Is it odd to anyone else that at the same time Subway is honoring the 10 year anniversary of Jared losing all that weight while eating their healthy subs they are also running a special on their footlongs, selling them for only $5?
I thought that part of eating healthy (which they're advertising through the Jared commercials) was by eating smaller portions (defeated by selling cheaper footlongs).
Maybe it's just me.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Sad To Say, They Weren't
I closed out my post o' frustration (yet ultimate triumph) yesterday with the hope that other county conventions went better. According to this article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, some went worse.
Perhaps it is time to take a serious look at how we conduct our politics as Democrats in Texas. It's clear, at any rate, that something needs to be done.
Perhaps it is time to take a serious look at how we conduct our politics as Democrats in Texas. It's clear, at any rate, that something needs to be done.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
A Cause To Convention For
So, today was the Democratic County Convention. If you'll recall from an earlier post, I was elected as a delegate for Senator Obama from my precinct to the County Convention, so this morning I woke up, looked up the directions to the Middle School it was being held at online, and left early, so as not to be late.
It's a good thing I left a little early, because I discovered that the directions I had found online from the MapQuest people were completely wrong (is it possible MapQuest is run by Republicans? Who can say for sure). Luckily I found it some thirty minutes after I should have, but having left early, I arrived on time.
Confusion reigned upon entering the building, luckily someone who had already been around had come out to her car to get something, so myself and a lady who arrived at the same time were able to follow her to the gym (on the opposite side of the school) where the convention was being held.
Side Bar - While I was driving around trying to find the Middle School I found the place where the Republican County Convention was being held. Do you know how I know? They had signs. We're the party of the New Deal, you'd think we could figure out to have signs.
Anyway, finally, I was signed in as an Obama Delegate for the 9th Precinct and I made my way to the table for my precinct where I was greated by the other delegates who I had befriended way back on March 4th (which seems so long ago now).
The Convention got under way and we learned that each precinct or group of precincts (some of the smaller ones had been combined) would get to choose 1 delegate and 1 alternate delegate.
If you recall from that earlier post, our precinct had sent 5 Delegates for Obama (myself being one of them) and 9 Delegates for Clinton. This didn't look good for my being chosen a Delegate to the State Convention.
Three of us wanted to be the Delegate (myself included) and we all had one vote. One person got only one vote (having voted for herself) and that left 13 total votes between two people. I lost by one vote. I feel pretty good about this, however, considering that there were only 5 Obama delegates. Instead I was chosen as an Aternate for the State Convention.
However, I was disturbed by the way this was handled, considering that I knew about 65% of the county had voted for Clinton, I assumed that most precincts would be split that way as well, meaning that every precinct might elect a Clinton delegate. This wouldn't be a true representation of how the county had voted. I was very uneasy about this as were others in my precinct. After each of the precinct Delegates were named it turned out that of the twelve Delegates, only two were for Obama. This is nowhere close to the correct percentage that our county should have been sending.
(This is what prompted my Facebook message about being an alternate but having a problem with the process.)
Someone at our table had a booklet of the County and State Convention rules, however, and let me borrow them to try and ease my ill feeling, by at least knowing that we had done it right even if it seemed unfair based on how Democratic Delegates were normally parcelled out.
As I read through the pages and pages of non relevent material, the Nomination Committee was meeting to elect five At Large Delegates. About the same time I heard about this I got to the portion in the rules about the At Large Delegates.
The rules stated (I'm paraphrasing, because I had borrowed the rules, I don't actually have them in front of me at the moment) that the purpose of the Nominating Commitee was to alocate the At Large Delegates in order to reflect send a correct number of each delegates to the State Convention based on the percentage of votes taken when we signed in.
That meant that they would use the five at large delegates to rectify the inproportionate number of Delegates that Clinton was currently recieving.
I felt relieved. This made sense to me.
I wasn't relieved for long as the Nominating Commitee came back with their five At Large Delegates. The percentage for Clinton had actually grown larger.
People throughout the crowd were getting angry. I stepped up to the table at the front where the Convention Chair and other Convention officials were seated. One person was trying to quiet down the audience the others looked at me as I took a seat next to the table. I voiced my concerns and told them what I had read in the rules and how I thought that meant they were supposed to use the five At Large spots to get the percentage close to the percentage with which we had voted. I was told that they had done that. I asked to see the numbers, because I didn't believe that the people there had voted at such a percentage to get Clinton 14 Delegates to only 3 for Obama. They told me no. They said it was done and they were about to take a vote to accept the At Large Delegates as they had nominated them.
Other people had crowded towards the table and were hearing what I had to say, and I was starting to win some converts. A couple of the Convention officers asked me to come with them outside so we could talk about it without all of the noise and people crowding up on us. I went with them and calmly made my case. I said I wanted to see the percentages and if they matched up I would stop my complaint. One of them admitted to me that the Nomination Commitee hadn't actually looked at the percentages of votes from the Delegates.
I calmly re-read the pertinant portion of the rules explaining what the At Large Delegates were intended to do. All the while I wanted to be yelling at them for screwing this up so badly. We wouldn't have been in this position if they had just followed the rules in the first place. I felt that my point would be better made if I kept my cool, however, and I am proud to say that I did so.
The Convention Officers agreed that the numbers needed to be looked at.
We went back into the gym where I was horified to discover that in my absence they had called the matter to vote and apparently skipped over any discussion about it. I tried to speak my point, but the man with the microphone kept saying "We've called it to vote, we can only accept the motion or deny the motion."
Now keep in mind that well over 60 percent of the people there were for Hillary Clinton and by accepting the Nominations as entered they would have won her more Delegates.
I and others kept voicing our displeasure with this move, but the man at the microphone would not be swayed. He called to vote. Finally I had to hope that right would win out.
It did, by two votes the motion was denied. Someone called a motion to discuss the issue that we had, and finally, I was handed the microphone.
At this point, my hand's were shaking and I was very, very pissed, but I managed to keep my cool. I explained my position, re-read the rules to everyone there and simply asked that we get a percentage and then let the Nomination Commitee refigure the five At Large Delegates.
I got a large ovation.
Someone went and got the numbers and told us that of the 215 Delegates at the County Convention, 67 of them had pledged for Obama and 148 had pledged for Clinton. That meant that Obama should get roughly 31% of the Delegates and Clinton should get 69%.
As it was, Clinton was getting 82% and Obama was getting 18%. Now did people understand why I had a problem?
The Nomination Commitee agreed to remeet and the numbers were fixed with Obama getting 3 of the 5 at large Delegates meaning that he was recieving 29% of the Delegates (as close as we could get to 31% as giving him 4 of the 5 would have meant him getting 35% which would have been unfair to Clinton.)
There were some people there who were very upset that I made such a big deal about the whole thing, but for the most part people were very supportive, Clinton supporters as well as Obama supporters, people who thanked me for standing up for what was right despite all the anger it caused originally (as well as the anger some people no doubt still feel towards me, one woman in a Hillary shirt got my name so that she could let others no what I had done. She said this as if that were a bad thing, I told her that I hoped others could learn what I had done as I was rather proud of it. Well, I had been a good sport through most of this, I felt like I deserved that moment.)
What upsets me is the Nomination Commitee and their attempt to pass off their first list of At Large Delegates. I will choose to believe that they did so in ignorance, being unaware of the rules, and not in order to win more Delegates for their Candidate (only one member of the Nomination Commitee supported Barack Obama).
Either way though, I am very disappointed in their actions and glad that I had the guts to stand up for the rules.
The whole situation gave me a massive Migraine and I'm still a little shaken up by it all, but I figured I might feel better if I told the story, so here it is. I hope that other county conventions went smoother.
It's a good thing I left a little early, because I discovered that the directions I had found online from the MapQuest people were completely wrong (is it possible MapQuest is run by Republicans? Who can say for sure). Luckily I found it some thirty minutes after I should have, but having left early, I arrived on time.
Confusion reigned upon entering the building, luckily someone who had already been around had come out to her car to get something, so myself and a lady who arrived at the same time were able to follow her to the gym (on the opposite side of the school) where the convention was being held.
Side Bar - While I was driving around trying to find the Middle School I found the place where the Republican County Convention was being held. Do you know how I know? They had signs. We're the party of the New Deal, you'd think we could figure out to have signs.
