One year ago the winds of change blew in a positive direction and this nation elected Barack Obama as its first African-American President. More important than that achievement for a racial group that has been oftentimes demonized and maligned by majority society was the fact that people chose the politics and message of hope and optimism over a politics and message rooted in hate and fear. While to some that statement reeks of esoteric, pie-in-the sky, unrealistic liberalism to me that message resonnated with all that I believe in. For a brief moment in our collective journey a majority of our citizens chose to believe in the possibility of a better day...we chose to believe in the best a person could offer...we chose to come together despite our many differences...we chose to live out the ideals expressed in our constitution. In short we chose CHANGE. And while change is not always comfortable or easy it is almost always a GOOD thing.
Yes I was (and still am) an Obama supporter...BUT at this point I have become totally disgusted with and disillusioned by the citizens of this country and their complete LACK of Patience with regard to the political process.
Anyone who has even a rudimentary understanding of civics or spent (as I did ) Saturdays watching the political Schoolhouse Rock segments between cartoons must realize that our chosen political system is not one that lends itself to rapid change. Having a presidential federal republic with 3 branches of government and a system of checks and balances pretty much guarantees that all change will be of an incremental variety. Sweeping changes in politics is most often achieved in violent military takeovers of government. Yet we as a people in this country have no patience to participate in the political process, research options, encourage our politicians to make good choices and revise those choices if times and situation. In our microwave, minute rice, fast food society we have transferred that completely unhelpful attitude to our political process. Instead of Patiently, watchfully, prayerfully working with your political party over the course of time we have set up all these completely artifical benchmarks (like the 100 days in office) and condemn a leader based on this knee jerk response. currently theose on the right who NEVER liked Obama in the first place are overhyping and harping on every single speech, adjustment, missstep and declare the man a failure...that is to be expected when a group gets booted from power their natural inclination is to claw back to that position by any means necessary. What saddens me is those on the Left, progressives, liberals, as well as independents who are so quick after less than a year of governence to dump their candidate and turn their back on him. It is almost as if everyone thought that Obama was going to wave a magic wand on January 20th and grant every wish and fulfill every campaign promise overnight...however the United States of America simply doesn't work that way. Am I saying Obama should get a free pass...ABSOLUTELY NOT!...we MUST keep pressure on him to keep the promises that he campaigned on and we must stay engaged in the political process with our other representatives. But I feel that as our elected leader he deserves our patience and support until at least the midway point of his term.
If the previous administration taught us nothing else it should have taught us that governing from "the gut", making brash decisions, entering wars without a clear exit strategy, and doing things that may be politically expedient and satisfy the base without counting the long term costs is bad for the nation. The crazy American way of demanding gourmet dinner quality while giving people 15min of prep time is simply unrealistic. Americans cannot continue to behave in our political process like an unmedicated 6yr old with ADHD.
Now I have NOT been happy with all of our President's decisions and actions. I think he has done some good, some bad, and frankly some stuff has just plain been ugly. But at the same time I realize that we can't truly hope for lasting and positive change to come about without realizing that it takes TIME.
Maybe on the 1yr anniversary of President Obama's election we can give him a GIFT...as a country I hope that we regain our common sense and learn to be a little more patient with ourselves, each other and our leaders. then maybe we can help to right the ship that is America and get back to where we should be.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Blame it on Rio!
I was the one who looked down my nose at the kids from the north shore and Naperville in college who went around telling people they were from Chicago. Basically if your zip didn't start 606-- then I had no use for you and would routinely remind you that you were not REALLY from Chicago.
I LOVE my city...warts, shady politics, dysfunction and all.
I Love it because it is REAL...the same way a beautiful 40 yr old mother of two with no plastic surgery is real. People are diverse and don't necessarily get along but yet usually accept each other just enough to make things work. I love that you can essentially visit the whole world without ever leaving the city (shoot I can almost do it without leaving my neighborhood). I love it that if you grow up here and are brave enough to leave your neighborhood you will probably end up knowing a bit of Spanish and Polish in addition to that particular brand of Chicagoese.
So naturally despite some reservations I was all for the Chicago 2016 Olympic bid.
Despite the pitfalls in Chicago hosting the Olympics (bribery, contract irregularities, unchecked gentrification, and all the unplesantness that would come from having that many people here for the summer jacking up our already crazy traffic) I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to show not only Chicago on the World stage but to welcome America back as a full participant in the international community. In addition the possible benefits (revamping the CTA, development on the southside, and increased liklihood that I could sell my condo) slightly outweighed the risks for me.
