is what one of my students said today.

That’s not true for most of us. The student happens to have hit the privilege lotto, he’s an able bodied white male. He can create his own reality. He doesn’t have to see racism, sexism, homophobia, abelism, and since he’s still young, ageism, or classism.

But for a large portion of us, we don’t get that option. Regardless of whether I am a feminist or fundy Christian housewife, if I forget that my reality is that I am a woman, I can be hurt. Killed even. I don’t get to make sexism not part of my reality. When I try- something will happen to throw my femaleness back in my face as if I am less than, other, outside. I’ll be chased and threatened when I don’t respond to cat calls. I’ll be stalked and harassed when I try to have my own political opinion.

That is my reality. I put myself in peril to imagine otherwise.

But I do imagine it can get better. That’s why i fight. Thats why I will turn and confront the cat callers. That’s why I don’t shut up even when stalkers get close.
That’s why I end up in repetitive arguments with people to get them to someday come around to the idea that sexism is bad. And in tiny amounts, it works.

I can’t create my own reality, but someday maybe I won’t have to imagine a world where a walk to work or the grocery store isn’t fraught with peril.

There seems to be some misconception that pro-Hillary means anti-Obama by default.

They are two separate issues. If I was JUST pro Hillary, I would do what I do every time my preferred candidate loses a primary election (see Jerry Brown, John Edwards, etc) and vote for the Dem in the GE, even if they weren’t my first choice.

But this is beyond all that. This has become a fight for what the meaning of the Democratic party is. Are we the party of inclusiveness, of voting rights, of level playing fields and equal opportunity.

Or are we the party of snobbery. of vote hijacking, of back room deals and hate of those who are less (women, the poor).

I believe that Hillary represents the best of the Democratic party. She is inclusive. She is Roosevelt. She is the promise of better days ahead for everyone.

I believe that Obama will do more than just ignore people like me. I believe that faction of the Democratic party will work to silence the one way that I have any kind of political power – my vote. My state already has the problem of an undemocratic caucus that gets all the delegates and a democratic primary that gets none. I don’t want to see that kind of problem spread. I don’t want to see other states disenfranchised like Florida and Michigan. I don’t want our only protection from political forces to be silenced.

And that is why I will not vote Dem. if Obama is the nominee. Not because of the way my candidate has been treated, but because it means that the party has become something that I can no longer support.

Two different issues.

Go vote already.

Here’s what my letter to Gov. Gregoire and Rep. Jim McDermott said:

I urge you to switch your Convention voting pledge from Barack Obama to Hillary Clinton.

I have been a yellow dog Democrat my entire life, but the sexism and classism coming from both the DNC and Obama are forcing me to support Cynthia McKinney instead. I refuse to support a party or a candidate that does not have my best interests at heart, and as a working class, single mother, the party has shown that people like me don’t matter at all. Only Hillary has shown concern and real plans for fixing the state of the poor (of all colors), of women and of the economy.

I also will not be voting for any candidate that supports sexism, and that includes super delegates that vote for Obama. While this may mean little to Rep. McDermott, Gov. Gregoire is going to be in another tight race with Dino Rossi and needs every vote she can get. Mine won’t be one of them.

Some people say that I am betraying my party by refusing to vote for Obama, but a Democratic party that uses sexism and exclusion of the working class and ALL other races besides black and white (sorry Latinos- you may be that fastest growing demographic in the country, but the Dems don’t want you) is no longer the Big Tent party. If there is no room for me in the tent, then you don’t get my votes.

Sincerely,
RQ

Links Here to write your own Super D’s.

Via Hoyden About Town comes these graphic novel type drawings of the earthquake in China.

I was sobbing at my desk. Fair warning.

Insomnia is fun! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

So I’ve just been tortured by the worst movie in the world, maybe second worst. Hard to tell. They are both ridiculous “thrillers” set in Venice starring very distinguished actors. The plots blow, the direction sucks, the dialog is stifled and horrid, and there is always some stupid supernatural element and lots of soft focus love scenes.

So the movie tonight was Night Train To Venice with Hugh Grant and Malcolm fricken McDowell. Something about neonazis and dead wives and cross dressers singing Ma Vie En Rose.

I have no idea what the point of this movie was.

The previous most sucky movie in history is Don’t Look Now with Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie. We spent the whole movie going “Don’t look now- it really is that bad”. I’m pretty sure the entire movie was made so that Sutherland could get a free vacation to Venice and spend a few days rolling around naked with Julie Christie. In the end, a homicidal dwarf did it. No one knows why.

There ya go peeps. News you can use.

If you haven’t read Dr. Violet Socks over at Reclusive Leftist, you totally should.

If you’re not reading Reclusive Leftist now, it’s probably because she’s been torn from the intertubes by a satellite disaster.

She’s got a fabulous brain, dead or alive, and we really need to do what we can to get that brain back online.

So head on over, show her some love.

Looks like Hillary took Puerto Rico by about 70% to BO’s 30.We’re still waiting for final counts, but she kicked ass.

And in honor of her outstanding win, here’s Red State Updates’ Rat Boat!

Senator McCain shows how to be gracious and respectful to the opposition. And probably picks up more than a few disgruntled Hillary voters in the process.