Anyway, finally, I was signed in as an Obama Delegate for the 9th Precinct and I made my way to the table for my precinct where I was greated by the other delegates who I had befriended way back on March 4th (which seems so long ago now).
The Convention got under way and we learned that each precinct or group of precincts (some of the smaller ones had been combined) would get to choose 1 delegate and 1 alternate delegate.
If you recall from that earlier post, our precinct had sent 5 Delegates for Obama (myself being one of them) and 9 Delegates for Clinton. This didn't look good for my being chosen a Delegate to the State Convention.
Three of us wanted to be the Delegate (myself included) and we all had one vote. One person got only one vote (having voted for herself) and that left 13 total votes between two people. I lost by one vote. I feel pretty good about this, however, considering that there were only 5 Obama delegates. Instead I was chosen as an Aternate for the State Convention.
However, I was disturbed by the way this was handled, considering that I knew about 65% of the county had voted for Clinton, I assumed that most precincts would be split that way as well, meaning that every precinct might elect a Clinton delegate. This wouldn't be a true representation of how the county had voted. I was very uneasy about this as were others in my precinct. After each of the precinct Delegates were named it turned out that of the twelve Delegates, only two were for Obama. This is nowhere close to the correct percentage that our county should have been sending.
(This is what prompted my Facebook message about being an alternate but having a problem with the process.)
Someone at our table had a booklet of the County and State Convention rules, however, and let me borrow them to try and ease my ill feeling, by at least knowing that we had done it right even if it seemed unfair based on how Democratic Delegates were normally parcelled out.
As I read through the pages and pages of non relevent material, the Nomination Committee was meeting to elect five At Large Delegates. About the same time I heard about this I got to the portion in the rules about the At Large Delegates.
The rules stated (I'm paraphrasing, because I had borrowed the rules, I don't actually have them in front of me at the moment) that the purpose of the Nominating Commitee was to alocate the At Large Delegates in order to reflect send a correct number of each delegates to the State Convention based on the percentage of votes taken when we signed in.
That meant that they would use the five at large delegates to rectify the inproportionate number of Delegates that Clinton was currently recieving.
I felt relieved. This made sense to me.
I wasn't relieved for long as the Nominating Commitee came back with their five At Large Delegates. The percentage for Clinton had actually grown larger.
People throughout the crowd were getting angry. I stepped up to the table at the front where the Convention Chair and other Convention officials were seated. One person was trying to quiet down the audience the others looked at me as I took a seat next to the table. I voiced my concerns and told them what I had read in the rules and how I thought that meant they were supposed to use the five At Large spots to get the percentage close to the percentage with which we had voted. I was told that they had done that. I asked to see the numbers, because I didn't believe that the people there had voted at such a percentage to get Clinton 14 Delegates to only 3 for Obama. They told me no. They said it was done and they were about to take a vote to accept the At Large Delegates as they had nominated them.
Other people had crowded towards the table and were hearing what I had to say, and I was starting to win some converts. A couple of the Convention officers asked me to come with them outside so we could talk about it without all of the noise and people crowding up on us. I went with them and calmly made my case. I said I wanted to see the percentages and if they matched up I would stop my complaint. One of them admitted to me that the Nomination Commitee hadn't actually looked at the percentages of votes from the Delegates.
I calmly re-read the pertinant portion of the rules explaining what the At Large Delegates were intended to do. All the while I wanted to be yelling at them for screwing this up so badly. We wouldn't have been in this position if they had just followed the rules in the first place. I felt that my point would be better made if I kept my cool, however, and I am proud to say that I did so.
The Convention Officers agreed that the numbers needed to be looked at.
We went back into the gym where I was horified to discover that in my absence they had called the matter to vote and apparently skipped over any discussion about it. I tried to speak my point, but the man with the microphone kept saying "We've called it to vote, we can only accept the motion or deny the motion."
Now keep in mind that well over 60 percent of the people there were for Hillary Clinton and by accepting the Nominations as entered they would have won her more Delegates.
I and others kept voicing our displeasure with this move, but the man at the microphone would not be swayed. He called to vote. Finally I had to hope that right would win out.
It did, by two votes the motion was denied. Someone called a motion to discuss the issue that we had, and finally, I was handed the microphone.
At this point, my hand's were shaking and I was very, very pissed, but I managed to keep my cool. I explained my position, re-read the rules to everyone there and simply asked that we get a percentage and then let the Nomination Commitee refigure the five At Large Delegates.
I got a large ovation.
Someone went and got the numbers and told us that of the 215 Delegates at the County Convention, 67 of them had pledged for Obama and 148 had pledged for Clinton. That meant that Obama should get roughly 31% of the Delegates and Clinton should get 69%.
As it was, Clinton was getting 82% and Obama was getting 18%. Now did people understand why I had a problem?
The Nomination Commitee agreed to remeet and the numbers were fixed with Obama getting 3 of the 5 at large Delegates meaning that he was recieving 29% of the Delegates (as close as we could get to 31% as giving him 4 of the 5 would have meant him getting 35% which would have been unfair to Clinton.)
There were some people there who were very upset that I made such a big deal about the whole thing, but for the most part people were very supportive, Clinton supporters as well as Obama supporters, people who thanked me for standing up for what was right despite all the anger it caused originally (as well as the anger some people no doubt still feel towards me, one woman in a Hillary shirt got my name so that she could let others no what I had done. She said this as if that were a bad thing, I told her that I hoped others could learn what I had done as I was rather proud of it. Well, I had been a good sport through most of this, I felt like I deserved that moment.)
What upsets me is the Nomination Commitee and their attempt to pass off their first list of At Large Delegates. I will choose to believe that they did so in ignorance, being unaware of the rules, and not in order to win more Delegates for their Candidate (only one member of the Nomination Commitee supported Barack Obama).
Either way though, I am very disappointed in their actions and glad that I had the guts to stand up for the rules.
The whole situation gave me a massive Migraine and I'm still a little shaken up by it all, but I figured I might feel better if I told the story, so here it is. I hope that other county conventions went smoother.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Never Thought I Would Say This, But Thank You Mike Huckabee
The big political news in regards to retrospective reflections backed Democratic Presidential canditate Barack Obama is the release of some of the sermons of his former pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
I've struggled with this, and haven't written about it before because the fact that this is even an issue angers me. It angers me to the point that I can't write about it coherently, it's much easier for me to resort to yelling at the racism of the media covering the issue, other candidates responses, and the stand my alma mater (TCU) took on the issue (which angers me the most). I would like to take a moment to give thanks to Brite Divinity School for their stand on the issue, refusing to back down on their desire to reward Rev. Wright for his 40 years of service to the African American community despite some "disturbing comments". Comments, I feel compelled to add, that if you are going to disparage you should at least look at them in regards to the sermons in full and not just on a YouTube video with the "offensive" comments taken completely out of context.
Before I start yelling incoherently again, let me get to the point of this post, normally I give you a quote of the day from a specific web based location, but today's quote of the day is one that I chose specifically instead of randomly.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
As easy as it is for those of us who are white to look back and say, "That's a terrible statement," I grew up in a very segregated South, and I think that you have to cut some slack. And I'm going to be probably the only conservative in America who's going to say something like this, but I'm just telling you: We've got to cut some slack to people who grew up being called names, being told, "You have to sit in the balcony when you go to the movie. You have to go to the back door to go into the restaurant. And you can't sit out there with everyone else. There's a separate waiting room in the doctor's office. Here's where you sit on the bus." And you know what? Sometimes people do have a chip on their shoulder and resentment. And you have to just say, I probably would too. I probably would too. In fact, I may have had ... more of a chip on my shoulder had it been me.
- Mike Huckabee, offering his perspective on the preaching of Rev. Jeremiah Wright
Mike Huckabee and I disagree on a great many things, but on this we are in step. He says it as well as I could hope to myself.
Thank you Mike Huckabee, thank you.
I've struggled with this, and haven't written about it before because the fact that this is even an issue angers me. It angers me to the point that I can't write about it coherently, it's much easier for me to resort to yelling at the racism of the media covering the issue, other candidates responses, and the stand my alma mater (TCU) took on the issue (which angers me the most). I would like to take a moment to give thanks to Brite Divinity School for their stand on the issue, refusing to back down on their desire to reward Rev. Wright for his 40 years of service to the African American community despite some "disturbing comments". Comments, I feel compelled to add, that if you are going to disparage you should at least look at them in regards to the sermons in full and not just on a YouTube video with the "offensive" comments taken completely out of context.
