Saturday, November 06, 2004
Seen, heard, noted
In San Francisco
A man blowing a big bubble with gum the same pink as his shirt. A man with an "I voted" sticker on his nose. Lots of dogs being walked. An excited young man stopped in front of the restaurant window where we were eating and held up a sign that said "Justice for Same Sex Couples" before jumping and running off down the street. 5 guys with dreadlocks (almost as if I were back in Central Market!). 2 transsexuals on the train (almost as if I were back in Central Market!).
In the airport
I tried to identify The Enemy in the Denver airport. Afterall, I am curious to know who all those people who voted for Bush are...
That guy in a cowboy hat, likely. Then I saw his carry-on: a manly version of a hatbox, with a cross and his name painted on the side. For sure. That woman with the big bangs, who reminded me of my third grade teacher (but at least that was the 80s). That other woman with the big hair, flipping through a magazine with lots of pictures. That guy with a cowboy hat. And that one.
What is with this country? So many cowboy hats and so much big hair?!
My team? The young black man. The student listening to his headphones and reading Adbusters.
....
And then it became difficult to distinguish. That's the scary part: they blend in, for the most part.
On the airplane
The man had a bible in his briefcase. Definitely One of Them. His wife, sitting next to me, then confirmed the matter. 8 kids. Found son's truck by his Bush-Cheney sticker (in liberal Iowa City, it would definitely have been in the minority).
After she learned that I had been researching Islamic economics in Malaysia on a Fulbright, she asked me: "So do you have respect for that religion?"
I said, yes, I do. I have a lot of friends who are Muslim.
She then promptly told me that she thinks there are extremists in every religion.
It's a positive that she recognizes and admits that.
On another flight
The red-haired, big-busomed middle-aged stewardess asked me what I was reading: The Problem from Hell, America and the Age of Genocide. Then she told me she liked reading and had recently bought two books on the Middle East. Saudi Arabia and Persia--that's Iran, she said. About how the women are treated.
Oh brother, I hope it isn't one of those "all Muslim women are oppressed" books...But at least she's reading. It's just a matter of with what she is educating herself.
On the blog
I had referred you all to a blog I liked (www.kathrynjane.blogspot.com) and found witty. She's apparently one of them! Even went canvassing in PA! That was a surprise. And I so thought I would have liked her. CHECK THE COMMENT. LOOKS LIKE I MISREAD HER POST AND SHE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO SET ME STRAIGHT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BOYCOTT HER BLOG!
On us versus them
My sister told me to be more tolerant and not hate everyone who is Republican or religious. I don't...not really....
Though it's tempting...
In San Francisco
A man blowing a big bubble with gum the same pink as his shirt. A man with an "I voted" sticker on his nose. Lots of dogs being walked. An excited young man stopped in front of the restaurant window where we were eating and held up a sign that said "Justice for Same Sex Couples" before jumping and running off down the street. 5 guys with dreadlocks (almost as if I were back in Central Market!). 2 transsexuals on the train (almost as if I were back in Central Market!).
In the airport
I tried to identify The Enemy in the Denver airport. Afterall, I am curious to know who all those people who voted for Bush are...
That guy in a cowboy hat, likely. Then I saw his carry-on: a manly version of a hatbox, with a cross and his name painted on the side. For sure. That woman with the big bangs, who reminded me of my third grade teacher (but at least that was the 80s). That other woman with the big hair, flipping through a magazine with lots of pictures. That guy with a cowboy hat. And that one.
What is with this country? So many cowboy hats and so much big hair?!
My team? The young black man. The student listening to his headphones and reading Adbusters.
....
And then it became difficult to distinguish. That's the scary part: they blend in, for the most part.
On the airplane
The man had a bible in his briefcase. Definitely One of Them. His wife, sitting next to me, then confirmed the matter. 8 kids. Found son's truck by his Bush-Cheney sticker (in liberal Iowa City, it would definitely have been in the minority).
After she learned that I had been researching Islamic economics in Malaysia on a Fulbright, she asked me: "So do you have respect for that religion?"
I said, yes, I do. I have a lot of friends who are Muslim.
She then promptly told me that she thinks there are extremists in every religion.
It's a positive that she recognizes and admits that.
On another flight
The red-haired, big-busomed middle-aged stewardess asked me what I was reading: The Problem from Hell, America and the Age of Genocide. Then she told me she liked reading and had recently bought two books on the Middle East. Saudi Arabia and Persia--that's Iran, she said. About how the women are treated.
Oh brother, I hope it isn't one of those "all Muslim women are oppressed" books...But at least she's reading. It's just a matter of with what she is educating herself.
On the blog
I had referred you all to a blog I liked (www.kathrynjane.blogspot.com) and found witty. She's apparently one of them! Even went canvassing in PA! That was a surprise. And I so thought I would have liked her. CHECK THE COMMENT. LOOKS LIKE I MISREAD HER POST AND SHE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO SET ME STRAIGHT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BOYCOTT HER BLOG!
On us versus them
My sister told me to be more tolerant and not hate everyone who is Republican or religious. I don't...not really....
Though it's tempting...
Comments:
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Interesting. I actually was canvassing -for- Kerry, so I'm NOT one of "Them." But, when I reread the post I wrote, I guess because of the "Proud Loser" title you thought I meant that I was sad when PA turned blue. Actually, that was my only winning moment of the night. However, although we lost, I was still happy that I'd gone out and encouraged EVERYONE to vote--even those crazy Bush supporters. I have a hard time with apathy as well as ignorance.
Anyway, wanted to clear that up.
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Anyway, wanted to clear that up.
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