I left an acting seminar last night around 8 pm and wandered up a few blocks to meet Alayna and her friend Emily at a bar/restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen. There were four huge television screens, all broadcasting CNN, Wolf Blitzer and John King and maps and statistics and red versus blue. The bar was buzzing, as if we were all collectively tapping our feet in anticipation or wriggling side to side, unable to sit still like grade school kids.
When I walked in, Kentucky had been called along with a few other states, none of which struck me as particularly surprising. I hugged Alayna and Emily hello and promptly ordered some delicious drink containing Rum and Cointreau. The three of us sat on the same side of the table, snug in a booth, backs against the wall, alternately scanning the television screen, texting friends and throwing out stories and comments and explanations.
CNN had a fantastic countdown right before polls were closing in certain states. As soon as it hit zero, the screen would flash with the news - OBAMA WINS PENNSYLVANIA - and the bar would ignite with whoops and hollers and electric energy. There was a camaraderie that was palpable, a mutual understanding that we were about to be part of something historic and momentous, a fervent hope that America would finally stand up and say WE NEED CHANGE AND WE NEED IT NOW.
As the evening went on, the chatter grew more animated as beer was sipped and waffle fries were nibbled and we all eagerly awaited the confirmation of results of uncertain states. Pennsylvania was huge, Ohio even bigger and I believe when they called it, I knew that it was over yet I didn’t want to jinx it. The Senate race steadily occupied the bottom of the screen, the blue line gradually overtaking the red. The analysis of voter demographics, the popular vote numbers, astounding me, impressing me, causing my heart to swell with pride. This is happening, in my lifetime, I am witnessing something that is so much bigger than me.
Tipsy with rum, belly full of gnocchi, at 11:59:30, I grabbed Alayna’s arms and energetically shouted, “LET’S COUNT DOWN LIKE IT’S NEW YEAR’S!!!!!!!” and the crowd took the cue and there we were, screaming with all our might 10 - 9 - 8 - 7, eyes wide, glued to the screens above the bar, fingers tingling, temples pulsing, 6 - 5 - 4, everyone present and focused and getting ready to stand, 3 - 2 - 1 and as OBAMA ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES illuminated the television screen, we all joyously lost our minds.
The bar erupted, cheering from their guts, crying, hugging strangers, pumping a fist in the air, louder and BETTER than New Year’s because, uh, it wasn’t. It was a Presidential election and thankfully, so thankfully, I live in a city that is unabashedly Democratic and proud because my God we have been through a lot. There was instant optimistic connection in that bar, in midtown, in my great city. Various ages, truly diverse and different, all supporting the same man, all willing to stand up and wish they could touch him through the hard glass of the television screen.
No one spoke during McCain’s speech. I couldn’t take my eyes off him and found his words touching, honorable and gracious. We all clapped for him and I suppose I can only speak for myself but I think he commands and deserves respect regardless of how I find his policies.
I stepped into the oddly warm November air somewhere after midnight, smiling taxis gliding by. I had seen images of Times Square on the television and knew I had to cross through to board the train home. I envisioned a horrendous New York situation–police barricades and stern “No Ma’am, you can’t pass” apologies. As I grew closer to Broadway, the rumbles became roars and little American flags fluttered above a sea of heads.
I remember thinking that the pathway to the train was miraculously clear before my emotions caught me off-guard and I randomly burst into tears. It was the third time that night but it was the most intense. The sheer number of people standing transfixed in one spot, the tears on their faces, their beautiful eyes upturned to the monstrous television in Times Square, it was just overwhelming for me. I felt like for the first time in a long time, I was breathing in cool, clean fresh air.
…
I realize that Barack Obama is inheriting a country in disarray. Everything is wrong. EVERYTHING. And trust me, I am aware that change is not going to come overnight but that also, many people expect it to and will be visibly disappointed when it doesn’t. I was prepared to be faced with reality a few days after Election Day, I knew that I would go back to work and find a mess of an economy, an increasingly dangerous situation overseas, my usual lack of health care. But…but…I thought I would at least have a full night or a full few days to really just bask in the glow of Obama and his remarkable groundbreaking achievement.
Ha.
I called my mother shortly after 11 pm last night, not to gloat but to share in a truly awesome moment of American History.
“Ha,” she said bitterly into the phone. “There’s no way he’s going to change the country in four years, everyone will be disillusioned and another Republican will go back into office in 2012. This is temporary.”
Well, hi! Hello! I think the voter turnout WAS astounding and WOW a black man won over the state of Virginia and HEY I AM REALLY HUMBLED BY THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN TO BE VOTED INTO OFFICE TOO!!!!!!!! Nice chatting!
Today was no better, if not worse. I called home to at least slap a verbal high five with my 18 year old little brother, his first time voting EVER and he got to vote in THIS election, I mean, is that just amazing or what?!?!
