Disappointment in Senators

I used to respect Hillary Clinton. I liked what she was doing and does for my home state of New York. Her latest bill, which she is co-sponsoring with a Republican Senator, deeply disappoints me. The bill would, if passed, ban flag burning. She claims that her decision to propose the bill came after much discussion with veteran groups in NY who were deeply offended by the practice. Of course she does not provide statistics on how many flags are burned a year - in the US or in NY.

Why does this disappoint me? It strikes of pandering to the conservative right, solidifying the belief she plans to run for President in '08. Flag burning should not be an issue supported by Mrs. Clinton: banning it would violate the First Amendment. Burning a flag does not endanger anyone; it does not physically harm a person. Nor does it cause a person to fear for his or her life. It is, rather, an exercise of a person's free will to express displeasure by burning a material object that represents the US. I firmly believe banning the action of burning a flag violates the First Amendment. To find a politician I admired sponsoring a bill that would restrict our already greatly restricted freedoms saddens me. Furthermore, I do not see how flag burning is even an issue in today's society - people are not running around the streets burning flags on the corner.

For shame Mrs. Clinton. You just lost yourself a voter.

Darfur

I do not know what is worse: that after swearing we would never let genocide happen again, our governments are letting it, or the utter ignorance in the populace which seem not to realize that people are being murdered for being African in the Sudan. Few newspapers or media outlets report on the tragedy that is taking place right now in the Sudan. Nicholas Kristoff, an editorialist for the NY Times has done his best to alert his readers to the horrors, often bringing his readers face to face with someone who was raped, escaped or saw their family killed/tortured by the janjaweed. Today the NY Times had an editorial piece discussing the tragedy. The Economist has also reported on it, though they have been silent in recent months.

It is really quite tragic that genocide is happening now in the 21st century. After the Holocaust, the world declared "Never again", yet the track record we have had in stopping or preventing genocide have been laughable. It is time for world powers to stand by their declarations and do something before once again it is too late.

Thoughts on Veterans Day

It is amazing to me how little Veteran's Day means to most people - or maybe it is just the people I see in the street. In Europe, it is a national holiday. In America, unless you work for the government or a generous employer, it is merely one more day. On November 11, 1918, the Armistace ending World War I was signed, bringing closure to a war whose effects are far more reaching than many assume. The four years of heavy and hard and yes, even senseless fighting, changed Europe and drove foreign policy for years. The damage caused by the Great War would not be fully realized until decades later, if then. One can still go to the Somme, Verdenne or Ypres and see the damage caused by the incessant bombardments, the trench warfare that took so many lives.
Veteran's Day is a celebration - the end of a war, the first war that ushered in modern warfare to the European mind. (To be fair, the American Civil War displayed the terrible price modern armies could pay during war time.)It is also a day of remembrance and thanksgiving: to the soldiers who were, who died protecting something they believed in; the soldiers who are, who even now are fighting and dying for what they believe in; and the soldiers who will be.
War is a terrible thing. Yet to forget it or triviliaze the actions of the men and women who fight is worse.

No big surprise

That Mike Bloomberg was re-elected as NYC mayor was no big surprise. Not only do many New Yorkers like him (I am luke warm to him), but he also enters the history books as the person who spent the most money ever on a municipal election campaign. $75 million, much of it his own. It is frustrating, if only because he began his re-election campaign ahead of his opponent by many percentage points. There was no need, in my mind, to spend such an obscene amount of money to merely ensure that his lead remained as high as it did. Poor Freddy. I suspect that even if he had clear messages, he would have still lost - he didn't have nearly the same amount of money as Mike and certainly could never outspend him.

The spending of compaign money has become a bigger and bigger issue in recent elections. Perhaps because the world is such a multimedia state now, that it is far easier to reach your constituents than ever before. Mike Bloomberg was able to spend as much as he could because he funded his own campaign. It helps to be a billionaire I guess. He claims that because the money is his own, there is no worry that he must follow a party agenda - he is not obligated to since he didn't take Republican money. I find it scary, however, that a man such as he can literally out buy his competitor in all ways. Elected officials should be bound by the same laws that hamper corporations and individuals in contributions. While they may not owe the party any favors, they are also not held accountable or in check by anyone else. Sometimes we need some checks and balances.