Before I start yelling incoherently again, let me get to the point of this post, normally I give you a quote of the day from a specific web based location, but today's quote of the day is one that I chose specifically instead of randomly.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
As easy as it is for those of us who are white to look back and say, "That's a terrible statement," I grew up in a very segregated South, and I think that you have to cut some slack. And I'm going to be probably the only conservative in America who's going to say something like this, but I'm just telling you: We've got to cut some slack to people who grew up being called names, being told, "You have to sit in the balcony when you go to the movie. You have to go to the back door to go into the restaurant. And you can't sit out there with everyone else. There's a separate waiting room in the doctor's office. Here's where you sit on the bus." And you know what? Sometimes people do have a chip on their shoulder and resentment. And you have to just say, I probably would too. I probably would too. In fact, I may have had ... more of a chip on my shoulder had it been me.
- Mike Huckabee, offering his perspective on the preaching of Rev. Jeremiah Wright
Mike Huckabee and I disagree on a great many things, but on this we are in step. He says it as well as I could hope to myself.
Thank you Mike Huckabee, thank you.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Ivy League Meets Hogwarts
Harry Potter is being studied in a class at Yale, amongst other schools according to this article on CNN.com.
This doesn't surprise me at all, and I fully expect this to be a trend that continues throughout higher education everywhere simply because J.K. Rowling's books are so deep and textured. Yes, they are books geared towards children (especially the first couple) but there is so much more going on in these touching and brilliant tales.
I, for one, would definately take one of these classes if offered.
This doesn't surprise me at all, and I fully expect this to be a trend that continues throughout higher education everywhere simply because J.K. Rowling's books are so deep and textured. Yes, they are books geared towards children (especially the first couple) but there is so much more going on in these touching and brilliant tales.
I, for one, would definately take one of these classes if offered.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Are You a Beer Drinker or a Wine Drinker?
Today's Quote of the Day...
Reminds me of my safari in Africa. Somebody forgot the corkscrew and for several days we had to live on nothing but food and water.
-W.C. Fields
Well, we can safely assume that if W.C. Fields were still alive today, he, as a wine drinker, would be voting Democratic.
How do I know? A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll of course.
Anyway, thought you might find that interesting. I wonder if they had done a further survey about the types of beers people drink if the McCain numbers would have been consistant throughout all of them. I'm betting not.
Reminds me of my safari in Africa. Somebody forgot the corkscrew and for several days we had to live on nothing but food and water.
-W.C. Fields
Well, we can safely assume that if W.C. Fields were still alive today, he, as a wine drinker, would be voting Democratic.
How do I know? A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll of course.
Anyway, thought you might find that interesting. I wonder if they had done a further survey about the types of beers people drink if the McCain numbers would have been consistant throughout all of them. I'm betting not.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Money, Money, Money, Money
Today's Quote of the Day
A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don't need it.
-Bob Hope
While our President acknowledges that the Economy is facing "challenging times" more and more people are suffering far more then just some challenging times as more and more people are facing the very real possibility of losing their homes.
Not to worry though, Washington Mutual execs can still expect to recieve their bonuses.
Some things make me literally sick.
A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don't need it.
-Bob Hope
While our President acknowledges that the Economy is facing "challenging times" more and more people are suffering far more then just some challenging times as more and more people are facing the very real possibility of losing their homes.
Not to worry though, Washington Mutual execs can still expect to recieve their bonuses.
Some things make me literally sick.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Dinosaurs Are Cool
Did you miss me? I missed you guys too. I really need to get better about posting on the weekends, but it seems like so far, it is while at work that I am most driven to update my blogs (that's right, plural, if you just can't get enough of thoughts from the brain of Josh Man, go here).
Anyway, on to today's Quote of the Day...
Boys will be boys, and so will a lot of middle aged men.
-Kin Hubbard
There are obviously a lot of places we could take this quote o' the day, but I'm going somewhere different with it, as someone who is nearing middle aged man status and who left boy hood somewhere back in his past, I feel uniquely qualified to talk about something that a lot of boys love that also still holds interest for this almost middle aged man, dinosaurs.
I still remember going to the Fields Museum as a child in Chicago and seeing Sue, the world's most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil.
I remember watching with awe as Stephen Spielberg gave us the awe inspiring sight of dinosaurs walking among us in Jurrasic Park (too bad the sequels sucked, but the original is still the best and most realistic dinosaurs have ever looked on screen).
That's why I still got a feeling of excitement and awe when I read this article on CNN.com today. I look forward to the time when this mummified fossil is unearthed completely and ready to view. I for one will make sure that I am on hand to see it in person.
Anyway, on to today's Quote of the Day...
Boys will be boys, and so will a lot of middle aged men.
-Kin Hubbard
There are obviously a lot of places we could take this quote o' the day, but I'm going somewhere different with it, as someone who is nearing middle aged man status and who left boy hood somewhere back in his past, I feel uniquely qualified to talk about something that a lot of boys love that also still holds interest for this almost middle aged man, dinosaurs.
I still remember going to the Fields Museum as a child in Chicago and seeing Sue, the world's most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil.
I remember watching with awe as Stephen Spielberg gave us the awe inspiring sight of dinosaurs walking among us in Jurrasic Park (too bad the sequels sucked, but the original is still the best and most realistic dinosaurs have ever looked on screen).
That's why I still got a feeling of excitement and awe when I read this article on CNN.com today. I look forward to the time when this mummified fossil is unearthed completely and ready to view. I for one will make sure that I am on hand to see it in person.
Friday, March 14, 2008
A Non Political Post. What!?!?!
Let's start with today's Quote of the Day since we haven't done that in a while.
"Not only is the universe stranger then we imagine, it is stranger then we can imagine."
-Sir Arthur Eddington
I'm glad that this is today's quote of the day, because it makes me think of the movie Contact. That, if you haven't seen it, is a film directed by Robert Zemekis(Back to the Future) and featuring Jodie Foster (Silence of the Lambs), based on a book written by atheist Carl Sagan.
I've used this film previously (including this last Wednesday) to talk to high school students in church groups about the idea that Religious Experience can prove the existence of God.
William James wrote about this in his book "The Varieties of Religious Experience". He argued that we can use mystical or religious experiences to prove the existence of God.
I think that it's fun to use Contact to talk about this idea, since Carl Sagan argues that we shouldn't believe in God because such an extraordinary idea such as God would require extraordinary proof, yet in the film based on his book, while there is no scientific proof for Ellie's experience of interaction with Alien life forms, the experience itself is proof enough for Ellie.
If you haven't seen the film, the climactic scene involves a huge machine built off of plans apparently recieved from aliens from the Vega system. Ellie (played by Jodie Foster) is ultimately chosen to go on the trip. Ellie is transported through a wormhole to a distant star and meets the Vegans (as in Alien race, not people who don't eat animal products), the experience takes approximantly 18 hours. However, when she returns, no time at all has passed. The sphere Ellie is in apparently just falls through the machine.
William James defines a mystical experience as having four distinct marks justifying our calling it mystical.
1.Ineffability. "The subject of [the experience] immediatly says that it defies expression, that no adequate report of its contents can be given in words." In the movie, Ellie witnesses what she calls a "celestial event" that is "poetry" and "so beautiful" that it "can't be put into words". This is very similar to James's first mark.
2.Noetic Quality. "[M]ystical states seem to those who experience them to be also states of knowledge. They are states of insight into depths of truth." In the film, Ellie claims a sort of knowledge from her experience that gives her understanding and hope, which she wishes everyone could experince for themselves so that they could share in that knowledge and hope. Again, this matches James's definition.
3.Transient. "Mystical states cannot be sustained for long." In the film, Ellie wants to remain longer and learn more, but the alien informs her that she must go back. In Earth time, the experience lasts even less time, only taking a fraction of a second.
4.Passivity. "[W]hen the characteristic sort of conciousness once has set in, the mystic feels as if his own will were in abeyance, and indeed sometimes as if he were grasped and held by a superior power." In the film, Ellie is alternatively thrown and dragged through a series of wormholes in order to reach her destination and then returned without any choice of her own. Again, the experience as defined by William James is played out exactly in the movie.