Or what.
“I VOTED OBAMA AND REGRET IT.”
“What? Jem? Wha?? How could you SAY that?! What on earth!?”
Apparently, my brother got into a heavy discussion with a few of his friends’ fathers yesterday. They are Long Island blue collar small business owners and fervent McCain supporters because while they are blue collar and own things like landscaping companies (a Long Island staple!), they make an upper-middle class income.
They explained to my brother that Obama is going to double Capital Gains Taxes to 40% and that they will suffer, all small businesses will suffer, you the public will suffer because they will raise prices and this is SOCIALISM SERIOUSLY and basically, the country is going to the crapper.
I just want to say that in case they didn’t notice? The country is already in the crapper. KTHX.
I listened to my impressionable little Long Island brother begin to rant and rave about how Obama’s taxes are going to kill us all because, right, he’s 18 and apparently very concerned with his small business? (HE IS IN COLLEGE. OH MY GOD.) I gently explained that 1) Taxes are just ONE issue and 2) Please do your research! Via BarackObama.com, I easily noted that Barack’s plan includes ZERO CAPITAL GAINS TAXES for, and I quote, “Small business and start ups” so uh:
Propaganda: 1
My Little Brother: 0
I pointed out something that was bothering me even more than the wrong information. Many people we know on Long Island who own these contracting businesses, landscaping companies, etc. HIDE THE MAJORITY OF THEIR INCOME. They also (fact, not assumption) hire illegal immigrant workers to work for their company. It was evident by my brother’s language that he was just repeating the words of his friend’s fathers, namely that the government under Obama is going to “TAKE AWAY MY MONEY” and use it for “WHATEVER THEY WANT”.
You call it taking away your money? That’s funny. I call it PAYING INCOME TAX. Weird.
To say the conversation was disheartening is an understatement but I was not expecting it to get WORSE from then on. After Jem was able to listen to my points (which he did! with great tact! Jem the Gentleman: 10 Points!) he agreed that Obama was overall the better choice for other reasons that might be important to him. He apologized for saying he regretted his vote and handed the phone over to my father.
You get that I love my dad, right? You get that he is the most lovable person on the planet? And that he is a fantastic listener and ridiculously well-read and able to talk about anything and he will make you a cup of tea if you ask him and I LOVE HIM A LOT, RIGHT?
My parents are both Independent voters and my father voted for Bush in 2000 and Kerry in 2004. All summer, he was fiercely anti-Obama due to the fact that “the guy can’t seem to make up his mind”. However, as the September days flew by and the economy got worse and worse, my dad flipped. He became disillusioned with the McCain campaign and realized, as he says, that McCain had less of a plan than Obama in terms of the economy and that was enough to vote Democrat this time around. GO DAD.
“HEY DAD! OBAMA ROCKED IT OUT LAST NIGHT!”
“Eh. I’m not impressed.”
“WHAT!? ARE YOU KIDDING!? BLACK GUY IN THE WHITE HOUSE? TOTALLY AWESOME! CHANGE FOR EVERYONE? GONNA TURN THIS BABY AROUND?”
“Well. No. I mean, I guess. I hope he’s not all talk.”
“Well…yeah…?”
“I just get real sick of hearing people talking about how they’ll get free handouts once he takes office.”
“What? Who is saying that?”
“Someone asked a lady on NPR yesterday why she voted Obama and she said ‘Because he’ll lower my gas prices and pay my mortgage.’ What kind of crap is that?”
“Well, dad, Obama never said he personally was going to pay someone’s mortgage. Maybe she just meant it generally, like, he’s going to improve the economy and fix the housing crisis.”
“No. I don’t know. That pissed me off.”
“Why?”
“Because people think he’s giving handouts. Come on, all those taxcuts? It’s essentially welfare.”
“A tax cut is welfare?”
“Yeah. It’s getting something for free.”
And here is the inherent problem I believe members of my family still grapple with: a selfish Republican-esque view that people ought to help themselves and do not deserve ANYTHING for “free” served with a side of occasional racism.
Are there people who voted for Obama solely because he is black? Yes, I am sure of it.
Are there people who voted for McCain because Sarah Palin is a woman and that was good enough for them? Yes, I am sure of that too.
But, I mean, those were THEIR reasons for voting and while I think it’s a bit misguided, perhaps those factors were enough for people. My mother votes solely on the Pro-Life platform, that’s it, just that one issue. Many Catholics do and I believe the same about them: it is misguided but well-intentioned and their reasoning is not really my business anyway.
