Category "U.S. '08"
We often hear of "a great discovery" that could "heal" from HIV, but in reality, we are still far from it. And that's without thinking that even if we could find a cure, it would have to pass years of tests and validations before it is used for everyone. Nevertheless, this article published yesterday on the front page of The Independent is very encouraging.
Yeah, Obama flubbed when he took the oath of office, but... Oh la la... It wasn't worth doing it a second time!
Else, Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld could be judged for infringing american and international law by allowing the use of torture. Could we also judge them for, you know, an illegal war?
Also, Caroline Kennedy is said to have withdrawn her candidacy to the seat of Senator of New York. Hurray! Or Schadenfreude!
Besides, at last, Hillary is Secretary of State. Bitch is back for good!!
Via Richard Hétû.
Update: I thought something was missing on that picture... Obama took this second oath WITHOUT BIBLE. Civil war in the U.S.!!
He stumbled a little bit...
When I was watching it yesterday, the video stopped just before the oath of office... and resumed just after. Gutted!
Today, Barack H. Obama will become the 44th President of the United States of America. (If you still didn't know about it.)
We can start rejoicing about George W. Bush's departure, the man of the illegal war against Iraq, the man of Guantanamo, the man of the war on science, the man who will be more or less held irresponsible for the current economic crisis.
We can also rejoice of Barack Obama's victory, a man who won by talking of change, progress, etc. Will he manage, though, to answer to the huge hopes he raised in his country, but also around the world? Many doubt it.
Anyway, his inauguration is a step in the right direction... So let's celebrate!
Honestly the seat should just go to Fran Drescher.
To read on Gawker.
I should have written this post ages ago...
On the 4th of November, Americans chose Barack Obama to lead them and decided gay people should not have the right to marry. Indeed, the Californians, the inhabitants of the gayest area in the world, decided to vote Yes on "Prop 8", the measure that forbids gay marriage. This has been a slap in the face of LGBT activists but it also awoke them. However, in the first place, it's been a big mess.
First of all, statistics said gays lost because it was the presidential election and Barack Obama mobilised a lot of black voters, who voted massively against gay marriage. As a result, it turned ugly and we saw gay people calling black people homophobes and then there's been this horrible debate on TV organised by Fox News, in which a black lesbian activist and a white gay activist opposed. There are major differences between the struggle for civil rights and the one for gay rights, but in the end, they both talk about freedom and tolerance. The guys at Fox News must have loved watching these fight on their channel.
Then, LGBT activists denounced the massive financial support from a Mormon church to the Yes on 8 campaign. There has even been protests outside several Mormon churches in the country. To what churches replies that LGBTs opposed to religion, blah blah blah. And, you know, religion, in the US, is very important. Personally, I respect faith. I am an atheist, but my best friend is a believer and my father is catholic. And I think we can all live together! I also think it's not a good idea to protest outside places for cult. We can do much better.
Later on, LGBTs considered things from another point of view and admitted the real problem: the completely rubbish campaign run by No on 8. Many singled out the Human Rights Campaign for leading a campaign that was too much on a victim tone, too pale, too shameful (apparently, they absolutely didn't want to show gays kissing or something...), and stuff. And LGBTs are really gutted and are ready to totally blow up the HRC! (Well, they gave them a hell of a lot of money...)
Some talked about the gay awakening, stating that LGBT activists started awakening and going 2.0! This is how we aw the birth of JoinTheImpact.com, launched by a little lesbian lost somewhere in the United States, and raised to the rank of first LGBT activist website, after the success of its organisation of widespread national protests. Something incredible. One million LGBTs and friends, accross the country, protested.
Well, later on, other events organised by the website didn't succeed as well, not because the website is already forgotten, but because it launched stupid initiatives, such as some kind of gay strike, during which gay people stay at home and not spend a single penny (even not to save the economy, consumerism or to buy these a-ma-zing Diesel jeans on sales - NB: you know me, of course I hate Diesel too). So of course, this operation didn't work, but it doesn't change much to the influence of the website, I reckon. Next on the agenda: make Barack Obama understand that his choice of an anti-gay reverend for his inaugural benediction is just plain wrong. (Some blogger called it "salt on the wounds of Prop 8".)