At one point in the movie, Ellie is asked if she belives in God. She answers that she does not because there isn't sufficent proof of God's existence, and as a scientist she would require that truth. At the end of the film, the government asks her to recant her position on her experience as there is no proof it took place, and in fact all the "proof" points to her having imagined it. She refuses, says that while "as a scientist" she recognizes the difficulty in taking her word for what happened, having experienced it herself she can't do anything but believe.
William James would have us use the documented instances of Religious Experiences (provided they hold the marks for a true mystical experience that he outlines) to back up or prove our belief in God. While I appreciate and understand where he's coming from, I understand that this isn't an easy thing to do, but it certainly is interesting to think about and discuss. I also appreciate that such an outstanding film like Contact illustrates his points so well, helping to facilitate that discussion.
I wonder if the filmmakers intended the film to come across as an argument for James's stand on Religious Experience, and more I wonder if Sagan intended it. I find it hard to imagine that Sagan intended it, and yet I suppose there are stranger things in the universe, stranger then we could even imagine.
"Not only is the universe stranger then we imagine, it is stranger then we can imagine."
-Sir Arthur Eddington
I'm glad that this is today's quote of the day, because it makes me think of the movie Contact. That, if you haven't seen it, is a film directed by Robert Zemekis(Back to the Future) and featuring Jodie Foster (Silence of the Lambs), based on a book written by atheist Carl Sagan.
I've used this film previously (including this last Wednesday) to talk to high school students in church groups about the idea that Religious Experience can prove the existence of God.
William James wrote about this in his book "The Varieties of Religious Experience". He argued that we can use mystical or religious experiences to prove the existence of God.
I think that it's fun to use Contact to talk about this idea, since Carl Sagan argues that we shouldn't believe in God because such an extraordinary idea such as God would require extraordinary proof, yet in the film based on his book, while there is no scientific proof for Ellie's experience of interaction with Alien life forms, the experience itself is proof enough for Ellie.
If you haven't seen the film, the climactic scene involves a huge machine built off of plans apparently recieved from aliens from the Vega system. Ellie (played by Jodie Foster) is ultimately chosen to go on the trip. Ellie is transported through a wormhole to a distant star and meets the Vegans (as in Alien race, not people who don't eat animal products), the experience takes approximantly 18 hours. However, when she returns, no time at all has passed. The sphere Ellie is in apparently just falls through the machine.
William James defines a mystical experience as having four distinct marks justifying our calling it mystical.
1.Ineffability. "The subject of [the experience] immediatly says that it defies expression, that no adequate report of its contents can be given in words." In the movie, Ellie witnesses what she calls a "celestial event" that is "poetry" and "so beautiful" that it "can't be put into words". This is very similar to James's first mark.
2.Noetic Quality. "[M]ystical states seem to those who experience them to be also states of knowledge. They are states of insight into depths of truth." In the film, Ellie claims a sort of knowledge from her experience that gives her understanding and hope, which she wishes everyone could experince for themselves so that they could share in that knowledge and hope. Again, this matches James's definition.
3.Transient. "Mystical states cannot be sustained for long." In the film, Ellie wants to remain longer and learn more, but the alien informs her that she must go back. In Earth time, the experience lasts even less time, only taking a fraction of a second.
4.Passivity. "[W]hen the characteristic sort of conciousness once has set in, the mystic feels as if his own will were in abeyance, and indeed sometimes as if he were grasped and held by a superior power." In the film, Ellie is alternatively thrown and dragged through a series of wormholes in order to reach her destination and then returned without any choice of her own. Again, the experience as defined by William James is played out exactly in the movie.
At one point in the movie, Ellie is asked if she belives in God. She answers that she does not because there isn't sufficent proof of God's existence, and as a scientist she would require that truth. At the end of the film, the government asks her to recant her position on her experience as there is no proof it took place, and in fact all the "proof" points to her having imagined it. She refuses, says that while "as a scientist" she recognizes the difficulty in taking her word for what happened, having experienced it herself she can't do anything but believe.
William James would have us use the documented instances of Religious Experiences (provided they hold the marks for a true mystical experience that he outlines) to back up or prove our belief in God. While I appreciate and understand where he's coming from, I understand that this isn't an easy thing to do, but it certainly is interesting to think about and discuss. I also appreciate that such an outstanding film like Contact illustrates his points so well, helping to facilitate that discussion.
I wonder if the filmmakers intended the film to come across as an argument for James's stand on Religious Experience, and more I wonder if Sagan intended it. I find it hard to imagine that Sagan intended it, and yet I suppose there are stranger things in the universe, stranger then we could even imagine.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Thoughts on Ferraro's Comments
Comments made by former Vice Presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro have stirred up some controversy as well as brought race back into the race. Ferraro claimed that the only reason Obama is the democratic front runner is that he is a black man.
I personally believe that these comments are racist, although Ferraro has denied that and defended her claims. I'm not saying that Ferraro is a racist, merely that her comments are racist. I don't believe that the reason that Barack Obama is in the position that he is in has that much to do with his race. Does his race play some part of it? Sure, it's possible that part of the appeal of Obama is in the fact that he is a black man, but it is far more then that. I've spoken fairly extensively in this blog the reasons why I (a white male) support Barack Obama, and none of those reasons have anything to do with the color of his skin.
Earlier in the campaign, Bill Clinton compared this run by Obama to the 1984 run of Jesse Jackson (coincidently the same election in which Ferraro was chosen as the Vice Presidental mate to Walter Mondale). That comment raised some racial concerns as well and was quickly repudiated by both sides. I bring it up again to show the diferences between Obama's run for the nomination and that earlier run by Jackson. Jesse Jackson, like many people who run without much hope of winning, was running to bring notice to a particular issue. Barack Obama is running to win. His being black has nothing to do with it. Jackson, on the other hand, probably ran, in part, to show that a black man could run for president.
If there was truth to Ferraro's comments, then any particular black man could have been, and in fact would be had they run, in this exact position. This strikes me as "patently absurd" to use Senator Obama's words. Barack Obama is the right person at the right time. He's saying the right things and striking a cord with the American people that needed to be struck. The fact that he also happens to be black is not what has put him in this position and to imply that such is the case is a racist thing to do. I don't think that Ferraro is a racist, but her comments most certainly were.
I personally believe that these comments are racist, although Ferraro has denied that and defended her claims. I'm not saying that Ferraro is a racist, merely that her comments are racist. I don't believe that the reason that Barack Obama is in the position that he is in has that much to do with his race. Does his race play some part of it? Sure, it's possible that part of the appeal of Obama is in the fact that he is a black man, but it is far more then that. I've spoken fairly extensively in this blog the reasons why I (a white male) support Barack Obama, and none of those reasons have anything to do with the color of his skin.
Earlier in the campaign, Bill Clinton compared this run by Obama to the 1984 run of Jesse Jackson (coincidently the same election in which Ferraro was chosen as the Vice Presidental mate to Walter Mondale). That comment raised some racial concerns as well and was quickly repudiated by both sides. I bring it up again to show the diferences between Obama's run for the nomination and that earlier run by Jackson. Jesse Jackson, like many people who run without much hope of winning, was running to bring notice to a particular issue. Barack Obama is running to win. His being black has nothing to do with it. Jackson, on the other hand, probably ran, in part, to show that a black man could run for president.
If there was truth to Ferraro's comments, then any particular black man could have been, and in fact would be had they run, in this exact position. This strikes me as "patently absurd" to use Senator Obama's words. Barack Obama is the right person at the right time. He's saying the right things and striking a cord with the American people that needed to be struck. The fact that he also happens to be black is not what has put him in this position and to imply that such is the case is a racist thing to do. I don't think that Ferraro is a racist, but her comments most certainly were.
Monday, March 10, 2008
I Was Going to Post Something Non-Political, But Then...
I felt like doing something a little different today, since this blog has been so dominated by politics lately. I decided to check and see what the trusty Quote of the Day had to say, and I got this, which shows that the world is not ready for me to stop the Political Talk as of yet.
Today's Quote Of The Day...
"If we don't change direction soon, we'll end up where we're going."
-Professor Irwin Corey
I don't make these up, folks. I get them right here.
You can't tell me that this isn't a sign, a sign that retrospective reflections needs to continue its support of Senator Obama across the world wide web.
This weekend saw the Wyoming caucus, and another big win for Obama, who typically does better in the caucuses then Clinton has thus far. Tuesday is the Mississippi primary, and a chance for Barack Obama to fully regain the lead he had going into last Tuesday.
