So we took our first trip with little A last week/weekend (part of the reason I haven't written for a while). While we were visiting my parents, I had this dream:
I was getting A ready for a big trip with her first family. I was getting her dressed, getting her diaper bag ready, and in general trying to make sure she would have everything she needed for the trip. I was feeling good that she was all ready, she was dressed in a pretty dress, and her first family showed up: The Obamas. Michelle, Barack and the girls. I sent little A off with her first family, contented that they were spending time together and that she had everything she needed.
After the dream I was in a kind of half-sleep - you know when you wake from a dream to think about it, wonder why you are having it, etc... And I was thinking about why I would dream that A's first family was the Obama family. Well of course, silly, it's because the Obamas (I very much hope) will be our NATION'S first family very soon! I had to half-sleep-giggle when I realized the connection I'd made in my dreamlife.
Some people doubt that our country is ready for a black president. I wonder if we're ready for a firstmom or firstdad president? How great would that be? It sure would help with the negative stereotypes often associated with first parents.
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Open letter to my fellow adoptive parent
Dear fellow adoptive parent,
I should start by saying that there was no way I was ever going to vote for you. I am not a swing voter. I am not a voter whose vote you are trying to get. And therefore, I'm quite sure you could care less what I think of you or your running mate. However, with the election still in front of us, I have to care what you think and how you could change my life and the lives of all Americans.
First, what the hell is up with this bullshit about your running mate knowing "more than most" about autism?? What is her record on this? Hey, my nephew has Down syndrome (and Palin's nephew has autism). Does this mean I know "more than most" about that? Perhaps I should spearhead the nation's efforts on helping special needs children and their families? You let me know. How about teen pregnancy? Your running mate knows more than most about that as well. It looks like the abstinence only education didn't work out so well in her household.
I totally respect your running mate's decision to keep her daughter's pregnancy as a private affair - it IS a private affair. It's none of my business how her daughter confronts this situation. It's none of my business if she uses birth control or not. As in right to privacy. As in Roe v. Wade. As in, women and their loved ones are the best people to decide what is right for them.
And speaking of Roe v. Wade, as a person who has exercised her right to choose, I can tell you that that does NOT make me pro-abortion. Are you kidding me? That was not a decision that I took lightly, nor did my family, nor anyone around me. But it was the RIGHT decision for me at that time. AND I am an adoptive parent. So don't get on your adoptive-parent-high-horse and tell ME about options. You would like to promote adoption as a first option. And the second option? What would that be?
Luckily for me, things aren't looking so good for you right now. Again, you're not trying to swing my vote, but my advice to you would be to focus on your own campaign rather than focusing on attacking your opponent. Why so angry, McCain? Why the clenched jaw? Relax a bit. You'll live longer (and, honestly, if you do end up in the White House, I pray that you live for at least four more years, because President Palin is unthinkable for me. Thankfully I am married to a Chilean citizen, because I may need to vote with my feet at that point.)
Love,
your fellow adoptive parent
I should start by saying that there was no way I was ever going to vote for you. I am not a swing voter. I am not a voter whose vote you are trying to get. And therefore, I'm quite sure you could care less what I think of you or your running mate. However, with the election still in front of us, I have to care what you think and how you could change my life and the lives of all Americans.
First, what the hell is up with this bullshit about your running mate knowing "more than most" about autism?? What is her record on this? Hey, my nephew has Down syndrome (and Palin's nephew has autism). Does this mean I know "more than most" about that? Perhaps I should spearhead the nation's efforts on helping special needs children and their families? You let me know. How about teen pregnancy? Your running mate knows more than most about that as well. It looks like the abstinence only education didn't work out so well in her household.
I totally respect your running mate's decision to keep her daughter's pregnancy as a private affair - it IS a private affair. It's none of my business how her daughter confronts this situation. It's none of my business if she uses birth control or not. As in right to privacy. As in Roe v. Wade. As in, women and their loved ones are the best people to decide what is right for them.
