a few key passages

"This quest for the American past is carried on in a spirit of sentimental appreciation rather than a critical anaylsis".

I have begun re-reading The American Political Tradition. I first picked up this book back in 2005 when I was getting ready for graduate study in the Historical and Social Context of Latinos in America. However, I got sidetracked, dropped out of school, packed everything that was precious to me and moved to New York. If I had stayed on that path, I'd have my M.A. right now. Nevertheless, there is not an ounce of me that regrets that decision. In the short time I lived in Astoria, I gained more wisdom than I ever would have had I stayed in California.

These past weeks have been filled with heavy emotion. Watching Obama's speech - then listening in on KCRW because I had somewhere to be - I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the fact that I, WE, are living in history. Because my parents are children of different eras and backgrounds (My mom grew up poor and when she was just a teenager my grandma sent for her to bring her to the US seeking a better life/My dad grew up wealthy and came to the states simply because he could do as he pleased. His father, my beloved grandpa, was and still is a Republican; he has money, I don't know how else to put it.) sometimes I feel like I can argue both sides of the coin; I don't really consider myself a true Democrat, but I'm far from a Republican. Nor, am I an Independent, more like a Non-Partisan with wise ways.

Where the Democratic National Convention uplifted my hopes - even if I was mad because my plans to be there were sideswiped - the Republican National Convention enraged me beyond belief. Who the fuck does Sarah Palin think she is? I want to smack that smug attitude right out of her.

She's against gay marriage?
She's against abortion?
She promotes abstinence, yet both she and her daughter were pregnant before marriage.

Where do these motherfuckers get off thinking they can dictate how we choose to live??!!

If I want to fuck and marry a girl, then that's what I want to fucking do. I mean, come on.

The whole abortion thing frightens me. But not just for me, for women who need to be able to choose - women who have had an err in judgement or are violated or whatever. Fortunately, I've never been pregnant, because if I had been, then I would be a mom. I have held strong to if the situation ever arose that I would become pregnant, I would have that baby because THAT is mine. It's not until recently that I fell into a possible situation where if that had occurred, I would find myself with the exception.

Sarah Palin is a disgrace to women. To feminists. To herself.
It's obvious why she was chosen. Anyone with a 1/3 of a brain can see it.

But in these sad times, I'm happy to say that there are people - geniuses! - who can brighten my mood.
I posted these videos on FB a week or two ago and people loved them as much as I did. Maybe you will too. But then, again maybe you won't.

Thank you, Jon Stewart.


UNFORTUNATELY, the Samantha Bee hilarious commentary has been removed from YouTube. MMMhhmm.
So I have to paste the entire show. Just start watching at 11 min 20 sec. That's when we peed our pants.


and one slightly more serious, but not really.


"In times of change and danger when there is a quicksand of fear under men's reasoning, a sense of continuity with generations gone before can stretch like a lifeline across the scary present" - John Dos Passos