Monday, July 13, 2009
Short Story News
My short story, "An Acute Lack of Perspective," is now available at The Wanderlust Review. Check it out at: http://www.wanderlustreview.com/?p=321.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Respect (and Prayers) for Jenny Sanford
I hate hearing about politicians' affairs. I'm opposed to extramarital affairs on moral and practical grounds; they are never good for anyone, especially the children of the family (or families) involved. When it's a politician, though, it's a lot worse because it's all in the public eye. The press puts a camera, a microphone, or a notepad under the chin of anyone remotely connected, asking silly questions about how it happened and how everyone feels about it.
It happened the way it always happens: by degrees. No one wakes up and says, "I think I'll wreck my perfectly happy marriage with an affair today." One small thing follows another until there's enough emotional separation between the spouses, and then an opportunity presents itself. "It just happened," people say. It didn't just happen. It's been happening for a while and it took an affair for you to notice. Those reporters know how everyone feels, too; they feel just like you did when it was your father, mother, spouse, friend or yourself. Have you forgotten? I doubt that.
The other horrific thing about a politician's affair is that absurd press conference moment when the man (and it does seem to always be the man) finally admits to it and apologizes with his loving, devoted wife doing her best Tammy Wynette on his right. Only a soulless PR flack could have come up with this idea. (I used to be one, so I know a bit about it.) I always wonder if these women are completely without selfish desires or just completely without self-respect.
I can't put into words how much respect I have for Jenny Sanford today. I have no desire to take sides on the issues in their marriage or paint either Sanford as good or evil, but it was so very refreshing to find her absent that spectacle. I hope, as I always do for married couples, that they work things through and find a way to be happy and faithful together, for themselves and their children. Sincerely. But today, standing apart was the right thing to do. I hope others in that unfortunate situation follow her example.
It happened the way it always happens: by degrees. No one wakes up and says, "I think I'll wreck my perfectly happy marriage with an affair today." One small thing follows another until there's enough emotional separation between the spouses, and then an opportunity presents itself. "It just happened," people say. It didn't just happen. It's been happening for a while and it took an affair for you to notice. Those reporters know how everyone feels, too; they feel just like you did when it was your father, mother, spouse, friend or yourself. Have you forgotten? I doubt that.
The other horrific thing about a politician's affair is that absurd press conference moment when the man (and it does seem to always be the man) finally admits to it and apologizes with his loving, devoted wife doing her best Tammy Wynette on his right. Only a soulless PR flack could have come up with this idea. (I used to be one, so I know a bit about it.) I always wonder if these women are completely without selfish desires or just completely without self-respect.
I can't put into words how much respect I have for Jenny Sanford today. I have no desire to take sides on the issues in their marriage or paint either Sanford as good or evil, but it was so very refreshing to find her absent that spectacle. I hope, as I always do for married couples, that they work things through and find a way to be happy and faithful together, for themselves and their children. Sincerely. But today, standing apart was the right thing to do. I hope others in that unfortunate situation follow her example.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Thanks, Phil
I spent my formative years in Clinton, Tennessee, about seventeen miles from Knoxville, and my blood turns orange with the leaves every fall. It didn't really come as a surprise, but I have to say I was disappointed when the University of Tennessee actually fired head football coach Phillip Fulmer. I know Fulmer's record the last few years hasn't been quite what we UT fans have come to expect, but he still has one of the highest winning percentages of active coaches--number five, the last time I checked. I have real difficulty believing the program can recruit a coach who can do better than that. Coach Fulmer has handled the situation with class, as he has always done, so I'll try to do the same.
Thanks, Coach Fulmer. Thanks for seventeen good years. Thanks for 150 wins, each one sweet in its own special way. Thanks for the National Championship. Thanks for always being the kind of guy who, win or lose, makes Tennessee look good. I'll miss you.
Thanks, Coach Fulmer. Thanks for seventeen good years. Thanks for 150 wins, each one sweet in its own special way. Thanks for the National Championship. Thanks for always being the kind of guy who, win or lose, makes Tennessee look good. I'll miss you.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
A Record I Can Believe In
I fully understand the passion so many Americans feel for Barack Obama. I was living in Illinois when he ran for the U. S. Senate, so I heard about him before most, but like many others, I first heard him speak during the 2004 Democratic National Convention. He exploded onto the national stage with a speech about his personal story as the son of an immigrant who was able to succeed because of the freedom of opportunity which exists in our nation as it does in no other place on the planet. He spoke about the importance of combining personal responsibility and hard work with an efficient, effective government. He spoke about dismissing the divisive notion of red states and blue states and embracing the reality of the United States. His words took root in the hearts of millions of Americans who said to themselves that night, “If this man were president, things could be so much better.”
Two and a half years later, Barack Obama agreed to run for president, and life changed for countless young people. College students and twenty-somethings, along with many of their elders, began to think politics mattered. Here was someone who understood their views, recognized their priorities, and actually had a legitimate chance to become the leader of the free world. Their passion for him has grown over the past eighteen months, and on November 4, they will cast their ballots with a joy and pride which will beam from their faces.
