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September 13, 2008 at 12:33:47

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Isn't America Fun and Interesting Right Now??

by abuelitaromo     Page 1 of 1 page(s)

www.opednews.com

 

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Isn't America Interesting and FUN right now??!?!?
I remember as a child helping my father to put flyers on cars at the grocery store, papers that asked Arizonans to get to know and to vote for Jack Kennedy. Our particular group, and I was only twelve or thirteen at the time, our group was on fire. We wanted to hand Kennedy our Republican state on a warm platter. We did it, too.
I feel that way again and haven't for ever so long. Rare men (or women for that matter) come along, people who speak to your heart and mind simultaneously and who drown out all other voices effortlessly, it seems. Barack Obama is such a man.
The Kennedys somehow made each of us believe that our particular vision of our nation was about to become reality, with their help and with the help of our fellow citizens. We would construct this group vision together.
Barack Obama sees the grand plan that we visualize and acknowledges our need to gather and to improve our nation, constantly.
We formed Peace Corp and Vista kinds of groups to work everywhere to make the whole world better, back in the 60s. We dreamed things for our own towns and made them begin to happen. He made us believe in ourselves and in our power as we grouped together. Barack Obama makes us believe it now, too.
I am not saying that Obama is a Kennedy, neither Jack nor Bobby, but, he has their pleasantly voiced conviction  and in that is his ability to bring us together and to make good and better things happen again.
Maybe none of you were white and running with Mexican, Chinese, Jewish and Black people in the 60s, our times of civil rights reality building, but I was. I loved absolutely everyone, felt it, spread it, worked at communicating it and at turning that feeling into action, into community improvement with silly things like parties. My family gave parties where absolutely everyone and their little sister and grandmother were invited and loved the party. Inside my head, I sang, Note"Getting to know you, getting to know all about you..." Note
I  made lifelong friends back then and I love them still, through thick and thin and through disagreements and politics and life.
Dad and Mom taught my sisters and brothers, that we were all the same people inside of our hearts and hopes and dreams and then they introduced us to Mexican families, Black families, French families, Scottish families, Brasilian and Jewish families, etc. and we learned that we are all one.
Now, we have all grown up and married into all of those families that we were introduced to and so, we cannot say anything against any one group of people because someone in our family is from that group.
Obama speaks to that family, to my family, we, all of us.
So, I made Obama some t-shirts and banners and posters and things for his campaign because I was all caught up in flashbacks to that kinder, gentler, "getting to know you" time in America.
I put afros on Obama and spoke of Love Trains and other things to make the young people understand how I feel about him and what he does. Note"People all over the world, join hands and form a love train, love train.Note
This page shows all of the designs that I have come up with in my one week of frenzied image making.
It is   Here  and I uploaded a photo or two of my designs into my BLOG Photo Album for your viewing pleasure and for that retro feel, that 60s, 70s, Brother and Sister feel of days gone by.....
Another blogger on fire for Obama.

 

http://www.april-romo-de-vivar.com/cafepressMerchandise.html

I am an opinionated older woman, not always right, but always researching to find out more.

 

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22 comments

I am an opinionated older woman, not always right, but always researching to find out more.
abuelitaromoI am an opinionated older woman, not always right, but always researching to find out more.

Mr. G Lloyd Rowsey, I thank you for reading and writing.

I had been trying to just write about the good and not the bad, but, to be balanced, Kennedy did trigger the whole Dominos, VietNam fiasco.

My dad was given a diplomatic posting by the new President Kennedy, for the election results in Arizona and President Nixon ended up placing him in the jungles of VietNam passing out Safe Passes via helicopter, trying to make him quit the corp.

Life is funny and circular in many ways. They are all gone now and we are all going on down that life river, paddling as fast as we can.

by abuelitaromo (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 36 comments) on Saturday, September 13, 2008 at 8:53:24 PM
 


whatever, yadda yadda yadda
shadow dancerwhatever, yadda yadda yadda

Fun & Interesting?

No.

by shadow dancer (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 113 comments) on Sunday, September 14, 2008 at 9:25:29 AM
 


I am an opinionated older woman, not always right, but always researching to find out more.
abuelitaromoI am an opinionated older woman, not always right, but always researching to find out more.

shadowdancer, my reader, exactly.

Scary and shakey might better describe the times.