In other news, the Democratic party continues to look for ways to re-do the Michigan and Florida votes in a fair and affordable way. One possibility appears to be a mail-in vote, but there are problems to that as well it seems. This continues to be the most interesting story going on the Democratic side as Obama and Clinton look to try and win the nomination.
On the Republican side, McCain has won the requisite number of delegates and recieved an endorsement from President Bush (no word on whether he actually wanted it, however). Mike Huckabee who had been performing well in Republican races since Super Tuesday officially ended his campaign last Tuesday after McCain reached his magic number, apparently deciding that both math and miracles were against him now. Ron Paul, on the other hand, vowed that his campaign is never over, saying that he disagrees with McCain on many issues and is not likely to support him. Could he possibly be inclined to enter the race as a third party candidate (or maybe fourth party considering Nader has already thrown his hat into the ring)? Something else to watch, anyway.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Florida and Michigan and Super Delegates, Oh My
With the wins posted by Senator Clinton Tuesday night, an opportunity was wasted by Senator Obama to end things now and begin to focus the entire might of the Democratic Primary behind winning in November, now we still have some things to sort out first.
Let me start off by congratulating Senator Clinton on her wins in Rhode Island, Ohio, and the Texas Primary, as Senator Obama did himself in his speech that very night (something she rarely does, one of the many reasons I have lost the feelings I once had for her not very long ago). At worst, she stopped Senator Obama's momentum, at best, perhaps she gained some for herself.
But before we get too carried away with anything, Barack Obama came into last Tuesday's races with a delegate lead of well over 100 and he came out of Tuesday's races with a delegate lead of well over 100. In fact, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram believes that despite losing the popular vote in Texas (by less then 100,000 in a state where almost 3 million voted) he might come out of Texas with more delegates then his primary advisary.
So, sure, Hillary Clinton had a big night, a very important night for her if she wanted to keep her canidacy alive. But that's all she did, in my opinion, was keep her canidacy alive. She didn't become the front runner after that night. She didn't even really gain any ground on the front runner. She just kept from losing any.
What it really means is that it is going to be much harder for either of them to secure the nomination any time soon. This is shaping up to be a race to the very finish folks.
What becomes interesting are the varying factors that can help to decide it. I've spoken in this blog before about the Super Delegates, but we haven't really talked about the Strange Case of Florida and Michigan yet, so what do you say we do that now? Good.
Both Florida and Michigan signed the agreement with the National Democratic Party that they would abide by rules that stated primaries had to be held on or after Feb. 5th (aka Super Tuesday) with the exceptions being Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina. However, both moved up their primaries in order to be important in the upcoming election. In punishment, both were stripped of Delegates in the nomination process causing them both to become pointless. The irony of course is that had they stayed in their normal places, both states would have been not only important, but, much like last Tuesday had the potential to be, critical. Instead they risked being a complete non-factor.
Hillary Clinton claims that since she won both of those primaries, the delegates should be counted and given to her. This is simply unfair, however, as she was the only major candidate on Michigan's ballot, and Barack Obama was given no opportunity to campaign in Florida (where Clinton is already well known, but at the time of the Florida primary, Obama was still relatively new to the nation). And with his ability to speak and the wonders he has already accomplished while campaigning, denying him that opportunity in Florida is completely unfair.
But, what it comes down to is that the delegates in Florida and Michigan might be very important in securing the nomination for one candidate or the other, and, after all, it isn't the fault of the voters that their party leaders tried to up the date against the rules. They shouldn't be penalized.
So, the answer on first glance seems obvious. Let's hold new primaries in each of the two states, with both Clinton and Obama given a chance to make their case to the voters. Oh, if only it were that simple. You see, primaries cost tax payers money. Money that tax payers have already spent on primaries in this very election season. Redoing them (while it seems logical) would require repaying for them, and let's face it, the economy ain't that great right now folks. (Thanks a lot, W. And McCain is promising more of the same, I'm just saying.) According to an article on cnn.com, Michigan's redo could cost approximently $10 million and Florida's could cost upwards of $25 million.
Everyone agrees that delegates in these states might have to count. It's the how that is the question and will bear watching as this race continues.
Let me start off by congratulating Senator Clinton on her wins in Rhode Island, Ohio, and the Texas Primary, as Senator Obama did himself in his speech that very night (something she rarely does, one of the many reasons I have lost the feelings I once had for her not very long ago). At worst, she stopped Senator Obama's momentum, at best, perhaps she gained some for herself.
But before we get too carried away with anything, Barack Obama came into last Tuesday's races with a delegate lead of well over 100 and he came out of Tuesday's races with a delegate lead of well over 100. In fact, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram believes that despite losing the popular vote in Texas (by less then 100,000 in a state where almost 3 million voted) he might come out of Texas with more delegates then his primary advisary.
So, sure, Hillary Clinton had a big night, a very important night for her if she wanted to keep her canidacy alive. But that's all she did, in my opinion, was keep her canidacy alive. She didn't become the front runner after that night. She didn't even really gain any ground on the front runner. She just kept from losing any.
What it really means is that it is going to be much harder for either of them to secure the nomination any time soon. This is shaping up to be a race to the very finish folks.
What becomes interesting are the varying factors that can help to decide it. I've spoken in this blog before about the Super Delegates, but we haven't really talked about the Strange Case of Florida and Michigan yet, so what do you say we do that now? Good.
Both Florida and Michigan signed the agreement with the National Democratic Party that they would abide by rules that stated primaries had to be held on or after Feb. 5th (aka Super Tuesday) with the exceptions being Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina. However, both moved up their primaries in order to be important in the upcoming election. In punishment, both were stripped of Delegates in the nomination process causing them both to become pointless. The irony of course is that had they stayed in their normal places, both states would have been not only important, but, much like last Tuesday had the potential to be, critical. Instead they risked being a complete non-factor.
Hillary Clinton claims that since she won both of those primaries, the delegates should be counted and given to her. This is simply unfair, however, as she was the only major candidate on Michigan's ballot, and Barack Obama was given no opportunity to campaign in Florida (where Clinton is already well known, but at the time of the Florida primary, Obama was still relatively new to the nation). And with his ability to speak and the wonders he has already accomplished while campaigning, denying him that opportunity in Florida is completely unfair.
But, what it comes down to is that the delegates in Florida and Michigan might be very important in securing the nomination for one candidate or the other, and, after all, it isn't the fault of the voters that their party leaders tried to up the date against the rules. They shouldn't be penalized.
So, the answer on first glance seems obvious. Let's hold new primaries in each of the two states, with both Clinton and Obama given a chance to make their case to the voters. Oh, if only it were that simple. You see, primaries cost tax payers money. Money that tax payers have already spent on primaries in this very election season. Redoing them (while it seems logical) would require repaying for them, and let's face it, the economy ain't that great right now folks. (Thanks a lot, W. And McCain is promising more of the same, I'm just saying.) According to an article on cnn.com, Michigan's redo could cost approximently $10 million and Florida's could cost upwards of $25 million.
Everyone agrees that delegates in these states might have to count. It's the how that is the question and will bear watching as this race continues.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
A Cause to Caucus For
I'm watching the results slowly come in in my home state of Texas. While it has been called for Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama could still get more delegates out of the state. It could be some time before we know what will happen there, but I know what happened in my county.
Hillary Clinton won the county 63% to 35%. A total of 4761 people in my county voted in the Democratic Primary. In the Republican Primary, a total of 7146 people voted.
100% of precincts in both have reported.
The numbers should give you some idea of what type of county I live in. It is small (comparitively) and strongly conservative. I have no doubt that there were a lot of Republicans crossing party lines to vote in the Democratic primary, and I have no doubt that a majority of them were voting for Hillary Clinton. But I also believe that there are far more Democrats in my county then people first assumed.
When I headed to my precinct in order to caucus (part two of the Texas Two Step) there were no parking places whatsoever. It was just before 7:00 when the polls were scheduled to close. Surely, I thought, this isn't just people waiting to vote?
As I parked, far away from where I was supposed to be, I saw in the distance lots of people hanging around outside. I walked up to them, trying to figure out exactly where I was supposed to be and who all these people were. As I listened to some of the conversation (and entered it occasionally) I realized that a lot of these people were Democrats.
