Change in America’s thinking?

FORUM Forums Lucinda Williams Lucinda in general Change in America’s thinking?

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  • #37203
    Philthy
    Participant

    Speaking from the ‘rest of the world’, I am terrified of the McCain, Palin combo reaching the whitehouse. The thought that someone with such a vague grasp of geography (where exactly is Iraqistan?), history (hardly surprising from a person that thinks the (flat?) earth is only a few thousand years old), technology (nobody will guess that I used the name of my pit-bull as an internet password, right?) and politics (isn’t that spelt with an ‘K’?) could become the guardian of the most powerful arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in the world, scares me half to death! And Sarah isn’t a lot better (b-dum ching!)

    And just in case you think I am in the minority – I am not.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7606100.stm

    If I thought I could get US citizenship in time for the election, I would move to the most marginal state tomorrow!

    #37204
    OpheliaPoet
    Participant

    I personally think it is really strange that some celebrities/artists are so vocal about their politics. Maybe they all do so well that they are not afraid of risking losing a few fans? I think musicians especially, need to be careful and aware of their demographics before launching an offense on their own supporters.

    I am an Army brat. I have at least 13 Patriots from whom I am descended who fought for our Independence. Some of my ancestors settled in Virginia and Pennsylvania three to four centuries ago. My brother has continued the military tradition in our family, to our great pride. He was nearly killed in Taji, Iraq on April 18, 2008. His gunner was killed when their vehicle drove past a roadside IED. The vehicle flipped end-over-end twice. My brother had two, eight inch gashes in his skull and fractured his C-7 vertebrae. He lost a friend, and several others in his unit that month, including his best friend two weeks before. Even through all of this, he would board a plane tonight to fight for his country and follow whatever mission his Commander-in-Chief set before him. I don’t understand where peoples’ sense of service has gone. People are so concerned about their own rights and entitlements these days that they forget that people sacrificed their lives over many, many years to attain those rights for them. Some people don’t understand duty and sacrifice. What a nice, carefree, “peace”ful, loving illusion to live in. I won’t be buying the protest CD. I am a red blooded American.

    #37205
    FredMing
    Participant

    Jesus, Lucinda, it’s one thing to chronicle your own painful path to consciousness, but now you merely romanticize what you saw. Obama is a con man. You have been conned yet again.

    #37206
    Rainydayman
    Participant

    Oh please, Ophelia, I am a red blooded American too, and that’s why I am so frustrated with the horrible direction that our great nation has taken. By buying the protest CD I’m not protesting against America, I’m protesting against the poor leadership we currently have.

    …..and did I read that Obama is a con man? That’s laughable.

    #37207
    OpheliaPoet
    Participant

    Rainydayman wrote:
    Oh please, Ophelia, I am a red blooded American too, and that’s why I am so frustrated with the horrible direction that our great nation has taken. By buying the protest CD I’m not protesting against America, I’m protesting against the poor leadership we currently have.]

    I’m sick to death of hearing people whine about the poor leadership or bash the administration. More than half of us voted for the President, and most of us would have made the same choices in the same situation under the circumstances presented yet, when things go downhill, all the fair-weather citizens want to jump ship and withdraw their support. None of us has the ability to make decisions to affect only one certain outcome or we would have a psychic for President. We make decisions based on the information we have at the time of the decision. I’m tired of peoples’ back-peddling.

    Also, you must realize that problems at any given time are generally a result of the PREVIOUS administration. Regan inherited Carter’s problems, Bush inherited Clinton’s, etc. It takes years for changes to come to fruition; they don’t happen overnight. People have short memories when it comes to faulting people they supported. For instance, if Clinton had pushed Hussein to allow the UN inspectors in Iraq, we never would have gone to war. 9/11 was not the reason we went into Iraq. The impetus was threats by Saddam Hussein (no relation to our Democratic candidate) that he had WMD, a threat we could not ignore IN LIGHT of 9/11. Nobody remembers that, conveniently.

    We have all lost a lot. I’m ticked off that I am still paying $3.44 for a gallon of gas. I’ve lost nearly $10K from my 401K. My family pays a fortune for insurance and prescriptions. My bank was just purchased by another bank and my mortgage company is being investigated. None of this is my fault. I checked all the boxes. I graduated high school, have good credit, have been married almost 9 years, have a child, finished college, work full time, give philanthropically, serve jury duty when called (and it’s often in my state, by different courts!), and I vote at each election.