Thanks for reading and then for commenting, short and to the point.

by abuelitaromo (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 36 comments) on Sunday, September 14, 2008 at 7:22:39 PM
 


I am an opinionated older woman, not always right, but always researching to find out more.
abuelitaromoI am an opinionated older woman, not always right, but always researching to find out more.

Pobrecito CasaZaza, ni yo.

It's a mess and there is no way around it, not that I can see.

My I have a personal family altar on fire with candles burning for this and that mess and despair causing incident.

Not that candles do anything. I work for Obama's election, too, as the best use of my time.

Thank you for giving me some of your time and thoughts.

by abuelitaromo (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 36 comments) on Sunday, September 14, 2008 at 7:26:05 PM
 


I'm a retired RN and holistic nurse living with my hubby of 42 years in the woods of Upstate NY. I'm also a polio survivor. I have lived long enough to realize that "politician" and "liar" are synonymous.
Nana P.I'm a retired RN and holistic nurse living with my hubby of 42 years in the woods of Upstate NY. I'm also a polio survivor. I have lived long enough to realize that "politician" and "liar" are synonymous.

Interesting yes....fun, no.

Like you, I am an older and rather opinionated woman.  Entered college in 1962, full of hope, enthusiasm, and determination to change the world.  I worked for the Civil Rights Movement; participated in sit-ins, sang "We Shall Overcome" until the cops rousted us out and arrested a lot of us....only to do it again, and again.  A better world was our goal.  Now I am in dread that the GOP will finish what they have begun....the final destruction of our democracy and a world war to finish off the "eaters" as George the 1st called us.  Pallin talks of war with Russia and the use of nuclear weapons like it is just a wolf hunting trip in Alaska.  Is it an exciting time?  Well, yes....if you find going down a rapids in a canoe heading towards a waterfall and certain death exciting!  I guess it is....until you reach the edge and go over.  I see that edge coming and I am terified....not for myself but for my children and grandchildren.  I am also saddened because we tried....and right now....it looks like we may have totally failed.  Watching the country go gah-gah over a stupid, vindictive, uneducated religious fanatic is not my idea of fun.  I try to hold out hope that Obama just may win it but reading and watching the news, both mainstream and otherwise, does not give one much to hang on to.  It's all Pallin all the time!  Sorry to be such a harbinger of gloom....but it ain't looking good folks! 

by Nana P. (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 13 comments) on Sunday, September 14, 2008 at 11:05:54 AM
 


I'm an anti-civilizationist and election boycott advocate in San Diego. For reasons not to vote in faith-based elections with secret vote counts for candidates you cannot hold accountable if they fail to represent you, check out the discussions, articles, and videos on my website http://noinnovember.ning.com
Mark E. SmithI'm an anti-civilizationist and election boycott advocate in San Diego. For reasons not to vote in faith-based elections with secret vote counts for candidates you cannot hold accountable if they fail to represent you, check out the discussions, articles, and videos on my website http://noinnovember.ning.com

Not fun.

Nana wrote:

Pallin talks of war with Russia and the use of nuclear weapons like it is just a wolf hunting trip in Alaska.

But Obama supported placing nuclear missiles in Poland, which also increased the chance of nuclear war with Russia.

Obama is also committed to a permanent U.S. presence in Iraq and to expanding the war in Afghanistan.

I try to hold out hope that Obama just may win it but reading and watching the news, both mainstream and otherwise, does not give one much to hang on to.

Do you have any reasons to think that if Obama won we would be less likely to have a nuclear war with Russia? If so, I'd be very interested in hearing those reasons.

Do you have any reason to believe that if Obama won, he wouldn't follow the precedent of the two previous Democratic Party Presidential candidates who won the popular vote in 2000 and 2004, and concede to the Republican? I'd be interested in hearing that also.

If you have reasons to hope, Nana, please share them.

If all you have are naive and unfounded beliefs, please spare us.

 

 

by Mark E. Smith (21 articles, 30 quicklinks, 100 diaries, 1325 comments) on Sunday, September 14, 2008 at 6:06:12 PM
 


I am an opinionated older woman, not always right, but always researching to find out more.
abuelitaromoI am an opinionated older woman, not always right, but always researching to find out more.

Dear Mark E. Smith, I like your hat and own one, too.

There is always reason to hope, my old mother says, until we are dead.

Nana P is an old idealist. Usually it is the young who are idealistic and seem foolish in their dreamtime, but we can hang onto idealism into an older age and do well with it.

