Thousands Pack Downtown D.C. To Protest Spending. While the story is pretty straight forward and doesn't go in for much editorializing the comments are predictably brainless and awash with stereotyping. Here's another story about the protests. The AARP adds that popped up with it were amusing.
With thousands of American coming to his home to speak their minds the President nonetheless contrives to find himself half way across the country once again making claims that those who oppose his vision for health care insurance reform want the "status quo".
Mr. President you say you are not going to back down on health care insurance reform but you should be aware that the American people aren't going to back down either. Not after the stimulus. Not after the bailouts. Not after the government take over of private companies. Not after TARP. The "bickering" will continue in grand American fashion. Seriously, are the American people expected to just roll over and go along with your plan because you tell us to? I'm mighty tired of anecdotes and empty assurances about how good this current health care insurance reform plan is (if one could call the convoluted monstrosities currently in consideration a "plan"). I can't speak for anyone else but I would dearly love to see a detailed explanation of how the thing is supposed to work. And by detailed explanation I mean something along the lines of, "Section X of bill Y will result in outcome Z because of A, B, and C". And so on and so on until you have gained our trust.
One last thing, work to get health care reform RIGHT not RIGHT NOW.
But what they probably DIDN'T tell you was that it's happening at the same time as the Black Family Reunion, also on the Mall.
Those flags and placards are held at quite a different stance near the Capitol than they are near the Smithsonian Metro in the middle of the Mall, after you get past all the step shows and soul food joints.
Unfortunately, there's almost no communication between the two groups, except for some suspicious looks. Well, and good ole American commerce. The protesters ain't have nowhere to eat, so chicken and ribs it is.
Hang on, this just occurred to me. The first black President deserted DC during Black Family Reunion weekend? I'm assuming that this is a popular well known well established DC event for the black community, and he missed it?
The teenager who joked with me over physics and algebra homework tonight was 6 months old the morning of September 11, 2001. He spent that day like many other 6 month olds spend their days, exploring his world and being saved from his own curiosity by mom. That morning after I got tired of hauling him back from the edge of the bed he was intent on crawling over I took him downstairs to safer level terrain. I turned on the television to check the news like I did every morning back then. At first I was horrified by what I saw. One smoldering tower. Not long after, while all the reporters and newscasters were struggling to make sense of what they were seeing, one plane, another tower, and I was pissed. At that point I understood what was happening. Why did people think, and still think, that kind of wretchedness served their cause? I didn't care what the cause was. These were arrogant fools. But the news kept coming about just how wretched humanity had been to itself that day. The
I've been doing research into autism, dyspraxia, how the normal brain works, and how an autistic/dyspraxic brain works (or doesn't work). Traumatic injury to different parts of the brain can cause the same problems suffered by autistic and dyspraxic children. Compare this list of the functions of different parts of the brain and the problems caused by injuries to those areas with these descriptions of dyspraxia and autism. What is Developmental Dyspraxia? Developmental dyspraxia is a disorder characterized by an impairment in the ability to plan and carry out sensory and motor tasks. Generally, individuals with the disorder appear "out of sync" with their environment. Symptoms vary and may include poor balance and coordination, clumsiness, vision problems, perception difficulties, emotional and behavioral problems, difficulty with reading, writing, and speaking, poor social skills, poor posture, and poor short-term memory. Although individuals with the disorder may b
Here are the letters I mentioned in the previous post. The one that started it (I'm guessing these letters were written after the show's first airing at the end of 2003): Galactica Needs More Diversity The problem I had with Battlestar Galactica was there were no major and very few minor African American characters. There were no Black men in the show at all or if they were, they had virtually no screentime. In the original series, Boomer and Tigh were both played by African American actors. In this rendition of Battlestar, those characters were played by Asian and White actors. In the Caprica city, there no African American extras. On the Galactica's bridge, there was only one African American actress. Another Black actress could be found playing a religious official that swore in the new President of the colonies. This was very troubling to me. Do you not want African Americans to watch your show? Do you want to project the idea that African Americans are not part of the
But what they probably DIDN'T tell you was that it's happening at the same time as the Black Family Reunion, also on the Mall.
ReplyDeleteThose flags and placards are held at quite a different stance near the Capitol than they are near the Smithsonian Metro in the middle of the Mall, after you get past all the step shows and soul food joints.
Unfortunately, there's almost no communication between the two groups, except for some suspicious looks. Well, and good ole American commerce. The protesters ain't have nowhere to eat, so chicken and ribs it is.
I was LOL'n all over the place.
That seems to be a wasted opportunity.
ReplyDeleteI had to chuckle at the brother in the video being an enterprising capitalist selling US flags to the protesters.
Avery, do you have pictures? I had no idea the Black Family Reunion was held this weekend.
ReplyDeleteHang on, this just occurred to me. The first black President deserted DC during Black Family Reunion weekend? I'm assuming that this is a popular well known well established DC event for the black community, and he missed it?
ReplyDelete