IN my inbox today I got a glimpse of a piece I had actually already read about- and it was interesting watching what happened to that story over a number of hours over at the New York Times.

Yesterday I heard through an NPR news source that because one man filed a complaint in Jakarta about a statue of Barack Obama as a boy- the statue would be moved from a public park to the school where Pres. Obama went as a young student. The person who filed the complaint with the gov. raised awareness about his concerns via facebook. And his concerns were two fold. 1. the public park should be used to celebrate local heroes, and 2. Jakarta doesn't always like the way the USA does things so maybe this statue would send a message that Indonesia was too close to the Obama administration. All seemed reasonable. They moved the statue, the guy dropped the complaint- though he bitched a little that it took too long.

Then in my mailbox this morning under my news alerts I see this headline from the NYT;
"After Outcry in Indonesia, Obama Statue Is Evicted"

catchy.

See how they make it into and OUTCRY, see how they make it sound like Obama is hated there- kicked out. And the use of the word evicted is another swipe at class, poverty and racial stereotypes.

Then when I went to the story an hour or so later- presto changeo the headline was cleaned up to read "After Complaints in Indonesia, Obama Statue Is Moved"

Now I applaud the changing of the headline to a real live news headline but I wonder at the first version. The headline and photos set the tone of the story. Also the original story I read via NPR had a quote from the school being very excited to receive the statue and a sense that everything had be solved amicably. I find it fascinating to watch the media spin, hide their spin, and then spin again.

There was also this catchy little racially stereotyped headline today over at the Canada Free Press. "Barack Obama: Robin Hood or Robbin’ Hood?"

nice.

What follows that little headline is a politically charged rant fueled by what Stephen Colbert would call lots of "truthiness." And this is a news media outlet not a right wing blog.


Sickening really. And this is one of the problems that we have not even begun to solve over the last 9 years.

No one said any of this was going to be easy. BUT damn.

So each day I wonder, where has my political fervor gone? I worked my ass off from 2002 till last year. Not a day went by where I did not do something political. And I mean way beyond blogging. Registering voters, making phone calls, going on political trips to learn more and do more. I worked on the Dean Campaign, The Kerry Campaign, The 2006 midterms and the Obama Campaign. I wrote, cried, and shed a lot of blood sweat and tears.

But summer 2009 till now... it has been the hardest ever. I just feel my will weakening under so many disappointments. And I ask myself. Do I want it enough? I mean nothing is going our way fast enough and the voices of the progressive movement are being shouted down in every arena.

Do we want it enough?

What is IT?

It is the whole deal... social justice, human rights, peace, health care, civil rights, women's rights, a sane world where science is real and religion is between you and your god.

That is IT. And what is clear is that if we want IT> we are going to have to keep working. Because "they" don't want it, or don't understand it, or are too afraid of it. And we are the only things slowing the slide into crazy land. Really I don't want to diminish the humans on the right but it is crazy...

a snapshot of what they believe...and do.


Declaring how our great health care system is and resisting change as we slip into nationwide medical bankruptcy and hover at the low 30's in quality health care.

Denying climate change as DC gets more snow than they have had in over 100 years and other places see record rains, drought, heat, hurricanes, etc.

Denying evolution as the rest of the world celebrates the life and contributions of Darwin.

Shouting at Tea Party rallies as families lose their homes.

Yammering on about founding fathers and the consitution as the highest court in the land grants unlimited election influence to corporations with money and limits voting access to regular Americans with election fraud claims and voter discrimination laws.

Taking control of a woman's body while women make advances around the world and lead many nations into the new decade.

Those are just some of the choices. I am sure we can all name more. That is what they want. Do we want to stop them?

Do we want it enough?

If the answer is yes, then we damn well better figure out how to get the Dems to do what is right as they are the only choice we have right now. We better force that spinal transplant any way we can.

And I better get back to political action each and every day. I better find the will to keep on fighting. How about you?

The senate sucks.

Not much else to say about that except that if something doesn't change soon then we are sure to get to hell in that hand-basket faster - oh and we will lose a record number of seats in the august most deliberative body in the country. (and the house)

It is going to suck. Almost as much as they do.

almost

Howard Dean went on the Rachel Maddow show and kicked some major butt calling for the Dems to get a spine transplant. Basically in 2004 when the pubs were going on and on about the nuclear option- they were complaining about the abusive democrats. The dems at the time had used the filibuster 50 some times... in the first year of the Obama Administration those conservative filibuster hating gop' ers have used the filibuster option more than 100 times. Blocking absolutely everything. And instead of going nuclear- the dems are sitting back and whimpering. As usual.

So what is next?
What can the progressive base do if our leaders sell us down the river for a wink and a smile that they might do some bipartisan deal making in the future?

do we have any options left?

So, I've been off the blog for a bit- trapped briefly in DC during snows and the DNC meeting. Back now to regular life.

Great news about the Saints!
Sick to Death of Sarah Palin.
Lot's to do for work and future planning.

The trip to DC was good. Frustrating. But good.

I am hoping to see some movement and some legislation on the horizon.

So what have you all been up to?