Someone has to be optimistic and hopeful and active, as I am in getting my candidate elected using all means open to me.

I thank you for reading and commenting and didn't just about EVERYBODY vote for darned missile placements and continuing war in Iraq??

I hope that someone younger and more independent just might do what is RIGHT after an election, rather than what is expedient or expected.

by abuelitaromo (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 36 comments) on Sunday, September 14, 2008 at 7:39:59 PM
 


I'm an anti-civilizationist and election boycott advocate in San Diego. For reasons not to vote in faith-based elections with secret vote counts for candidates you cannot hold accountable if they fail to represent you, check out the discussions, articles, and videos on my website http://noinnovember.ning.com
Mark E. SmithI'm an anti-civilizationist and election boycott advocate in San Diego. For reasons not to vote in faith-based elections with secret vote counts for candidates you cannot hold accountable if they fail to represent you, check out the discussions, articles, and videos on my website http://noinnovember.ning.com

Well, sometimes old people can seem pretty dumb....

Abuelitaromo wrote:

...didn't just about EVERYBODY vote for darned missile placements and continuing war in Iraq??

When I was a little kid and I wanted to do something that my parents wouldn't let me do, I'd plead, "But all the other kids are doing it!" And my parents would say, "So if all the other kids jumped off the roof, you would too?"

How dumb is that, huh?

Obviously if everyone else is doing it, then we have to do the same thing, right? We sure wouldn't want to do anything different, would we?

ROFL

 

by Mark E. Smith (21 articles, 30 quicklinks, 100 diaries, 1325 comments) on Monday, September 15, 2008 at 1:43:29 AM
 


I am an opinionated older woman, not always right, but always researching to find out more.
abuelitaromoI am an opinionated older woman, not always right, but always researching to find out more.

Markie Mark, avoid open windows and rooftops.

Okay? Kisses from your grandmother.

by abuelitaromo (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 36 comments) on Monday, September 15, 2008 at 10:11:25 PM
 


I am an opinionated older woman, not always right, but always researching to find out more.
abuelitaromoI am an opinionated older woman, not always right, but always researching to find out more.

NanaP, blessed are the grandparents for they have fun.

We do worry about our children and grandchildren and we work to keep the world as steady as we can for their sakes, but we can't do everything.

All nations have to chime in for peace and sensibility and not all of them are doing so, let alone us.

I don't know what any new president will do, but I sure do hope that he will work for peace as quickly and as sensibly as possible.

It does feel a lot like a wild Disney ride, only I'm moving down real rivers with real falls on them.

Like that old song, Yippeeee, we're all gonna die...1,2,3, what are we fighting for?

I am fighting for smart leadership and I keep my eye on the economy mostly. Our hole is deep and it will take some real deprivaton on everyone's part to get us out of it.

I wonder if anyone wants to do what is necessary to turn the economics around, besides me, that is...??

Thank you for reading and for commenting at length on my writing.

by abuelitaromo (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 36 comments) on Sunday, September 14, 2008 at 7:34:04 PM
 


I'm sixty-seven and I live in Northern California. I graduated from college in 1963 and from law school in 1966. I retired in 2001, after working 23 years for the United States Forest Service. I have radical politics, and before going to work for the Forest Service in 1978 I spent ten years trying to contribute to the revolution.
GLloyd RowseyI'm sixty-seven and I live in Northern California. I graduated from college in 1963 and from law school in 1966. I retired in 2001, after working 23 years for the United States Forest Service. I have radical politics, and before going to work for the Forest Service in 1978 I spent ten years trying to contribute to the revolution.

Thank YOU, abuelitaromo

And YOU Mark E. Smith. 

a. - Your practice of replying to each of your commenters is as admirable as your open-mindedness and hopefulness.  You make me proud to wear a pony-tail as a sign that the Sixties has indelibly shaped my radical consciousness.

M. -  And thank you for speaking so straight, just like you obviously did in your comment on John Little's article on Castro and Cuba.   I didn't compliment you there, and I hope you accept this compliment as applying to your comments on both articles. 

by GLloyd Rowsey (71 articles, 18 quicklinks, 44 diaries, 563 comments) on Sunday, September 14, 2008 at 8:15:47 PM
 


I am an opinionated older woman, not always right, but always researching to find out more.
abuelitaromoI am an opinionated older woman, not always right, but always researching to find out more.

