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- You have to pick your little sister up from the bar at 1 a.m. on the day before Thanksgiving because all you're doing is sitting at home watching Barbara Walters interview Barack Obama with your mother since all your friends from high school are either married or tending to their children.
Sigh.
Showing posts with label Obama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Obama. Show all posts
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
Day 6: Change has come to Cape May
I landed back in the Jerz on Friday night and headed immediately down to Cape May, a place 
best anchored in my memory as the site of my first jellyfish sting when I was about 8 years old. Ah the delicacy of youth that made such an attack a day-ending affair. I emerged from the water in hot tears, feeling like my leg had been ripped open and injected with salt, followed by my mom and grandparents rushing to seek the guidance of the nearest lifeguard, who basically recommended finding some Benadryl and sucking it the hell up for the rest of the day. If only I knew then how many more times I'd be stung by jellyfish in the ensuing years while surfing or swimming, including I think three times in one day on Hilton Head two summers ago. Funny how your perception of pain changes when there's no parents to run crying to.
But that memory may now be supplanted by the weekend-long bender that was the Etan and Daphne wedding, with all its chair-hoisting revelry, debaucherous hotel balconies and the bad case of the Gottahaveits that seemed to infect many guests at the Hotel Alcott.
As is typical with these things, one of the highlights was the after-party, the place where the stuffiness and dancing-to-Steve-Miller-Band-with-grandma formality are left behind and the friends of the couple can let loose a little more. This one took us to The Boiler Room, a brick-lined basement bar lit with soft red light that gave it the feel of some underground jazz club from swank decades ago.
I took one glimpse of the band playing in a recessed alcove and immediately added another item to my list of reasons that reinforce why leaving Hilton Head was a good idea. They were a blues ensemble of four guys (give or take a few drinks' worth of math) led by a man I can only describe as the black Indiana Jones. Then this man in overalls, presumably someone who works for the bar, got on the mike to thank everyone for coming. He was probably -- outwardly, at least-- the happiest person in the room, which is saying something, since the bar was full of both our wedding party and another wedding party also in wild full swing.
"This is truly the greatest country on Earth," he told the crowd. "I love America so much. America is truly the place where all things are possible and all things can happen. I love America, and I love each and everyone of you white people out there and I want to hug all of you. This is truly is the greatest country God has ever created."
It wasn't until I got the pictures off my camera that I noticed he was wearing an Obama pin on his blue pinstriped overalls. But I had a pretty good hunch as to what he was speaking about Saturday night. Just as he was about to leave the mike and thank everyone for coming, he said: "I understand we have some weddings here tonight. Where are those lovely brides?"
Etan fished Daphne away from her table and the other bride was pushed toward the stage.
"You know you ain't truly married until you've been kissed by a black man," he said.
Holy crap, I thought, Sean Hannity was right all along-- Do you see what happens now that Obama has been elected? Everything will be different! The fundamental balance of power in our society is shifting! What else is in store? Next thing you know, black people will be telling people they can't burn crosses on the lawns of biracial couples. Madness has come to America. Hopeful, barrier-breaking madness.
Before Obama, this man only entertained weddings. Now, he officiates.
When I sobered up the next morning, I thought back to all the spontaneous celebrations in the streets of America's cities election night and the pure joy in this man's voice Saturday, and wondered what the outcome would have been if Obama had added the "two brides for every man" policy to his platform.
best anchored in my memory as the site of my first jellyfish sting when I was about 8 years old. Ah the delicacy of youth that made such an attack a day-ending affair. I emerged from the water in hot tears, feeling like my leg had been ripped open and injected with salt, followed by my mom and grandparents rushing to seek the guidance of the nearest lifeguard, who basically recommended finding some Benadryl and sucking it the hell up for the rest of the day. If only I knew then how many more times I'd be stung by jellyfish in the ensuing years while surfing or swimming, including I think three times in one day on Hilton Head two summers ago. Funny how your perception of pain changes when there's no parents to run crying to.But that memory may now be supplanted by the weekend-long bender that was the Etan and Daphne wedding, with all its chair-hoisting revelry, debaucherous hotel balconies and the bad case of the Gottahaveits that seemed to infect many guests at the Hotel Alcott.
As is typical with these things, one of the highlights was the after-party, the place where the stuffiness and dancing-to-Steve-Miller-Band-with-grandma formality are left behind and the friends of the couple can let loose a little more. This one took us to The Boiler Room, a brick-lined basement bar lit with soft red light that gave it the feel of some underground jazz club from swank decades ago.
