote for Kerry, it recorded one for Bush. Again, nothing was investigated.
And this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg about my frustration.
One of the major problems (and then I'll stop gnawing your ear about American politics ;D) is that one of the few *very* mobile voter blocs are the Bible beaters. In the midst of a war, with the economy in the tank, more people voted because they were afraid Kerry would "legalize gay marriage" than on any of those other issues.
Ignoring the fact that it is legally impossible for a President to simply "legalize" something and that Kerry also opposed gay marriage, personally, I'd sooner see two men get married and have the 18,000 American lives lost in 9/11, Iraq, and now Katrina restored. (But I'm for gay marriage anyway!)
Reply
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