I have been hooked on politics since I range doorbells for Eugene McCarthy when I was in the 8th grade.And so I stayed up too late last night watching the Iowa campaign results and listening to the speeches. Regardless of whether "your" candidate won last night, I think we should all be celebrating -- the huge, historical turnout, the engagement of young people in unprecedented numbers, and yes, that Barak Obama received the most votes in almost all white Iowa. I thought his speech was terrific.
And on to New Hampshire...New Hampshire which four days ago became the fourth New England state to perform civil unions for same sex couples, with barely any protest or even much news coverage. What seemed remarkable only a few years ago is now commonplace, at least here in New England.
And so, I hope in these last few days of frantic campaigning in New Hampshire, the candidates are asked, in addition to questions about Iraq, the budget, and so on, explicit questions about their support for ENDA, marriage equality, and hate crimes legislation, and that the good people of New Hampshire vote for candidates who explicitly support full inclusion of all people, regardless of their sexual or gender identities.
I'm excited that Connecticut is one of the super February 5th primary states. Now, I just have to have one of the candidates win my heart. I'm close.
2 comments:
Hi Debra, I'm responding to your "A Cause to Celebrate" comment
at Alternet. Iowa has surprised me in the past with their diversity, even if it isn't racial in nature.
It is Spiritual. I am a Pagan. Whne someone I know moved back to Iowa, from where I live in mid south; it turned out that there were other Pagans turning up here there, and seemingly, everywhere in Iowa. Even conservative Christian farmers had folk traditions in farming that seemed in it's way reminicent of "Old Times". So, given all this, Iowa may be more advanced than people know. Now you probably realize why I didn't post this at Alternet. The atheists there don't seem to be able to handle the diversity they clamor for.
Runequester
Ahh well, I certainly thought I had proofread my comment for typing mistakes. *embarrased*
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