I’m not quite sure why it is that the Olympic Committee chose San Francisco, arguably the most liberal city in the United States, to run the 2008 Olympic Torch through. Americans everywhere have feelings on China; with the lead in toys scandal and pet food poisoning, and the crisis in Tibet, but in San Francisco, there’s no shortage of activists who take their causes to the streets. And the air, as we saw on Monday.
My sister lives in San Francisco, though she’s not an activist, she spent the early part of the day today mingling with other onlookers who found their normal route had been overtaken by protests and Tibetan flags.
“I didn’t know what was happening right away” She told me. “But it became obvious pretty fast.”
She says it wasn’t only protesters lining the embarcadero early on Wednesday, as some Chinese dancers and other people in support of the Olympics raised signs and cheered in blue and red. There was a big separation between those who were celebrating and those who were making a stand against the games and the humanitarian disasters allowed by the Chinese government.
“I stood behind the protesters that walked down King Street for quite awhile, just listening and watching them. They were peaceful, screaming ‘China, Free Tibet!’ and holding up signs and flags. They eventually crossed the street, joining another group of people who were protesting near to the edge of the (At&T) Stadium.
The best part for me was, well, a family of a Mom, Dad and probably 10 year old daughter was standing there with me who had walked up King Street as well, and the Dad was explaining to the daughter why people were protesting. It was interesting, as he finished by saying, ‘In Tibet, people can’t protest like we can here. That’s what they want, the freedom to protest’.”
Please visit my Youtube Channel to see videos Layla took of the protests here
I can’t help but think that bringing the torch through San Francisco today was a marketing strategy aimed at producing more interest in the games. It just seems too…well, just too obvious.
More protesting equals more media coverage, more media coverage equals more people who are tuning in this summer when the games kick off.
Anyone else seeing this possibility? To those of you protesting - be careful. Speak your mind (and ours!), but be sure that your ideals aren’t being used as leverage against you.
We drooped under the defeat of our candidate; our Democrat, but he stood tall. When the system defeated him, he told the system to *&@% off.
Eight years later, as we face an election that will likely parallel the insanity of 2000, Al Gore has been vindicated. While the White House is still home to the victor of that battle, what more could the defeated ask than his adversary be the biggest presidential failure since our country's founding? Gore didn't have to raise a limb. Simply breathing and living has raised him to paramount standings in the eye of those who checked his name, and even, many who did not.
But, of course, simply living and breathing and not being George Bush doesn't make one royalty, no; Al Gore, the King of America, didn't fall to the hooves of defeat. When our troops were entered in to a false war, the King spoke against the actions of the Bush Doctrine, warning our actions would potentially harm our relationship with other countries. While everyone else sat on their hands while the people of New Orleans watched their city fell to mother nature, the King chartered his royal charter planes to evacuate as many survivors as possible. King Gore started a television station, Current, promoting progressive thought and creativity of young people. Through this forum, he fully endorsed same sex marriage, and laid down the best kick-in-the-hypocracy statement ever filmed: "Shouldn't we be promoting the kind of faithfulness and loyalty to one's partner regardless of sexual orientation? Because if you don't do that, then to that extent you're promoting promiscuity, and you're promoting all the problems that can result from promiscuity. The loyalty and love that two people feel for one another when they fall in love ought to be celebrated and encouraged and shouldn't be prevented by any form of discrimination in the law.
He sits on the board of directors for giganto-companies Google and Apple. When the false war continued beyond expectations, King Gore spoke out against warrantless wiretapping and stood up for Americans, saying the treatment of Arabs post 911 was not condoned by the population.
Our Royal Highness has authored two books, The Assault on Reason", and "An Inconvenient Truth", both which spent time at #1 on the Best Seller List and have sold hundreds of millions of copies.
And yes, he's a damn environmentalist. That key to the front door? Seems to help with getting shit done. In the years following his election loss, Gore was awarded over 13 prestigious honors and awards with regards to his work in the Climate Crisis battle. These aren't your mom and pop store trophies, either. He's got the big ones; an Emmy, an Oscar, and the &$*@ing Nobel Peace Prize. If you didn't see it you've heard of it; his movie production "An Inconvenient Truth:�� was the single most controversial and fire-igniting documentary in American history. Why did he take home that Nobel? Because you've heard of this movie. King Gore either made you a believer or a non-believer in global warming, a hater or a lover, but he made you believe something. And it's not likely you'll forget.