I am glad that the Chicago 2016 comittee made a strong showing introducing Chicago to many people in the international community who consider all the midwest vapid flyover country and are not accustomed to the unique treasurers Chicago has to offer. That will probably increase interest in tourism here and is good in the long run. Coupled with the emotional appeal from First Lady Michelle Obama I don't think anyone on that committee should be ashamed .
Much has been argued about President Obama's involvement and whether or not he should have gone and expended (some would say wasted) his "political capital" on attempting to bring the games to his adopted hometown. To the haters (and yes in this case they mostly are just that..."haters" trying to score cheap political points) I say as the leader of this country nothing is wrong with him advocating for his country the same way the leaders of Japan, Brazil and Madrid (who were all present supporting their respective bids) advocated for theirs. The fact he was not successful probably has less to do with his political status or power in the world and more to do with internal IOC politics, the ridiculously stupid USOC and gerneralized anti-American sentiment that will take quite a while to dissipate fully.
So while many want to blame Obama....I am blaming it on Rio...but not in a negative way.
Rio was always the sentimental favorite. South America has never hosted an Olympic games...it was their 5th try....and who wouldn't want the opportunity to Samba the night away with the beautiful people on Copacabana Beach. I always figured it would go to Rio (although I did figure it would be a battle between Chicago and Rio...instead of us getting the boot in the first round).
So despite my love of all things Chicago...I am proud that Rio de Janiero will the hosting the 2016 Olympics! If I start dieting now I should be Brazil Beach Body ready by then.
And don't worry about us here in the Windy City...we will be alright...in fact we have already moved on to the next big thing...
the immortal words of our city father Daniel Burnham sum up the spirit of my fair city...and I hope Rio has that same thought as they put on a fabulous Olympic games in 2016.
"Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency. Remember that our sons and grandsons are going to do things that would stagger us. Let your watchword be order and your beacon beauty. THINK BIG."
An additional view on health care
Even though my friend may kill me, check out this link for a recent article in the UIC News on my dear friend Dr. Tamarah Duperval-Brownlee and her take on the health care debate.
Dr. Tam makes me so proud!!
http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/uicnews/articledetail.cgi?id=13466
Dr. Tam makes me so proud!!
http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/uicnews/articledetail.cgi?id=13466
The Great Health Care debate
I feel like it has been impossible to blog...mainly because I have been in information overload. So many things have been happening in the political sphere particularly as related to the health care debate that every time I sit down to write a blog entry there seem to be some major change that takes place before I can finish the post. I mean we have had to deal with the "gang of six" in the senate and Baucus plan which in true compromise tradition made absolutely no one happy...the August town halls with people screaming nonsense at each other (my favorite stupid slogan..."keep the government out of my Medicare")..and politicians and talking heads on the right stoking up fear with worries about bogus "death panels" and fake claims about health care rationing (as if that isnt already a part of our health care system via HMOs and the current insurance industry bureacrats), and "Socialized medicine". It is all pretty crazy and the din of opinions and the opinionated is truly frightening. As the wide variety of health care plans snake their way through the political system I thought I would at least go on record with my thoughts...no matter how crazy the ultimate outcome is.
First as a disclaimer...I am a physican. I did a lot of my medical training at a County based health system providing care for the indigent, and have worked both in a community setting in an urban area as well as for academic medical centers in a more corporate based entity. In addition I did spend a little time working before medical school for a community health advocacy group for which health care reform was one of our primary activities. I have had the opportunity to explore and experience many different facets of the medical system in this country and I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt....the view from up close aint pretty. I have watched the system deny care and/or wait until people are catostrophically ill to give them coverage. I have personally seen those struggling without health care wiped out financially because of an accident or unexpected illness. I have had to fight with insurance companies to get the care my patients desperately need.
A few of my observations:
* The United States does have one of the best medical systems in the country in terms of research, innovation and advanced technological care.....HOWEVER this is ONLY true and availible to you if you have a VERY good health insurance plan and/or a LOT of money!
* there are approximately 37milion people in this country without health insurance...most of whom have jobs and are often in employment situations where there is no health insurance provided and they cannot afford it on their own...contrary to popular belief this is not primarily illegal immigrants
* The insurance industry is a for profit business...that does NOT make any profit from treating/healing/curing any illness or even from providing health care to ill people.