G Lloyd, rock your world and chop off your pony tail.

heh heh heh heh, just like to get people to not follow what they have always done, putting some newness in their mirror encounters, etc.

Thanks for your thanks.

by abuelitaromo (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 36 comments) on Sunday, September 14, 2008 at 8:39:22 PM
 


Native Arizonan. Not a member of any organized political group. Democrat. International experience - I could see Mexico from my porch and from my wife's backyard. Property owner in Mexico. Member of one of the first American families to travel the highways and bi-ways of Mexico in the 1950's. Traveled the Pan American Highway through Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico in 1966. Spent numerous years in Brazil, Honduras, and in Mexico. Lived on two different U.S.- Mexico borders f...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Nathan HaleNative Arizonan. Not a member of any organized political group. Democrat. International experience - I could see Mexico from my porch and from my wife's backyard. Property owner in Mexico. Member of one of the first American families to travel the highways and bi-ways of Mexico in the 1950's. Traveled the Pan American Highway through Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico in 1966. Spent numerous years in Brazil, Honduras, and in Mexico. Lived on two different U.S.- Mexico borders f...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Keep Fighting the Good Fight and May We All Live in Interest

Comment from Ratings:   I enjoyed your article very much. I, too, attended the University of Arizona in the late '60s, marched in war protests, chanted "Hell No, We Won't Go!" and was there for the campus riots in 1970 or 1971. Stimulating times. A rush every morning for the newspaper to see what Woodward and Bernstein and others had uncovered on Nixon and Watergate. The excitement of watching the crook get what was coming to him.

Little did we know then that the Roves and Segrettis and the rest of the Republican organized crime family would emerge on top and more corrupt than ever, notwithstanding our sacrifices.

Thank you for keeping the faith and expressing your thoughts for all to see. Very nicely written. I am sure your father would be very proud to read your comments. Your posts are my kind of posts.

Never vote Republican the rest of your lives.

by Nathan Hale (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 3 comments) on Monday, September 15, 2008 at 12:37:12 AM
 


I'm an anti-civilizationist and election boycott advocate in San Diego. For reasons not to vote in faith-based elections with secret vote counts for candidates you cannot hold accountable if they fail to represent you, check out the discussions, articles, and videos on my website http://noinnovember.ning.com
Mark E. SmithI'm an anti-civilizationist and election boycott advocate in San Diego. For reasons not to vote in faith-based elections with secret vote counts for candidates you cannot hold accountable if they fail to represent you, check out the discussions, articles, and videos on my website http://noinnovember.ning.com

Nathan Hale, huh?

N.H. wrote:

Never vote Republican the rest of your lives.

Did you ever think you'd see a Democrat win a presidential election, get pushed out by the Supreme court prohibiting the votes from being counted, and then tell Democratic Senators not to sign the CBC petition to reject the fraudulent Florida electoral vote because he wanted to smooth the Republican's transition to power "for the good of the country," the way Gore did in 2000? Do you know that he has never repudiated those words?

Did you ever expect to see a second Democratic Presidential candidate in a row concede to a Republican without even bothering to ensure that the votes of the millions of people who had worked for his election had cast, and betray his promise to Democratic voters so that he could concede to a Republican for what he also called "the good of the country," words that he also has never repudiated?

And when Obama, who voted to fund the wars until 2010 even though he knew that McCain might win the presidency, concedes to McCain "for the good of the country," because Obama supports the same pro-war agenda but believes that it is better for the Democratic Party if McCain carries it out so that the Democrats can keep supporting that agenda while continuing to blame it on the Republicans, I supposed you're going to pretend to be totally surprised -- as if you'd never seen anything like that happen before and couldn't have possibly imagined that it might happen again for a third time in a row.

Ah, my children, I know you all mean well and that your intentions are good. But as the old joke says, where are we going and what are we doing in this handbasket? 

 

by Mark E. Smith (21 articles, 30 quicklinks, 100 diaries, 1325 comments) on Monday, September 15, 2008 at 1:57:26 AM
 


I am an opinionated older woman, not always right, but always researching to find out more.
abuelitaromoI am an opinionated older woman, not always right, but always researching to find out more.

Thank you, brother, and aren't we all brothers and sisters

in today's world?

I appreciate your reading me and commenting and for leaving your memories of those times, too.