    I would like a break on healthcare, but I am not willing to foot the bill for people who aren’t contributing to “the system.” I would like a break on the gas bill, but I would not want an oil rig that I can see from shore. I would like my $44,000 in student loans to be forgiven since I graduated at the top of my class and feel like I earned a break (I worked full time and had a baby while I was in school – and had a 4.0 GPA). I am also unwilling to pay for people who do not work or maintain an A average to go to school. It is a privilege, not a right. I would at the very least like my interest rate on my student loans to be lower or graduated (the longer you pay, the more you pay/higher rate). I would like many things and I am willing to work hard for them, but I am tired of working hard and advancing at a snail’s pace. I want my son to stay little forever yet; I realize that once he is in school, that’s $800 less I will pay a month for childcare. Now we are hoping to have another baby and I’m guessing that between childcare costs and preschool cost increases, we’ll be in the same place less $500 more a month this time next year if I do have another. I don’t have $500 extra a month. I am tired of constantly thinking of what sacrifices my family has to make (and don’t get me wrong, I understand that there are millions of people in the world who would trade places with me in a second-I get that). I mostly want to know that Social Security will be there for me and my children and that we will have my loans paid off in time to send my son to college – and be able to afford to send him.

    I admit that I do not support John McCain 100%. He is a liberal Republican and I don’t like all his ideas; however, the alternative is a man who I never heard of before Oprah Winfrey publicly touted him and even now, I don’t understand his qualifications for the job. He doesn’t seem to have a great record for showing up and has little experience – none of which was executive. Why exactly is he qualified? I think he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing and I guarantee that if and when he makes it to the White House, his main objective (a la Bill Clinton, whom I actually liked a little better than I like Obama now) will be hosting Hollywood soirées with the likes of Babs, Oprah, and Scarlett Johanson (they’re email buds apparently). The Lincoln bedroom will be the hottest ticket in town. They will unroll the red carpet on the front lawn and it will just be a sad state. I think Obama is uninspiring, uninteresting, unqualified, incapable, and probably not sure right now how he got where he is. His wife is even scarier.

    Rainydayman – you’re just another whiner. Buy two CDs. One to listen to and one to burn in protest.

    #37208
    Rainydayman
    Participant

    Who’s doing the whining?

    #37209
    stellablueee
    Participant

    and why are you having children if you’re just going to dump them in daycare?

    #37210
    quackersmacker
    Participant

    OpheliaPoet, you have many very good points in your posts.

    And as a Veteran, I hope your brother has a full recovery.

    Glenn

    #37211
    Mike in CT
    Participant

    Does anyone really think Republicans/Democrats are all that different? For the most
    part politicians pick there positions on subjects as a way to get themselves elected.
    I would be willing to bet most of them would be willing to sell there soul to devil to
    get elected as fast as I would to play like Jimmy Page.
    As for looking to musicians for political advice….or any other advice for that matter,
    (save for what to look for in a good home studio) they have as much sway over
    me as the 20 year old girl who cuts my hair (not that there is anything wrong
    with being a 20 year old girl or cutting hair). In my opinion if a musician wants to
    turn there show into a political rally, they should promote it as such. Then at least
    when your spending $100 for a pair of tickets (damn! those capitalists!)you dont
    have to worry about having someones politics shoved down your throat when you
    were expecting enjoyable night out listening to an artist whose livelihood you
    are supporting. It all wreaks of celebrity environmentalist telling me I am evil
    for driving a V8 while they live in a house whose bedroom is as big my whole house.

    Mike

    #37212
    Mike in CT
    Participant

    by stellablueee on Thu Oct 09, 2008 4:45 pm

    “and why are you having children if you’re just going to dump them in daycare?”

    So stellabluee.

    Your saying that everyone on this forum whose children are in daycare for whatever
    reason….are “dumping them”

    Thats a pretty strong statement about a lot of people whose situations you know
    nothing about.

    #37213
    stellablueee
    Participant

    Your saying that everyone on this forum whose children are in daycare for whatever
    reason….are “dumping them”

    yep, that’s what i’m saying (with the exception of single parents of course)

    Thats a pretty strong statement about a lot of people whose situations you know
    nothing about.

    sounds like guilt to me.
    i do have the right to express my feelings just like everyone else does. i don’t judge you or anyone else.
    the children will be the judges.

    #37214
    OpheliaPoet
    Participant

    @quackersmacker wrote:

    OpheliaPoet, you have many very good points in your posts.

    And as a Veteran, I hope your brother has a full recovery.