* We are the only industrialzed, democratic nation in the world that does not insure that all our citizens have access to quality health care.
* We have poorer health care statistics and indicators (on things like life expectancy and infant mortality)than many thrid world countries.
* More than 50% of personal bankrupticies are related to health care expenses
Those observations are saddening. In a great country of plenty like ours, it should make all of our citizens ashamed that these things are true. It also saddens me that people in this country have taken the position that health care is a privledge that you have to earn...and not a basic human right.
People keep asking me what I think about many of the health care options that are out there. Frankly they all have their flaws beacause they are linked to our current imperfect system but if J9 ruled the world I would want to see the following things in a health care reform plan and have these ideas framed within the current debate:
1. Health Care = Basic Human Right. Period.
If we can just all start believing this, it would cause us to approach this whole debate from a different angle. Right now as Americans we tend to view health care as something that is earned or deserved in exchange for you working a job. Therefore it is easy for people with that view to resist any type of health care reform because they don't want someone else to have something that they work hard for. They dont want to be seen as giving something to people who dont "deserve" it. Everyone should have access to basic health care...not because we are trying to reward those who don't work but because having everyone at least have the opportunity to live a healthy life is the right thing to do, the morally imperative thing to do, the Christian thing to do. Not only that but I think this fits squarely into our constitution's desire to "promote the general welfare" of our citizens.
2. Universal Access to health care
Tied into #1. I think ultimately we need a health care system that gives everyone access to a basic level of care. Now this does not necessarily have to be done by a single-payer system (similar to Britian or Canada)...it can be a private (via our current employer based system and a supplemental free-market) public (via either expansion of current systems or creation of a new system) partnership. If we are to increase our nation's health
3. Emphasis on primary and preventive care
Our country does not have a "health" care system...we have a sick care system. While we pile money into the latest life saving pharmeceutical, traditional insurance companies have limited coverage for or rewards of initiatives to keep healthy. Routine health care visits, obesity counseling (prevention and treatment), Exercise planning, complimentary and alternative medicine, stess relief measures and nutritional counseling and regulations should be a major force of any new plan if what we truly seek is to improve the health of all our citizens. Particularly from the fiscal side for physicians we have to change how those activities are billed for and reimbursed. Right now in the current fee-for service model you have more incentive to bill for procedures and technological interventions but little fiscal reward for the time spent counseling or working with a patient to improve their individual health status...that must change. In addition we must create an environment where we make pusuing a career in primary care attractive to medical students (and yes part of that is making those careers more fiscally viable) and we need to increase the numbers of primary care providers so that we can actually provide basic care to everyone
4. Malpractice/Tort reform
Right now because of the overly litiginous society we live in (apologies to all my lawyer friends) many doctors practice that lovely brand of medicine known as "CYA" (cover yo A$$). Particularly in situations where there is no previous info on the patient (like in the ED or with patients who last went to the doctor over a decade ago because they have been without insurance) you feel you must pull out all the stops on the off chance that an outcome is less than favorable and the family sues you for all you have. Couple that with the fact that the cost of malpractice insurance premiums grows far faster than inflation and that for many specialities (like OB/GYN) it is actually causing people to quit practicing medicine althogether. We are now losing some of the best and brightest in the medical field because of their growing frustration with legal issues. We need to have some independent review of medical lawsuits (which is present in some states) prior to them being brought forth (hopefully reducing the numbers of frivolous lawsuits) and look at some limits of jury awards.
5. More focus on and support of medical/science education
It is pretty scary that the average amount of debt that medical students graduate with now is approaching $200,000. Think about that it is like paying the mortgage on a house you will never live in. It is no wonder that people tend to cluster in specialities where financial return is greatest and shun the lower paying primary care specialities. There are some current programs that reward working in underserved areas but I believe we need to expand these programs. The other thing that we need to focus on is early science education. We are way behind the rest of the world in our children's skill and interest in science. This is problematic because we are not appropiately replenishing the next generation of doctors, allied health professionals, researchers and scientists. We have to make sure that we keep the pipeline full if we are to continue our spirit of innovation in our health care system.
