Quotting orangebeaver

[yolen]

Right now, in the 233rd year of the United States of America we have:

A black president...
A Catholic vice president...
A female Secretary of State...
A female Speaker of the House...
A Jewish Chief of Staff.

The WASPy ghosts are looking down from the afterlife and thinking, "What the f--- happened to the Old America?"

Comments

[zeldazonk.livejournal.com]

It's a great mix!

[alladinsane.livejournal.com]

A black President that was a result of a mixed marriage...

The ghosts prob also marvel that there is actually still an America...for much of the US' history, the country's existence was very tenuous at best...

[yolen.livejournal.com]

Those old ghosts are in all kinds of shock, hehe.

Or an extended First Family that looks like this...

[alladinsane.livejournal.com]

President Obama hugged his half-sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, at her December 2003 wedding to Konrad Ng, third from right, in Hawaii. From left, his daughters, Sasha and Malia; his grandmother Madelyne Dunham, seated; Konrad’s parents, Joan and Howard Ng, and brother Perry Ng; and Michelle Obama.

Re: Or an extended First Family that looks like this...

[dcdragon67.livejournal.com]

Awww!!!

Re: Or an extended First Family that looks like this...

[yolen.livejournal.com]

That's a lovely picture, thanks!
Those kids kill me with their cute.
And I can only imagine how a picture like this would worry certain people living in parts of "Real America". Well, this is what I see when I walk down my city streets. Doesn't get any realer than this, baby.

[mizerychick.livejournal.com]

Or the waspy ghosts don't care... not every old white dude is a racist. Frankly, I'm quite irritated that the assholes in office who by coincidence happen to share my gender (having a twat is not a skill) seem to think that they represent me.

[yolen.livejournal.com]

Oh, I agree, having a twat is not a skill. And I'm not in like with HRC, much less love. And fie on Condaleeza Rice. But I think it's significant progress that these women have held such high office. It's still a struggle for women and people of color to achieve certain things without, you know, being "a credit to their sex/race". I mean, god forbid Palin were in office right now. I'd be sick to my stomach and hating her guts. Like I've done with Cheney. Equal opportunity hating, see see? :P

"Our struggle today is not to have a female Einstein get appointed as an assistant professor. It is for a woman schlemiel to get as quickly promoted as a male schlemiel."--Bella Abzug

[mizerychick.livejournal.com]

"a credit to their sex/race"

There are few things I find more offensive than statements like that. People represent themselves - that's it.

Personally, I don't find it significant because I don't think that being a certain gender or race or whatever is something that anyone should be applauded or denigrated for. It's just what we are on the outside, and has no bearing on whether people can competently perform at their jobs.

To me, the low level composition of high ranking politicians at the moment is just a marker to describe where we are in society. There's historical interest, but nothing of substance because those people are still individuals who make their own individual choices.

[yolen.livejournal.com]

There are few things I find more offensive than statements like that. People represent themselves - that's it.
I hate that shit, too.

Personally, I don't find it significant because I don't think that being a certain gender or race or whatever is something that anyone should be applauded or denigrated for. It's just what we are on the outside, and has no bearing on whether people can competently perform at their jobs.

But not everyone is as enlightened as you are. Plenty of people are still being rejected for lots of opportunities to prove themselves (or not) because they have the "wrong" genitals or color or slant of the eyes. Oh, well, we'll have to agree to disagree as far as the significance of certain things :).

And completely OT, LOL @ your icon. When we went to DragonCon in 2007, there was this dude with the most awesome "Ignore Me!" guy costume. He made sure (of course) to go to the huge Venture Brothers panel and I swear, Doc Hammer almost pissed himself, the costume looked great and he asked his questions in character--booming voice and all. There was also a pretty damn good Brock who asked something in character, the dudes on the panel were impressed with the impression.

[mizerychick.livejournal.com]

Plenty of people are still being rejected for lots of opportunities to prove themselves (or not) because they have the "wrong" genitals or color or slant of the eyes.

I understand where you're coming from but I just don't think that we should right a wrong by overcorrecting, and that's what I think a lot of the "yay, the whities must be horrified" talk leads to. If the outcome of this election is for someone to reevaluate their feelings on individuality, racism, misogyny, whatever, then that's the best I can hope for. I just don't like assuming or gloating over someone else's maybe-but-who-knows possible discomfort with the administration based on race/gender/religion. It seems ooky.

HA! about the Grand Galactic Inquisitor at DragonCon. That's pretty awesome. clever_title, greyflannelsuit and I dressed up like monarch henchmen with me as Dr. Mrs. The Monarch for Halloween this year and they came out pretty awesome. Damn, I love that show.