Boxes of Gas Make Me Flaming Mad

"If you don't vote in 2008. Don't whine in 2009." That's about as much as I would typically say on this here blog, politically speaking, despite the fact that-

I'm a bit of a political junkie. TD is named after an old white guy of a Republican after all. I had pictures of Quayle and Bush in my 7th grade locker right next to an oh so hawt Mikael Baryshnikov. My locker mate moved out on me, deeming me a dork. When I went to cheer camp I didn't take family photos but pictures and political cartoons of Reagan and Bush that I was particularly fond of. Yeah, I admit it, asking for Newsweek for my 12th birthday makes me somewhat of a dork but at least I can admit it along with this guy. On my bedroom wall was a collage of the Silver Fox, whose position I coveted.

Obsess much? Maybe just a scootch.

I campaigned my heart out for my friends in high school. I sucked up political commentary and read all I could. I gorged on it through middle school, high school and college. I worked for the government as my first post-college job. Yet, I always remained against "the man" and never had any particular respect for the old white guy ways and such (minus the ones who earned it, including you, Dad).

I Heart politics though. Yet, I rarely talk about them here on this little ol' blog. The registered Independent voter in me hates conflict and I would rather not deal with flaming comments I suppose.

Until now.

I can't take boxes of gas instead of gallons anymore. I get really riled up when candidates jokingly say that a woman belongs in the kitchen baking apple pie because what is more American than that? (WISH TO GOD I could find the article in Marie Claire from last month that had this interview.) I know it was meant with a wink and a nudge. But it was also a way to evade the question, "What will you do for the women in America?" And really? Really, sir, it's not just that I have a daughter and another one on the way. It goes beyond the fact that I have had to deal with more than my share of sexual harassment in the workplace. It's that I, as a woman, am so DAMN SICK of hearing comments like this that are meant as jokes. I don't want to brush it off. When I hear BS like this it makes my blood boil over and I see Bluto red. I want to kick the crap out of you. For years, decades, we as women have listened to men make these types of comments and "jokes" and were supposed to be good-natured and go along with them. We have now blessedly gotten to the point where we can tell you to shove it in a nice manner and you get our drift. Well, most of you.

I want a calming force in the Oval office this fall. Not one that makes me see crimson because I am not deemed worthy of equal pay, having a say over my health care (this goes beyond the uterus ladies and you know it! Think research and testing too which is typically done more on men than women despite how different we are. We are NOT one-size fits all!) and who thinks that heh, heh it's totally fine to not be in tune with a majority of the country and world who use computers. Golly, gee what a concept I know!

Jim Henson once said, "Our children do not inherit the earth from us. We borrow it from them." I don't think that the current male/female ticket running right now believes that. At all. Not even a smidgen. If they did would one of them be suing the current administration for putting polar bears on the endangered species list? I want someone who is in touch with the country and one who "gets it" economically and knows how many houses he owns. One who has been surrounded by women who have not had above average advantages their whole life which has allowed them to skirt the issues many of us face daily.

I want my kids to have a future and I want one too. The way things are now it doesn't feel like we have much of one. If we keep going in the same vein, I cannot see anything more than an even bigger deficit, more division and world hatred towards the country I love so much and am proud to be a part of. I want a country that no longer feels like a house divided. I know I'm patriotic but I'm told all the time I'm not just for disagreeing with the current party and its line. To me, that speaks volumes.

I'm mad as hell Internets. And I'm not going to take it anymore. I haven't been this mad in a long time. I might have to burn something in effigy today. I found this piece very interesting and the comments even more so.