But this “Woman Wanting Obama To Give Her Free Stuff” BOTHERED HIM. I could tell in the tone of his voice, in his caustic skepticism, his sudden nervousness. He was instantly unsure–shit, maybe Obama WAS the kind of guy who was going to turn this into a socialist empire and give handouts to people, ESPECIALLY minorities. My father never said that and I am exaggerating, I know, but that doubt was there, for an INSTANT and I heard it and it saddened me tremendously. It’s like the way people in my family constantly have to qualify the race of someone in a story. “Well, it was a black woman, NOT THAT IT MATTERS…”
Well. If it doesn’t matter, why did you mention it?
My grandmother and my father both come from a generation with deep-rooted ideas about other races. (I exclude my mother from this because my father is significantly older than she is and also, she doesn’t seem to share this particular attitude that both my father and grandmother do.) My father’s parents were offensively, horrendously racist and considering the way they raised him, my father is amazingly tolerant and accepting. But…I suppose it’s just the way he thinks: when it comes to social justice issues, my father and many other family members hold a very Republican “Help Yourself, You Are Not My Problem” attitude. THIS is what bothered my dad about that woman’s comments about Obama as President, race aside: he is going to help people who don’t deserve it and that isn’t fair.
It’s weird to hear that from Christians, right? The judgment and the caution that is displayed? I suppose you can just throw up your hands and say “Well, you can’t help everyone!” or “They got themselves into that mess!” But…really…as a Christian, can you say that? Shouldn’t you be saying YES, I am okay with helping those in need? YES, I am okay with LOVING MY NEIGHBOR AS MYSELF? No? Anyone? No one?
So, we had incorrect information about taxes and incorrect information about social reform and it resulted in me, full of JOY and ELATION, calling home (stupidly) expecting to share my happiness and was met with I DON’T KNOW ABOUT THIS. IT IS KIND OF ALL WRONG ACTUALLY. WHY IS EVERYONE SO EXCITED ANYWAY?
Someone asked me today, “Why were you hurt by that? Those are your family’s views, they aren’t ever going to change.”
Yes.
But.
No.
It was just like I was a young girl and all I wanted was for someone to share in my joy. Except it wasn’t joy for a picture I painted all by myself or a song that I made up, it was the fact that I helped elect the FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN PRESIDENT, a man who stands for hope and change and reform and three of my family members simultaneously just kind of rolled their eyes like “Whatever” as if it’s not a big DEAL, as if it doesn’t matter.
My family is my family and I know I’m not alone with these struggles. I’m not hurt as much as I am sad. Sad that not one person I talked to (liberal older brother and liberal little sister aside) could say ANYTHING POSITIVE less than 24 hours after such a momentous election. That my parents could not rise above their uncertainty or sore loserness enough to say THIS IS AN AMAZING MOMENT FOR US AS AMERICANS, I AM SO GLAD YOU WERE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN IT.
I was met instead with bitterness and skepticism and a rant about a tax issue that isn’t even true and concerns that maybe Obama was going to help some people. OH NO.
Cue: Happiness Balloon deflating in a matter of minutes. But, lesson learned: I am not going to have that kind of relationship with certain family members. There is simply too much standing in the way and I would do well to be tolerant and compassionate and realize that they just are not the type of people who are ever going to willingly support a candidate that I support. That is okay. We bond in other ways. For politics, I can turn to my two other siblings and we can rock it out alone.
There are other things that sadden me about this election besides my family, the passing of Prop 8 in California for one. The absurdity and frustration that strikes me when I think of so many people trying so hard to “protect marriage” as if marriage and love are things that only certain people can have, as if they have a limit, as if by giving someone else that privilege, someone might take yours away.
I was disturbed by some message boards and websites I read today, mainly Catholics “crying themselves to sleep last night” and accusing the Catholic voters who voted for Obama of “never going to church” and supporting a “man who stands for genocide”. The abortion issue is one I particularly “love”, as if the day after Obama is sworn in, every girl in the country will decide that a partial-birth abortion is a FANTASTIC IDEA and will run out to get one.
And here is the crux of what I want to say: Election Night was beyond memorable for me and a night I will never forget. And today? I was totally bummed by my family’s reaction to it. I am saddened that I can never find common ground with one or both of my parents, saddened that we suffer from a generational gap of misunderstanding and biases and a lack of wanting to listen to each other. Add on to that an extreme attachment to religious ideals that sometimes gets in the way of reason and actually, Christ-like behavior and thought.
I voted for Obama because he represents all that is good to me–hope, change, love and equality. He makes me want to be a better American, a better person. He makes me want to get informed and makes me want to speak up and makes me feel like I matter. He does not seem like a person who would govern on the basis of fear but on the basis of faith and of perseverance and of STRENGTH. He inspires me.
