something secret

Mitt Romney lost, and all is right with the world.  Thank GOD. I wasn't so sure for a minute there.  I was up all night keeping tabs on an election I couldn't even vote in because it was so important. I may only be in Trinidad, but like it or not, the US has a huge influence on policy abroad (what with them forcing their way into other people's countries and all that) so it's essential that they keep moving towards progress. The US tends to set the example for the world, so it's a huge win that the American public re-elected a President who stands for reproductive rights, marriage equality and economic fairness. But for a while it was close. I spent most of the night messaging back and forth with my awesome cousin in CT discussing the results, and more than once she had to calm me down because I was freaking out that Romney was pulling ahead. I ended up falling asleep around midnight and waking up around 3AM (I'm not on DST) to Obama's victory speech. And I ...

Dear America, Today is D-day. Today is the day you decide if you want to take 3 steps forward or 10 steps back. Today is the day you decide if you stand with the under-represented and overlooked, or with the policy makers who look out only for themselves. Today you decide if you believe in a woman's right to choose, or that a microscopic ball of undifferentiated cells trumps the well-being of a living breathing person. Today you decide if millions of loving same-sex couples will get to live their lives with their families and reap the benefits of the dedication they show to the people around them, or if you will leave millions of children to languish in foster-care because you think that's preferable to two moms or dads.  Today you decide where you stand in the world America. Today you claim your place as the example the world should follow, or the black sheep the world should shun. Choice wisely America. Don't re-hash the same mistakes. The campaigning is over, the debates...

Naturally... *Editor's Note: This is tongue-in-cheek by the way. Just in case the fact that Stephen Colbert said it didn't tip you off. This post has gotten an unusual number of hits today, so I just wanted to make sure no one believes I actually think this. This is ridiculous .

You hear about things like this happening all the time, but they're mostly anecdotal. You assume that thing couldn't be that bad, and that the person is surely exaggerating. But then you see something like this and it makes you outraged and frustrated to the point of tears. (Or at least it does if you're like me and you cry when you get angry instead of getting physical.) People like to think that Obama's mere existence is an indication that people no longer hold racial prejudice. And even though they clearly do, it would be fine if that prejudice wasn't supported by a power dichotomy that had the ability to make life so difficult for people of colour. This video is about a teenager from Harlem's experience with NYC controversial "Stop and Frisk" policy, the often racial motivations behind each stop, and the pressure of police officers to "fill their quotas". It's horrible the way that the people who are being paid to protect us are being...

via iSideWith Do with this what you will.  I don't get a vote anyway, so it's irrelevant where I stand, but if you are an American, you should definitely head over to iSidewith , take the quiz, and get a little more informed about where all the candidates stand on particular issues, and to clarify to yourself where you stand. the website, is obviously not a catch-all, and the best it can do is tell you which candidate most closely holds the same political views as you, but it's a start.  iSideWith can't tell you who to vote for, but it can help you make a more informed decision. When you're done taking the quiz, head back over and let me know which candidate you side with, and which issues mattered most to you. Happy politicking!

via Natalie Dee ! This is by no means a political blog, but I have a lot of political opinions. Anyone who know me, knows this, and every now and then something comes up that I feel like I can't let pass me by unnoticed.The recent trend in American politics has been to attack reproductive rights with a vengeance. All the cool kids are doing it. (Read: HORRIBLE FUCKING ASSHOLES ) But, as any rational thinking person can tell you, that's not okay.  The idea that legislators think it's 1. Okay to restrict a woman's reproductive rights because JESUS  or 2. ANY OF THEIR FUCKING BUSINESS WHAT I DO WITH MY VAGINA/UTERUS/FALLOPIAN TUBES is ludicrous. And more women need to stand up and say so now, with their voices, and in November with their votes. And the thing is, I don't even get a vote. I'm not an American. But there's a high likelihood that I'll end up there eventually, and I don't want to live in a place that holds the rhetoric of what amounts to a th...