Who knew that worse things than Watergate could happen or VietNam for that matter?!?!? Amazing this life we live.

Gracias again.

by abuelitaromo (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 36 comments) on Monday, September 15, 2008 at 10:16:01 PM
 


I'm a retired RN and holistic nurse living with my hubby of 42 years in the woods of Upstate NY. I'm also a polio survivor. I have lived long enough to realize that "politician" and "liar" are synonymous.
Nana P.I'm a retired RN and holistic nurse living with my hubby of 42 years in the woods of Upstate NY. I'm also a polio survivor. I have lived long enough to realize that "politician" and "liar" are synonymous.

Idealism

Thank you, Abuelitaromo, for replying.  Yes, I suppose I have been a life-long idealist but I am also a realist.  I would not be shocked or surprised if Obama relinquished to Mc Cain nor would I be if there were suddenly a "national emergency" which cause martial law to be instituted, thereby suspending our elections and our Constitution.  Saddened yes...shocked, no.  Mark, you made me smile when you referred to old people as "dumb".  Well, so did we once upon a time!  One of our mottos was, "Don't trust anyone over 30!"  How, naive we were.....not recognizing that we, if lucky, would be in that group some day!  But then we are one of the few cultures on earth that disparage the old and worship the young.  Back to idealism.  I took my granddaughter this summer to Ft. Stanwix and the Orkisany Battlefield up here in Upstate NY.  Ft. STanwix was the only fort that didn't fall at one time to the British.  The Battle of Oriskany was fought nearby in a field and woods not far from the fort.  The revolutionists were sorely out numbered and poorly armed and yet they fought with what they had...which in some cases was pitchforts, axes, etc.  Up close, personal and gruesome.  They could have chosen not to take a stand...but they did.  The odds were hopelessly against them.   And no, the revolutionists were not "saints".  They took from the Native Americans and broke treaties and all of the other bad things.  

We also visited the grave of Francis Bellamy, who wrote the original Pledge to the Flag, which is not what we say today.  The original is far more poignant...."I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."  Much more personal.  Agreed.....we live in interesting and perilous times and we may just lose it all but I, for one, and I think Abuelitaromo for another, will not give up hope just yet.   I will not give in to cynicism......but then.....I'm a dumb old person!  LOLOL   If we're going to hell in a handbasket, we may as well enjoy the ride! 

by Nana P. (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 13 comments) on Monday, September 15, 2008 at 7:22:39 AM
 


I am an opinionated older woman, not always right, but always researching to find out more.
abuelitaromoI am an opinionated older woman, not always right, but always researching to find out more.

You go girl, as the kids say nowadays.....

Nana P keeps hope alive and faith going and positive thinking on the table and optimism in the day and may the Force Be With Her.

Her dumb old counterpart.....abuelitaromo

by abuelitaromo (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 36 comments) on Monday, September 15, 2008 at 10:21:26 PM
 


I'm a 61year old white guy, Veteran of 66-68, operate my own business with my wife and love to travel. Built a big sailboat in the 70's and went sailing for a few years, which ruined me for real work. Now, I fly hot air balloons for a living. Have been initiated as an Andean Paq'o. Yes, I am a liberal.
RogerI'm a 61year old white guy, Veteran of 66-68, operate my own business with my wife and love to travel. Built a big sailboat in the 70's and went sailing for a few years, which ruined me for real work. Now, I fly hot air balloons for a living. Have been initiated as an Andean Paq'o. Yes, I am a liberal.

We might be getting what we pay for.

I have noticed that the pay scale for our elected officials is such there is little doubt they are in it for the graft.  Just about any major sports figure makes millions more than the President of the United States. 

We pay for crap and with a few notable exceptions, that is pretty much what we get.

 Veteran '66-68

by Roger (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 404 comments) on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 11:58:36 AM
 


I am an opinionated older woman, not always right, but always researching to find out more.
abuelitaromoI am an opinionated older woman, not always right, but always researching to find out more.

Roger, I laughed out loud. Thanks for writing.

Maybe we could get the sports figures to form a pool to pay the president.

People could voluntarily and transparently put money into his pay account. Or, we could just raise his salary to equal that of Glenn Tilton say?

So many things that we could do, but they would be too practical and therefore, unable to be enacted.

You get what you pay for may be true, but hopefully not. I hope not. I want much better than what I pay for.

 

by abuelitaromo (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 36 comments) on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 12:29:26 PM