Of course none of the current plans have all of these things....this is more like what my personal fantasy plan would contain. But I do hope that ideas like this begin to be a part of the great health care debate and ultimately influency whatever plan comes out of Congress. I personally feel that health care reform will ultimately be a stepwise process. Much in the same way that theCivil Rights Movement went from Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 to the Voting Rights act of 1964...Health Care reform is likely to go that same route. So here's hoping that the first steps that we are working on will provide the nidus for meaningful sweeping health care reform in the future.
First as a disclaimer...I am a physican. I did a lot of my medical training at a County based health system providing care for the indigent, and have worked both in a community setting in an urban area as well as for academic medical centers in a more corporate based entity. In addition I did spend a little time working before medical school for a community health advocacy group for which health care reform was one of our primary activities. I have had the opportunity to explore and experience many different facets of the medical system in this country and I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt....the view from up close aint pretty. I have watched the system deny care and/or wait until people are catostrophically ill to give them coverage. I have personally seen those struggling without health care wiped out financially because of an accident or unexpected illness. I have had to fight with insurance companies to get the care my patients desperately need.
A few of my observations:
* The United States does have one of the best medical systems in the country in terms of research, innovation and advanced technological care.....HOWEVER this is ONLY true and availible to you if you have a VERY good health insurance plan and/or a LOT of money!
* there are approximately 37milion people in this country without health insurance...most of whom have jobs and are often in employment situations where there is no health insurance provided and they cannot afford it on their own...contrary to popular belief this is not primarily illegal immigrants
* The insurance industry is a for profit business...that does NOT make any profit from treating/healing/curing any illness or even from providing health care to ill people.
* We are the only industrialzed, democratic nation in the world that does not insure that all our citizens have access to quality health care.
* We have poorer health care statistics and indicators (on things like life expectancy and infant mortality)than many thrid world countries.
* More than 50% of personal bankrupticies are related to health care expenses
Those observations are saddening. In a great country of plenty like ours, it should make all of our citizens ashamed that these things are true. It also saddens me that people in this country have taken the position that health care is a privledge that you have to earn...and not a basic human right.
People keep asking me what I think about many of the health care options that are out there. Frankly they all have their flaws beacause they are linked to our current imperfect system but if J9 ruled the world I would want to see the following things in a health care reform plan and have these ideas framed within the current debate:
1. Health Care = Basic Human Right. Period.
If we can just all start believing this, it would cause us to approach this whole debate from a different angle. Right now as Americans we tend to view health care as something that is earned or deserved in exchange for you working a job. Therefore it is easy for people with that view to resist any type of health care reform because they don't want someone else to have something that they work hard for. They dont want to be seen as giving something to people who dont "deserve" it. Everyone should have access to basic health care...not because we are trying to reward those who don't work but because having everyone at least have the opportunity to live a healthy life is the right thing to do, the morally imperative thing to do, the Christian thing to do. Not only that but I think this fits squarely into our constitution's desire to "promote the general welfare" of our citizens.
2. Universal Access to health care
Tied into #1. I think ultimately we need a health care system that gives everyone access to a basic level of care. Now this does not necessarily have to be done by a single-payer system (similar to Britian or Canada)...it can be a private (via our current employer based system and a supplemental free-market) public (via either expansion of current systems or creation of a new system) partnership. If we are to increase our nation's health
3. Emphasis on primary and preventive care
Our country does not have a "health" care system...we have a sick care system. While we pile money into the latest life saving pharmeceutical, traditional insurance companies have limited coverage for or rewards of initiatives to keep healthy. Routine health care visits, obesity counseling (prevention and treatment), Exercise planning, complimentary and alternative medicine, stess relief measures and nutritional counseling and regulations should be a major force of any new plan if what we truly seek is to improve the health of all our citizens. Particularly from the fiscal side for physicians we have to change how those activities are billed for and reimbursed. Right now in the current fee-for service model you have more incentive to bill for procedures and technological interventions but little fiscal reward for the time spent counseling or working with a patient to improve their individual health status...that must change. In addition we must create an environment where we make pusuing a career in primary care attractive to medical students (and yes part of that is making those careers more fiscally viable) and we need to increase the numbers of primary care providers so that we can actually provide basic care to everyone
4. Malpractice/Tort reform
Right now because of the overly litiginous society we live in (apologies to all my lawyer friends) many doctors practice that lovely brand of medicine known as "CYA" (cover yo A$$). Particularly in situations where there is no previous info on the patient (like in the ED or with patients who last went to the doctor over a decade ago because they have been without insurance) you feel you must pull out all the stops on the off chance that an outcome is less than favorable and the family sues you for all you have. Couple that with the fact that the cost of malpractice insurance premiums grows far faster than inflation and that for many specialities (like OB/GYN) it is actually causing people to quit practicing medicine althogether. We are now losing some of the best and brightest in the medical field because of their growing frustration with legal issues. We need to have some independent review of medical lawsuits (which is present in some states) prior to them being brought forth (hopefully reducing the numbers of frivolous lawsuits) and look at some limits of jury awards.
