Of hope and hoops — my letter to Barack

What I want from you, Barack, as my president, is not so terribly different from what I’d want from any man, really.

I want a decent man. One who is measured and calm. One who can inspire and uplift. One who keeps his word.

A man who knows how to work up a sweat, shoot hoop and maybe even swish from the three-point line. Or at least one who doesn’t mind making a fool out of himself trying.

I want a man who helps me believe again. And then once I do – I want that man to give me reason to keep believing. (more…)

In bed with the Bard

I just returned from New England where I was fortunate enough to go back to my alma mater and speak to students, faculty, and folks from the community. It was the most intimidating public speaking experience I’ve ever had — because many of these folks were the very ones who taught me how to think and then helped me discover how to inform my thinking. It was one of the best nights of my life — kind of coming full circle from my college years, returning to campus as a paid speaker and being able to chastise students for not voting, encourage them to become writers (except do it better/earlier/more effectively than I did), and to lecture the very professors who once lectured me. (more…)

Making marriage moral … really moral, not fake moral

I’m passionate about the rights of same-sex couples to marry! Here’s a column I wrote in December 2007 — but it’s doubly important now. Please look into your heart and vote NO on Amendment 2.

Last week, sponsors of a proposal to ban gay marriage in Florida announced that they’ve secured enough signatures to put the question to voters on the 2008 ballot.

Don’t you think the next item on the agenda will be to define precisely who and what qualifies as a “man” or “woman?” Because, after all, once a law exists, someone has to enforce it, and to do that you have to define its components. There’s so much variation in chromosomal make-ups, just how in the heck do they plan on preventing intragender marriage?

I mean, really, with all the mustaches darkening the upper lips of women and all those man-breasts flopping around under golf shirts – just who among us is really “all man” or “all woman?” (more…)

McCain/Palin supporters’ idea of trick or treat

Last night I woke to the sound of someone in my yard. By the time I threw on some clothes and ran outside they were gone … but here’s what they left behind (and no McCain/Palin signs on my street — of which there are four — were touched):

Pounding out the dents in democracy

As if last year’s blow to Sarasota’s election integrity — found in the August 15th 2006 letter from ES&S (Election Systems & Software) that was received but not disclosed to the public by the local Office of Elections — wasn’t enough, this year we have an entire Senate race missing from the absentee ballots mailed to some Sarasota County voters. Even though the number of erroneous ballots was relatively small and action was taken to rectify the situation, this recent blunder by Kathy Dent’s office — which again, was not made public by that office — rips the scab off the wound of the 2006 Jennings/Buchanan voting scandal. (more…)

Vox populi

Voting, Lyndon Johnson said, is the “first duty of democracy.”

I’d go one step beyond LBJ and say that voting is the first duty to one’s self, and an absolute imperative in duty toward family and community.

And for those among you who, perhaps as discontented as I with the current state of intellect and integrity among so many of the candidates, are thinking of not voting – all I ask is that you think again. (more…)

… “a larger number of voters get more money under Obama …”

Double click on image to read why Obama’s tax approach makes more sense for most Americans.

Morgan’s my man (for State Senate)

At a lunch meeting today with a prospective client, I mentioned Morgan Bentley — only I referred to him as Morgan Stanley! Good grief; at least the client only razzed me slightly.

Then, tonight, I was sitting outside on my stoop with my cat, Boomerang, on his cute little red leash. Covered in cat hair (Boomer and I had a tussle over putting on the leash) and dressed in my “cleaning the house” duds, I sat on the stoop with the door open, half-listening to the nightly news and enjoying the not-very-cool breeze.

Suddenly, a tall man walked up my driveway and startled me out of my reverie. (more…)

Will Sarah now accuse Powell of being pals with the pal of a terrorist?

I don’t know how much longer Sarah Palin and John McCain will be able to keep spouting their obsessive, delusional, and purposefully misleading rhetoric about Obama, pals, and terrorists. I imagine they’ll muffle that message beginning yesterday, at least if they’re even slightly capable of thinking rationally at this point.

Listen to — or read — Colin Powell’s comments on Meet the Press yesterday and you’ll experience a refreshing intelligence, candor, and sensibility that is all but missing from much of the public Republican dogma these days.

Yesterday, I walked in a march, along with several thousand other people, in support of Obama. The only ugly moment occurred when a rabid-looking woman (seriously, her face was so contorted with rage) sporting McCain/Palin decals, leaned out of her car and with both hands (luckily she wasn’t driving) jabbed her middle fingers in and up and down motion at the crowd of Obama supporters. It lasted only a few seconds, really, at least at that juncture (she probably continued her behavior all the way down the road), but it exemplified for me the sad quality of character exhibited by so many Palin/McCain supporters — at least in public.

Dawgs, dogs, and bitches

Lucky for me, I personally know very few people who are voting for the Palin/Joe the Plumber/McCain ticket.

But I do know a handful and here’s my snapshot of the three-headed Cerberus base: (more…)