There was still a long line inside the building containing our precinct of people trying to vote. We were told that we were not allowed inside until the voting finished. No one complained about this, I think we all understood it. The problem was that I don't think any of us were anticipating the fact that we would have to wait outside for quite some time and hadn't planned accordingly. It was a little cold. As we stood shivering looking 100 feet away at the building where people were voting we tried to tell from what we could see through the windows how many more people still had to vote.
Apparently, the precinct judge was worried about the large number of people standing outside. She called for some police help describing our shivering masses as a "angry mob".
The cop showed up and walked past us to the precinct where the door was unlocked and he was let in. We continued to shiver and talk amongst ourselves. A few minutes later he walked back outside. This was at 7:30. He came up very close to where I was standing and addressed us. He said that the precinct judge wanted us to make sure we were beyond the sign a full 100 feet from the doors. There was one person just on the precinct side of the sign. She quickly took the one step necessary to comply with the rules.
The cop said he hoped we would stay orderly as there were a lot more of us then there was of him. He said it should be fine as long as we didn't have pitchforks. I then responded that it might be helpful if we had some torches, just for warming purposes. I got a large laugh from that.
Finally, the last people finished voting. We still had to wait as they packed away the voting apparatus. Finally, the precinct judge called for the Democratic Precint Chair. She walked up the sidewalk and into the building. About a minute later, the precinct judge came back out and called for the Republican Precinct Chair. About a minute after that, the man who was the Republican Precinct Chair came back out and asked who all was there for the Republican Precinct Convention. Three of the nearly 100 people standing outside stepped forward. Everyone else there was there for the Democratic caucus. I was shocked. I didn't think there were that many Democrats in my county.
Finally, the rest of us were let inside at about 7:45. We were told that we had two small rooms, probably about 12 feet by 10 feet each, to hold nearly 100 people. Then we were told that there were only 5 sheets for us to sign with 12 spots on each one. That meant that there were only 60 slots for us and 30 some more people wanting to caucus. The precinct chair had to call the "hotline" in order to find out what to do about it. A majority of the people went into the room on the left (fitting I suppose since we're Democrats) but I and a few others went into the room on the right. Three of the sheets went into the room on the left, the other two went into the room I was in. I signed third on one of them, stating my preference for Barack Obama. Many people weren't exactly sure what it was we were doing, so I tried my best to answer the questions that people had. They seemed to understand as I did my best to explain the caucus process. Finally, the precinct chair recieved word that she could use notebook paper for those who couldn't fill out the official sheets. Meanwhile, a woman in the room I was in decided that we should split those who had already filled in the sheets into rooms based on their vote. Our room became the Barack Obama room.
As more and more people came into our room after filling out sheets, I found I was explaining what exactly it was we were doing to more and more people. I explained that they would count all of the votes on the sheets for Barack Obama and the votes for Hillary Clinton, and based on those percentages, the delegates would be split up for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Then we would decide who among us would serve as those delegates in the county convention on March 29th.
Apparently people felt like I knew what I was talking about. When it came time for the precinct chair to be voted upon, I actually recieved a nomination causing us to vote between me and the woman who came in as the precinct chair. She won, which I wasn't really upset about, because even though I knew what was going on and what needed to be done, I didn't come in planning to run the caucus.
The next step was for the Precinct Chair to make sure that everyone who caucused had voted and were therefore able to caucus. As we waited for that news. Those of us in the Obama room talked amongst ourselves. I talked a little about why I was a Barack Obama supporter, plus thanks to my internet enabled phone was able to fill people in on what was happening nationally.
There were more people in the Obama room then in the Clinton room, but fully a third of the people who had signed the sheets had left at this point, as they had no desire to serve as delegates, but wanted to vote in the caucus.
Finally, everyone was deemed eligable for the caucus and the Precinct Chair and the Secretary (who we also voted on and who thankfully no one nominated me for) counted up the votes and did the math to split up the 14 delegates available to our precinct.
Although I didn't know it then, the caucus vote in our precinct very closely matched the primary vote in our county. 61% of the vote went for Clinton, 39% went for Obama, meaning 9 of the delegates would be Clinton delegates and 5 would be Obama delegates.
At this point I began to worry about whether I would be able to be a delegate to the county convention, which I really wanted to be. As I said, the majority of people still there were in the Barack Obama room, whereas in the Clinton room, there was just enough people to have the requisite number of delegates and alternates required.
Luckily, I had done a good job of making my presence known and my desire to be a delegate, and I was chosen as one of the five delegates for Barack Obama.
After it was decided, I got a chance to shake hands with most of the Obama supporters, as well as say "See you soon" to the other delegates. I went to speak to the Precinct Chair, who didn't seem at all upset that I was nominated to replace her earlier in the evening. Instead she invited me to the Democratic offices of the county telling me that young democrats such as myself were few and far between in the area and should get involved. I told her that I would be more then happy to do just that. We talked about how pleased we both were to see the turnout that the precinct recieved considering what a conservative strong hold out county was, and hoped that such enthusiasm could continue past the primary and even past the Presidential election in November.
Needless to say, I am very excited about the opportunity to serve as a precinct delegate for Senator Obama, and even more excited about the fact that I was wrong to believe that I was alone as a Democrat in my county and in fact there are far more of us then I could have hoped.
Nearly 100 people caucused at my precinct alone, a small precinct in a small county, a county that is largly conservative, and still almost 100 people came out on a cold night after having previously voted either earlier in the day or in the last couple of weeks, almost 100 people waited in the cold for 45 minutes, then waited to sign their names to paper that was quickly running out. Then half of those people waited to decide on who would represent their precinct in the county convention. The dedication of those people gave me hope. Even though the percentage of delegates didn't go the way I wanted it to, it gave me hope that the people of the Country are ready to make their voice heard, that maybe the government will once again be of the people and for the people.
Change starts from the bottom up.
Yes We Can.
Hillary Clinton won the county 63% to 35%. A total of 4761 people in my county voted in the Democratic Primary. In the Republican Primary, a total of 7146 people voted.
100% of precincts in both have reported.
The numbers should give you some idea of what type of county I live in. It is small (comparitively) and strongly conservative. I have no doubt that there were a lot of Republicans crossing party lines to vote in the Democratic primary, and I have no doubt that a majority of them were voting for Hillary Clinton. But I also believe that there are far more Democrats in my county then people first assumed.
When I headed to my precinct in order to caucus (part two of the Texas Two Step) there were no parking places whatsoever. It was just before 7:00 when the polls were scheduled to close. Surely, I thought, this isn't just people waiting to vote?
As I parked, far away from where I was supposed to be, I saw in the distance lots of people hanging around outside. I walked up to them, trying to figure out exactly where I was supposed to be and who all these people were. As I listened to some of the conversation (and entered it occasionally) I realized that a lot of these people were Democrats.
There was still a long line inside the building containing our precinct of people trying to vote. We were told that we were not allowed inside until the voting finished. No one complained about this, I think we all understood it. The problem was that I don't think any of us were anticipating the fact that we would have to wait outside for quite some time and hadn't planned accordingly. It was a little cold. As we stood shivering looking 100 feet away at the building where people were voting we tried to tell from what we could see through the windows how many more people still had to vote.
Apparently, the precinct judge was worried about the large number of people standing outside. She called for some police help describing our shivering masses as a "angry mob".
The cop showed up and walked past us to the precinct where the door was unlocked and he was let in. We continued to shiver and talk amongst ourselves. A few minutes later he walked back outside. This was at 7:30. He came up very close to where I was standing and addressed us. He said that the precinct judge wanted us to make sure we were beyond the sign a full 100 feet from the doors. There was one person just on the precinct side of the sign. She quickly took the one step necessary to comply with the rules.
The cop said he hoped we would stay orderly as there were a lot more of us then there was of him. He said it should be fine as long as we didn't have pitchforks. I then responded that it might be helpful if we had some torches, just for warming purposes. I got a large laugh from that.
Finally, the last people finished voting. We still had to wait as they packed away the voting apparatus. Finally, the precinct judge called for the Democratic Precint Chair. She walked up the sidewalk and into the building. About a minute later, the precinct judge came back out and called for the Republican Precinct Chair. About a minute after that, the man who was the Republican Precinct Chair came back out and asked who all was there for the Republican Precinct Convention. Three of the nearly 100 people standing outside stepped forward. Everyone else there was there for the Democratic caucus. I was shocked. I didn't think there were that many Democrats in my county.