Now, imagine waiting for that feeling for ten years.
I first became aware of John McCain in late 1998. He was a frequent guest on the cable news networks at that time, and that increased dramatically when the crisis in Kosovo came to a head in 1999. McCain was supporting Bill Clinton's decision to use force to stop the genocide in that country. Remember that this was just after Clinton's impeachment. At that point, for a Republican to stand up and speak out in favor of anything Bill Clinton did was an act of incredible political courage. McCain was earnest, forthright, and, in a matter of great moral import, relentlessly nonpartisan. I was impressed.
As the year wore on, the presidential campaigns built momentum, and I studied John McCain. I had never heard of a politician who was so open about his failings. He admitted to his unfaithfulness to his first wife and took full responsibility for the destruction of their marriage. He made no effort to hide his reckless, irresponsible youth. And then he was shot down over Hanoi. I read Faith of My Fathers in 1999, and while the accounts there of McCain's time as a POW are moving, what stuck me most was the humility with which he related those events. He presents himself not as a hero who passed a great test, but as an ordinary man blessed with great comrades who gave him the support to survive. This was a man I could trust.
I supported McCain as vocally as I could in 1999 and early 2000, but by the time of the presidential primary in Tennessee, where I was living at the time, George W. Bush's 2000 nomination was a forgone conclusion. I didn't go to the polls that day. I still regret not casting my ballot for John McCain on principal alone.
Since then, I've watched McCain closely, and the more I've learned, the more I have wished he were president. I am fundamentally pro-life, and McCain has voted that way his entire career. True to his fashion, though, it's not just a vote for John McCain. When his wife, Cindy, came back from a mission trip and surprised him with a Bangladeshi child she wanted to adopt, McCain agreed, and they have raised Bridget as their own. How many men in this world would react that way to such a surprise? Few.
Everyone in this country talks about the need for bipartisanship in government, but when it comes to actually getting something done, precious few have been willing to sacrifice their precious ideological soapboxes in favor of a compromise solution. John McCain has time and again. He worked with Democrats Russ Feingold on campaign finance reform, John Kerry on increased fuel-economy standards, Joe Lieberman on climate change, and Ted Kennedy on immigration reform—and that's just in the last few years. (For the record, the first two of those pieces of legislation initially failed, but McCain didn't give up, and today the meat of those bills has become law. The other two failed as well, but do not doubt McCain will take them up again as a president or as a senator. He's just like that.) McCain also organized the so-called Gang of 14 (seven Republicans and seven Democrats) who brokered a compromise on judicial nominations. That compromise preserved the opportunity to filibuster, which is often the only thing that keeps a majority party from running roughshod over the minority. In essence, McCain's compromise ensured that the senate will be a place compromise is required for many years to come. That's good for every American.
The things Barack Obama talked about in that speech in 2004 which meant so much to so many Americans, John McCain has already done. Given the power of the presidency, there is every reason to believe he would continue doing them on an exponential scale. John McCain has a record I can believe in, and that's the reason my face lit up like a supernova when I cast my ballot for him today.
Two and a half years later, Barack Obama agreed to run for president, and life changed for countless young people. College students and twenty-somethings, along with many of their elders, began to think politics mattered. Here was someone who understood their views, recognized their priorities, and actually had a legitimate chance to become the leader of the free world. Their passion for him has grown over the past eighteen months, and on November 4, they will cast their ballots with a joy and pride which will beam from their faces.
Now, imagine waiting for that feeling for ten years.
I first became aware of John McCain in late 1998. He was a frequent guest on the cable news networks at that time, and that increased dramatically when the crisis in Kosovo came to a head in 1999. McCain was supporting Bill Clinton's decision to use force to stop the genocide in that country. Remember that this was just after Clinton's impeachment. At that point, for a Republican to stand up and speak out in favor of anything Bill Clinton did was an act of incredible political courage. McCain was earnest, forthright, and, in a matter of great moral import, relentlessly nonpartisan. I was impressed.
As the year wore on, the presidential campaigns built momentum, and I studied John McCain. I had never heard of a politician who was so open about his failings. He admitted to his unfaithfulness to his first wife and took full responsibility for the destruction of their marriage. He made no effort to hide his reckless, irresponsible youth. And then he was shot down over Hanoi. I read Faith of My Fathers in 1999, and while the accounts there of McCain's time as a POW are moving, what stuck me most was the humility with which he related those events. He presents himself not as a hero who passed a great test, but as an ordinary man blessed with great comrades who gave him the support to survive. This was a man I could trust.
I supported McCain as vocally as I could in 1999 and early 2000, but by the time of the presidential primary in Tennessee, where I was living at the time, George W. Bush's 2000 nomination was a forgone conclusion. I didn't go to the polls that day. I still regret not casting my ballot for John McCain on principal alone.
Since then, I've watched McCain closely, and the more I've learned, the more I have wished he were president. I am fundamentally pro-life, and McCain has voted that way his entire career. True to his fashion, though, it's not just a vote for John McCain. When his wife, Cindy, came back from a mission trip and surprised him with a Bangladeshi child she wanted to adopt, McCain agreed, and they have raised Bridget as their own. How many men in this world would react that way to such a surprise? Few.
