Category Archives: Commentary

Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out

This is what I’m talking about.

I’ve just finished debating a length with a friend of mine who prefers W in this year’s election. His main reason is fear that Kerry will not be harsh enough in dealing with the likes of Iran and North Korea, thus allowing them to develop and use nuclear weapons against us. We debated the merits of this claim for a while, then made our way to a multitude of other topics. At some point, Reagan and AIDS came up. While my friend wanted to tout Reagan’s accomplishments, I wanted to point out that he took an awfuly long time to address the AIDS crisis and help develop policies to combat it. I also quoted Reagan’s communications director, Pat Buchanan, who stated that AIDS was, “nature’s revenge on gay men.”

This of course led to a exchange on how being a gay person influences one’s priorities when voting. When I mentioned that I could not support Bush because of his policies regarding GLBT individuals, in addition to Cheney’s doublespeak on the issue, I was accused of rejecting an entire large entity because of one small aspect of it. It was also insinuated that I was less a patriot for putting the interests of this special interest group above those I should hold as a patriot and American.

I realize that there are many issues at stake in this election. Considering the position I am in, some issues are more important than others. I see nothing wrong with this. Don’t older voters and young voters have different worries? Don’t rich voters and poor voters have different worries? Urban/Suburban – White/Minority …./…. ??? I don’t mean to imply by this that these groupings represent exact opposites or polar pairings. But I do think it is fair to imply that one’s situation does determine how one prioritizes issues.

I reject George Bush because I beleive that he is sincere about the FMA. I reject Dick Cheney for publicly disagreeing with Bush but agreeing to support him nontheless. And I reject Mary Cheney for supporting someone who seeks to disenfranchise her, even if that person is indeed her father.

I also reject George Bush because I beleive that he is not a worldly man, and is not the right person to be appointing those who represent our country to the rest of the world. I reject George Bush because I beleive that it is difficult to be a war hawk when you and your 2nd in command did all you could to avoid serving. I reject George Bush because I beleive that the war on terror is far too important to go alone, and that 4 more years will result in a weaker front against those who harbor and espouse such tactics.

I reject George Bush as a patriot, an American, and a homosexual. Parcel is part as part is parcel.

To acknowlege both our own special interests and that which serves the greater good of our country – and be able to weigh and reconsile the two – is the most honest form of patriotism.

Debating Republicans

Tomorrow – Important – Vote – Future…

It has been a great weekend. Saturday marked the IVth annual pumpkin party. Unfortunately, I could not host the party this year (I no longer have a dorm room and common area at my disposal.) But, Kate stepped in and did a wonderful job. The hilight of the party included playing taboo (like password and $36,000 pyramid.) Suffice to say Sam and I would have won if it wasn’t for T’s nautical excretory term…

In terms of food, it was a good few days. I got to hit up Tom Can Cook – a brilliant pan-asian restaurant in Waltham on Moody; Legal Sea Foods at Park Place; Minado on Rt. 9; Jewl of India; and Campo di Fiori. Let’s just say that two days of moving jobs paid well for my culinary delight.

Yesterday, the whole gang headed over to Walden pond. After proceeding to get seperated immediately, Jude and I decided we’d go for a swim. With Tri as our witness, Jude and I did a deck change on the sandy shore and plowed into the frigid waters of Walden. Suffice to say, it was one of those silly manly dare type moments, and after a few spasams of splashing, we both headed back out immediately. However, standing on the shore after the brief forray in the October waters, there remained an intense feeling of clarity and purity – Henry David would have been proud.

Today, Jude and I headed to the Blue Hills reservation in Canton. Taking the “Skyline Loop,” we proceded to immediately get seperated, and take two entirely different hikes, ending up back at my car two hours later within five minutes of each other. Today was one of those perfect hiking days – the air was as crisp and clear as it can only be here in the Northeast, and the sun warmed skyward facing boulders. The view of Boston from the trail, and later from an old observation tower, was flawless – the buildings, harbor islands and beyond all stood with more clarity than could ever be captured in the most expensive HDTV.

Oh, and I had a great new drink this weekend called a Grasshopper. If anyone wants to make me extra happy after dinner, then the previous sentence should be a hint.

I like if then statements.

If “For More Years,” then one very disheartened American.
If business as usual under Kerry, then one very disheartened American.
If eel sushi, then happy Matt.

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The Mutual Pursuit of Pleasure through the Stimulation of the Organs Indended for Procreation.

Tonight I’m going to watch C-SPAN2. Why, you ask (and that’s a legitimate question.) Alan Keyes and Barak Obama are debating. As most of you probably know by now, Obama is the
Democratic party’s rising star, and soon to be senator from IL. Running opposite him is Alan Keyes, who is a religious far right winger. Because I heard eariler this week in the talk radio universe about Keyes’ comments regarding Cheney’s daughter, I figured it’d be good to find the actual audio of those comments. So, here it is, in MP3 format (you might want to right click, save as)

http://www.unspun.info/il/040831-signorile-keyes.mp3

What’s even funnier than the actual interview is the rambling commentary on the page that linked me to that file. It’s from a website called “Free Republic,” which bills itself as a “gathering place for independant, grass-roots conservatism on the web.” I imagine I shall have fun browsing this site in the future.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1213062/posts

So, I’ll report back from the debate later. I’m really hoping Keyes is his old self – it should be quite amusing.

For now.