Finally, the rest of us were let inside at about 7:45. We were told that we had two small rooms, probably about 12 feet by 10 feet each, to hold nearly 100 people. Then we were told that there were only 5 sheets for us to sign with 12 spots on each one. That meant that there were only 60 slots for us and 30 some more people wanting to caucus. The precinct chair had to call the "hotline" in order to find out what to do about it. A majority of the people went into the room on the left (fitting I suppose since we're Democrats) but I and a few others went into the room on the right. Three of the sheets went into the room on the left, the other two went into the room I was in. I signed third on one of them, stating my preference for Barack Obama. Many people weren't exactly sure what it was we were doing, so I tried my best to answer the questions that people had. They seemed to understand as I did my best to explain the caucus process. Finally, the precinct chair recieved word that she could use notebook paper for those who couldn't fill out the official sheets. Meanwhile, a woman in the room I was in decided that we should split those who had already filled in the sheets into rooms based on their vote. Our room became the Barack Obama room.
As more and more people came into our room after filling out sheets, I found I was explaining what exactly it was we were doing to more and more people. I explained that they would count all of the votes on the sheets for Barack Obama and the votes for Hillary Clinton, and based on those percentages, the delegates would be split up for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Then we would decide who among us would serve as those delegates in the county convention on March 29th.
Apparently people felt like I knew what I was talking about. When it came time for the precinct chair to be voted upon, I actually recieved a nomination causing us to vote between me and the woman who came in as the precinct chair. She won, which I wasn't really upset about, because even though I knew what was going on and what needed to be done, I didn't come in planning to run the caucus.
The next step was for the Precinct Chair to make sure that everyone who caucused had voted and were therefore able to caucus. As we waited for that news. Those of us in the Obama room talked amongst ourselves. I talked a little about why I was a Barack Obama supporter, plus thanks to my internet enabled phone was able to fill people in on what was happening nationally.
There were more people in the Obama room then in the Clinton room, but fully a third of the people who had signed the sheets had left at this point, as they had no desire to serve as delegates, but wanted to vote in the caucus.
Finally, everyone was deemed eligable for the caucus and the Precinct Chair and the Secretary (who we also voted on and who thankfully no one nominated me for) counted up the votes and did the math to split up the 14 delegates available to our precinct.
Although I didn't know it then, the caucus vote in our precinct very closely matched the primary vote in our county. 61% of the vote went for Clinton, 39% went for Obama, meaning 9 of the delegates would be Clinton delegates and 5 would be Obama delegates.
At this point I began to worry about whether I would be able to be a delegate to the county convention, which I really wanted to be. As I said, the majority of people still there were in the Barack Obama room, whereas in the Clinton room, there was just enough people to have the requisite number of delegates and alternates required.
Luckily, I had done a good job of making my presence known and my desire to be a delegate, and I was chosen as one of the five delegates for Barack Obama.
After it was decided, I got a chance to shake hands with most of the Obama supporters, as well as say "See you soon" to the other delegates. I went to speak to the Precinct Chair, who didn't seem at all upset that I was nominated to replace her earlier in the evening. Instead she invited me to the Democratic offices of the county telling me that young democrats such as myself were few and far between in the area and should get involved. I told her that I would be more then happy to do just that. We talked about how pleased we both were to see the turnout that the precinct recieved considering what a conservative strong hold out county was, and hoped that such enthusiasm could continue past the primary and even past the Presidential election in November.
Needless to say, I am very excited about the opportunity to serve as a precinct delegate for Senator Obama, and even more excited about the fact that I was wrong to believe that I was alone as a Democrat in my county and in fact there are far more of us then I could have hoped.
Nearly 100 people caucused at my precinct alone, a small precinct in a small county, a county that is largly conservative, and still almost 100 people came out on a cold night after having previously voted either earlier in the day or in the last couple of weeks, almost 100 people waited in the cold for 45 minutes, then waited to sign their names to paper that was quickly running out. Then half of those people waited to decide on who would represent their precinct in the county convention. The dedication of those people gave me hope. Even though the percentage of delegates didn't go the way I wanted it to, it gave me hope that the people of the Country are ready to make their voice heard, that maybe the government will once again be of the people and for the people.
Change starts from the bottom up.
Yes We Can.
Time To Texas Two-Step
First, let's take a look at today's Quote of the Day since we haven't done that in a while...
"This Country has come to feel the same when Congress is in session as when the baby gets hold of a hammer."
-Will Rogers
How appropriate today's quote of the day is. After all, Fort Worth holds the Will Rogers Memorial Center, and today Texas votes hoping to change that very feeling.
I love it when the Quote of the Day and what I'm talking about match up so perfectly.
That's right, today is the day of the Texas Two Step. If you live in Texas (or Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont for the first part of this) and you haven't already voted, the polls are open from 7:00am to 7:00pm, so make your voice heard.
Then, (only in Texas this time, sorry Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont) return to your polling place (or head to your polling place if you voted early) to caucus for the candidate you want to win. The caucusing begins at 7:15, or to be more precise, 15 minutes after the poll closes. If there is a long line at 7:00 to vote, they will let those in line vote before beginning the caucus.
Hopefully, today will be a day when we as Texans (and people from Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont, see I brought you guys back into it) can stand up for change, make our voices heard, and make the quote from the esteemed Will Rogers a belief of the past as we return to a Government for and of the people.
"This Country has come to feel the same when Congress is in session as when the baby gets hold of a hammer."
-Will Rogers
How appropriate today's quote of the day is. After all, Fort Worth holds the Will Rogers Memorial Center, and today Texas votes hoping to change that very feeling.
I love it when the Quote of the Day and what I'm talking about match up so perfectly.
That's right, today is the day of the Texas Two Step. If you live in Texas (or Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont for the first part of this) and you haven't already voted, the polls are open from 7:00am to 7:00pm, so make your voice heard.
Then, (only in Texas this time, sorry Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont) return to your polling place (or head to your polling place if you voted early) to caucus for the candidate you want to win. The caucusing begins at 7:15, or to be more precise, 15 minutes after the poll closes. If there is a long line at 7:00 to vote, they will let those in line vote before beginning the caucus.
Hopefully, today will be a day when we as Texans (and people from Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont, see I brought you guys back into it) can stand up for change, make our voices heard, and make the quote from the esteemed Will Rogers a belief of the past as we return to a Government for and of the people.
Monday, March 3, 2008
A Political and Religious Rant, Plus Barack Obama in Fort Worth
I apologize for the lateness of this post, but it was a busy weekend, and I was lazy. But, here I am now, and I wanted to talk about the Obama rally in Fort Worth last Thursday.
By now, anyone reading this probably recognizes who I'm supporting, and although I don't want this to be a completely partisan blog that turns off readers of different beliefs, I can't help but feel a strong excitement towards this candidate (more then I have ever felt for a candidate, and I've been a follower of politics for a long time). So, without further ado, we here at Retrospective Reflections would like to formally endorse Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States. For what it's worth.
Now let me see if I can explain why.
First of all, I am a Democrat, and have been my entire life. I consider myself liberal, and unlike some people, don't consider that a bad word. I believe in peace and freedom tfirst and foremost. I believe in equal rights for everyone, including and perhaps especially for homosexuals, the most discriminated group of our time. I believe that our government can and should help those in need, because our Country can only be as strong as our weakest citizens.
I am also a Christian, and I despise the fact that the conservative religious right have laid claim to that distinction and distorted it to something I don't recognize. Not to give to much of a bible lesson here, but the Jesus that I have heard tell of ate with and helped the most despised people (the lepers and the tax collectors, people who in those times were even less accepted then homosexuals today). He preached about the meek inheriting the earth, to help the poor, and while the systems that we have today might not be perfect, it seems much more Christian to me to keep them then to advocate getting rid of them completely.
The conservatives paint their positions as the morally correct one, but the bible tells us to judge not, lest we be judged, and that all sins are equal in the eyes of God. They seem to ignore these verses, however, in favor of the ones they believe show that homosexuality is a sin. If you claim to take the bible literally, and therefore will not be swayed on the point of homosexuality, then you should also know that it isn't your place to judge anyone on their sexuality and that anytime you wear a shirt that is half cotton half polyester you are committing a sin that is just as egregious, not to mention anytime you eat a piece of bacon.
