healthcareshmelthcare

As someone who grew up with military healthcare, I have to disagree wholeheartedly with the idea that the military has the best healthcare in the country. It is an HMO, it doesn't cover all types of care and it is fairly conservative - contraception, it's an issue, especially for those not married. Just saying.

So, last night when I was watching this video, my mother invited me to one of those Tea Parties that the conservative movement has been holding across the country. I am all for free speech, and freedom of expression and making your views known to your elected leaders, but I'm not going to participate in something I don't believe in, but I find it fascinating that my mother still feels the need to argue with me about things. Healthcare is a privilege and if socialize healthcare is the only way we can achieve this, then so be it. In a society where employers aren't always able to afford to insure their employees, and in a country where they already have a limited public system, it only makes sense to make it accessible to more people.

America is Awake this Morning

Yesterday my roommate and I drove down to the train station to cast our ballots. For us, this was our "First Election" (it says so on my calendar) and luckily there wasn't a line; apparently they had all dissipated after the morning rush.

It was only a minute, but during that time I felt incredibly awake. Seeing Barack Obama and Joe Biden at the top of the ballot felt incredibly surreal. The time was finally there to vote!

Afterward, Jessica and I soaked in it. There was truly a sense of elation that came from that experience.

I have always thought that voting was important, but because I was previously underage and therefore not allowed to, I didn't quite understand how important. I do now.

Last night we started keeping watch on everything via the internet. Then I had to go do some radio station (www.wvcw.org) stuff and I ended up at Empire watching MSNBC on a projector above a bar. I cannot tell you how nervous I was. My body would not stop moving and Landis (who was with me) kept going on about what was "bothering me." Nothing was bothering me except the thought of the possiblity of McCain being president.

Unfortuneately around ten I had to head to Bagel Czar to some metal show to promote WVCW, but I really didn't do that and no one came anyway. Everyone was at a viewing party of some sort, of course! We were all checking CNN.com every five seconds. And at eleven I got a text from AJ, the first of exchanges between me and everyone over the Obama/Biden win!

At this poinst I was hysterical. I literally jumped up and down for about fifteen minutes. Everyone poured into the streets around campus. There were fireworks, carhorns, screaming, hugging, kissing, high fives, every form of introduction and affection could be seen. People expanded down Broad Street for about six to eight blocks. Intersections were closed down. Cops were everywhere (though, not really doing anything exceptin directing traffic).

Last night the only feelings present were those of love, beauty and unity. Never before have I experienced those feelings to that degree and with so many people.

America is forever changed by this election, and if last night was any indeication of the direction it's going, these next four years are going to be some of the most influential in histroy - not just for our government and country, but for our csociety and culture. Obama has sparked a tiny flame in us all to be better people, and that's change we can believe in.

I love Sarah Palin almost as much as I love Strawberry Mentos

I was running late to Focused Inquiry today, and about halfway there when Emily (from class) texted me to let me know that our professor never showed. Huzzah! I hate that class. Afterwards Lessa called and we ended up chatting about politics among other things for almost an hour when I realized I was late for an interview.

I ran by Rite-Aid to pick up some cassettes, to record the interview, and was distracted at the checkout by Mentos. More specifically, Strawberry Mentos. STRAWBERRY MENTOS! I've had them before, but they don't carry them everywhere, and Mentos are the best candy, so making them strawberry flavored just gets me giddy! I bought a box, and a box of sugarfree mixed berry. Mentos aren't particularly fattening, but they are unhealthy, so making them berry flavored and getting rid of the sugar..Whoa! It just keeps getting better.

After suffering from a short sugar overdose, I hopped on my bike and headed to the Republican Headquarters of Richmond...to interview a Republican for Ink (the school magazine). I was worried about being late, but he wasn't there. So I sat, and waited for them to give me some information about how to reach him later. While I was waiting a woman came in, in a very large, very red shirt. Across the front it said SARAH!

I had some "promotional" bags from Images and thought I'd give her one, I really need to build my clientele. She wouldn't take it but said, "I get my hair done in my neighborhood, AND I HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU!" And she tossed me an identical red shirt, in an extra-large.

I wasn't going to pass that up! A free shirt! That supports Sarah Palin! What more could a woman want? Nothing, that is the correct answer.

So, now I have a giant, red, tent that says SARAH! on it. I haven't yet decided what I'm going to do with it. Maybe a halloween costume? Maybe a "gift" for my mom? I don't know, but it's pretty sweet.

*Guys, look what I found, they should not be allowed to sell such large quantities to the general public.

Good Question(s)

My roommate is a polysci/history major. I appreciate this because she is not stupid in the slightest, and I'm pretty sure I would cut off my ears if I had to deal with someone stupid.

Anyway, she was reading The Nation last night and gave me the link to this article on Sarah Palin. After reading that one I found this one by the same person.

Sure it's "liberal media" but hell, she is right.

Now the last article I'll touch on a bit. I don't agree with it 100%, more like 95%. I don't think that girls/boys are being forced to have babies against "their judgment" because they already had bad judgment when they chose to have unprotected sex and I believe in contraception and wish that she had talked about that more. I understand that Palin was in a group that supported contraception, but she's stated over and over again that she will not support sex education that includes the teaching of contraception. If everyone would take care of that tiny detail we wouldn't have all the fuss about teen-pregnancy and abortions, now would we?