5. More focus on and support of medical/science education
It is pretty scary that the average amount of debt that medical students graduate with now is approaching $200,000. Think about that it is like paying the mortgage on a house you will never live in. It is no wonder that people tend to cluster in specialities where financial return is greatest and shun the lower paying primary care specialities. There are some current programs that reward working in underserved areas but I believe we need to expand these programs. The other thing that we need to focus on is early science education. We are way behind the rest of the world in our children's skill and interest in science. This is problematic because we are not appropiately replenishing the next generation of doctors, allied health professionals, researchers and scientists. We have to make sure that we keep the pipeline full if we are to continue our spirit of innovation in our health care system.
Of course none of the current plans have all of these things....this is more like what my personal fantasy plan would contain. But I do hope that ideas like this begin to be a part of the great health care debate and ultimately influency whatever plan comes out of Congress. I personally feel that health care reform will ultimately be a stepwise process. Much in the same way that theCivil Rights Movement went from Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 to the Voting Rights act of 1964...Health Care reform is likely to go that same route. So here's hoping that the first steps that we are working on will provide the nidus for meaningful sweeping health care reform in the future.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Why I will miss Ted Kennedy
While I am NOT one of those people who was ever all that enamored with JFK, RFK, Jackie, JFK Jr (although that was a FINE specimen of manhood) "Camelot" or a believer in the "Kennedy Mystique" I am quite heartbroken about Ted Kennedy's recent death and his departure from American Politics. Why am I so sad? Because Ted Kennedy's death represents the death of the NORMAL political process in this country and he represents the end of an era of true "service" to constituents and the least powerful in a society
Ted Kennedy was the wealthy scion of a ridiculously powerful family. The family had a sorted and pretty nefarious past (since let's not even begin to discuss the many questionably legal ways they amassed their fortune...or their early attempts at election rigging). "Teddy" the baby of the family, the one who partied a little too hard, wasn't quite as smart, handsome or driven as his big brothers ended up ultimately making all the Kennedy dreams of political service and power come to fruition. He also had a big old heap of familial responsibility, ambitions and desires forced on him after the death and assinations of his older brothers. He was a DEEPLY flawed man (I am not about to defend his actions at Chappaquiddick, or his drinking and notorious womanizing) who ultimately sought and I believe found redemption in his strong Catholic faith and in a second chance at love with his second wife. (for all those who will flame me on this one...remember no matter how jacked up his actions were...Vengeance is mine saith the Lord).
What was interesting and special about Ted Kennedy to me (and why I will miss him and that breed of politician) was that he had immense personal wealth...yet spent his entire political life fighting for those less fortunate. After a rocky and slow start in the senate...he buckled down and became a great legislator. He studied, he sought to understand the issues (not just fight from a partisan perspective), he worked with people on both sides of the aisle in short he was a servant of the people who elected him to office. It is nearly impossible to look at major legislation of the past 30 years and not see the stamp of Ted Kennedy all over things that helped everyday, non-connected Americans (American with Disabilities Act, Minimum wage expansion, and of course his pet issue health care). I believe I read somewhere that he sponsored or co-sponsored over 300 bills. The current health care reform debate is truly lacking because of his absence...and there has been no other politician who has stepped up to the plate to take on his important role of negotiator and deal maker. And watching his funeral procession and the multitudes of people who came to pay their respects you can't deny that he TRULY touched people (especially his constituents). Ted Kennedy was a true public servant and that is an exceedingly rare thing to see today.