When I have a daughter, I can’t wait to tell her that I was present for this and a part of it, that Aunt Alayna and I LOST OUR SHIT at a bar and wept tears of joy. That I voted for change and I supported the best candidate for the job–a charismatic, generous and intelligent man who deserves that high honor. I want to tell her that I cast my ballot with her in mind–that I want the earth to be in good shape when she is living on it and I am long gone, that I believe she has rights as a woman that need to be protected and that I hope one day we can watch future election results together and celebrate a hard won victory.
As an Obama supporter, I can see your family’s side of this as well.
You knew what your mom’s political feelings were and as much as you were ecstatic right after the announcement and wanted to share that joy with her, your mother was probably hurting and afraid. Expecting her to set that aside to be joyful with you, only moments after the announcement, is a lot to ask– even of the woman who gave birth to you.
As for your dad, he’s had to work hard and pull himself up by his own bootstraps, facing prejudice from others along the way based on his own background. He’s obviously a good and loving person, but he’s only human and it’s understandable that he may have moments of feeling selfish– he’s had to work so hard and it’s probably hurtful to think that people might be getting a free ride by abusing policies intended to help them. You and I know that’s not the case for most people and that a certain degree of that is an unavoidable byproduct of a system that mostly does good. Your father probably knows that, too, but think about his history and the people he was with that night. He wasn’t in that bar with you.
As for your little brother, you know that I have a brother that age, too. Your brother sounds like an enormously smart and thoughtful person, from everything you’ve ever said about him. But he’s 18. He is SO impressionable (in a sense– aren’t we all?) and he was surrounded that day by people who were leading him to question the first vote he ever cast in this country. There was a lot of fear-mongering going on and your brother was feeling anxious and regretful. Think how hard it would be for him to switch on a dime and be supportive of you when you called.
That said, I 100% identify with this post and I can imagine just how you felt as I’ve experienced that feeling before– having the wind sucked from your sails when you’re most happy is one of the worst feelings. I wish we could all just feel the same way about everything, or feel ways that are complementary to each other, but I guess that would be as much of an impediment to progress as constant conflict would be.
Hope you’re feeling better about it today.
Great post, Laura. I know how you feel. There are people in this country who just don’t get it, who despise anyone who is not of their own race, just for that reason, no other. I talked to a lady I work with yesterday, she said she ‘despises’ Obama. I said “Why? What has he done?” and she couldn’t give me an answer, just that she has a ‘bad feeling’ about him.
Some people will never get it.
But we must not let them diminish our joy, our hope, and our excitement that we now finally have a President who really represents America, in all its diversity. The WHOLE WORLD is rejoicing!!!!!
Maybe our families will finally get it once peace is restored and our troops come home. Maybe they’ll see that Obama stands for freedom and he means what he says. We’ve heard so many lies over the past 8 years, it may take awhile for trust to be restored.
We must be patient. It’ll happen. I’m sure of it.
Ah, Miss Laurie. My mother didn’t bother me much because I am fully aware of her political views. I see that I did perhaps have a certain expectation and that was wrong. I’m not even sure why I called her, probably out of instinct which seems to backfire 100% of the time since she never reacts the way “I want her to”, regardless of topic. That is definitely my issue and I have to learn to let go of expectation when it comes to my mom.
However, I do think my surprise was warranted re: my brother and my father because they voted for Obama. I hope you don’t think this post sounds like I am throwing my family under the bus. That was not the intention. I am a bit bummed that we have major political differences but I have known that for years. I was less upset because I expected them to change and more upset because I know they won’t. I understand completely that I can only change myself; it was just a sucky experience.
And yes, I am aware of reasons why my father thinks the way he does and did not mean to paint him as an igorant racist. The journey he has taken is astounding and I tried hard to make it clear that I was aware of that. The same goes for Jem–he is 18 and misinformed. I did not fault him for that. I blamed those around him who were spewing lies.
Like I said, it was startling for me because they voted Obama. I wouldn’t have had high hopes for joy-sharing if they voted McCain. There is a reason I did not call my grandmother to chat about the election yesterday.
I was taken aback by my father and my brother and their extremely quick change of mind.
Kim -
Despising Obama without good reason? You gotta love it! People are living in fear. This is true for people “scared of Obama” who are fervently praying for his soul and those who voted in support of Prop 8 in California. FEAR FEAR FEAR.
Thank you for your exclamation points and your encouragement! Change is going to come and I do believe it is going to be AMAZING.
The whole world IS INDEED rejoicing, especially New York City and that makes my daily life a LOT easier!!
I bet!!! My hometown of Chicago is now on the world map as well. We are insanely hopeful.
Hey, those are my offensively, horrendously racist grandparents you are talking about there.
This morning I was thinking about prop 8 in California. I cannot imagine what these formerly legally married couples are going through. After 4 1/2 years of marriage, I cannot imagine waking up the day after the election and having my marriage be gone. No longer having a husband. Just a partner. I am so sad for those people.
