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The Writings on the Stall

Monday, 2004-11-08

idm teaches one to count

During summer session of freshman year, a friend introduced me to IDM. I've discerned a specific trend in the musical genre; listeners, expect to hear counting, especially by children.

Sunday, 2004-11-07

the similarities end at suicide

I happened upon a somber story of a man who committed suicide yesterday at the World Trade Center site. Gemma haunched to read the article and kept mentioning how similar in personality/politics the individual was to me.

The resemblances seem coincidental (I'll be the first to admit). Any young John Kerry supporter would likely match the mold. But piled up, the details did catch me off-guard. Emphasis in the text below means the similarities were particularly striking.

Ground Zero Is Setting of a Suicide, and a Mystery
Robert D. McFadden, The New York Times

In the absence of a suicide note, there was speculation...that Mr. Veal's choice of the site had been intended to protest the re-election of President Bush and the war in Iraq, both of which he is known to have vehemently opposed. [...]

Friends recalled Mr. Veal, who was known as Andy, as calm, upbeat and fun-loving. While some acquaintances said they had seen no signs recently that he was depressed, others said they had noticed that he was not quite himself...

"He didn't have a gun as far as any of us know," Ms. Mauney said. [...]

Besides his commitment to environmental causes, she said, he was passionate about combating poverty, sexism and homophobia.

"He understood all the interconnections of things," Ms. Mauney said. "He had a total grasp of actually all the things that are wrong in the world. And he was very concerned about that." [...]

The area [in Georgia where he lived] is predominantly Democratic in a Republican state.

I know the pain of liberals who believe in this country — just not its current vector. (Sadly) unlike Andy Veal, I see only one possible solution: activism. On a less grim, lighter note, maybe there's a second alternative.

Friday, 2004-11-05

my liberal bleeding heart

After watching the election results come in until around 06:30 on Wednesday, I flattened into bed for a short rest. Just two hours later, on a bus headed for school, I started tearing up, having allowed myself to finally realize that Bush would once again become President.

This, though, was only an immediate, tangible cause of the swell of emotion within. What hurts most is that hatred of gays helped pull citizens to the polls. Eleven of eleven states passed amendments defining marriage between a man and a woman. Was this necessary? No. "Merely politics," some might say; and gays were caught in the crossfire.

At this point I saw, across the aisle, an individual melting: myself. After witnessing the poor guy's heart bleed onto the floor, I snapped back and found my chest in my throat. Following a deep swallow and an even deeper breath, I found myself buoyant, energized. Yes, the next four years will be challenging. But I am ready to face them head on.

Tuesday, 2004-11-02

new mexico

This weekend Students for Kerry left for Las Cruces, New Mexico to help get out the vote. Having joined the group's list-serve, I'd found out about the opportunity and signed on.

Thoughts and observations of the trip follow:

Friday the 29th

Saturday the 30th

Sunday the 31st

There's also Burnt Orange Report wrap-ups of our adventures in New Mexico: Viva Las Cruces, The Ground Game and Back in Doña Ana County... If others are added, I will refer to them here.