Everyone in this country talks about the need for bipartisanship in government, but when it comes to actually getting something done, precious few have been willing to sacrifice their precious ideological soapboxes in favor of a compromise solution. John McCain has time and again. He worked with Democrats Russ Feingold on campaign finance reform, John Kerry on increased fuel-economy standards, Joe Lieberman on climate change, and Ted Kennedy on immigration reform—and that's just in the last few years. (For the record, the first two of those pieces of legislation initially failed, but McCain didn't give up, and today the meat of those bills has become law. The other two failed as well, but do not doubt McCain will take them up again as a president or as a senator. He's just like that.) McCain also organized the so-called Gang of 14 (seven Republicans and seven Democrats) who brokered a compromise on judicial nominations. That compromise preserved the opportunity to filibuster, which is often the only thing that keeps a majority party from running roughshod over the minority. In essence, McCain's compromise ensured that the senate will be a place compromise is required for many years to come. That's good for every American.
The things Barack Obama talked about in that speech in 2004 which meant so much to so many Americans, John McCain has already done. Given the power of the presidency, there is every reason to believe he would continue doing them on an exponential scale. John McCain has a record I can believe in, and that's the reason my face lit up like a supernova when I cast my ballot for him today.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
The Race Card
I've seen a lot of articles in recent weeks claiming the only way Barack Obama could lose the election would be if Americans were too racist to vote for him. Those writers spend a lot of time talking about the so-called Bradley Effect--when polls show a black candidate with a lead but voters cast their ballots for the white candidate. According to a recent Gallup survey (see link below), this election cycle may actually lead to discussion of an Obama Effect--when minority candidates actually benefit from their race.
When asked if Obama's race made them less likely to vote for him, six percent of respondents said yes. That sounds bad until you read the rest of the survey. Nine percent of respondents said Obama's race made them more likely to vote for him. That's a three percent gain among voters who say race influences their choice.
If Gallup's survey is an accurate reflection of the electorate and Obama wins by a popular vote margin of three percent or less, it will be McCain who can argue that racism sunk his campaign.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/111049/Obamas-Race-May-Much-Plus-Minus.aspx
When asked if Obama's race made them less likely to vote for him, six percent of respondents said yes. That sounds bad until you read the rest of the survey. Nine percent of respondents said Obama's race made them more likely to vote for him. That's a three percent gain among voters who say race influences their choice.
If Gallup's survey is an accurate reflection of the electorate and Obama wins by a popular vote margin of three percent or less, it will be McCain who can argue that racism sunk his campaign.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/111049/Obamas-Race-May-Much-Plus-Minus.aspx
The Clean Campaign
As I've mentioned in earlier posts, I am sick of the cries of racism in the presidential campaign. There have certainly been racist comments by supporters of both candidates, but the candidates themselves and their actual campaign messages have been no different than those we have always seen in presidential politics with two white candidates. Sure, some of the attacks have been mean and many have been misleading, but that's politics. This campaign has actually been rather tame. It could have been much, much dirtier.
John McCain cheated on his first wife. In a genuinely dirty campaign, we'd have seen 527 ads reminding voters of that fact. We haven't. Don't forget Gary Hart's presidential campaign was sunk by the revelation of an affair and Bill Clinton's first run was marked by such a scandal. The New York Times ran a smear article alleging McCain had an affair with a lobbyist, but that was quickly put aside by all the campaigns. Historically speaking, that's very clean campaigning.
Barack Obama admits to having used cocaine and other drugs. In a genuinely dirty campaign, we'd have seen 527 ads reminding voters of that fact. We haven't. In 2000, no shortage of ink was given to the possibility that George W. Bush might have used cocaine and that he once got a DUI. Bill Clinton's "I didn't inhale" was part of countless attacks. Obama's drug use has been left alone. Again, by historical standards, that's very clean campaigning.
Dr. King said we should judge people by the content of their character, and I think both of these campaigns have aimed attacks there. That isn't nice, and it makes for a rough fight, but not a dirty one.
John McCain cheated on his first wife. In a genuinely dirty campaign, we'd have seen 527 ads reminding voters of that fact. We haven't. Don't forget Gary Hart's presidential campaign was sunk by the revelation of an affair and Bill Clinton's first run was marked by such a scandal. The New York Times ran a smear article alleging McCain had an affair with a lobbyist, but that was quickly put aside by all the campaigns. Historically speaking, that's very clean campaigning.
Barack Obama admits to having used cocaine and other drugs. In a genuinely dirty campaign, we'd have seen 527 ads reminding voters of that fact. We haven't. In 2000, no shortage of ink was given to the possibility that George W. Bush might have used cocaine and that he once got a DUI. Bill Clinton's "I didn't inhale" was part of countless attacks. Obama's drug use has been left alone. Again, by historical standards, that's very clean campaigning.
Dr. King said we should judge people by the content of their character, and I think both of these campaigns have aimed attacks there. That isn't nice, and it makes for a rough fight, but not a dirty one.
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