As for the abortion issue, I’m pro-choice. But, also, as a person with a biology degree, I believe life begins before conception. The egg and sperm are alive, too. So is it wrong to allow eggs to pass through our bodies unfertilized? Is that a sin as well? (Full disclosure: I’m an atheist. That doesn’t mean I think we should kill babies without a second thought. It means that I can reason and make decisions on my own without people telling me what to believe.)
Your desire to share your joy is understandable, but it seems like you found many to share it with all through the night. What about your family's desire to express their concerns and fears?
It was a historic night, and that we elected our first black president is amazing. That said, some who voted for Obama did so because they saw him as the lesser of two evils. Some did so only because they were afraid of Palin, and McCain's age made her presidency a viable possibility. Obama does not represent to everyone what he represents to you. Just something to keep in mind.
And a few points-your brother was right that the tax cuts Obama is proposing will in fact be welfare. Depending on income, people who do not pay taxes at all will still be getting these "credits." Obama is still calling them tax cuts out of simplicity (giving his campaign the benefit of the doubt) but make no mistake, they are credits, which is welfare.
In addition, specific information on his tax plan has been difficult to come by, even for those of us who work in taxes. The tax for married people will clearly begin at 250k, he's been open about that. But for single people it may begin at 165k, or it may begin at 200k. If it's 200k, that's a huge disincentive to marry. Just another thought. Perhaps it's hard for you as a young single person to care about what people making THAT much money think, and it shouldn't be a big deal. But a lot of people making that much money have huge student loans, or are older and worked all their lives to make this much money so they could save, esp since Social Security will be gone by the time they retire. They have a right to be upset by this tax plan. There are some fantastic sites out there written by tax lawyers and tax law professors–I think they may be a better source of information and clarity than obama's official campaign website.
Some people are similarly angered by the taxes because they feel that government is an inefficient way to help the poor. This is most assuredly so. Government agencies, while well intentioned, are inefficient and most of your taxes feed the inefficiency. But we cannot force people to contribute to private charities, so it's a problem.
I understand that you just wanted to be happy for a few hours, but this isn't a sports team or actor winning an award. This man will lead all of us, and we all have to live with his policies, which will have an effect on all of us in some way or another.
There is legitimate fear that WW III will break out if Iran nukes Israel (which is another legitimate fear). Many believe Iran will be emboldened by an Obama presidency, because he is young and new and inexperienced, or because Iran believes him to be less likely to step in against them. Whether any of that is true or not, remains to be seen, but much of Obama's foreign policy rhetoric make it at least not entirely impossible. If there is a WW III, that would be awful, obviously, but it would also require a strong president, and many do not believe Obama is up to the task. Diplomacy alone often does not work, as evidenced by the Holocaust & WW II.
These are just a few reasons people were not thrilled with Obama's win, even those of us who did vote for him. I was inspired and amazed, but I can understand the legitimate fears of those who were not.
Food for thought from a fellow NY theatre geek. This was quite long, but what can I say, you inspired me. Really enjoy your blog, esp. hearing about your acting and singing.
Since when did this blog turn into a political debate! As the friend that was with Laura on election night, I feel it is my responsibility to let you all know exactly how educated and intelligent Laura is on the issues. She does her research and thinks through issues before just stating an opinion. (I know because we slightly disagree on some.) I know that she would never just throw a comment out there without carefully wieghing the options and doing the research. That being said, we both know that most people in our lives do just that. Opinions are opinions and we are all entitled to our own. WE RESPECT THAT!!!! This is Laura’s blog and being such it is HER place to state HER thoughts and feelings. I am sure she is open to hearing your thoughts and opinions, but realize this is her place for hers. I think it is ridiculous for you to suggest that she can not possibly imagine someone’s way of life. As an actor that’s kinda her job. Trust that she has carefully stated her opinions before you start objecting to them. I could spend all night rebutting some claims made here, but I will refrain, which is very hard for me. I feel I have said enough already.
Now that I have spoken for Laura, I feel I should put a disclaimer on my remarks and say they are my opinions only and are not necessarily supported by the author of this blog.
Huh. I just thought I was giving another point of view. I never said she wasn’t entitled to her view, at all, or even remotely implied it. I was just giving reasons other people feel the way they do. Most people with blogs have a comment section specifically to hear opposing viewpoints. We’re all in this together, why not be open to other viewpoints? And of course, Laura may be. I’m a pretty avid reader of her blog, so I thought she’d enjoy hearing the opinion of an Obama voter who felt similarly to her father and brother and explain why. If she’s not interested in that, that’s understandable. I thought I was very temperate in my post, but perhaps it didn’t come across that way. I’ve no doubt she’s researched the issues and come to her conclusions, but I was providing the viewpoint of the other side of that coin–Democrats who are concerned. I don’t see why you got so angry about that, but maybe I am missing something. The comments section is open to the public, not restricted to those who have a log in name/password, so I think Laura probably wants to hear from others with opposing viewpoints, especially if they are civil and temperate about it, which I tried to be.