    Glenn

    Awwww…I love PA and I like Quackersmacker (P.S. A what?)
    Thanks, Glenn. He’s doing much better physically; but we all know it’s a long road emotionally. He and the driver get their Purple Hearts this month. They’d rather have their friend Lance Eakes back.

    #37215
    OpheliaPoet
    Participant

    @stellablueee wrote:

    and why are you having children if you’re just going to dump them in daycare?

    What a narrow-minded, ignorant comment. Not that you deserve a reply to such a disgustingly shallow and self-righteous statement, but I would like to set you straight. My son’s “daycare” is at my sister-in-law’s house, which is ½ a mile from our house. He is the ONLY child there and he is played with, doted on, and catered to all day long. She feeds him breakfast, lunch, and snacks and takes him to preschool two days a week. People come by all week to visit with him and play. He has 16 cousins in the area and hundreds of members of extended family. She takes him on daily walks on the river trail with his grandmother, reads to him, does art projects with him, houses at least 4 ride-in vehicles of his in her garage, lets him play with their dog, and soothes his boo-boos unlike anyone else but me.

    I have worked off and on for most of his young life, as finances allowed. I went back to work full-time in May, with the stipulation that I could work from home at times. I have a VERY flexible schedule and understanding workplace; and I make VERY good money. That money pays for all the extra things that my husband and I can afford to give to or do with our son, which most people cannot afford. We’ve had 4 or 5 small vacations this year (practical, but fun for him). My son loves school and is in a fantastic preschool, the cost of which is not subsidized. His teacher is the school’s Director and has been there nearly 45 years. We take him to aquariums, orchards (his class also went last week), country fairs, outdoor concerts, fishing, and camping. He enjoys many sports and LOVES to play guitar. He played guitar before he could walk. He’s a better “beginner” than kids quadruple his age. He has access to dozens of instruments in our home. He also has a library of thousands of books and CDs at his disposal as he grows, ones we have collected or have been passed to us from family – most of which I had before my husband and I were married. He has more books than many children do. We can afford these things because I work and because we live within our means – which would be a little more comfortable if all of the parts of our finances that are out of our hands were more controlled. We are responsible with our money and my son’s saving’s account has more money than mine does right now! We put every gift of money he receives right into his account and $10-$20 a week from our own money.

    But, I digress…for you to make such a broad, uncaring statement was irresponsible and shameful. I was in a “stay-at-home mom’s group” for a while. I quit because the message boards overflowed with concerns about their husbands cheating and the mothers were gossipy and complained non-stop. I don’t love my son less than a mother who stays home with hers, I just am able to balance more, I guess. I just want more for my child and will stop at nothing to provide him with many opportunities. Next year, he’ll be in school ½ a day, napping for two hours, then eating, and playing the other three. What am I missing there? I am not so selfish to keep my son to myself for his whole life. He needs other humans as much as I do. We love each other, but we’re all healthier and happier with a little variety. You should try it, since you’ve already resorted to antagonize and condescend others.

    #37216
    stellablueee
    Participant

    You should try it, since you’ve already resorted to antagonize and condescend others”

    I believe you started it with your long winded complaint.

    “I think musicians especially, need to be careful and aware of their demographics before launching an offense on their own supporters”.

    Thank the stars that lucinda can make up her own mind, and has the wisdom and courage to do so.

    cheers!

    #37217
    knutmix
    Participant

    Wow. Well, I guess the answer to this thread is a qualified NO. America’s thinking is about as screwed up as ever. Not that we’re really any different than the rest of humanity, but we’re apparently clueless as to how to make America work. It was founded in the Age of Enlightenment, and conceived by some of the greatest minds of the day. They were not gods, just men and women with human qualities and exceptional ideas. They envisioned a world far better than the one we have realized. Unfortunately the American Age is passing. We’re going broke, our politics are corrupt and our ideals have been hijacked by greedy, self-serving and self-righteous people to the point where terms like ‘patriotism’ become meaningless. We had our chance and we blew it big-time in my humble opinion. This just in: We’re killing the planet little by little every day, and our heads are in the sand. Guess what – when it goes we all go (except of course those 100,000 souls who will be saved by the rapture), so how ’bout we get past petty the 20th Century BS mindset and look at the big picture? I don’t give a damn whose kids are in daycare or how much you owe in student loans or whose side your great-great-granddaddy was on in the Civil War – we all have our issues and history. A true change in America’s thinking as I see it would be to admit we don’t deserve it, and start over. Set an example to the world and its children by showing that we actually care for something other than our own precious self-image.

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