by Saul Bloodworth
I might be swept up in Obamania (I'm only human, sort of), but has anyone else noticed that relationships between blacks and whites have improved seemingly overnight? I live in a building where about one third of the tenants are black; not that there are any tensions, so far (except I once nearly got into a fistfight with a sister in the laundry room) but I did have the impression that blacks are mostly keeping to themselves.
Not any more. Suddenly everybody in the elevator is smiling. White people are congratulating black people and vice versa. It's as if someone has made the sun shine. And you have the same feeling just walking down the streets: Instead of that only so slight undercurrent of agressivity/fear. Everybody want to love everybody.
Even the girl at that chicken place who is always in a bad mood, smiles. And, two more things: Two white girls I know suddenly showed up with a black guy at my watering hole. Well, maybe I'm reading too much into this. But still.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Keeping the Clothes
By Saul Bloodworth
Here are two topics I would like the MSM to investigate, not out of necessity, but out of spite: Does Sarah Palin give her new $150.000-clothes to charity, and is her daughter Bristol going to marry that Levi-guy (my guess is, no)?
Seriously, here is the thing that strikes me most about the election. I have been in Harlem yesterday, everybody was celebrating, of course. Crowds of people taking the streets, music, drums, weed. The interesting part was that there were as many white than black faces. Even more, there was no animosity between Whites and Blacks.
I think this is huge. And there is more change to come.
While I'm at it, did anybody notice that CNN forgot to count Alaska yesterday?
Here are two topics I would like the MSM to investigate, not out of necessity, but out of spite: Does Sarah Palin give her new $150.000-clothes to charity, and is her daughter Bristol going to marry that Levi-guy (my guess is, no)?
Seriously, here is the thing that strikes me most about the election. I have been in Harlem yesterday, everybody was celebrating, of course. Crowds of people taking the streets, music, drums, weed. The interesting part was that there were as many white than black faces. Even more, there was no animosity between Whites and Blacks.
I think this is huge. And there is more change to come.
While I'm at it, did anybody notice that CNN forgot to count Alaska yesterday?
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Voting Florida Style
by Saul Bloodworth
The election has started, and the first complaints are coming in — by international observers. The OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation), an international body based in Europe, has sent some 50 to 100 observers to the U.S, however, they are kept from observing.
One group, led by the Patrick Meinhard, a member of the German parliament (and a liberal, which means center-right in Germany), was turned away in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The group was only allowed to monitor one single location. On top of that, it was one that has been handpicked by Florida authorities.
"This is inacceptable," Meinhardt told the Financial Times in Germany. "You can't tell election observers what they can or cannot observe." Meinhardt is especially upset, since this happens in Florida, of all places, the State that became famous for voter fraud and voter roll cleansing in 2000.
It should not surprise anybody that this is not covered by the American media.
The election has started, and the first complaints are coming in — by international observers. The OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation), an international body based in Europe, has sent some 50 to 100 observers to the U.S, however, they are kept from observing.
One group, led by the Patrick Meinhard, a member of the German parliament (and a liberal, which means center-right in Germany), was turned away in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The group was only allowed to monitor one single location. On top of that, it was one that has been handpicked by Florida authorities.
"This is inacceptable," Meinhardt told the Financial Times in Germany. "You can't tell election observers what they can or cannot observe." Meinhardt is especially upset, since this happens in Florida, of all places, the State that became famous for voter fraud and voter roll cleansing in 2000.
It should not surprise anybody that this is not covered by the American media.
Monday, November 3, 2008
International Observance
by Saul Bloodworth
I'm back in New York - boy, it's a lot colder here than in Albuquerque, let alone Tucson. The TV has only two programs; either McCain/Palin speaking, or Obama speaking (what happened to Biden when I was away?). It's sort of like watching TV in the Soviet Union except their blacks are called Caucasians.
Speaking of which, Russia is one of the few countries that does not send its own experts to observe the elections in the U.S. But it does so under the umbrella of the OSCE, as do a number other countries.
The OSCE, the Organization for Security and Co-operation is a 56-member, non-partisan organization that monitors governance and fights terrorism. It is based in Europa, the U.S. is also a member. It has sent 47 election observers to a number of states in the U.S., including North Dakota. In addition, there is team of 13 international experts based in Washington, D.C.
