Five years after Lawrence v. Texas: keep your eye on the U.S. Supreme Court

Be prepared

Once I began to realize the depth of prejudiced, irrational thinking that would occur regarding Obama, I began to prepare myself. When I have the chance to talk to anyone who spouts that kind of stuff, I want to a) keep my cool and b) speak persuasively. I want to give the other person some rational thoughts to chew on. Depending on who the person is, it could make a difference, or it could make no difference. At the very least, some will become uncertain of their biased view and decide not to vote at all, rather than perhaps voting for McCain.

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by: CathyG @ Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 09:11:29 AM CDT

Rational vs gut

I haven't finished reading it, but The Political Brain discusses how Dems traditionally try to convince voters using logic, but it's ineffective because people vote with their gut.  I think - wait, I feel - ;) that we should approach these folks on a emotional basis - fear-monger them regarding 4 years of a McCain presidency - whether you hit them with offshore drilling or 100 years in Iraq or McCain being owned by insurance companies or whatever.

shrug.  It's a thought.  (damn!  There I go, thinking again!)

Maybe we go with this - an Obama presidency will allow Hillary to do more than a McCain presidency would.  

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by: OH les @ Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 09:55:18 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Going heavily negative on McCain's policies is the ticket

It needn't be his own idea either - just get him for voting with the current administration and being a lapdog of Bush.

Ads about the war, about the war debt, about the failure to provide follow-through services for injured vets of this war (Walter Reed et al), about the tax break for the super-rich, about the cost of gas, about the rising cost of food (b/c the gas), about the failure to enact regulations preventing future Enrons and home foreclosure crises.

Highlight that after many years in the Senate and 5 years after the start of the war, McCain STILL can't get Sunni and Shi'a straight - doesn't know the difference. (clip of interview he fumbled)

Fear monger away!

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by: NancyP @ Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 16:22:42 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Don't bother

It has become painfully obvious that somewhere between 20 and 30% of the American people are incapable of rational thought (See GWB's approval numbers).  As much as I hate to admit it, that number is probably true across the entire political spectrum.  

I really don't think that there is anything to be gained by engaging those who believe that Obama is some kind of secret agent because of his "funny" name or his skin color.  Trying to convince them otherwise is akin to trying to convince a true believer that The Rapture is not really going to happen.

So just ignore them.  We don't feed the trolls here in the internets.  We should follow the same rule of thumb in the real world.  

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by: Paul In SF @ Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 11:02:52 AM CDT

...little aside.

Happy PRIDE Paul.  I have friends getting married there today and doing pride this weekend, I plan to watch all the Parade...which is on the internet KRON4.

 

It's the Hammer of JUSTICE,
It's the Bell of FREEDOM,
It's the Song about LOVE between,
my Brothers and my Sisters
...All over this Land.

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by: Orion45 @ Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 14:41:41 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

perhaps actually dealing with the sexism?

To start with, I'm not a Democrat and don't feel I have a horse in this race but...

I don't think that Ms. Hartle comes close to representing most the people who are profoundly frustrated with the Democratic party and Obama.

If the Democrats are going to rebuild the coalition, they need to actually address the issues behind that frustration.

Appeals to "move forward" are not going to work on people who feel that the rampant unchecked misogyny coming from Obama supporters was a step backwards.  

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by: CBrachyrhynchos @ Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 11:04:12 AM CDT

although...

If Obama keeps playing to the conservative middle on gay rights and the death penalty, I might need more than a nosegay to vote for him in November, I might need a whole room full of flowers.  

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by: CBrachyrhynchos @ Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 11:08:46 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

'rampant unchecked misogyny coming from Obama supporters'

I'm still looking for this "rampant unchecked misogyny coming from Obama supporters" I keep hearing about them, with little or no attribution. Are you talking about comments here on the Blend? I've blogged about plenty of the MSM misogyny (Chris Matthews), the pigs selling the Hillary nutcracker. I'm not denying it's out there, but for many Clinton supporters, I get the feeling "rampant unchecked misogyny coming from Obama supporters" translates into ALL Obama supporters who are gloating (something that isn't productive either). It's bad form, but it's not misogyny. We all need to stop hurling charges back and forth and just present our own positions on the matter if we want to discuss the race/gender divide. We owe it that much to have a sensible dialogue to own what we put out there.

I opposed Hillary Clinton because of a host of issues (her campaign rife with bloodsucking Beltway consultants who cut their teeth by winning through race-baiting, poor management of donor funds, sense of entitlement as a Clinton, not paying small vendors, fealty to lobbyists, etc.), but certainly not because she was a woman. None of those flaws have anything to do with gender.