I took one glimpse of the band playing in a recessed alcove and immediately added another item to my list of reasons that reinforce why leaving Hilton Head was a good idea. They were a blues ensemble of four guys (give or take a few drinks' worth of math) led by a man I can only describe as the black Indiana Jones. Then this man in overalls, presumably someone who works for the bar, got on the mike to thank everyone for coming. He was probably -- outwardly, at least-- the happiest person in the room, which is saying something, since the bar was full of both our wedding party and another wedding party also in wild full swing.
"This is truly the greatest country on Earth," he told the crowd. "I love America so much. America is truly the place where all things are possible and all things can happen. I love America, and I love each and everyone of you white people out there and I want to hug all of you. This is truly is the greatest country God has ever created."
It wasn't until I got the pictures off my camera that I noticed he was wearing an Obama pin on his blue pinstriped overalls. But I had a pretty good hunch as to what he was speaking about Saturday night. Just as he was about to leave the mike and thank everyone for coming, he said: "I understand we have some weddings here tonight. Where are those lovely brides?"
Etan fished Daphne away from her table and the other bride was pushed toward the stage.
"You know you ain't truly married until you've been kissed by a black man," he said.
Holy crap, I thought, Sean Hannity was right all along-- Do you see what happens now that Obama has been elected? Everything will be different! The fundamental balance of power in our society is shifting! What else is in store? Next thing you know, black people will be telling people they can't burn crosses on the lawns of biracial couples. Madness has come to America. Hopeful, barrier-breaking madness.
Before Obama, this man only entertained weddings. Now, he officiates.When I sobered up the next morning, I thought back to all the spontaneous celebrations in the streets of America's cities election night and the pure joy in this man's voice Saturday, and wondered what the outcome would have been if Obama had added the "two brides for every man" policy to his platform.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Obama victory celebration videos nationwide
Nov. 4, 2008: the night America officially lost its damned mind with excitement.
These videos are insane. It's hard to watch these and not be struck by the sheer physical force and tangible participation evident in the process this time. I heard NPR state it plainly earlier tonight: you aren't seeing toasts in Democratic party headquarters or hotel ballrooms this time; it's in the streets, streaming out of doorways into the night into a celebrated commonality of experience. No matter what you thought of Obama, I think that causes you to pause for a moment.
On the New York City subway:
Down Penn. Ave. in Washington, right next to the White House:
More D.C.:
Harlem:
Broad Street in Philly
Singing the national anthem at Illinois State University:
Downtown Berkeley:
And maybe the best, a massive Cupid Shuffle outside MLK's church in the ATL:
The list goes on and on. I'm sure YouTube will continue to fill up with these videos overnight. Hot damn citizen journalism is great sometimes. Hard to watch these celebrations and not be immediately reminded of the ye olden Terp riots from aught three. Except, you know, less fire and tits and pepper spray.
I'm trying to think of anything in my lifetime that has generated such a spontaneous, country wide celebration. The release of the last Harry Potter book maybe? It's like Oprah single-handedly won the World Cup out there.
These videos are insane. It's hard to watch these and not be struck by the sheer physical force and tangible participation evident in the process this time. I heard NPR state it plainly earlier tonight: you aren't seeing toasts in Democratic party headquarters or hotel ballrooms this time; it's in the streets, streaming out of doorways into the night into a celebrated commonality of experience. No matter what you thought of Obama, I think that causes you to pause for a moment.
On the New York City subway:
Down Penn. Ave. in Washington, right next to the White House:
More D.C.:
Harlem:
Broad Street in Philly
Singing the national anthem at Illinois State University:
Downtown Berkeley:
And maybe the best, a massive Cupid Shuffle outside MLK's church in the ATL:
The list goes on and on. I'm sure YouTube will continue to fill up with these videos overnight. Hot damn citizen journalism is great sometimes. Hard to watch these celebrations and not be immediately reminded of the ye olden Terp riots from aught three. Except, you know, less fire and tits and pepper spray.
I'm trying to think of anything in my lifetime that has generated such a spontaneous, country wide celebration. The release of the last Harry Potter book maybe? It's like Oprah single-handedly won the World Cup out there.
Monday, October 27, 2008
The Outworld vote is on lock
I've been bothered by the suprising lack of Baraka references during this election, particularly as all the discussion of "taking the gloves off" and "shoving knives into the other guy's throat" really ramped up in the past few weeks.
