Trifecta sprinkled with sarcasm

You'll be surprised to hear (not) that I was completely bowled over by Senator Barack Obama's speech on race and hope yesterday. I believe that it could be a pivotal moment in our history, when a person of courage spoke words that many of us (black and white) have said privately to an entire nation, and where a person of vision asked us to acknowledge our feelings and motivations and move beyond them.

A good politician would have worked to bury the Wright issue as quickly and quietly as possible. A good politician would have completely dumped Wright and not looked back. But a good person is able to see beyond black and white issues, inhabiting the gray area of not dumping those who have meaning in our lives, even when what they say hurts or offends us.

I am truly honored to be supporting Obama. No sarcasm intended here. :-)

Speaking of honor, isn't wonderful the way our President has honored the 5th anniversary of the War in Iraq by declaring it (once again) a victory? Not. In Fantasy Land, where George W. Bush lives, not only have we reigned victorious, but the world has become a safer place because of that victory. Mm hmm.

In addition, Bush claims that the costs of this war are being "exaggerated". I'm not clear why anyone would need to exaggerate the costs of this war. $504, 899,000,000. As of 2:44pm Central Standard Time. See? No exaggeration necessary.

Isn't it a bit difficult to remember that we are actually at war? Have you noticed the drastic reduction in network news coverage of same? It's not just your imagination. Only 3% of the media's coverage of news was related to the war in Iraq. If you'd like to sign an open letter protesting this paucity and asking for me, try here.

And speaking of coverage, recent news reports have ballyhooed a reduction in birth rates for teens. But don't mistake that for good use of coverage, er, condoms by those same teens. A quarter of teen girls in the US have an STD. That means, for those of us who are deficient in the fraction department, one girl out of the four currently planning a sleepover at your house this Friday night has one.

Of course, I'm sure it's not my daughter. Nor your daughter. But it has to be someone's daughter. A whole lot of someone's daughters. So, on the off chance that maybe your daughter might tell someone else's daughter to use condoms, consider mentioning it to yours. Might also want to mention that tin foil isn't a good condom substitute. Or that girls can get STDs from oral sex.

Or, here's a novel thought: if you're the father of a son, consider telling him that real men insist on protecting the women they love--or even like.

Liz