And speaking of Roe v. Wade, as a person who has exercised her right to choose, I can tell you that that does NOT make me pro-abortion. Are you kidding me? That was not a decision that I took lightly, nor did my family, nor anyone around me. But it was the RIGHT decision for me at that time. AND I am an adoptive parent. So don't get on your adoptive-parent-high-horse and tell ME about options. You would like to promote adoption as a first option. And the second option? What would that be?
Luckily for me, things aren't looking so good for you right now. Again, you're not trying to swing my vote, but my advice to you would be to focus on your own campaign rather than focusing on attacking your opponent. Why so angry, McCain? Why the clenched jaw? Relax a bit. You'll live longer (and, honestly, if you do end up in the White House, I pray that you live for at least four more years, because President Palin is unthinkable for me. Thankfully I am married to a Chilean citizen, because I may need to vote with my feet at that point.)
Love,
your fellow adoptive parent
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
core beliefs
Lori from weebles woblog has asked her readers to think about their core beliefs, as we in the U.S. contemplate the presidential election. So, here are my answers:
1. Overall,* do you believe people are basically bad (1) or good (100)? Try to put a number on it.
I fully believe that people are basically good. You can put me down for a solid 100. I have had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know so many people in my years from so many places and circumstances. And I believe that people are not only basically good, but that people are very much the same at their core. We have more in common than I believe we often recognize. And I mean to include all people in this, not just people in my community, my city, state, or country.
This is an important question, I believe, especially when we look at questions of people who have committed unthinkable crimes. For instance, I recently had a conversation about repeated offenders of child molestation, and sex offenders in general, and whether or not these people are able to rehabilitate themselves. My answer was: I sure hope so!! If we don't believe that they can rehabilitate themselves (i.e., that some people are just "bad" and that's that), then why would there be any reason to work with these folks, provide them with therapy and support to examine their actions? We should just throw them in jail, since there isn't any hope. I believe in rehabilitation, which gets back to my belief that we are inherently good. There is good in everyone, and it's our job as a society to find it.
2. Overall, do you think the best economic system would reward people based on what they need (1) or on what they deserve (100)? Again, put a number on it.
Overall I think the best economic system would "reward" people based on what they need. I believe this mostly because, who is deciding what is deserving or not? Once you get into what we deserve, then we get into some shaky ground for who decides what is deserving, and whose values that deserving is based on. Does one woman deserve paid family leave because she works for a wealthy company, while another woman (ahem.... me!) doesn't deserve paid family leave because she works as a public school teacher (and don't even get me started on the fact that giving birth would entitle me to "maternity leave" - at least a few weeks of pay - while adopting doesn't - guess I don't deserve that, either!) However, I don't think I would go with a full 100 on this one. I think I'd hover more around the area of 85, because I do think that there should be some room in an economic system for incentives - for those who go above and beyond. I just think that in our very, very wealthy country, it's INSANE that so many people lack health care, the ability to attend college, basic shelter, food, and other basic needs, because....? why? they don't deserve it? they don't work hard enough? Clearly there are people that don't work hard in our society. But there are also people who bust their arse working minimum wage jobs that don't offer health coverage, that don't allow them either the time or the money to further their education, and that certainly don't offer any kind of decent solution to childcare.
3. What do you think are the main functions (say, 5-10 of them) of government? You could even divide your list into (a) Federal and (b) State/Local.
I think the main functions of government are: to protect its residents from harm (notice I do NOT say citizens - my husband isn't a citizen and I believe he deserves protection as well); to ensure that every person has their basic needs covered (see above) - whether or not they actually supply those basic needs or not; to represent the interests of its people; to ensure that individual and group rights are upheld - I mean civil and human rights, here; to step in to provide those services for which there is no market incentive to do so. I think that all levels of government have a role to play in each of these functions.
4. In an ideal society, what percentage of the wealth created by citizens should go to fund government**? In other words, what is a fair price to pay for the functions of government you list in #3?
