Hyperbole

It's about to happen. The Biggest Weather Event Ever. A Winter Storm is Approaching. Danger, danger, warning Will Robinson! My husband called to tell me he'd been announcing "potentially life-threatening conditions" in his weather reports this morning. Geez-o-pete. Might it be possible for us to get a grip on our societal obsession with all things weather-related? Or more globally, all things hyperbole?

Yes, a nasty storm is on the horizon. Potentially. They call it weather prediction for a reason, though. Weather predicting, as happens with so much else in life, is an imperfect science--closer to an art, to my eye. When dealing with such inexactitudes, the large scale capital letter italicized media reactions seem a touch overblown.

So does the NOW--New York State press release castigating Senator Edward Kennedy for endorsing Obama over Clinton. Ouch for us feminists. It's a betrayal of women to choose Obama, a male candidate with impeccable feminist credentials, over Clinton? This statement seems to confuse being a feminist with creating knee-jerk requirements that any woman should prevail in this race simply because she's a woman.

Apparently the national NOW organization agrees, having quickly released a statement recommitting itself to Clinton but making nice to Kennedy and backing away from NOW-NYS's intemperate and unreasoned reaction.

Girlfriends, I want a woman in the White House as much as the next feminist. But not enough that I'll vote for any woman. And not enough that I'll vote for a woman that if I feel she will make a lesser president than the other candidates presented.

I continue to support Edwards. But I am waffling at this point. I'm not convinced at this point that he'll have enough delegates to bring him some influence at the Convention, which would be my main reason for voting for him. I am undecided between Clinton and Obama, but heavily leaning toward Obama.

Here is today's good reason why I might support Obama: I think Obama could be a true bridge between the gay and African-American communities, possibly bringing black liberals more in line with mainstream liberal opinion supporting gay rights.

While I'm deciding, I'm going to attempt to avoid hyperbole, as well as avoid driving in The World's Most Horrible Storm Ever this evening.

Liz