I have seen the enemy and he is us

Last night I witnessed history. Something one seldom gets to do even after living half a century, and I was not alone, millions were watching with me(along with a few very happy spirits), but witness it I did.

I sat in my living room and watched 6 Democratic Presidential Candidates participate in a debate on gay issues, on a gay network, in the United States of America. That was pretty fucking cool, and you could never have convinced me that it would have been possible even ten years ago.

My fear is that it was a Pyhrric Victory. What price did we pay for it? Did we gain anything other than the historical value of the event? As I sat there watching, it occurred to me that it is so human to get caught up in the coolness of what was actually happening that I had to be extra careful to listen to what the Candidates were saying, and weigh their answers.

Sadly, these people, and those who handle them do not yet appear to understand that communication in this country is changing, it is now so multi-layered, that whoever is President of the United States five years from now will be communicating directly with their constituents, and they need to be prepared for that. They're not.

The canned pre-cooked answers that Candidates have gotten away with for years will no longer cut it. The debate over their actions while in office will be ongoing and examined by people in an up to the minute format. They can't expect to try to be all things to the middle of the road and get away with the subterfuge we've tolerated the last 7 years. If he has done nothing else, George W. Bush has cured us of that kind of complacency and though it pains me to do so, I have to thank him for that.

Hillary Clinton, yet again, tried to be everywoman. Letting me know that she understands my dilemma, when she has no clue what it's about, and truthfully could care less once she secures my vote. She'll take that page straight out of her husbands playbook, "get their vote and then ignore them." He was champ at that and she'll be no less.

Barack Obama, Now there's the guy I think is slipperiest of them all at this game. I think he'd tell me water wasn't wet if it meant I'd vote for him. I simply do not trust that man, I wish I could explain it better than that. I think he wants to be the first Black President of the United States, and he'll sell out the gays, the blacks and whoever else would get him there to attain that goal. I think he's naive about foreign policy and his domestic policy wouldn't play with a majority of congress so unless he was willing to continue the Bush tradition of acting like he's king and ignoring the will of the people he'd get little done at a time when direct, quick, and effective action is the single thing we need most.

John Edwards lost me when he started talking about his religion and his discomfort being around gay people. John can take his North Carolina, Southern Baptist bullshit and sell it to some fool who can't see it for what it is. Religious Self-aggrandizement. I see his wife out there saying all this touchy feely stuff about gays and health care etc, but she wouldn't be the President would she? She can say all the great shit she wants to. Mr. North Carolina Southern Baptist can write it off to the ramblings of a sweet wife, and not do any of it. She needs to go back home and concentrate on her health instead of trying to convince me that her husband is a guy worth my time. Thanks Elizabeth, but no thanks.

This brings me to candidates who, unfortunately, are regarded as little more than court jesters by most people.

Dennis Kucinich, this guy gets it. He knows what we need and he knows what we're looking for, and he's saying he's going to do everything he can to get it for us. From withdrawing from and renegotiating our position on NAFTA, to Universal Health care, to Gay Marriage. This guy sees and demonstrates the values this country was founded on and what it stood for before the fundamentalists took it over. He hasn't a chance in hell of winning...too bad. He'd make a great president if he could accomplish what he says he wants to.

Mike Gravel, Another guy who seems to have the interest of the people at heart. He's a little touchy feely for my taste, but he also gets what we need. A no nonsense person who wants to accomplish something that would make a true difference in the lives of the people he serves. Also not a chance of winning the nomination.

Bill Richardson, he shot himself in the foot telling us he thinks we're gay cause we chose to be. Oh, yeah, thanks Bill I just woke up one morning and thought how wonderful it would be to be considered a second class citizen, be denied my civil rights at the whim of any straight person, be outright hated by most of the religious zealots in the country, be told by my own religion that I am worthless and shouldn't allow myself to love, and frequently live in fear for my own physical safety cause I am not safe walking down the street alone. You're an idiot and I can only surmise that the desert sun has cooked your brain.

Chris Dodd I saved for last cause I know the least about him but I do know that he doesn't get the simplest issue, and that's health care. He still wants us to buy health insurance. Health Insurance Companies are the whole problem Chris! If you want to keep and expand the problem by getting EVERYONE to start paying health insurance companies to NOT cover our health needs then what else could you possibly say that I would find of interest? Also no.

Joe Biden couldn't be bothered to participate last night so I can't be bothered to have any interest in his campaign.

So, yes, be proud of what happened last night. Be incredulous that we have accomplished as much as we have. Be happy we're able to enjoy the fruits of our struggles. But listen to what these people are saying...really listen.

Our battles are not through. They likely will not end in our lifetimes. But they have to be continued. Our worth as human beings must be defended at every turn at any cost, and we are absolutley the only one's who will do it. We are obligated to see to it that we are adequately represented. For ourselves, and for those who come after us. We leave so much behind us that is not regarded as worth remembering, let's invest in our legacy for history.