Jacob Clark's Blog

Just in case there is any lingering doubt

Jacob Clark — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 12:42:42 EDT

about where Hillary stands regarding the McCain-Palin ticket, here are her comments after the RNC convention.

http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/release/view/?id=7942

ANNOUNCING: New PartyBuilder Contest!

Jacob Clark — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 16:57:04 EDT

The group DEMOCRATIC THEATRE PEOPLE is happy to present a new contest to rally the weary and energize your wit!

Here's the challenge: Write new lyrics for your favorite Show Tune to reflect Democratic Victory in November!

The group DTP will vote on the winners after all entries posted.

1st Prize: Obama/Biden bumpersticker and special postage stamps for your fundraising letters!
2nd Prize: Obama/Biden bumpersticker and historic Hillary bumper sticker!
3rd Prize: Obama/Biden bumpersticker!

LGBT "Out for Obama" happy hours in Seattle

Jacob Clark — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 11:10:31 EDT

Last night, I co-hosted the second weekly Out for Obama happy hour in Seattle. We are setting up shop in various LGBT bars in Seattle, and last night was a huge success at PURR. City Councilperson Sally Clark was special guest and she gave a rousing speech that electrified the whole bar. We picked up 5 new voters for registration and scads of new volunteers. The LGBT community is a large voting block in Seattle, and we are winning back Hillary supporters, one vote at a time. The infamous "Log Cabin" Republicans are trying to make a comeback in Seattle, and last night really punctured some Republican balloons!

Next week, the happy hours move to Neighbours Bar and Grill. Onwards and upwards! A special shoutout to Cary Toland who is the co-host with the most- -his graphics for the LGBT Obama outreach efforts are awesome. And if Sally Clark ever runs for higher office--I'll be right there to support her the way she has supported my community.

Notes from the new PartyBuilders for Obama/Biden group

Jacob Clark — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:54:49 EDT

Thank you, the response is tremendous--I have just updated the group to okay listserv messages, so you can communicate with the entire group--thank you Blueberry for your instructions on how to add an administrator. Let's give a big shout out to Lincoln Park Dem, who is the newest admin of the group! There is room for more admin's if there are any volunteers out there.

PartyBuilders for Obama/Biden group

Jacob Clark — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:22:50 EDT

The response to this new group has been great! Thank you to all who are joining. I have changed the parameters to allow listserv msgs, so members can now send msgs to the entire group.

I need another administrator or two to help approve blog posts, etc. as I will be out of town shortly for a performance of my new play. HOWEVER, I don't know how to change a member from "member" to "administrator" Who is the webmaster now that Michael Link is gone? I guess I'll pm Howard Dean . . .

Need some help

Jacob Clark — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:52:03 EDT

Who is the webmaster here now? How do I delete groups that I am administrating? The "Hillary Clinton for Vice President" group is now irrelevant. The new "PartyBuilders for Obama/Biden" group has grown very rapidly and I need someone to volunteer to help me administer it. Then, I need to know how you change a person from group member into administrator? Anyone with any answers?

New Group for Obama/Biden supporters!

Jacob Clark — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 02:31:39 EDT

PartyBuilders for Obama/Biden. Join up, show your support for victory in November.

A special thank-you

Jacob Clark — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 13:02:19 EDT

I just wanted to take a moment to thank all my PartyBuilder friends for the support given me regarding my surgeries. The angio on my left leg went perfectly and my right leg will be done on September 8. These blood clots are a direct result of smoking cigarettes. I am now entering the process of quitting smoking. Life in one's 50's for me is a constant interplay between wellness, gratitude and humor. Thanks to all!

LGBT Insults

Jacob Clark — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:16:14 EDT

There has been some controversy of late, regarding what is or is not an insult to a member of my community. Following is one Out and Proud gay man's opinion on this vital subject:

Due to discrimination and the need for secrecy, gay men have over the years developed their own language which have enabled us to speak to one another in public without arousing hatred from nosey ears listening in.

Many of our words make it into the language. I'm going to review a few of them today, and which ones I believe are incorrect to use in a public forum such as PartyBulder. Read on!

