its been a while..but now im mad

quick update since april: I have spent the summer in B'ham falling in love with biology all over again, seeing friends, reading a lot, and getting excited to get back to Swells.

SO I didn't really want to make political posts but what the hell? I'm never running for public office anyways- or least I know I couldn't get elected.

Since Hillary lost the nomination, I had completely tuned out the presidential election and in fact, aside from studying at UAB, hadn't done much thinking otherwise. I didn't like Obama-there was nothing "new" or shiny about a young, Chicago politician who through back-deals and community "activism" had risen rapidly through the ranks of a party who used him as much as he used them. And I was dissapointed in McCain. A once moderate Republican maverick had gone to the "dark side"(as he told Jon Stewart) in order to get the base vote. A former POW and naval officer, you'd think McCain would have a better Iraq policy for the removal of troops and for the establishment of infrastructure so we don't have Afghanistan/ Taliban all over again.

But here's what I'm mad as hell/really confused by:

I was watching C-span and there was an older black lawyer who once worked for MLK speaking before a crowd at the Museum of African American Diaspora in San Franscisco (btw, i love SF!). He recently wrote a book describing what MLK would say if he saw the state of racial America today and what he would think of black leadership. It was all well and dandy until he said that when Americans went to the polls in November, with Obama as a presidential candidate, it is the equivalent of a "national referendum on race." WTF!! sorry for the outrage, but people also said this about Hilary. An election with a female candidate was a "national referendum on gender." NO!!! Since when did most Americans vote on one issue solely which is the definition of referendum. This guy essentially believes this election is a litmus test for racism. Which means a vote against Obama is not about his policy, but about a deep-seeded prejudice. In one fell swoop, this guy both reduced Obama to a talking head/token black guy and all American voters to one-dimensional, racist idiots. Isn't this the exact opposite of MLK's dream? Wouldn't he want a black candidate voted in not because of the color of his skin but by the content of maybe not his character but at least his policy?

And if we are truly in a post-racial America and post-feminist America, these two factors (gender and race)wouldn't influence our voting at all. Are we in a post-racial America? This Sunday's NY TIMES magazine seems to suggest no. A great article highlighting the generational differences in black leadership (including a shout out to AL rep Artur Davis-yay) describes how Philadelphia's black mayor believes that MLK and the like fought so that now its his perogative to NOT vote for Obama..and yet the black community criticizes this mayor. (intersting to note:originallly the Congressional Black Caucus supported Hillary)

And why do we even make these an issue in this election? Is it truly because it matters so much to us as americans or is it that in our increasingly complex and dangerous global position, the only issues we can grasp and thus vote on are race and gender. Not to say it isn't exciting to have a bi-racial and female in this election... I completely identified with Obama's bi-racial background(he's as much "white" as he is "black" but then people need him to "prove" both) as I identified with Hillary saying that being a female was of course a big deal..she approached everything in life as a female as she had no other way.

Anyway I know this is all scattered, but I am really curious as to what ya'll think, if it matters to you, and what issues are getting you excited?