Today's politicians are different. First we have become so divided as a nation that the concept of "bipartisanship" is as rare as Bigfoot riding a Unicorn to the lost city of Atlantis. the 24hr news cycle and the growth of the far right (and to a lesser extent far left) media outlets don't allow a politician to simply seek the best ideas from both sides and work towards a compromise. You are seen as weak or a party traitor if you agree with someone who does not have the same letter in front of their state designation. This has weakened our whole political discourse. We can no longer have the best ideas...we simply have to follow the party line. Second, politics has become so much more about defending corporate interest (on both sides of the political spectrum) that the needs of a politician's individual constituents are irrelevant unless they are big donors who can afford $1,000+ a plate fundraisers. And finally, we have forgotten that politics is not about financial gain and power but about SERVICE.
Ted Kennedy was a flawed man...and not by any means a perfect politician, but no one can deny that he (and his family as a whole) have an amazing spirit of service and a commitment to helping those who are less fortunate than they. That spirit and his actions made America a better place for everyone. I will miss having someone with those ideals and that determination and drive working for all of us in Washington. I hope the reflections of Ted Kennedy from this past few weeks and reflections on the better parts of his political life will inspire a new generation of politicians who will change the current tone and attitude that corrupts the politics of this country. May people remember prior to entering politics (as I believe Ted Kennedy did) the words of Luke 12:48...From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, and to whom they entrusted much of him they will ask all the more.
So goodbye Teddy....thanks for your service and may you finally rest in Peace.
Ted Kennedy was the wealthy scion of a ridiculously powerful family. The family had a sorted and pretty nefarious past (since let's not even begin to discuss the many questionably legal ways they amassed their fortune...or their early attempts at election rigging). "Teddy" the baby of the family, the one who partied a little too hard, wasn't quite as smart, handsome or driven as his big brothers ended up ultimately making all the Kennedy dreams of political service and power come to fruition. He also had a big old heap of familial responsibility, ambitions and desires forced on him after the death and assinations of his older brothers. He was a DEEPLY flawed man (I am not about to defend his actions at Chappaquiddick, or his drinking and notorious womanizing) who ultimately sought and I believe found redemption in his strong Catholic faith and in a second chance at love with his second wife. (for all those who will flame me on this one...remember no matter how jacked up his actions were...Vengeance is mine saith the Lord).
What was interesting and special about Ted Kennedy to me (and why I will miss him and that breed of politician) was that he had immense personal wealth...yet spent his entire political life fighting for those less fortunate. After a rocky and slow start in the senate...he buckled down and became a great legislator. He studied, he sought to understand the issues (not just fight from a partisan perspective), he worked with people on both sides of the aisle in short he was a servant of the people who elected him to office. It is nearly impossible to look at major legislation of the past 30 years and not see the stamp of Ted Kennedy all over things that helped everyday, non-connected Americans (American with Disabilities Act, Minimum wage expansion, and of course his pet issue health care). I believe I read somewhere that he sponsored or co-sponsored over 300 bills. The current health care reform debate is truly lacking because of his absence...and there has been no other politician who has stepped up to the plate to take on his important role of negotiator and deal maker. And watching his funeral procession and the multitudes of people who came to pay their respects you can't deny that he TRULY touched people (especially his constituents). Ted Kennedy was a true public servant and that is an exceedingly rare thing to see today.
Today's politicians are different. First we have become so divided as a nation that the concept of "bipartisanship" is as rare as Bigfoot riding a Unicorn to the lost city of Atlantis. the 24hr news cycle and the growth of the far right (and to a lesser extent far left) media outlets don't allow a politician to simply seek the best ideas from both sides and work towards a compromise. You are seen as weak or a party traitor if you agree with someone who does not have the same letter in front of their state designation. This has weakened our whole political discourse. We can no longer have the best ideas...we simply have to follow the party line. Second, politics has become so much more about defending corporate interest (on both sides of the political spectrum) that the needs of a politician's individual constituents are irrelevant unless they are big donors who can afford $1,000+ a plate fundraisers. And finally, we have forgotten that politics is not about financial gain and power but about SERVICE.
Ted Kennedy was a flawed man...and not by any means a perfect politician, but no one can deny that he (and his family as a whole) have an amazing spirit of service and a commitment to helping those who are less fortunate than they. That spirit and his actions made America a better place for everyone. I will miss having someone with those ideals and that determination and drive working for all of us in Washington. I hope the reflections of Ted Kennedy from this past few weeks and reflections on the better parts of his political life will inspire a new generation of politicians who will change the current tone and attitude that corrupts the politics of this country. May people remember prior to entering politics (as I believe Ted Kennedy did) the words of Luke 12:48...From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, and to whom they entrusted much of him they will ask all the more.