Wow. The history of LGBT rights has just begun!
Besides, I don't think I will commit to Stonewall here in the UK, in the end. At least, not for now. On the one hand, what is happening in the United States forces me to reconsider activism and on the other hand, I don't really see the point of fighting in what is one the most gay-friendly country in the world. Seriously, three fourths of TV presenters are gay here!
Lately, George Bush attended the unveiling of his portrait for the Presidential gallery at the White House. The portrait has been made by english artist Mark Carder.
The thing that has not been recalled, is that another english artist was tipped to paint Bush, Jonathan Yeo. Then, he has been told his services were no longer needed but he decided to go on with the painting anyway.
If you look carefully, you may identify the nature of the elements who were used for this collage...
Remember, earlier this year. Hoping to win the democratic nomination, Hillary accumulated a huge debt. And now that she's gonna be Secretary of State, she will soon not be allowed to raise funds anymore. As a result, she's hurrying up to collect as much money as she can!
Her staff is now called "Hillary For President Debt Relief". She sent several emails to her supporters to ask them for money. I've just received an email, written by her mother, to promote a cartoon book called "Hillary Rodham Clinton - Dreams Taking Flight".
I wondered what they could write about in the book. Did they draw Hillary with very blond hair and very pink cheeks being humiliated worldwide when her husband cheated on her with trainees? Did they show her with great blue eyes voting for the war on Iraq? Or, did they portray her in her concession speech to Barack Obama for the democratic nomination?
So far, Hillary's life isn't really a life of dreams and achievements. But this Secretary of State job is an opportunity for her to clear her name and be recognised for what she is: a clever, hardworking and determined woman.
The international community welcomed Hillary Clinton's nomination Monday as US secretary of state in Barack Obama's administration, with only Russia suggesting it would mean no change.
(...)
Clinton's nomination was, nevertheless, greeted with pessimism in Russian political circles. "These nominations inspire no optimism whatsoever," the Russian lower house's foreign affairs commission chief, Konstantin Kossachev, told Interfax news agency. Kossachev was also referring to Obama's decision to retain Robert Gates as defence secretary. "These (appointments) imply continuity, and not a reform of how the White House approaches foreign policy," Kossachev added.
Clinton and Gates are "staunch supporters of the idea of United States domination of the world and of a firm defence of American interests, using whatever means they see fit", he said. "Neither will be easy partners for Russia. Bilateral dialogue will not be any less complicated than under George W Bush's administration."
US allies welcome Clinton pick [Brisbane Times]
Nobody's got Iran's reaction?
Two months ago, with the election of Barack Obama coming up, some political commentors on the other side of the Atlantic talked about a liberal realignment. An article by Jim Manzi for the National Review listed 3 arguments in that sense, first of all the fact that every 40 years or so, the political landscape in America slides to the left or to the right, then the fact that Bush had a catastrophic presidency and finally, the economic crisis.
In France, this economic crisis, indeed, pushed many commentors to claim the "reverse of an economic cycle", some even mention the "end of capitalism". Sarkozy, France's highest praiser of free-market himself, talked of the end of financial capitalism. I would also add up that the other crises (global warming, energy issues, poverty and hunger...), which are linked in the end, push of course people to want real change, this very change that Barack Obama invokes in a nearly mystical way...
I think the election of Barack Obama is indeed one of the first signs announcing change on a big scale. Yes, we may be living a worldwide ideological realignment, and this is very exciting. But I also think this is only the beginning, and this is also very frightening. Yeah, I know, I repeat myself.
To finish... What to do? What can I, little gay guy with ridiculous political awareness, do?
![[Icon] Open my Twitter page](/img/open.gif){kind=small}
![[Icon] My Twitter feed](/img/feed.gif){kind=small}