I was not trying to discourage anyone from commenting and sharing their beliefs. Your comment did not come across as temperate. It came across very condescending. Granted I don’t know you, maybe if I did it would not have sounded that way in my head. That is the one downfall of typing your words. It is difficult to add tone and inflection and all the wonderful qualities of the human voice. Maybe you could try to sound less condescending next time? Also, I am not angry. If you knew me you would know that my words were not typed in anger. In fact, when I go back and read it to myself, I sound like my mother, who I do not think is capable of expressing anger. But, I will try to sound less angry next time. I tried really hard to make the point that Laura, and I, both respect others opinions. So of course yours are welcome.
Deanna - I KNOW. I APOLOGIZE. I believe Leo was a lot worse than Agnes but alas, I never had the honor of meeting the man!
Abbie - I know. My cousin lives in LA and marched in some protests last night. It made me so proud! He did have some DISTURBING STORIES like the Mormon family who dipped into their LIVE SAVINGS to contribute to Prop 8, that is how much it meant to them. It breaks my heart. I can’t imagine it…married and then JUST KIDDING!! Ughh. So sad, especially in a state like California.
Woah woah! Mama steps away from her computer and her BLOG IMPLODES!!!
Deep breath. Okay.
Anonymous:
You are correct! Many people see Obama as a lesser evil for the reasons you described. My father is one of them and I can name many more. I agree that many voted for what he wasn’t rather than what he was.
Thank you for clarifying about the tax cuts/welfare comment. It didn’t make sense to me, now it does. As far as older people with money voicing their concerns about the tax plan, I get that. But I was speaking about people who aren’t honest about reporting their income to the government and I have a harder time sympathizing with them.
I do not think government agencies are perfect but I wouldn’t go so far as to call them inefficient. I would need more information and maybe you just meant that their inefficient at helping the poor instead of inefficient in general? I’m hesitant to go further with this because I don’t know exactly what you mean.
I’m going to leave WW III alone and just say that I understand your fears about it and your fears about Obama in general. To be honest, you are the only person who has given me valid reasons to be “afraid of Obama”. I appreciate that view.
As far as wanting to share my excitement with my family and not just strangers in a bar, well, I guess it’s a matter of preference. I wanted them to share it with me. They didn’t. I got that loud and clear.
And I know it is not a sporting event/acting award but politics can be just as thrilling and full of hope. I saw it as a cause to rejoice, if only because I was alive to see such an amazing milestone take place. It could just be that I am a more emotional person, but I can find reasons to rejoice in big and small, in politics and in sporting events and when I eat REALLY REALLY good Thai food.
I see your point though and yes, we shall see what happens when he takes office.
As far as Alayna jumping to my defense: YES! Y’all are welcome to dissent! Let’s do it! Anonymous, you WERE very temperate while providing a plethora of information and opinion. Alayna is a VERY passionate person and also, my BFF and politics are like, her THING. It’s intense. Gaining a tone from words on a screen can be tricky but I think you are both in agreement that we can and should play fair.
So how about some rules:
1. Let’s refrain from name-calling, slander and false information, especially in regards to politics. (I’m not saying anyone here did that today.)
2. Let’s all try to own up to our comments, hopefully by posting with a name or a pseudonym so we can keep track of who is who.
I think this is fair, yes? CARRY ON THEN MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS!
Leo was a true piece of work. The man had serious issues, alcoholism for starters.
“considered”, I meant considered. My brain is still a little foggy after that lovely car accident little Henry and I were involved in this afternoon. Fun times!
Just for the record: Because of the noise of the bar when Laura called she certainly did not hear the fun in my voice when I cynically implied that in 4 years people will be looking for a Republican. That is just a statement that is often true NO MATTER WHO IS IN OFFICE. I was very happy when she called and I don’t think she heard that! It was an exciting evening. I was even laughing at her joy. NOTE: Don’t try to have a serious conversation in a bar setting.
As far as race, I am not fearful at all. I wouldn’t want the position of the President of the US at all. AND if you speak with any of my childhood friends and classmates I wanted to be President for most of my school years.
To discuss any kind of diversity with me is rather funny if one would try to peg us in the “only” category about many issues. We have the most diverse group of friends of all races, nationalities and they are found around our family table and in our company quite often.
I am not ONE issue. BUT if you would like to peg me in a square hole, being in support of ANY life is quite admirable as I fought my life to be able to give birth to the wonderful children I have.
And to our credit we do encourage and support different views. I get a little bit of a hint that that same tolerance is not being accorded and that we need to be educated. That is far from the truth.