According to an interim report about the 40 states observed by the OSCE so far, "voter registration issues have sometimes been contentious, and an increase in registered voters raises questions about the capacity of polling stations. In addition, lawsuits across the nation have involved challenges to voter identification laws and the maintenance of voter registration lists".
According to other reports, there are up to 100 international observers, including some from Poland and Portugal. Even Kazakhstan is sending observers. That will be the most watched election in history. You betcha.
I'm back in New York - boy, it's a lot colder here than in Albuquerque, let alone Tucson. The TV has only two programs; either McCain/Palin speaking, or Obama speaking (what happened to Biden when I was away?). It's sort of like watching TV in the Soviet Union except their blacks are called Caucasians.
Speaking of which, Russia is one of the few countries that does not send its own experts to observe the elections in the U.S. But it does so under the umbrella of the OSCE, as do a number other countries.
The OSCE, the Organization for Security and Co-operation is a 56-member, non-partisan organization that monitors governance and fights terrorism. It is based in Europa, the U.S. is also a member. It has sent 47 election observers to a number of states in the U.S., including North Dakota. In addition, there is team of 13 international experts based in Washington, D.C.
According to an interim report about the 40 states observed by the OSCE so far, "voter registration issues have sometimes been contentious, and an increase in registered voters raises questions about the capacity of polling stations. In addition, lawsuits across the nation have involved challenges to voter identification laws and the maintenance of voter registration lists".
According to other reports, there are up to 100 international observers, including some from Poland and Portugal. Even Kazakhstan is sending observers. That will be the most watched election in history. You betcha.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
New Mexican Independence
by Saul Bloodworth
After nearly one week in New Mexico and Arizona, I finally met the first person who did not tell me that he or she'd plan to vote for Barack Obama (although, at this point, I believe I might be magically drawn to aging hippies, because there must be some Republicans somewhere). That person was a guy I talked to at the Albuquerque Press Club; he works for Northrop Grunman and Homeland Security, it's one of these jobs, "if I'd tell you what I'm doing I would have to kill you."
Well, I met him on Halloween, at a party, he was a little drunk and he told me he had voted for Bob Barr (early voting). Bob Barr! No, he couldn't get himself to vote for either McCain or Obama, he said. Much less Palin. I asked him whether he was aware that he was, in essence, wasting his vote. He knew, but he did not care.
He was, by the way, dressed as John McCain himself, complete with a very sweaty-looking rubber mask, and he was accompanied by "Sarah Palin" and a very pregnant "Bristol Palin". I was dressed as the Devil. It was an easy costume.
He added that he wished the U.S. had many more parties, a Green Party that deserves its name, a Libertarian Party, real conservatives, you name it. But what can you do, he said. I asked him why he, at least, had not voted for Ron Paul. "I would have, but he is not on the ballot," he said. I think Sarah Palin is in for a rough surprise. I got pretty drunk so I don't remember much more.
After nearly one week in New Mexico and Arizona, I finally met the first person who did not tell me that he or she'd plan to vote for Barack Obama (although, at this point, I believe I might be magically drawn to aging hippies, because there must be some Republicans somewhere). That person was a guy I talked to at the Albuquerque Press Club; he works for Northrop Grunman and Homeland Security, it's one of these jobs, "if I'd tell you what I'm doing I would have to kill you."
Well, I met him on Halloween, at a party, he was a little drunk and he told me he had voted for Bob Barr (early voting). Bob Barr! No, he couldn't get himself to vote for either McCain or Obama, he said. Much less Palin. I asked him whether he was aware that he was, in essence, wasting his vote. He knew, but he did not care.
He was, by the way, dressed as John McCain himself, complete with a very sweaty-looking rubber mask, and he was accompanied by "Sarah Palin" and a very pregnant "Bristol Palin". I was dressed as the Devil. It was an easy costume.
He added that he wished the U.S. had many more parties, a Green Party that deserves its name, a Libertarian Party, real conservatives, you name it. But what can you do, he said. I asked him why he, at least, had not voted for Ron Paul. "I would have, but he is not on the ballot," he said. I think Sarah Palin is in for a rough surprise. I got pretty drunk so I don't remember much more.
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