Finally, the kids over at OMG Lists (a site I appreciate for its unrepentant embrace of the quick-hit list meme that other sites try to disguise as sound research or, worse yet, journalism) have got my back.
This list also makes sweet reference love to Brak from Space Ghost and Brock Sampson from The Venture Brothers. All of this is a very important element of our political discourse, especially since it appears we are entering the "FINISH HIM" stage of the election.
Side note: I think Michelle would probably look pretty deadly in the Jade outfit. Just saying.
Finally, the kids over at OMG Lists (a site I appreciate for its unrepentant embrace of the quick-hit list meme that other sites try to disguise as sound research or, worse yet, journalism) have got my back.
6 Awesome Characters With Names Like Barack
2- Baraka from ''Mortal Kombat''
How they're similar:
They've both been accused of hanging out with the wrong crowd. Barack has been criticized for "palling around" with former terrorist William Ayers, while Baraka has been proven to be an associate of definite dark overlord Shao Khan.
How they're different:
Barack may be strong, but he doesn't have large blades growing out of his arms. Otherwise, those ''terrorist fist jabs'' would hurt.
This list also makes sweet reference love to Brak from Space Ghost and Brock Sampson from The Venture Brothers. All of this is a very important element of our political discourse, especially since it appears we are entering the "FINISH HIM" stage of the election.
Side note: I think Michelle would probably look pretty deadly in the Jade outfit. Just saying.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Learned Negro Gentleman for Rent
Our photo editor just showed me an e-mail from a woman who used the word "negro." As in:
"Here are three photos. The negro gentleman is James (Last Name Deleted), PhD, the white gentleman is Jim (Last Name Deleted) and the woman is me. LOL Lucy (Last Name Deleted)"
My immediate reaction was that this woman, who lives in the creepy settlement of oldsters known as Sun City, was surely of that sainted vintage where less-than-delicate comments are written off as missives from a lost era, the brutal remnants of a long and weathered existence, from when the world was ordered much differently, a time the rest of us can only read about on Wikipedia.
Not so, the photo editor said. She is, like, mid-40s.
I don't doubt that she meant no harm by the use of the term. But I was unaware this particular anachronism was still hibernating somewhere in the depths of society. Or maybe just in South Carolina, at least.
Then I Googled it out of curiosity, and discovered Rush Limbaugh has been calling Obama "Barack the Magic Negro," saying the candidate has been successful because people “can’t criticize the little black man-child.”
So...it's not just South Carolina, I guess. The first Google result (after definitions) is for a company called Rent-a-negro.com, the pitch being:
"Here are three photos. The negro gentleman is James (Last Name Deleted), PhD, the white gentleman is Jim (Last Name Deleted) and the woman is me. LOL Lucy (Last Name Deleted)"
My immediate reaction was that this woman, who lives in the creepy settlement of oldsters known as Sun City, was surely of that sainted vintage where less-than-delicate comments are written off as missives from a lost era, the brutal remnants of a long and weathered existence, from when the world was ordered much differently, a time the rest of us can only read about on Wikipedia.
Not so, the photo editor said. She is, like, mid-40s.
I don't doubt that she meant no harm by the use of the term. But I was unaware this particular anachronism was still hibernating somewhere in the depths of society. Or maybe just in South Carolina, at least.
Then I Googled it out of curiosity, and discovered Rush Limbaugh has been calling Obama "Barack the Magic Negro," saying the candidate has been successful because people “can’t criticize the little black man-child.”
So...it's not just South Carolina, I guess. The first Google result (after definitions) is for a company called Rent-a-negro.com, the pitch being:
What can you give a person
who has everything?
Give them a new black friend....
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
BREAKING JOHN EDWARDS ENDORSEMENTS
BREAKING NEWS ....
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) -- John Edwards today announced he is picking the New York Giants to win Super Bowl XLII and has finally submitted his NCAA bracket with Kansas as the winner. He also endorsed Blu-Ray over the HD format, threw his support behind Kelly Clarkson in the American Idol competition and switched all internet browsers in his home from Netscape to Firefox.
Way to take risks, John John.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) -- John Edwards today announced he is picking the New York Giants to win Super Bowl XLII and has finally submitted his NCAA bracket with Kansas as the winner. He also endorsed Blu-Ray over the HD format, threw his support behind Kelly Clarkson in the American Idol competition and switched all internet browsers in his home from Netscape to Firefox.
Way to take risks, John John.
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