This was a difficult decision to make this year. There were strengths and weaknesses on all parts. Actually, let’s all re-elect Congress because they are the most arrogant and distanced people we have had. BLAME THEM sometimes!
Well, now it’s time to take my misguided self to breakfast with my best hommies as I am soooo financially secure and spiritually happy about my life. But, rather, I need my hommies to help me see more clearly, love Him more dearly and follow HIM more nearly because, after all, HE is in control and oh boy, is he pissed!
Have a great day!
Love,
Your Mom
When my brothers and sisters got together after my mother’s death to divide her possessions (I was unable to attend) I was delighted to hear of the fun they had in choosing what each would have. The tough decisions like who would get my mother’s diamond ring were decided by a lottery game and the rest went to whoever asked for it. Again, if there was more than one who wanted something, a lottery was held between the contenders. No blood was shed – instead lots of stories and good memories were shared. A few things were put aside for me – (even though the joke was, having been with alone with Mom in her hospital room at the time of her death, that she had decided at the last moment to bequeath everything to me) — including my favorite photo of myself with two of my brothers, Michael and Thomas. The photo, taken by our neighbor, Mr. Conklin has us standing on a split-rail fence while I show off my muscle — actually a rubber ball stuck in the sleeve of my autumn jacket.
I look at today’s feast in that way. Today the Roman Catholic Church, reveling in its power, takes us back to Rome, to Rome under the reign of the Emperor Constantine. On November 9, 324A.D. Pope St. Sylvester consecrated the first public Christian church in the ancient City of Rome. It had been built on property given to the Church by Constantine and given the name “The Church of Saint Savior.” Centuries later, in the eleventh century, its name was changed and it became known as the Basilica of St. John Lateran.
The Church of Saint Savior meant that Christians, once persecuted and hidden underground, were now preferred and allowed to be public. Christians and Christian worship were not only publicly tolerated but also placed in the heart of Rome’s Imperial Establishment. The Church of Saint Savior, now known as St. John Lateran, was erected on a site owned by Constantine’s wife at the top of the Lateran Hill, one of the seven significant hills of Rome. Its public consecration was a momentous event, to say the least.
Today, the Church in holding up for us the image of this ancient Church building, this structure that has been destroyed by invading armies and by fire on several different times in its history stands on a split-rail fence flexing it’s not so (worldly) powerful muscle.
When the late Cardinal Heenan was asked what was distinctive about the Catholic Church, he answered quite simply with one word: authority. Cardinal Heenan’s reply ruffled more than a few feathers. Many expected him to say something like love or compassion. But frankly, the cardinal could not have said either love or compassion, because those are values or characteristics the Church shares with peoples of other faiths and none. They are not distinctively Catholic.
In the gospels the crowds are not amazed by Jesus’ love or compassion. Instead they are impressed because he taught them as one with authority. They remark,
“No one ever spoke as this man does!’” (John 7.46)
And the crowds ask themselves,
“What is this? A new teaching! With authority he commands”(Mk 1.27).
Authority is what is distinctive about Jesus and it is also what is distinctive about the Church which Jesus established.
I think of two of my brothers who stood up against great and threatening powers to show off the “muscle of the Church” . At the time of the Protestant Reformation, Bishop John Fisher and Sir Thomas More were seen as avant garde. They were humanists, learning Greek and not simply relying on the Latin Vulgate; enthusiastic for the new learning of the Renaissance. In contrast, many others saw themselves as traditional. And yet in the difficult years of the Reformation, many of the so-called traditionalists were swept away by apathy, conformity, avarice, sycophancy. The traditional people did the traditional thing and followed their monarchs into schism and heresy.
But John Fisher and Thomas More adhered to the only thing that genuinely makes a difference: to the authority of the Church founded by Christ, manifest in particular in the person of Christ’s vicar, the successor of Peter — that is, in the Pope. For this, they paid the price of martyrdom.
It is not enough to tell the world about love, compassion, mercy, peace and justice. All of these things are meaningless and empty unless they are grounded in Him who is love, compassion, mercy, peace and justice. Unless all these things are founded on the authority of Christ, they are empty and vain, and will fail.
The authority of the Church is grounded in the Incarnation of the Son, the Word made flesh, for us — his brothers and sisters — and for our salvation. His saving humanity is what makes us his brothers and sisters, and makes us children of the Father. Jesus, true God and true man, saves us as we are, as human beings. Many of the disagreements with authority are founded, perhaps not consciously, on the rejection of humanity: our humanity and Christ’s.
Authority is not an appealing term for humans ears. We must set aside our legalistic images of authority, as laws alone. The laws define that beyond which we cannot go and still maintain communion with the Son of God. Rather, Christ’s authority is more properly understood as liturgical, because He is our Great High Priest (cf. Hebrews 5.9). That means His authority is life-giving. The Catholic Church is the life-giving authority of Christ, transforming all creation with Jesus as Head. We are the Temple that Christ is raising, the members of His body.