Now King Gore is being drafted. His faithful minions, a.k.a. America, is begging him to return to the glory at Capitol Hill. In an election which includes a powerful, experienced woman and a black man who speaks truly and wholeheartedly for change and progression, people are begging him to run for president. He's everything we want in our leader. And that's why he'll never be.
He's standing alone, in his kingdom, reigning over the future of America, as a powerful player with no strings attached. No lobbies, no elections, no donors, no special interests. He says whatever the hell he wants and when he wants. He's making it happen.
His body is turned, but he faces the other direction just for a moment, snickering at the pile of politicians on the floor, screaming and yelling and lying only to get nothing done. For a loser, he sure *#&@ing rocks. Maybe someday, they'll get it too.
Five years. In fact, I was still in high school when it started; I hadn't seen the world yet, hadn't even left the nest.
Children who were with the start of the war are now going to kindergarden.
I think it's best that today, we simply think about how our lives are different and how this country has been affected by the decisions of the Bush Administration.
Was there magic within those scenes of "scary men" in your house at night?
Did those voters in Texas and Ohio think hard about Hillary Clinton "red phoning" away the bad guys when everyone else is asleep?
Something happened, because that momentum behind Senator Barack Obama fell crashing last night, to the smiling face of Hillary Clinton.
There's people who will give excuses and suggest something or another, but these victories are huge for Clinton Gigantic. Last week, she found herself after adjectives like desperate - while Obama seemingly rode through city after city on a tall, white horse.
Maybe it wasn't the phone ad, that isn't half as offensive as everyone suggests. Maybe it was the debate, when Hillary seemed to turn up the power in a way different from the past. Maybe it was Obama's NAFTA ad, or a combination.
I like it. I do. Yesterday, I blogged about the separation in the party. Today, I see something different...slightly...and it seems that despite what the media was flashing and bashing those voters with, they took to the polls and made their decisions for the candidate they thought was best fit for the job.
I'm still hoping for a conclusion soon...and I mean soon...but for the night, I was proud to see the voice of the people just might have outweighed the voice of the media.
Sit down with me, friends. I’ve changed my sweater, taken off my shoes. Let’s talk about our friends Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
Ohio and Texas. Both famous in their own right, for their own blunders, all having a common man involved. Tonight, they get the spotlight once again - another chance to make it happen, captain. Hillary is ahead in Ohio, Barack in Texas; both have pounded their platforms into our heads and pointed enough fingers.
For the sake of all democrats, let’s hope this decision is made tonight. Let’s face it; the neck-and-neck stuff isn’t good for the party. Divided we stand, together we fall. The longer we wait for a sure candidate, the longer it takes takes for us to rise as one behind the nominee, and end this inter-party scuffling that’s weakening our very core. Every day we wait for is a day John McCain’s strength grows. Those undecided voters are waiting for someone to stand behind, and while democrats focus their attention on who’s got more experience, McCain is creating legacy, stability and a nightmare for the democrats.
If there’s no democratic nominee until the August convention, we’re screwed. Seriously. This is a country that re-elected a failure president because the stability of a second term outweighed the chances of change. McCain believes in the war, wants to continue the war, and with “change for the better” happening in Iraq, it won’t be as hard as everyone thinks to convince middle-of-the-roaders that our money and time are well spent in the fight we created for the ideals we believe are most important. Once McCain starts talking about tax breaks: forget it. While America has stopped thinking Iraq is a mess, they know America's finances are. It's the biggest concern among voters: McCain will be there to tell them the money's coming back to their pockets, even if he can't explain how he'll fund that war. We’re wasting time, procrastinating, thinking “we’ll do it on the day”. Enter: Ralph Nader to the race. TODAY is the day.
Let’s make tonight the end of it. When the polls close, let’s choose our nominee. The fighting is taking its toll, and we don’t want to do it anymore. The dress rehearsal is over and if you don’t like the script now, you aren’t going to.
From my blog: Not Another Pundit: Joseph Karsner
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