Sarah Palin

Click Here for Olbermann’s Special Comment (6-Oct-2008)

Here it is:

If you spend 3 years as a community organizer growing your organization from a staff of 1 to 13 and your budget from $70,000 to $400,000, then become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new African American voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, then spend nearly 8 more years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, becoming chairman of the state Senate’s Health and Human Services committee, then spend nearly 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of nearly 13,000,000 people, serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran’s Affairs committees, you are woefully inexperienced.
If you spend 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, then spend 20 months as the governor of a state with 650,000 people, you’ve got the most executive experience of anyone on either ticket, are the Commander-in-Chief of the Alaska military and are well qualified to lead the nation should you be called upon to do so because your state is the closest state to Russia. If you are a Democratic male candidate who is popular with millions of people you are an ‘arrogant celebrity’. If you are a popular Republican female candidate you are ‘energizing the base’.

If you are a younger male candidate who thinks for himself and makes his own decisions you are ‘presumptuous’.
If you are an older male candidate who makes last-minute decisions you refuse to explain, you are a ’shoot from the hip’ maverick.

If you are a candidate with a Harvard law degree you are ‘an elitist ‘out of touch’ with the real America.
If you are a legacy grad (dad and granddad were admirals) of Annapolis, with multiple disciplinary infractions graduating near the bottom of your class, you are in touch with the real America.

If you manage a multi-million dollar nationwide campaign, you are an ‘empty suit’.
If you are a part-time mayor of a town of 7000 people, you are an ‘experienced executive’.

If you go to a south side Chicago church, your beliefs are ‘extremist’.
If you believe in creationism and don’t believe gobal warming is man-made, you are ’strongly principled’.

If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you’re a Christian.
If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years with whom you are raising two young daughters you’re ‘risky’.

If you’re a 13-year-old Chelsea Clinton, the right-wing press calls you ‘First Dog.’
If you’re a 17-year old pregnant and unwed daughter of a Republican, the right-wing press calls you ‘beautiful’ and ‘courageous.’

If you teach abstinence-only in sex education, you get teen parents.
If you teach responsible age-appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.

There was a candle lighting ceremony, with Experience, Strength, and Hope represented. I chose Strength b/c for me Experience is in the Past and Hope is in the Future. Therefore, the only emotion that is in the Now is Strength. After lighting my strength candle, we were encouraged to take a stone from the setting. Others shared with me that they had kept stone(s) from previous year(s). However, I had other designs for my stone. After everyone had a chance to light candles, a torch was lit from the original candle. Then, the torch was taken down to the shore where a bonfire had been prepared. The torch lit the bonfire and I must say at its peak burn it was amazing. Some of the gathered participated in drumming, while the rest moved to the rhythm. I picked up a Ugandan drum and released my shadow spirit. When the moment came into alignment, I threw my stone into the embers of the bonfire. This was a symbolic act signifying that my Strength burns within me and that I trust My Lord to protect me from Earth’s Fire.

I Desire to be a New Creation, yet
I Fear what It will Be, but
Without Being, It can’t Be
But Being that which I Desire is
Not for Me to Know

Thus Desire’s Dilemma
Be that that is Unknown
Knowing that it is what I must Be

Lord grant me the Knowledge to
Trust I will Be what You Desire
My Desire is to Know You

Everyone is familiar w/ Aggression - it is all a matter of degrees. For those that don’t have a working knowledge of Passive-Aggression, there are many resources available on the topic. In summary, it is when a person feels their boundaries have been violated and instead of defending themselves with an aggressive act, they internalize. The internalized violation turns to resentment. Eventually, the resentment is revealed in action that may or may not be related to the original violation. A classical example I have experienced many times occurs in the choice of a restaurant. The passive-aggressive (passive) person is unsure of where they want to go. A suggestion is made and the response from the passive is “whatever.” For whatever reason(s) that only the passive knows, they feel slighted by the choice. At the restaurant, the passive internalizes the perceived violation which turns to resentment. The underlying aggression finds it way out in “passive” paths. For example, the passive will have impatience with the wait staff. They will complain that their food is undercooked, etc. All of this aggression is not aimed directly at the people for which the passive holds resentment, but is expressed tangentially.

I.  Passive-Aggression is Hidden

By its nature, passive-aggression is intended to be hidden.  Rather than expose the perceived violation, the passive holds it internally.  At first look, this might seem a preferable alternative to expressing aggression.  And if the passive would release the perceived violation, then the wound would heal and the passive would be at peace.  However, this usually is not the case.  Instead, the passive continues to hold on to the pain and manifests resentment.  Eventually, these resentments build to a point where the passive finds ways to express their anger.  But since the resentments may be long standing and are expressed in a passive-aggressive manner, it presents several complications for those interacting with the passive.

II.  Consequences of Passive-Aggression

The first consequence of passive-aggression is that it is difficult to identify.  It is intended to be that way.  Even when directly questioning the passive, they will usually deny anything is wrong.  Remember by using passive-aggression, the passive has hidden their resentment.  The second consequence of passive-aggression, therefore, is that it is nearly impossible to work through.  Since the passive is keeping the resentment(s) hidden, how can anyone deal with them?  The behavior of the passive can be discussed, but the underlying resentment will remain hidden - and because it remains hidden, the behavior will continue.  It will take different forms, but it will continue until the resentment is addressed.  Which is the final consequence of passive-aggression.  It never ends.  Because it is hidden and is not addressed, it can not be corrected or more importantly healed.  Even if the passive-aggressive aggressive behaviors are maintained at a tolerable level, this aggression will always be a barrier to authenticity and true intimacy.

