Yes We Did

In order to do this:


Some of us stood in lines like this:


And Listened to people like this:


Now there will be no more of this:


Because we finally have this:



I am still rejoicing and it has been over a month now! Such historical change seems a bit surreal to me. Where will you be for the inguration on January 20th, 2009?

Why Did The Chicken Cross the Road?

BARACK OBAMA: The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a change! The chicken wanted change!

JOHN MC CAIN: My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.

HILLARY CLINTON: When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure - right from Day One! - that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.

GEORGE W. BUSH: We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. Make no mistake, there is no middle ground here.

DICK CHENEY: Where's my gun?

COLIN POWELL: Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.

BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with that chicken. What is your definition of chicken?

AL GORE: I invented the chicken.

JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.

AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white? We need some black chickens.

DR. PHIL: The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on this side of the road before it goes after the problem on the other side of the road... What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his current problems before adding new problems.

OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.

NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because he's guilty! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.

MARTHA STEWART: No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.

DR SEUSS: Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Did he cross it with a hare? Did he cross it with a bear? Did he check if the road was hot? I kinda doubt it, I think not! Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed, I've not been told. Just one more thing I have to say, it's been bugging me to this very day. If the Chicken is a she, why do we keep saying HE?

ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain, alone.

JERRY FALWELL: Because the chicken was gay! Can't you people see the plain truth? That's why they call it the 'other side.' Yes, my friends, that chicken is gay. And if you eat that chicken, you will become gay, too. I say we boycott all chickens until we sort out this abomination that the liberal media whitewashes with seemingly harmless phrases like 'the other side.' That chicken should not be crossing the road . It's as plain and as simple as that.

GRANDPA: In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

BARBARA WALTERS: Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heartwarming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its lifelong dream of crossing the road.

ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

JOHN LENNON: Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.

BILL GATES: I have just released eChicken2008, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your checkbook. Internet Explorer is an integral part of eChicken2008. This new platform is much more stable and will never crash, but look out for a virus called "FLEWTHECOOP" that is targeting eChicken2008, therefore, we are already working on eChicken2010.

ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?

COLONEL SANDERS: You mean I missed one?

I had to share this just because it provided me with a laugh and I thought that you may enjoy it too....

Adopted???

My sister and I have many things in common. We are both outspoken, like to entertain, understand the dynamics of our family better than anyone else, we enjoy long walks, time outdoors, as well as gardening, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. On the other hand, we are also drastically different. Our differences are most evident when looking at our religious, political, and social views.

Last Friday, as I headed to Richmond, I called my sister. We typically talk on a daily basis. She is a McCain supporter so I decided to ask what she thought about McCain's Vice Presidential candidate choice, Sarah Palin. She proceeded to let me know that she was not at all happy about this decision. So, I probed regarding what she was disappointed about. This is when the bomb dropped. My wonderful loving sister then said, "I don't think that women should hold such roles of authority. It is OK for women to be teachers, but not ministers, president, or vice president." At this point, I was absolutely speechless for one of the first times in my life. I think that she thought I had dropped the call because as time passed with her calling my name it took all the strength my vocal cords had to whisper, "I'm here, just speechless."

Her comment launched us into further discussion regarding exactly where she thinks the line should be drawn as far as women holding roles of authority. When our conversation was over I still did not have a clear view on where she saw that line. It is difficult for me to comprehend that it is OK for a woman to educate our future ministers, presidents, and vice presidents, but that she has no business in those roles herself. I am a firm believer in selecting the best person for the job regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, etc. I mean is that not the same as saying that Obama should not be President because he is black? Are these thoughts common amongst conservatives?

My sister states based on her biblical research she does not believe that women should hold such roles. Now I certainly do not consider myself to be an expert on biblical matters, but as the daughter of a Methodist minister I have spent a lot of my life in church and I must have completely missed those lessons. She went on to further explain that she believes that a woman's main role should be to act as a wife and a mother. Now that is all fine and dandy, but not every woman may have those opportunities. For example, whose to say that I will ever get married? One of my friends says, "The only thing worse than never marrying is marrying the wrong person". If I do not marry then the only way that I will have children is if I go to Africa and adopt. Keep in mind that I would not rule such an option out. Back to my point though, isn't being a mother a role of authority or am I completely out of the loop?

Anyhow, this whole story gets me back to the title of this post. After the said conversation I called my father and told him that I was very disappointed that he had never told me that I was adopted. I then went on to say that I was thirty years old and it was about time that I knew the truth. He was completely confused and then I explained the story to him and told him that I was certain that it was impossible for two individuals to be related and view the world from such entirely different perspectives. He was dying laughing by this point. My father knows both of us very well, but he is very aware of how different we are.

Now many may be thinking that my sister is going to kill me for sharing this story, but that is not at all the case. I told her that I was so floored by the conversation and I knew I would have to include this one on my blog. She laughed and said that was fine. She is not ashamed of her views nor am I. The thing that I find incredible about our relationship is despite our VERY different views we are able to discuss them without arguing, listening to both sides of the story, and agreeing to disagree. I wish that there was a lot more of that mentality in politics today. So what do think about women as ministers, presidents, vice presidents, etc? Am I just a crazy liberal or what?

Racial Tension

Please check out this link when you have a chance and read the article. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20218937/site/newsweek/page/0/
Some of you may be aware of what has been going on in Jena, LA and some may not.

On August 28, 1963 as Martin Luther King, Jr. lead a massive march on Washington he declared his "I Have a Dream Speech" from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. I am including a small excerpt below.

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

Unfortunately, 44 years later his dream has yet to be fully fulfilled. I am reminded of this on a regular basis. Mostly recently I was reminded of this as I read about the situation in Jena, LA.

On a more personal note, this Monday I was reminded that racism still continues as my own grandmother expressed her displeasure over the news of my recent engagement. I was devastated that she would decide to judge Amiri "by the color of [his] skin [rather than] the content of [his] character. This will be a constant struggle for us, however it is a small price to pay for a love like this. I wonder if Martin Luther King, Jr. was around today if he would be amazed at how far things have come or shocked by how much more there is to do.

Bushisms

At a press conference in Washington, in late September, President Bush embarrassed himself and the country when he said Nelson Mandela was dead.

President Bush said that he heard somebody say, Where's Mandela? Then he responded, "Well, Mandela's dead because Saddam Hussein killed all the Mandelas."

I don't even know how to respond to this so for once I will keep it short. If there is any other way to interpret this please enlighten me. For now, I'm afraid that this is just another quote to be added to the bushism books. No wonder people look at America and shake their heads.