Actually, I'm disappointed that she, as the first woman to make it this far, has run on her gender as much as she has, given she had plenty to run on without calling attention to the matter. Obama tried mightily not to focus on race, but time and again, the subject was dragged in -- if not by the race-baiters, then the black community.

This election cycle speaks volumes about our nation's issues with race and gender, from the MSM, to the public at large. I, for one, was relieved to see the people of the Appalachian belt highlighted who openly cited race or gender as a primary reason for not voting for one or the other. The honesty is refreshing, if depressing. At least they are in touch with their biases.

I believe much of what we are seeing are people in denial that they harbor biases that come out in one way or another, and they don't like feeling them. In many respects, sexism has gotten more of a pass than racism, which in itself is a problem, but it's not a zero sum game. However, you don't see as many people trying mightily to deny their sexism as they do their racism. That's why I believe the people who are harping on the Muslim/Arab nonsense are clinging to that hoary notion -- it's apparently ok in their eyes to be biased in that manner.

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by: Pam Spaulding @ Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 11:18:22 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Thank you.

I, for one, am so tired of hearing weird accusations of misogyny hurled toward Obama or Obama supporters.

I ran out of ways, during the primary season, not to mention now, of saying "Sorry, kids, it's about the issues, and nothing more."  

Perhaps it's going to come down to the words and thoughts of women who have supported Obama since the beginning.  

Was there misogyny AND racism in the MSM?  Of course!  Did we honestly expect any better?  

I dunno.  It's time to move past it.

http://breakthterror.blogspot.com

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by: breaktheterror @ Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 21:07:30 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Suggestion

Let me preface this with I am voting for Obama whom I consider to be the lesser of two evils.

Three of the four majority California justices in the recent victory for marriage equality are Republican gubernatorial appointees.   Obama just recently agreed with McCain on that decision in that they both disagreed with the court.  That being said, we cannot rely on the letter D or R that accompanies their name.  Chris Shay, the Republican Congressman from Connecticut  shares some ideals of LGBTQ equality while maintaining strong support for the war.  

Our Supreme Court Justice nominees are chosen by presidents, but they are confirmed by the US Senate.  We should also focus our attention to inform our congressional members of our positions in regards to LGBTQ equality in an effort to circumvent any possibilty that either Obama or McCain will nominate anyone who shares the mentality of Christian superiority by excluding LGBTQs from full citizenship in this country.  

And in reference to Kristie Hartle, who can really blame her?  The current person posing as president declared himself a Christian with good intentions, many people were fooled and he proved he was untrustworthy and a terrorist.

You may not be gay, but you may be next.

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by: LeslieK @ Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 11:09:26 AM CDT

As long as people look at words and not actions...

They're going to be willing to vote for the one who looks most or sounds most like them, regardless of how that affects them.

I was a Hillary supporter. I am backing Obama. A major reason for me is the makeup of the Supreme Court. I can't, through inaction or other choices, allow the court's makeup to be dictated by more Republican nominees.

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by: the.sue @ Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 11:35:11 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Race/gender right at GRASSROOTS.

As for race/gender. I went to a local MOVE ON meeting last night. Now I must admit this was my first ever activist meeting. I have been 'active' online only.  These are the things that impressed me.

Lifelong Democrats love that Obama can get rid of the Republicans!  Liken him most to JFK.

Hillary supporters..all had no trouble at all switching to Obama... again anything to get rid of bought and paid for corporate Washington. 

One man said his nanny and maid had been black and he just wanted to see blacks do well and be treated equally in his lifetime, he hasn't seen it yet...he is about 80. 

Many people there were multiracial and were PROUD of it...it empowers them to have Obama running. Lets see there were Hispanic-American, Black-American, Japanese-AmerIndian-Penn.Dutch-Jamaican..she was quite interesting.

The full blacks, and there were 3... which comprise probably 1/10 of our whole black population! Two a young couple and one widow who said she knew her husband would know she was there and working for a good cause.

BUT, for me and all of us I think the most important STORY there was of an Iranian woman who came to the US at 17, 34 years ago.....and wants to reemake an America the rest of the world can be proud of!

Its the rest of the world we need to consider... or we start thinking llke isolationist Republicans!  We need them, they need us.. They made us by sending us their downtrodden...still do.  And I don't think the rest of the world cares whether our President is black/white/red/yellow or green... man/woman or gay...Just that we elect someone to help all of us get on with the business of living on this tiny planet. 

FYI: I made a little video that catches the 'flavor' of the meeting.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTFD1Cbnjrw

It's the Hammer of JUSTICE,
It's the Bell of FREEDOM,
It's the Song about LOVE between,
my Brothers and my Sisters
...All over this Land.

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by: Orion45 @ Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 15:02:28 PM CDT