Make Way, Woman Coming Through

John McCain has chosen Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska, as his VP running mate. There is an uproar about it, and I'm just excited.

Everybody is talking about her experience, family, and the fact that she isn't like Hillary, but the fact is that she is a woman. No, we don't want just any woman as a leader, but I think she had to accept that offer.

Women have been fighting for rights and leadership positions for years. Hillary Clinton was positioned to be the first female president. That would have been historic. Now we have a chance to have a woman as VP. She's Republican, and she has all of these dynamic qualities that would make her appealing to the some of the masses. She has been governor of Alaska for a few years and served as mayor. She's got five kids, a kid in military, and a new special needs baby.

I don't care what she does or does not have, as a woman, if your phone rings and somebody asks you to run to be the first _______, and offers you support and resources to do it, I think you have to take it. Often the game is being played by men, and when the boys consider you enough to invite you to the team, you got to go play. Sometimes you have to play whatever position they let you, but remember, you're now the only girl on the field. If you figure it out and don't get blamed for losing the game, you can stay on the field, maybe change positions, or suggest another girl for the team. Boom, doorway opened.

Yes, she's got five kids and might be dragging a 4-month-old around the country. Yes, she's new to the block of US politics. Yes, she's done interesting things and maybe had a little scandal. She might not have any foreign policy experience. She might not have anything in common with Hillary Clinton except anatomy, but some women will just throw her support and some others who just don't want a brother in the White House. (Then you couldn't necessarily call it The White House.) But, if somebody called me and asked me, you better believe I would take it and know there were sacrifices to the family, and that I'd get bumped around as wet behind the ears, but I would figure it out as it happened. Pay a nanny to travel if I had to, do coursework secretly, whatever it took, I would do it.

You know why? Because the reason I give for not accepting it, lack of experience or confidence in experience, family obligations, other commitments, etc., are exactly the reasons the boys on the team will not call another woman the next time. They won't risk the risk on depending on a woman and her not stepping up or giving up whatever she is doing to if they need her. They will question her priorities. Or they'll say, "She won't do it. She's got kids."

Some of this is about Republicans and Democrats. Some of this is about women's space in politics or breaking glass ceilings. I am not going to vote for Sarah Palin or John McCain, but I thank them for keeping my spot on the team open. (Next time is coming.)

What does Obama have in common with DMX?

I have refrained from commenting on the Obama campaign though I have had many thoughts...but tonight I make a fist with my right hand and pound my chest. On the anniversary of King speech from 45 years ago, today is a good day.

No other time have we heard Obama draw a line in the sand except when it came to them messing with his wife. But tonight he drew the line (with multiple crescendos in the speech) in the sand like he was at a debate. (Argument one, Argument two, respond prophylactically to attack, argument, argument, and close it up tight) I see this now... I saw this before ... I recognize this ... I remember this ... I believe this ... I will debate anything (but I ain't getting my suit dirty so don't try it) ... and then in a very Columbia and Harvard-esque manner - John McCain, the people asked for somebody to step up and offered to step up with me, so (in the words of DMX for us hood) "MEET ME OUTSIDE."

Then to answer the question of my religion...Muslim or Christian? In the words of scripture...
"Hold firmly..."(That was Hebrews 10:23)

And walk away! Where my kids? Where my wife? Where my VP? You want America back? Joe, let's do this!

Guns in Schools

Last week I heard on the radio that two states are considering allowing teachers to carry, hold, possess, use guns in schools. Something about improving the safety of the kids. I was a teacher and still consider myself a teacher. I come from a family of teachers, and I wonder how this even came up. Oxymoronic for multiple reasons...

1. I remember some days when I wanted to shake a child (middle school...lovingly, in as much of a hug as possible ;) ). I also remember how crazy the day is for teachers who don't sit down all day, and continuously misplace their water bottles. Unless the teacher wears a holster for the gun, you run the risk of guns being misplaced or misprioritized. If the teacher has to worry about keeping up with his or her piece, then something else might not be prioritized. Like teaching.
2. Secondly, if the gun is supposed to protect the kids, that is telling kids that guns are safety measures and conflicts with the anti-violence and peer mediation training that most schools have in place. If the teacher needs a gun, then that undermines the confidence the kids have in the adults' ability to protect them. It could start a trickle down effect of kids needing to go get guns so they feel safe. And kids can get guns. Teachers will have licenses. Kids won't.
   
3. One of the things that teachers are supposed to do is to protect children to the best of their ability. I'm not saying they should be Secret Service and risk their lives for them, but...asking a teacher to shoot a student to protect others is going to be hard. Teachers are already expected to break up fights that put them at physical risk. Now you want them to carry a gun and shoot or be shot at when there is gun conflict. What kind of liability is that when you shoot the wrong kid? (We already sometimes blame the wrong kid for throwing paper in the class, and apology and a homework pass assuage that offense.) What protection is there?
4. I stood at the altar Sunday morning and noticed a little boy who wanted prayer but was afraid to come to the altar. During the offering, I mentioned it to grandma, and she said he just didn't want to come forward. So, I went to him and asked him in his seat if he needed to pray about something. He sighed in relief, "Yeah." I took him out in the hallway away from noise and asked him what he wanted to pray about. He said,"About going to a safe school." We've had some issues in Boston schools, but it never occurred to me that kids would be afraid to go back to school because of safety at school. He's seven. How's he going to feel when he walks in the first day and his 2nd Grade teacher is packing?

I know guns don't shoot people, people shoot people. True...with guns. It's not that I don't think people could have guns, but my gut tells me schools need pencils, paper, crayons, science labs, calculators, computers, and textbooks first.

Tradition...

I talked to my aunt and my second cousin James got married. She said something always happens when the people in my family get married so that it isn't a straight transition. They get married, but something always happens. This time it started late. I told her if they got to the ceremony and everybody was there, it's just a matter of the vows. She said, "I know. I just smiled. He kept asking, 'Are you alright, grandma?' I said yes, and then he looked at my face." He (the groom) was happy so that's all that matters.

Here is the quote of the day from my cousin Michael (groom's uncle and amateur digital camera photographer):
"Well, we all down here and we got a preacher, and a groom. That girl go come on out of there eventually."

His sister, commenting on the pictures taken by Michael:
"Oh, look. We have the floor. That boy can't do nothing right."

Note to self: Control freaks are a good thing. They keep weddings on time.