Rare Acts of Unscripted Kindness

(Hat Tip) to my mom for e-mailing me this article.

I used to play softball, and have played several other sports. In my time playing and watching sports, I have never seen such genuine and compassionate displays of sportsmanship as these two girls show.

To me, "sportsmanship" has always been a vague term. Beyond playing fairly, treating each other and the other team with respect, and recognizing the other teams win or your loss with honesty (not, "they only won because our star player was injured"), sportsmanship has never really looked like anything to me. It's not like there are a lot of good examples out there.

Now it does. This is what sportsmanship looks like. It is too bad more of these unscripted acts aren't seen in all sports - from pewee football to professional arenas.

Reality Check

Look, I know she isn't going to win.

I knew it from day one. I am not saying this now hoping to "save face" for picking the looser. I held out hope that maybe, just maybe, the American psyche was up to the task. I was wrong.

I do not think it was a matter of gender or race that lost the campaign (although both played a part). I do not think that the media's choosing a favorite so early on lost the race (though it played a large part).

Hillary lost the race on her own. She could have taken the high road in arguments; she could have pointed out the clear favoritism of moderators and the media; and she could have done less reacting to comments and more constructive criticism of ALL candidates.

"But what can you expect from a women" some may say. "They're emotional, reactionary, and soft."

I ask, what else was she supposed to do? If she didn't argue back, she was uninformed and hesitant to show a backbone. If she did argue back (which she did), she was seen as "trying to have more balls than a man."

If she hadn't pointed out the unashamed favoritism of debate moderators and public media, the (less informed and aware) general public would have ignored it. But she did, and she was said to be whining and seeking sympathy "because she couldn't take the heat."

If she had spent more time doing what she does best, and putting her "best foot forward," instead of constantly reiterating the same arguments, and responding to the same attacks, and had leveled her attacks at both Democratic and Republican runners...

But what could she do? She's asked the same questions and every potential insult was relayed and a reaction asked for.

I'm not saying she's perfect - by no means. But she is better than this campaign has made her and has shown her to be.

I'll just try not to gloat too much when Obama makes Presidency and is miserable at it.

Really. I'll try.

Lies, Lies, and More Lies!

By now, you all know that I do not like Barak Obama. I think he is conceited, an elitist, a blind idealist, and thoroughly unfit to lead this country in her present state.

However, when this whole business concerning his relationship with his now former Pastor Jeremiah Wright started, I gave him free pass. After all, you can't control what one man says, nor should you be judged by what another man says - only by your deeds (or lack there of).

Yet, while reading the article Obama Says Hes Outraged by Ex-Pastors Comments written by Jeff Zelleny, I found myself asking some questions and flat out disbelieving some of his statements, made in response to Pastor Wright's recent commentary.

“I find these comments appalling. It contradicts everything that I’m about and who I am.”

Really? Yet prior to running for Presidency you sat front and center in this man's congregation, listened to his sermons, called him friend, was married by him in his church, and had your daughters baptized by him. Or do you mean to say Pastor Wright only just started being a raving anti-American, conspiracy-touting lunatic when you started running for office?

"...the comments by Mr. Obama were considerably stronger than any previous remarks he has made about Mr. Wright. Yesterday, he dismissed the remarks, but also criticized his opponents and the media for spending too much time dwelling on his former pastor."

Funny how you want to cover up and put behind you your nefarious connections in the past (think Tony Rezko and Weather Underground), but you are more than willing to talk about everyone else's (past votes, past comments, past connections, past, past past.). What's the matter? Afraid of a little perspective?

“Anybody who knows me and anybody who knows what I’m about knows that I’m about trying to bridge gaps and I see the commonality in all people.”

But therein lies the problem Obama - we don't know you. We know the mask you show us, but no one really feels like they know you.

Oh, and Barak: check a mirror. You gotta a little brown spot on your nose...