I think that taxes should be higher than they are. I would much rather pay higher taxes and know that I have health care, that my neighbors have health care, that my children and my neighbors children have access to GOOD public education with all the resources they need (in my city, many basic needs in classrooms, such as pencils, come out of teacher's pockets), etc... I think that currently the amount of money that we DO give to the government is mis-managed and spent in ways that I don't necessarily agree with. But IDEALLY I think we would each pay a bit more in return for better public services.
RRAARRR! Lori got me all fired up! :) To add your voice to the mix, head over to Lori's blog to cut and paste the questions to your blog, or provide your answers in her comments section.
1. Overall,* do you believe people are basically bad (1) or good (100)? Try to put a number on it.
I fully believe that people are basically good. You can put me down for a solid 100. I have had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know so many people in my years from so many places and circumstances. And I believe that people are not only basically good, but that people are very much the same at their core. We have more in common than I believe we often recognize. And I mean to include all people in this, not just people in my community, my city, state, or country.
This is an important question, I believe, especially when we look at questions of people who have committed unthinkable crimes. For instance, I recently had a conversation about repeated offenders of child molestation, and sex offenders in general, and whether or not these people are able to rehabilitate themselves. My answer was: I sure hope so!! If we don't believe that they can rehabilitate themselves (i.e., that some people are just "bad" and that's that), then why would there be any reason to work with these folks, provide them with therapy and support to examine their actions? We should just throw them in jail, since there isn't any hope. I believe in rehabilitation, which gets back to my belief that we are inherently good. There is good in everyone, and it's our job as a society to find it.
2. Overall, do you think the best economic system would reward people based on what they need (1) or on what they deserve (100)? Again, put a number on it.
Overall I think the best economic system would "reward" people based on what they need. I believe this mostly because, who is deciding what is deserving or not? Once you get into what we deserve, then we get into some shaky ground for who decides what is deserving, and whose values that deserving is based on. Does one woman deserve paid family leave because she works for a wealthy company, while another woman (ahem.... me!) doesn't deserve paid family leave because she works as a public school teacher (and don't even get me started on the fact that giving birth would entitle me to "maternity leave" - at least a few weeks of pay - while adopting doesn't - guess I don't deserve that, either!) However, I don't think I would go with a full 100 on this one. I think I'd hover more around the area of 85, because I do think that there should be some room in an economic system for incentives - for those who go above and beyond. I just think that in our very, very wealthy country, it's INSANE that so many people lack health care, the ability to attend college, basic shelter, food, and other basic needs, because....? why? they don't deserve it? they don't work hard enough? Clearly there are people that don't work hard in our society. But there are also people who bust their arse working minimum wage jobs that don't offer health coverage, that don't allow them either the time or the money to further their education, and that certainly don't offer any kind of decent solution to childcare.
3. What do you think are the main functions (say, 5-10 of them) of government? You could even divide your list into (a) Federal and (b) State/Local.
I think the main functions of government are: to protect its residents from harm (notice I do NOT say citizens - my husband isn't a citizen and I believe he deserves protection as well); to ensure that every person has their basic needs covered (see above) - whether or not they actually supply those basic needs or not; to represent the interests of its people; to ensure that individual and group rights are upheld - I mean civil and human rights, here; to step in to provide those services for which there is no market incentive to do so. I think that all levels of government have a role to play in each of these functions.
4. In an ideal society, what percentage of the wealth created by citizens should go to fund government**? In other words, what is a fair price to pay for the functions of government you list in #3?
I think that taxes should be higher than they are. I would much rather pay higher taxes and know that I have health care, that my neighbors have health care, that my children and my neighbors children have access to GOOD public education with all the resources they need (in my city, many basic needs in classrooms, such as pencils, come out of teacher's pockets), etc... I think that currently the amount of money that we DO give to the government is mis-managed and spent in ways that I don't necessarily agree with. But IDEALLY I think we would each pay a bit more in return for better public services.
RRAARRR! Lori got me all fired up! :) To add your voice to the mix, head over to Lori's blog to cut and paste the questions to your blog, or provide your answers in her comments section.
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