Some politics

Reading the headlines in today's newspaper (well the NY Times) it seems as if the whole world is in a violent mood. Riots in Argentina in protest of Bush's visit and plans of economic globalization (hate to tell people but globalization is here to stay. Get used to it!); the continuing riots in France (they should really revise their immigration practices - that is, don't stuff immigrants into small communities and prevent them from bettering themselves.); a terrorist group threatening to kill the Morrocan diplomat and his driver they captured in Iraq last month; forged documents from Italy, CIA prisons in Eastern Europe, and of course, more violence in Israel and Iraq... yeah, this is a great week.

What is so frustrating about news nowadays is the constant drivel people are fed on the 24 hour stations and even in the newspapers. I watch CNN during my lunch hour (its either that or something inane on MTV) and half the time, I don't see how the news stories they go with are, well... news. Similar to the rant I had the other day about puggles, I really don't care about the latest trend; I'm far more concerned with how much we're screwing with the environment, international relations and the economy.

What also scares me is the lack of a coherent opposition party in the US. I just wish the Democrats or a third party would start to provide an actual alternative to the Republicans, rather than simply sit around and do nothing.

Some thoughts

Why is the newest dog phenomenum in NYC making the morning news? Why should I care that the puggle is newest "in" thing to own? (For those of you wondering, a puggle is a cross between a pug and a beagle. Retails for between US$600-900 - the smaller it is, the more expensive.) I like my morning news. I get dressed to it, put on my makeup to it and eat my breakfast to it. I certainly don't need to hear about that or that The Christmas Spectacular may not open tonight b/c the Rockettes walked out in support of the musician strike. (Am I the only one who doesn't find this "mean" and "scrooge-like"?)

Why is it that SI gets ignored all year round except during election time? Last week it was Bloomburg people (yech!) and city council people (who I haven't a clue). Tuesday it was the people in support of Proposition 2 (letting the MTA sell bonds to improve the public transport system... I need to look into this to see if I want to support a MTA project.). Last night, it was Freddy. I like Freddy. I also like that his supporters didn't harangue me into taking a pamphlet. I feel bad for Freddy. Mike has outspent him (helps that he is a billionaire) and bought off Democratic politicians who might have actually *gasp* endorsed Freddy. It doesn't help that Freddy is unable to provide a coherent message or plan of action. Sadly, it looks like Mike will be back.

This morning, it was Bloomberg (again), the city council men (again) and good old Mike Macmahon. MM worked out a deal with Mike. MM won't endorse Freddy and in return Mike won't endorse MM's rival and will let MM's wife get the judgeship she wants. (MM, is by-the-by, a Democrat.)MM worked the crowd today as we waited for the ferry to begin boarding. Smiling snarkily and surrounded by his supporters, he attempted to win some more votes. His rival is my neighbor. Now I don't like her b/c she and her family do not clean up after their dog and its done its business on my lawn. But I'm tempted to vote for her just b/c MM pisses me off. Somebody else, a Luguisi (sp?) supporter attempted to waylay me with a pamphlet. I put on my finest sneer of disgust and he backed away. It's moment like that that I am satisfied my years of practicing NY disdain have paid off.

A day off of work

When one decides to take the day off, for no other reason than mere convenience, there is always a feeling of giddiness, or so I have found. It is not that I don't have the days to spend, -and believe me, I do - but there is also this slight feeling of guilt - that I should be at the office, that I should be working on the number of cases that I am in the middle of...

Despite this feeling, I am also giddily aware that this is a sort of freedom, I have not had in quite a while. Waking up late, not leaving or dressing for the office... it is a good feeling.

Of course, that I can spend a good portion of my day with my love helps. That I will be seeing friends this afternoon and tonight also helps. And that it is Friday... oh yes, that most certainly helps.

Being in the workforce after ~20 years of being a student has been an illuminating experience. I am glad for it, but I will not be disappointed to see it go, when I start law school next year.