George W. Bush ran for President touting his Christian status, saying that he believed God wanted him to run and win. At the same time, he was a Governor that put more people to death then anyone before him (including the mentally retarded), and he won in part because Christian people (not just the religious right) believed him. Part of why his approval is so low now is because many of them feel deceived by the completely un-Christian things he has done in office. I've gone a little off course here, but my original point was still reached. The reader now understands a little bit of where I come from.
Barack Obama is someone who came up not from a position of wealth and status (such as being the son of the President of the United States), but came up from a situation that very rarely leads to success in this, or any, country. He made a name for himself working for and with the people in the south side of Chicago, showing an ability and desire to bring people together that while George W. Bush promised never showed any of either.
At the rally, Barack Obama talked about how people have said that he should wait to run, it isn't his time yet. He hasn't been a part of the political system long enough. It is in a large part for these very reasons that I am supporting him. Many people voted for Bush for similar reasons, but despite his relative practical inexperience in politics, the fact is that he grew up in politics and showed no interest in changing the system that benefits the haves and ignores the have-nots. Barack Obama promises, and I believe him, a return to a Government of the people and for the people. It would be nice to have a say in the way that our country is run. After all, this is supposed to be a Democracy.
I arrived at the Fort Worth Convention Center at about 3:00pm, doors were supposed to open at about 6:00pm. The line was already stretching around the convention center, going for about 3 or 4 blocks, but I had friends saving me a spot only about a block away from the doors.
Thankfully they opened the doors earlier then they said they would, about 4:45ish. The crowd slowly filled in heading towards 7:00. Ultimately the entire convention center was packed, and having worked for the Fort Worth Brahmas for a year, it was interesting to see, because even though the Brahmas were good that year, minor league hockey in Texas doesn't have quite the draw that Barack Obama did on Thursday.
The makeup of the crowd was pretty interesting. A slight majority of the crowd was African American, probably about 60%, but there were plenty of non-blacks there as well. Every age was represented, from some fired up elementary students to some elderly people proudly wearing their Obama tee-shirts.
Although the first people to speak were a little hard to understand, prompting some sections of the audience to start chanting "We Can't Hear You", when Obama came on, that problem was solved, whether because they turned up the sound or just because the Senator from Illinois knows how to project his voice better I couldn't say.
Obama's speech was, as they always are, very inspiring. He has definitely got a way with words. He talked about how the media didn't understand the reception that Obama has been receiving more often reserved for rock stars then for politicians. He said he was asked if he felt that he was peaking too soon. These are clearly questions that those of us who have been swept up by this amazing man have trouble understanding. Politics are far more important then rock music, so it is fitting that someone who we believe can truly bring about the change we have long dreamed of receive rock star like attention. As for peaking too soon, I can't answer for everyone, but as an Obama supporter, I'm just getting started.
There is no question that we need change and I believe that Barack Obama is the best person to bring it about. He and I might not agree completely on everything, for instance he supports "civil unions" for homosexuals reserving the term marriage for a man and a woman, while I feel saying "civil union" isn't that different from saying "separate but equal", but he's definitely closer then any person I've ever voted for before. And I feel like if he were president, then the things that we don't agree upon are still going to be open for discussion, and that at least the views that I and many others share will be heard.
Thanks for letting me rant a little bit, and whatever you decide about this election, whether you agree with me or not, I hope that you vote, because this country is best served by everyone making their voice heard.
By now, anyone reading this probably recognizes who I'm supporting, and although I don't want this to be a completely partisan blog that turns off readers of different beliefs, I can't help but feel a strong excitement towards this candidate (more then I have ever felt for a candidate, and I've been a follower of politics for a long time). So, without further ado, we here at Retrospective Reflections would like to formally endorse Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States. For what it's worth.
Now let me see if I can explain why.
First of all, I am a Democrat, and have been my entire life. I consider myself liberal, and unlike some people, don't consider that a bad word. I believe in peace and freedom tfirst and foremost. I believe in equal rights for everyone, including and perhaps especially for homosexuals, the most discriminated group of our time. I believe that our government can and should help those in need, because our Country can only be as strong as our weakest citizens.
I am also a Christian, and I despise the fact that the conservative religious right have laid claim to that distinction and distorted it to something I don't recognize. Not to give to much of a bible lesson here, but the Jesus that I have heard tell of ate with and helped the most despised people (the lepers and the tax collectors, people who in those times were even less accepted then homosexuals today). He preached about the meek inheriting the earth, to help the poor, and while the systems that we have today might not be perfect, it seems much more Christian to me to keep them then to advocate getting rid of them completely.
The conservatives paint their positions as the morally correct one, but the bible tells us to judge not, lest we be judged, and that all sins are equal in the eyes of God. They seem to ignore these verses, however, in favor of the ones they believe show that homosexuality is a sin. If you claim to take the bible literally, and therefore will not be swayed on the point of homosexuality, then you should also know that it isn't your place to judge anyone on their sexuality and that anytime you wear a shirt that is half cotton half polyester you are committing a sin that is just as egregious, not to mention anytime you eat a piece of bacon.
George W. Bush ran for President touting his Christian status, saying that he believed God wanted him to run and win. At the same time, he was a Governor that put more people to death then anyone before him (including the mentally retarded), and he won in part because Christian people (not just the religious right) believed him. Part of why his approval is so low now is because many of them feel deceived by the completely un-Christian things he has done in office. I've gone a little off course here, but my original point was still reached. The reader now understands a little bit of where I come from.
Barack Obama is someone who came up not from a position of wealth and status (such as being the son of the President of the United States), but came up from a situation that very rarely leads to success in this, or any, country. He made a name for himself working for and with the people in the south side of Chicago, showing an ability and desire to bring people together that while George W. Bush promised never showed any of either.
At the rally, Barack Obama talked about how people have said that he should wait to run, it isn't his time yet. He hasn't been a part of the political system long enough. It is in a large part for these very reasons that I am supporting him. Many people voted for Bush for similar reasons, but despite his relative practical inexperience in politics, the fact is that he grew up in politics and showed no interest in changing the system that benefits the haves and ignores the have-nots. Barack Obama promises, and I believe him, a return to a Government of the people and for the people. It would be nice to have a say in the way that our country is run. After all, this is supposed to be a Democracy.
I arrived at the Fort Worth Convention Center at about 3:00pm, doors were supposed to open at about 6:00pm. The line was already stretching around the convention center, going for about 3 or 4 blocks, but I had friends saving me a spot only about a block away from the doors.
Thankfully they opened the doors earlier then they said they would, about 4:45ish. The crowd slowly filled in heading towards 7:00. Ultimately the entire convention center was packed, and having worked for the Fort Worth Brahmas for a year, it was interesting to see, because even though the Brahmas were good that year, minor league hockey in Texas doesn't have quite the draw that Barack Obama did on Thursday.
The makeup of the crowd was pretty interesting. A slight majority of the crowd was African American, probably about 60%, but there were plenty of non-blacks there as well. Every age was represented, from some fired up elementary students to some elderly people proudly wearing their Obama tee-shirts.
Although the first people to speak were a little hard to understand, prompting some sections of the audience to start chanting "We Can't Hear You", when Obama came on, that problem was solved, whether because they turned up the sound or just because the Senator from Illinois knows how to project his voice better I couldn't say.
Obama's speech was, as they always are, very inspiring. He has definitely got a way with words. He talked about how the media didn't understand the reception that Obama has been receiving more often reserved for rock stars then for politicians. He said he was asked if he felt that he was peaking too soon. These are clearly questions that those of us who have been swept up by this amazing man have trouble understanding. Politics are far more important then rock music, so it is fitting that someone who we believe can truly bring about the change we have long dreamed of receive rock star like attention. As for peaking too soon, I can't answer for everyone, but as an Obama supporter, I'm just getting started.
There is no question that we need change and I believe that Barack Obama is the best person to bring it about. He and I might not agree completely on everything, for instance he supports "civil unions" for homosexuals reserving the term marriage for a man and a woman, while I feel saying "civil union" isn't that different from saying "separate but equal", but he's definitely closer then any person I've ever voted for before. And I feel like if he were president, then the things that we don't agree upon are still going to be open for discussion, and that at least the views that I and many others share will be heard.
Thanks for letting me rant a little bit, and whatever you decide about this election, whether you agree with me or not, I hope that you vote, because this country is best served by everyone making their voice heard.
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