III.  Healthy Aggression

All of us have boundaries.  When those boundaries are violated, one of the ways we defend ourselves is with aggression.  Developing healthy boundaries is an internal matter, but developing healthy aggression is a matter requiring interaction.  When one expresses aggression, the violation is no longer hidden.  The aggressive behavior can be seen in its proper context.  The perceived violation can be discussed and the aggression, if inappropriate, can be corrected.  If the aggressor has healthy boundaries and is understanding of the needs of others, then the act of aggression can be continually modified so that the aggressor learns healthy aggression.  Healthy aggression leads to authenticity and true intimacy.

Bring It On BBQ - June 28th, 2008

It has been awhile since I have posted anything new… but with summer of 2008 coming to a close, it was in order for me to share a couple highlights.  On June 28th, I hosted an “Unite for Change” event on behalf of the Obama for America campaign.

Directions to the Harbor Steps Terrace Room

Here is the cart of supplies for the BBQ. I named the event “Bring It On” b/c it was a BYOB party - Bring Your Own Beef (or chicken, or fish, or whatever you wanted to BBQ).  BTW, there was no beer - although, some participants brought their own wine. For anyone that has been to one of my Harbor Steps parties will be familiar with the use of a cart. It is how I get supplies from my apartment to the room, usually either the Theater Room or in this case the Terrace Room.

Participants enjoying the Time and the Sunshine (Yea!)

Mingling with the Guests

Everyone Gathering Inside for the “official” Campaign Agenda

Rory (left) and Carrie were Obama Organizing Fellows that helped me with the event. When I signed up to host a “Unite for Change” party, I didn’t expect to get any assistance from the campaign. Imagine my surprise when I got a call a week beforehand telling me that not one, but two Organizing Fellows would be at the event. I met with Rory and Carrie the next day and we went over the game plan. They had been given instructions from the campaign that included an hour long agenda. Luckily, I had planned a three hour event - so, I was able to do what I had planned on doing and they got to do what they had been told to do. They were very helpful and accommodating. Here they are answering questions from the guests.

Voter Registration - July 4th, 2008

Lady Liberty (or at least her head) is in the background of this picture. On Independence Day, I worked with the Campaign for Change (previously Obama for America) on voter registration. It was a win-win for me. I spent time doing my civic duty and got to enjoy the fireworks at Gasworks Park after. Once again, the Organizing Fellows participated and brought me a chair so I could take a break between registration expeditions. In fact, the 43rd Legislative District Field Organizer, Mika, was nice enough to give me a ride home (actually, it was her brother along with her parents).

Michelle, also a volunteer, is a member of the 43rd grassroots campaign

Organizing Fellows taking a break - Rory (from the “Bring It On BBQ”) is in the center

Clothes are Shed and Flesh Disclosed
Masses Moved by the Kinetic Energy
And The Sun Reaches Down

Observing the Orchestrated Chaos
All Watched by the one Alone
And The Son Reaches Down

Sometimes the Greatest Journey is the Distance between Two People

That is the tag line for the subject movie trailer. If you have never heard of this film, you wouldn’t be alone. It stars my two favorite actors - Edward Norton and Naomi Watts. Set in China in the year 1925, it is a reverse love story. Which is to say, two people that despise each other learn to love one another, by accepting each other as they are and not as they want the other to be.

The cinematography is outstanding and the talent of the performances goes without mentioning… except none were mentioned by the AMPAS (the Academy). It was produced by Ed Norton and Naomi Watts, so it probably didn’t have many Hollywood suits - and thus was probably shunned from distribution. Whatever the case may be, it is worth a rental.*

*Assuming that the audience appreciates that the difference between good music and great is the space between the notes.

Seven years later…

I’ve always been a fool just like you said I would
Broken year-by-year bone-by-bone
Only time-and-time again to push myself up
once more only to be Broken
again-and-again

A rose can never lie about the love it brings

Blessed are the shallow, depth they will never find
I peer over the abyss once more and step forward
only to be Broken as I fall deeper-and-deeper
once again I push myself up and look back

17 years earlier…

If I was not so scared of being Broken
Seems to be some comfort in rooms that try to hide
Convinced of my deception
I’ve always been a fool
Broken year-by-year bone-by-bone

Nineteen-seventy-two exposed beyond the shadows
You show me the abyss, please don’t Break Me
Blessed are the shallow, depth they will never find
I feared the reaction just like you said I would

I am Broken - I am Frail
My Pain has become
My Peace

Lyrics borrowed without permission from:
Artist - Jars Of Clay, Album - Much Afraid, Song - Frail

Click here for the 12 minute, 2.8 MB File

By posting this clip, I am not condoning the disrespectful rhetoric. However, the anger is justifiable, even if delivered in an inappropriate rant.

I am a gazelle stopping at a watering hole. I am thirsty and can see and smell the water below me. I extend my tongue and dip its tip into the parched water. I can feel the water molecules on my tongue. But before I can take them into my mouth, the sun evaporates them. I am still thirsty, but I know that I need to find a new watering hole in the shade - the sun has become to hot for me to drink at my usual spot.