Caught in the Middle: Tibet and China

“When we have a billion people, you said we were destroying the planet.
When we tried limiting our numbers, you said it is human rights abuse,
When we were poor, you thought we were dogs.
When we loan you cash, you blame us for your debts.
When we build our industries, you called us polluters.
When we sell you goods, you blame us for global warming.”

I honestly don't know what to think about this situation (Chinese Students Fight View of Home).

Part of me understands where the Chinese are coming from - this is a territory of their's (that they "rightfully" conquered) and they have no desire to give it up. Although I know there is more to it than this (far more!), what nation wants to make itself smaller by relinquishing land?

Only reason why America, Spain, France and other colonial powers gave back power to the nations they "rightfully" conquered was that it was taking more energy and manpower to subdue the masses who fought for freedom.

But I can also see it from the Tibetan perspective. As I am sure slave ancestors of mine said, "Damnit, we just want to be free. We want what is ours to be ours!"

Freedom is a powerful desire. Tibetans everywhere have been swallowing their anger and frustration, burying their resentment and forcing a smile while forced to live off the forcibly given or mindfully neglected goodwill of the Chinese government.

However, I find the Chinese student's perspectives of American media, well, hilarious.

“We thought Western media is very objective,” said Chou Wu, a 28-year-old working on his doctorate in material science, “and what it turned out is that Western media is even more biased than Chinese media. They’re no better, and even more, they’re against us.”

Why would you think that of American media, when Americans don't even believe that (objectivity) about their own media outlets?!

I am angered that "the more strident Chinese students seem to replicate the authoritarian framework of their homeland, photographing demonstration participants and sometimes drowning out dissent" and that Tibetan students fear for their lives and their families lives back home should they participate in, as is their right, a peaceful protest, or even wish to speak out in classes.

I still do not know where I fall on this issue. But the actions (coming to me from biased Western media outlets) of Chinese citizens in the US and of their government is fast pushing me to support Tibet in it's quest for freedom.

Rhetorical Stumbles

I think NY Times op-ed columnist William Kristol said it best when he wrote in his article The Mask Slips,

"And what are the grounds for his supercilious disdain? If he were a war hero, if he had a career of remarkable civic achievement or public service — then he could perhaps be excused an unattractive but in a sense understandable hauteur. But what has Barack Obama accomplished that entitles him to look down on his fellow Americans?"

What has he done indeed.

Parental Brainwashing: Legal in America

The NY Times recently posted an article on delegates - and parents in general - being brainwashed by their children.

Ok, so maybe brainwashed is a little harsh. Everyone has the right to choose for himself what political candidate s/he wishes to support. If the reasons they support said candidate are because they vote the party line, or because they identify with one over another, or because their children and grandchildren have brow beat them (some with bribes, others with guilt, and more others with a persistence more determined than GW's belief that his War on Terror was/is a good thing) into giving up their right as Thinking Citizens, who are we to complain?

I just find it rather ironic that the one candidate with the least amount of experience and political "know how" has the majority of the support of America's youngest and least "life seasoned" voters.

Blog Reconstruction 2

For all 5 of you who read my stuff - Welcome again!

As you can tell, I've been doing some changes. On the left, there are now links to other blogs of mine. The goal in this was to separate my private blogging (my life and creative stuff) from the "important blogging" (politics, news articles, etc.).

In the blogging workshop that I mentioned before, the facilitator said that a blog should have a set and clear purpose. Readers want consistancy. Clearly, a mish-mash of personal and "important" is not set or clear.

I have also added a more indepth "about me" and a FAQ link.

I am still working on the color schemes for both, so these will often change. I'm sorry. I'm picky and not so much a fan of the limited choices I'm offered. I may have to learn HTML so I can make some changes (yikes!).

Anyway, for those 5 of you reading - any ideas, comments, or suggestions you have about my changes or changes you would like to see would be greatly appreciated!

Either way, I think I'm back. It's been killing me not to blog...