The fake "nation-state" of Iraq

Jacob Clark — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:08:23 EDT

The legacy of British colonialism can be seen in the sectarian strife that now engulfs Iraq, and which was only "controlled" by a dictatorial despot until the USA invaded and occupied the country.

"Country" is not the correct word for the nations carved during Britain's Imperial days. They could be more accurately described as "Colonies."

One of the goals of an Imperial system is to keep the masses so involved in petty issues, that they can't unite to fight the Empire. The Romans accomplished this task through the manipulation of law and order in Rome's colonies, which were for the most part drawn to encompass and encircle individual cultural groups.

Spirituality and Politics

Jacob Clark — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 04:27:04 EDT

My politics are informed by my spiritual belief and practice. I like to listen to Krishna Das CD's and chant along or independently chant the Gayatri mantra, which blesses God in all 3 universes, and the intonation of this beautiful sanskrit chant is believed by Hindus to enhance transcendence. I also say the RCC Rosary as the repetitive chant that it is. As I close my eyes and move my fingers along the beads which count the repetitions, I gain true peace.

Just as I maintain a spiritual practice, I maintain a daily political practice of checking out the Obama site, PartyBuilder and Clintonistas on MyDD. For recreation, I enjoy facebook's garden to save the rainforest application. I also get periodic emails from listservices of the sites I belong to.

Lately I've had to cut back on both practices to create more time for writing.

Contemporary Culture in Iran

Jacob Clark — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 11:57:23 EDT

21st Century Iran has been a hotbed of cultural experimentation and artistic expression. Despite, or because of, the censorship that prevails under the Theocracy, Iranian artists have developed masterful ways to make a point without attracting the ire of the Ayahollahs. Much like Arthur Miller's masterpiece THE CRUCIBLE (ostensibly about the Salem witch hunts but really a protest against McCarthyism), myth, history and realism combine in unexpected ways. While we Western artists and writers still are obsessed with post-modernism, the Iranians have transcended it with a kind of realism that is shocking and poetic.

I have several images to display, but I can't figure out how to copy pictures into the body of a post. Oh, well, if anyone can enlighten me with that information, I would much appreciate it. I will provide a website in my first comment on this post which you can follow to a wonderful website on contemporary Iranian culture.

FILM: The following is a review I wrote while a performing arts critic at

New Group for Hillary Fans!

Jacob Clark — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 06:20:52 EDT

Let's advocate for Hillary's future. Let's advocate for Hillary for Vice President! Even if she doesn't get the V.P. nod, she deserves a prominent place in the Administration of Barack Obama.

http://www.democrats.org/page/group/HillaryforVicePresident

Gratitude and Forgiveness

Jacob Clark — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 08:57:38 EDT

I was told my a mentor of mine that two of the greatest gifts of striving for emotional or spiritual health are Gratitude and Forgiveness.

I have been struggling this past week with a vexing chronic illness, and spent 4 full days at Univ. of Washington Medical Center getting tests: one C.T. scan, 2 MRI's, lots of blood work and eight different doctor appointments.

Despite my occasional whining about my illness, I am very grateful to be alive and intact in 2008. I am always grateful after spending a day in the hospital: to patients I meet who are worse off than me and inspire me with their courage; to UWMC for being a World Class teaching hospital and for having Medical Insurance which makes wellness possible for me.

I am very grateful to the Democratic Party in 2008:

Howard Dean Democrats for Barack Obama

Jacob Clark — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 06:17:40 EDT

If, like me, you are a Howard Dean fan, this is the group for you! Whether you started supporting him when he initiated the first state Domestic Partnership law in Vermont, as Governor. Dean; whether you worked on Dr. Dean's historic 2004 campaign for president in 2003/04 or if you have followed him as he devised the successful 50-state strategy as Chairman Dean, this is a place to opinionate, commensurate or celebrate your activism.

You can share campaign stories, comment on current events, strategize for the GE, learn the latest news from the Howard Dean google club and look to the future.

FOR GROUP GUIDELINES, SEE EXTENDED POST

GUIDELINES!

