Just read that Maryland's illustrious governor, who we all voted for because he was so liberal, has basically given the middle finger to the Humane Society's plea to end black bear hunting in Maryland. Politicians are disgusting.
For those of you not from MD, Martin O'Malley was elected mayor of Baltimore 6 years ago, and immediately became the most celebrated mayor since Donald Schaefer, who is a local legend. O'Malley swept through City Hall, cutting costs and reforming city government...and he tricked us all into thinking he was a real great guy with real liberal ideas. HA.
Fast forward to his being elected governor. He immediately says he doesn't support gay marriage, proceeds to raise taxes for no real reason, and now this horrible black bear hunting issue. He has betrayed every person that cast a vote for him...and the worst part is, he'll get away with it, cause that's the kind of political system we live in.
I have always been a political person, but with this little nugget growing inside me, I am really beginning to wonder if this is the kind of world, country, state, I want my kids to live in. Sheep farming in northern England seems very appealing. Just getting away from it all...
But that's not the world I want my kids to live in, either. I want them to feel like they can make a difference, like they have a voice and power, and that it's their right to make the world a better, kinder, more free place to live. And I don't mean free in a "Merca", George Bush kind of way!
My mother was taking me to political rallies when I was still in a stroller, and I plan to do the same. I remember pulling the levers in the voting booths with her, and listening to her talk politics with her friends. That's important stuff. It's important to feel like you are part of the world, and you have a responsibility to it. I want my kids to have that feeling.
Of course, I also want them to have a place to safely ride their bikes, and a yard to play in, and a good school to attend. Ack. There is so much that influences the way children grow up, and how they turn out. I want them to have city experiences like I did, and also have more green space around them than I did. I want them to be happy and be politically and ethically aware. I want so much for this little fig-sized nugget, swishing around in there, growing his little fingers and his little mind...
I never considered how much I would love my child before he was even here, and how much I would want the world to be a good place for him to be, and to grow. Things are very different once you see that little plus sign. The world starts to look different. Your life starts to look different.
That little fig in there really makes you question things you never did before. Like where you should live and why the world sucks so much. Stupid Martin O'Malley and his bear hunting just bummed me and the little fig right out.
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2 comments:
I don't know what to say about the bear hunt; I know that Governor O'Malley, his wife and his kids are well-known as having many pets and loving and respecting animals so I am sure this decision did not come easily.
Many of Martin's strongest supporters CONTINUE to be activists in the gay and lesbian communities so those with whom I have spoken do not feel he has betrayed them. I will certainly continue to advocate for civil union as a civil right.
As for taxes, I read in the Baltimore Sun, last Sunday, that the cost of the war in Iraq is something like 2 billion dollars a week- other sources report that it is around 1 billion dollars a week (4.5 billion/month). If you look at this website, you can see the comparitive cost of the war:
http://www.nationalpriorities.org/Cost-of-War/Cost-of-War-3.html
and calculate how that money could have been spent on public housing, education, college scholarships. Your child will be born into a wonderful world because you will be there for him. I have enjoyed every moment that I have had with my 2 children and, now that they are both in college, I know that they will work to make this planet a better place for their children but....despite having the top grades of her entire highschool class and getting lots of scholarships, she and I are having to borrow $10,000/year to finance her collge education (the cost, before scholarships was 40,000/year). THIS IS INSANE! She wants to be a doctor, has wanted to be a doctor since she was about 3 and, now, after getting straight As all the way through school, she is having serious doubts about undertaking such an enormous debt load in order to become a doctor so that she can charge exhorbitant fees so that she can pay off these exhorbitant debts- of course, what she really wants to do is to be a community doctor who does not charge exhorbitant fees.
Despite all that and the fact that I am underemployed and living in a house that is crumbling because we can't afford to work on it, I see Governor O'Malley's taxes as the cost of the war. My parents endured gas, food, rubber, metal rations- among other things and we have yet to make any real sacrifices in order to pay for this war. As long as we continue to run up this national debt, our local governments will have to find some other way to fund children's health care and other such things!
Well, you are certainly free to feel however you like about O'Malley, but most of the folks I know are really regretting ever voting for him and basically think he's your typical sleazy politician. I know I certainly do.
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