Your Best Weapon

In our consumerist society money is the best weapon you have against whatever it is you have chosen to fight. People tend not to use it because of the convenience. Who cares if Wal-Mart is exploiting its workers? As long as they have low prices, people will continue to shop there. Well, not I! In America your money is an extention of who you are. Marketing companies figured out years ago that what you buy says a lot about your lifestyle. What the majority of Americans haven't figured out yet is that where you shop is equally as important. If a corporation you give money to, even through purchases, supports a particular cause, you are giving money to that cause whether you agree with it or not. Unfortunately, many Americans are too lazy to research these companies and decide how comfortable they are about buying clothes that were made in a 3rd world sweat shop or food that has so many antibiotics, hormones, and pesticides in it that the flavor has to be replaced with artificial substances.

Even if you don't have the time or patience to only patronize establishments that support all of your pet causes, you CAN choose one or two that are most important. If you support domestic partnerships for homosexuals, don't buy gas from Exxon or contribute to the Salvation Army. If you are anti-Mormon, stay away from your local Albertsons or ACME, and keep your son home from Boy Scouts. If you support independent artists, step away from the Jessica Simpson CD and buy your music online. If you think not enough people are speaking up or speaking out, make sure you buy tickets to see political comics, buy books by authors who are trying to tell the truth, and get your news online.

Donate to THIS cause because:
2,879 US Soldiers have been killed in Iraq
21,778 US Soldiers have been wounded in Iraq

Who Won?

I originally started this blog because I was fed up with the Republican Administration and I needed an outlet for my anger and frustration. Over the past two years I have learned that the Republicans and Democrats are not all that different. This election day I was disappointed to find that I was right. The American people elected Democrats who are opposed to gay marriage, who are anti-abortion, etc... Even Tom DeLay agrees that the Democrats didn't win, the Republicans lost. Democrats are really just govern with a more sensitive imperialism, but there were some "wins" for those of us who have been begging to get out from under the thumb of Lord Bush and his Cabal. As 200 Socialist members of the European Parliament said in an unprecedented joint statement, "this is the beginning of the end of a six-year nightmare for the world." The American people seem to agree, as Democrats now control the House, the Senate, and a majority of state Governorships. Someone might even call for impeachment!

This election day was also a win for diversity. Hopefully this election day was a win for women. Nancy Pelosi will take over as Speaker of the House, a mere two seats away from the Presidency. If we're luck, this will open minds and prepare people for more women running for high-level positions in government. It's a long time coming, but it is coming. Minnesota elected the first Muslim to the US House of Representatives (Keith Ellison), and Massachusetts has elected the first African American Governor since reconstruction (Deval Patrick). Perhaps the best news was the resignation of Donald Rumsfeld, most likely for this reason:

2,843 US soldiers killed in Iraq
21,572 US soldiers wounded in Iraq

They're Gay, Stupid, or Both

Last week New Jersey decided that homosexuals have the the same domestic rights as the rest of us, which is great because now their former Republican governor (Tim McGreevey) can live the life he had been denying for so long. After the Foley scandal and now Ted Haggard, I'm beginning to wonder if all Republicans in government are just hiding the flames coming out of their asses - not that there's anything wrong with being gay, it's just nice if you admit to it (and stop trying to legislate against it). Soon instead of saying someone's "a little light in the loafers" we'll all say, "He's a little Republican." Additionally, why does anyone feel bad that these guys are having their personal lives brought into the campaign? Wouldn't it be better to ask why they're so insensitive to a topic or a group of people they're so familiar with?

In funnier news, Senator Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) said that an employee of his opponent, "unfortunately ate a banana laced with marijuana and had to go to the hospital." Seriously. That's what he said. This presents several problems. First, how, exactly, do you lace a banana with marijuana? My husband and I spent a good deal of time trying to figure that out. Second, why would you eat a banana that had already been peeled? Bananas are like condoms. When you see the wrapper, you pretty much assume that you're the first one to get there. Third, do you have any idea how much THC it would take to actually send someone to the hospital? The banana would have to be pure THC. It would keep you regular, but you'd forget where the bathroom was.

It seems to me that the Republicans (of all sexual orientations) are getting a little nervous about the election. Maybe it's because of these numbers:
Two thousand, eight hundred and twenty two US Soldiers won't be voting in next week's elections.
Twenty one thousand, four hundred and nineteen US soldiers have been wounded in Iraq
Possibly over six hundred thousand Iraqis killed
Does it have more impact if I SPELL IT OUT for you???