1. Only posts relating to the post topic will be saved on the group page, so if you're away from PartyBuilder for a while, when you come back, you can always go to your Dean/Barack.

2. Negative attack posts will not be approved by the group administrator.

3. The same Terms of Service will be in force at HOWARD DEAN DEMOCRATS FOR BARACK OBAMA, as are in service for PartyBuilder.

4. All members will receive a really nice souvenir of the group, to be mailed on November 4, the day after our victory on November 3.

Confessions of a Deaniac!

Jacob Clark — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 02:30:27 EDT

I am a Deaniac. I was an enthusiastic campaign volunteer for Dean in 2003/04 in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. My moniker on his DFA site was "Jake4Dean".

I made life-long friends on that campaign. There was something so exciting and heady to be in the campaign that first demonstrated the power of the internet and small individual donations. There were so many innovations. The blog was INCREDIBLE.

Dean for America is now Democracy for America, and I belong to that site as well. After Dr Dean became Chairman Dean, I put his name on a google alert so I could read every day his interviews across the country as he travelled for his 50-state strategy.

Dean was never popular with the press. They went as negative on him as they went negative on Hillary this election cycle. Even after the 50-state strategy was so successful in 2006, the pundits gave the credit to Rob Emmanuel. Now I like Emmanuel enough, but it was simply a lie that he was responsible for the Dem wins in congress in 2006.

Now in 2008, the successful local candidates supported by the 50 state strategy are able to step into statewide elections and Federal elections. It was a brilliant idea that Dean had.

Here's my confession: I was so disappointed when Dean lost the primaries, that I didn't vote for Kerry, who used most of Dean's talking points without ever giving him an ounce of praise or encouragement. Dean told us to work for Kerry, but I didn't. I moped. I bitched. I railed against the Universe. And the worst part of my confession follows: I didn't vote at all in the Presidential election of 2004. I sat it out, and the day after the election I had a talk with a good friend and started feeling really awful for not voting. I mean, I vote in EVERY election, even school board special elections. But I sat out 2004, depriving not only Kerry, but the down ticket candidates who could have benefited from my vote.

My favorite PartyBuilders

Jacob Clark — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 11:45:14 EDT

To begin at the beginning, my #1 favorite friend at PartyBuilder is "Letitrip". She keeps me humble when needed and always is there with a shoulder to lean on when I'm down. I also admire her easy, fluent writing style. She knows she's my fave, I've told her many times.

Following are other favorites of mine. To me, these people are all true Party Builders, as they build the Democratic Party, not tear it down. My motto on my blog is "Democrats of all types, all stripes" I love and cherish the diversity of our Party.

Here goes:

Barack Obama: Advocate for People with Disabilities

Jacob Clark — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:40:13 EDT

Consider these facts:

54 million Americans experience some form of disability; working age persons who live with disabilities are almost 3 times as likely to live below the poverty line than those with no disabilities; each state is responsible for it's own Disabilities Department or Department of Employment Rehabilitation--a few states, such as California, have progressive programs for people with disabilities; many states have substandard or no programs at all.

Individual states have failed their disabled communities. Isn't it time the Federal Government stepped in to make the lives of the disabled as full and rewarding as they can be in California?

Barack Obama has a detailed 9-page plan to resolve these problems. In this post I will give you a very brief overview of the plan and a link where you can read it for yourself.

Barack Obama: Champion of LGBT issues

Jacob Clark — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 04:31:02 EDT

It's time for the LGBT community to unite behind Obama. He is out there for us, he did an exemplary job of advocating for us during Pride Month. Well, Pride Month may be over but Pride marches on! As Obama has stated:

"It's time to live up to our founding promise of equality by treating all our citizens with dignity and respect. Let's enact federal civil rights legislation to outlaw hate crimes and protect workers against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. Let's repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell and demonstrate that the most effective and professional military in the world is open to all Americans who are ready and willing to serve our country. Let's treat the relationships and the families of LGBT Americans with full equality under the law."

But actions speak louder than words, and his commitment to our community goes beyond the rhetorical.

what's up HighSerenity?

Jacob Clark — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:58:04 EDT

You dropped me from friends list. what's up?