So goodbye Teddy....thanks for your service and may you finally rest in Peace.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Kryptonite of the dating world??
So as I return from my summer vacation from blogging (at least that is what I am calling it...that sounds better than a big ole heap of blog-lazy) I have so many thoughts to comment on I scarcely know where to begin. I mean I am just in time for the health care debate (which I will weigh in on later) and the 6+ month mark of Obama's presidency, not to mention my views on the current strand of "crazy" that has engulfed the GOP. But before I address all those major world issues I think I will comment on something that has come to my attention recently.
Are African-American women the "Kryptonite" of the dating world?
Okay I know that sounds crazy especially coming from a black woman but I have been having a lot of experiences lately, coupled with discussions with many friends (male and female), as well as looking at lots of things happening in the media and their interest in all things strong, black and female in the age of Michelle Obama. Add to that the widespread circulation of an article from MSNBC entitled "Marriage eludes high-achieving black women" last week and of course the recent influence of my own interesting spring and summer dating fiascoes and it makes one want to search for some answers.
Are African-American women the "Kryptonite" of the dating world?
Okay I know that sounds crazy especially coming from a black woman but I have been having a lot of experiences lately, coupled with discussions with many friends (male and female), as well as looking at lots of things happening in the media and their interest in all things strong, black and female in the age of Michelle Obama. Add to that the widespread circulation of an article from MSNBC entitled "Marriage eludes high-achieving black women" last week and of course the recent influence of my own interesting spring and summer dating fiascoes and it makes one want to search for some answers.
In the nature of full disclosure I will state that I am single, never married with no kids. I do hope to get married one day (if that is God's plan for my life) and genuinely I am pretty upbeat and hopeful about all things (including my dating life) so this is in no way a "woe is me" kind of observation.
But particularly as I have swam into the cesspool of the online dating world I have begun to think that Black women have somehow been forced to occupy the lowest place on the totem pole of the dating world. I have had experiences with multiple online dating sites (Eharmony, chemistry.com, match.com) and it seems the experiences are similar across all the sites. The numbers of men (ironically of all races) who select every single racial choice in their dating preferences EXCEPT the Black/African-American choice is astonishingly high.
I like to call it the "ABB" syndrome (Anything BUT Black).
Now I don't begrudge anyone's preferences I think you should date whoever you are comfortable with BUT COME ON...the fact that you go through a list of like 8-10 racial choices, systematecially click on every availible choice but Black/African-American, there is something that underlies that decision. It is not simply the fear of the "other" since these same men have no problems with Native Americans or Pacific Islanders. There is something specific that makes people choose to avoid at all costs a relationship with a Black woman. It is also interesting that I know an alarmingly large number of women in my social circle who are smart (with multiple degrees in most cases), successful, beautiful, outgoing, committed to their community and yes SINGLE....we are the people whom our non ethnic coworkers cannot seem to understand why we are not married. The people that our white friends from high school try to find dates for (only to realize to their great surprise that their husband's single and recently divorced friends are not at all interested in dating us). We are the women that men in our own community either reject because they are a little intimidated by us or simply because their interests run in other directions. In short it almost seems like we have become the Kryptonite of the dating world.
There are many reasons for this disparity (if you want to call it that)...ongoing issues between the sexes in the black community, a much lower tendency to outmarry for Black women, differences in the numbers of matched aged/education peers. All of these are legitimate arguments but I have to wonder if there isn't something that runs deeper.
Black women for many years have only had two images in popular culture...the bad girl pseudo "whore" (think "Carmen Jones" or Beyonce) or the comforting maternal "mammy" character (Hattie McDaniel or more recently Oprah) and neither of these images are particularly interesting as a partner choice in a serious adult relationship. This "whore"/"mammy" dichotomy has often times made black women less desirable particularly for members of other races to consider as a potential mate. Add to that the fact that for Gen Xers and older who are part of a society that is pre- "post-racial" there tends to be less comfort with interracial dating. These factors of course limit the dating pool for many Black women down to the size of a kiddie blow-up one, which ultimately is a part of the reason that perfectly decent and wonderful women who should be considered great catches are too often left alone.