In an interview recorded just before Election Day, Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver explained that he had decided to take a prominent public stand on the obligations of Catholic voters because the “quieter approach to these things has not been effective.” How right he was! As clear and forthright in his teaching, onElection Day it became evident that the majority of Catholics in his diocese weren’t listening.
Should we be surprised if Catholics ignore directives from the hierarchy? Should we be surprised that Catholics ignore Church teachings on other issues as well? No, this result was predictable.
An entire generation of American Catholics has grown accustomed to dissent from Church teaching, and grown accustomed to seeing their bishops tolerate that dissent.
Abortion is not an isolated issue. American Catholics are not ignoring Church leadering on this issue alone, but on the entire range of Catholic teaching. Large numbers of Catholics skip Sunday Mass regularly. Teachings on contraception are ignored by many married Catholics. Studies show that a good number of Catholics do not believe in the Real Presence. Most Catholics no longer accept Church authority on any issue. Why should we be surprised, then, if so many seem to overlook the defense of human life?
I know, there are so many more issues than abortion that confront us, war, taxes, poverty, unemployment, terrorism, the ecology, world hunger. But the word of Cardinal Heenan comes to mind, authority. Love and racial equality, human rights, and so many issues, but unless we recognize and seek to align ourselves with our bishops and our Holy Father who don’t seek to change hearts by using muscle-power, but who nonetheless wield the power of the Holy Spirit and exercise legitimate authority, we might as well get down off the fence. Church is over.
fr Donald
Hi Laura,
My homily this week addresses the Great Obama, so I included the whole thing on you blog… you may want to delete it.
Love,
fr Donald
Deanna - I hope everyone is okay! Sorry about the car. Eeeeeek.
Mom - I didn’t mean to imply that you aren’t educated. Also, with regards to the race issue, I put a specific disclaimer about you because I don’t see that you share the same issues dad/grandma do. I do think you weigh the issues but only to a point as Father Donald illustrates below, as a Catholic, you essentially HAVE to be a one-issue voter as pro-life, according to the pope, is a “non-negotiable”.
The other four, as you know, are cloning, euthanasia, same-sex marriage and embryonic stem cell research. These are “intrinsically evil” acts. So, I think as a Catholic, you can’t really weigh all the issues because the pope says you have to stand by those five above all others. I didn’t mean to imply that was an uneducated way of doing things, it just didn’t make sense to me, especially because I disagree with one of the intrinsically evil acts being intrinsically evil.
I think the The Church may also state that you can dissent and are absolved if you have prayed about it and your conscience is clear. BUT, I could be VERY VERY WRONG ABOUT THIS.
Father Donald - Hi! No need to delete! Your thoughts are always welcome! That was a very thought-provoking homily.
Ah, Laura. Them’s is five good reasons why I’m no longer a Catholic.
As far as the not according the same tolerance, well, it’s not the same when you are infringing on someone’s else rights. It’s easy to ask to take away something from another citizen (right to marry, right for death with dignity, benefits of stem cell research, etc.).
Catholics are asking to take those rights away. The opposing side is not asking to infringe on the same caliber of rights, or really any rights. So, the same sort of “tolerance” just doesn’t work in the other direction.
I’m a little at a loss at the “He is pissed” comment. I’m not feeling that.
Deanna - Oh, come on. I’m fine with gay people doing whatever it is that they do. They just can’t have the same rights as me. I don’t see what the big deal is.
HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.
As far as the tolerance goes, yeah. As far as the Catholic thing goes, just. yeahhhhh. I agree with you, wholeheartedly. It’s really sad to me that so many do not. Nothing is lost by allowing other humans the same rights that I have. Nothing. I can’t get on board with “protecting the sanctity of marriage” as if only SOME can partake, as if by granting gay people equal rights, the country is going to fall apart because then laws will pass that allow you to marry an ELEPHANT and OH THAT IS NOT CHRISTIAN.
I read a quote by a Catholic woman that said, “I think that abortion will one day be looked upon as the slavery of our time.” And I get that abortion sucks, it suckkkkks, I get it. But I do believe it needs to remain an option for some people. Instead, I think the gay rights issue will one day be looked upon as the slavery of our time. You are denying human beings living in the same country equal rights and that is inexcusable, ESPECIALLY in a country that preaches separation of church and state.
Also, you know, I had overlooked that “He is pissed” comment at first but…yikes.
Mom, I think assuming to know how God feels right now is taking things a little too far. How do you know He’s pissed!?! Sheesh.
BECAUSE…God only speaks to ME!
Ha - don’t know why I said that other than he must be sad, actually, about the killings and other evil acts coz He made it all good.