While I hate the media's focus on the First Lady and the endless dissection of her every wardrobe change and appearance I think Michelle Obama is a wonderful positive image to cultivate. She is changing the way people of all races look at and think about black women. Her relationship with President Obama is a healing balm for the often painful issues between black men and women, and ultimately for all the single sistas like me that has got to be a plus. I am also hopeful when I look at younger women, as the under 25 crowd is much less uptight regarding crossing racial barriers in dating and everything else for that matter.
So maybe one day soon, people will discover that African-American women are NOT Kryptonite but just a unique jewel that people are only just now starting to appreciate for her beauty, rarity and special joy and that it is a truly lucky man (of any race) who discovers this treasure.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Make your life have a fierce urgency of now!
Yeah, it has been like AGES since I put a post up....first it was the holidays that kept me away...then it was the new year...then it was the inauguration (which was fabulous BTW...I will put some details up later)...then it was (insert random excuse here). Always something that had me distracted, always some thing that kept me from writing (which was my birthday pledge to do in blog form at least twice a week)...some randomness that kept me from the things I promised myself to do. I am the queen of procrastination, some of it born out of my perfectionist nature and some just because I can have random streaks of lazy.
We all do this.
We think "as soon as ______ I will do _____ " (Insert your own saying here).
We wait for the right time, the right circumstances, the right financial situation, the right job opportunity, the right man (okay now I am just talking about myself)....we plan and plot for some mythical time in the future, meanwhile slogging through the current reality of our daily life not even recognizing the beauty of the moment.
Just recently I lost a very dear friend who on the day of her 40th birthday had a sudden cardiac event causing her to lapse into a coma and subsequently die a week later. I had just seen her 4 days before this occurred and she seemed perfectly fine. In the course of this past week I have reconnected with all our mutual friends (which despite the tragic circumstances was truly wonderful), fellowshipped with her family and truly gained a new appreciation of the fragility and beauty of life. While as a Christian I see death as merely a transition to a fuller life, you still are not expecting that transition to occur when you are 40!
Despite my sadness at losing a friend, I realize that this is an amazingly wonderful gift.
The gift that my friend has given me is a newer and truer appreciation of my life. I appreciated the blue sky this morning more (even though it is still way too cold in Chicago for March 30th), I handle the everyday job frustration a little better...I am not putting off e-mailing or calling friends...I am actually making dinner reservations instead of plans...I am making plans to get to Europe somehow this year to visit some other friends (my finances be dammed!!)...I am starting my business...in short I want my life to be possessed with a FIERCE URGENCY of NOW!!! I can't continue to simply plan towards some sense of perfection, I have to embrace my life in all its own craziness. I am excited, I am motivated and I am happy. Go out and live your dreams today...because today is truly the only time you have.
Thanks Ingrid for this gift I will use it wisely!
We all do this.
We think "as soon as ______ I will do _____ " (Insert your own saying here).
We wait for the right time, the right circumstances, the right financial situation, the right job opportunity, the right man (okay now I am just talking about myself)....we plan and plot for some mythical time in the future, meanwhile slogging through the current reality of our daily life not even recognizing the beauty of the moment.
Just recently I lost a very dear friend who on the day of her 40th birthday had a sudden cardiac event causing her to lapse into a coma and subsequently die a week later. I had just seen her 4 days before this occurred and she seemed perfectly fine. In the course of this past week I have reconnected with all our mutual friends (which despite the tragic circumstances was truly wonderful), fellowshipped with her family and truly gained a new appreciation of the fragility and beauty of life. While as a Christian I see death as merely a transition to a fuller life, you still are not expecting that transition to occur when you are 40!
Despite my sadness at losing a friend, I realize that this is an amazingly wonderful gift.
The gift that my friend has given me is a newer and truer appreciation of my life. I appreciated the blue sky this morning more (even though it is still way too cold in Chicago for March 30th), I handle the everyday job frustration a little better...I am not putting off e-mailing or calling friends...I am actually making dinner reservations instead of plans...I am making plans to get to Europe somehow this year to visit some other friends (my finances be dammed!!)...I am starting my business...in short I want my life to be possessed with a FIERCE URGENCY of NOW!!! I can't continue to simply plan towards some sense of perfection, I have to embrace my life in all its own craziness. I am excited, I am motivated and I am happy. Go out and live your dreams today...because today is truly the only time you have.
Thanks Ingrid for this gift I will use it wisely!
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