(Cross-posting this from VA forum, just in case anyone's interested)

and it was pretty incredible. I went with my mom, and even though we didn't get to be inside the Convocation Center where Obama was, we were able to watch him on the big screens set up in one of the overflow areas. I have to say, the event organizers did an amazing job - everything was very well thought out and ran smoothly (for the most part, anyway).

We arrived in Harrisonburg around 2:45 PM, and took a shuttle from the K-Mart parking lot to the Convocation Center. The shuttle ride was pretty fun - even though we were packed in there like sardines, everyone was really cool about it, and there were even a couple of guys with guitars, a drum box, and a mandolin who entertained us by singing and playing all the way there. (Incidentally, we ended up riding back with these same guys, and they were just as amazing on the way back. I love musicians!) Anyway, by the time we got to our destination, the bus driver announced that he had heard the Convocation Center wouldn't be able to take any more people, but we decided to get off there and give it a shot anyway. It was pretty cold and windy, but luckily we had planned ahead and had hats, coats, scarves, gloves, and even blankets to keep us warm, so it wasn't too bad. We ended up waiting in line for about an hour before we got close to the Convocation Center, where we heard that the doors had closed and that we would have to head to one of the overflow locations. (Oh well, it was worth a shot, you know?) So we headed over to Godwin Hall to watch on one of the big screens set up in the gym.

Even though we weren't at the center of the action, so to speak, the arrangements in the gym worked out quite well. They had screens set up facing both sides of the gym, so that everyone in the bleachers could see. We got there around 4:15 or so, and my mom read a book and I worked Sudoku puzzles until they announced Governor Tim Kaine, who came onto the stage with former governor and Senate hopeful Mark Warner to much applause. Kaine talked for a little while, made some brief introductory statements about Obama and Warner, and then handed it over to Warner, who talked about Obama and the need for positive change in Virginia and America. Then he introduced "the next President of the United States, Barack Obama!" The crowd went wild. Obama came out shaking hands, smiling, and looking very presidential as he took the stage and proceeded to give one hell of a speech.

I'd heard Obama speak before on TV, but I'd never really heard one of his full speeches, and this was a real treat. He was direct, honest, powerful and inspiring, but he also managed to be funny and charming as well. At one point he brought up George W. Bush and the crowd booed, to which Obama responded, "You don't need to boo...Just vote!" That got some laughs and appreciative cheers, but I think he got the biggest laugh of all when he mentioned that his tax cuts would benefit 95% of individuals, 98% of small businesses, "and 99.9% of plumbers." All in all, it was an excellent speech (in my opinion) - he hit on some very serious issues, while managing to keep up an inspiring image and hopeful tone. Of course I went into the rally knowing I was going to vote for Obama, but by the end of his speech I can honestly say that I am really and truly excited about the possibility of having him as our next President. Yes We Can!

Hi all,

I don't know if anyone besides me is still even interested in this story, but I thought I'd post the info anyway just in case. Robert Blair, a member of the Board of Visitors at W&M, actually sent out his resignation message several days ago, but I have been sick and have missed out on some of the news, etc. as a result. Anyway, here's a link to the story, if anyone's interested (and there's also a link to the text of Mr. Blair's letter on that page, as well). Peace.

~Cabcere

Source: Daily Press (Hampton Roads, VA)

WILLIAMSBURG - Embattled College of William and Mary president Gene Nichol informed staff members this morning that he is resigning effective immediately. He said he came to this decision after being informed that the college would not renew his contract.

In an e-mail sent out to staff members, he wrote: "I was informed by the Rector on Sunday, after our Charter Day celebrations, that my contract will not be renewed in July. Appropriately, serving the College in the wake of such a decision is beyond my imagining. Accordingly, I have advised the Rector, and announce today, effective immediately, my resignation as president of the College of William & Mary. I return to the faculty of the school of law to resume teaching and writing."

Nichol, who became president of the college on July 1, 2005, became the focus of a controversy that became a national talking point later that year over the placement of a historic cross in the campus' Wren Chapel. Because the chapel is non-denominational, Nichol removed the cross from permanent display, but made it available for use in Christian services or for any group that requested it.

Read more: http://www.dailypress.com/dp-now-nicholout...

---

As a W&M student, this decision obviously affects me personally, but I thought that others here might be interested as well. Apparently, the idea of separation of church and state really annoys some people...

~Cabcere

By MIKE RADOIU
Columnist
The News Leader

Pro-life. It's a powerful term and has been part of our political and religious lexicon for a long time. But what does it really mean? Taken literally, it would appear to describe the uncompromising support of preserving and nurturing human life. In reality, the application of the pro-life label is seldom used with any semblance of logic or consistency. As with many things, the devil is in the details.

The term "pro-life" has been the bludgeon used by many on the religious right in their ongoing moral crusade. On the surface, their apparent support for life appears natural and expected for people of faith. A closer look reveals quite a different truth. To them, the pro-life agenda focuses on three issues: abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Glaringly absent from their debate are other equally compelling and obvious threats to human life. These include, but are not limited to, war, the death penalty, the battles against disease, poverty and hunger as well as a whole spectrum of peace and justice issues. These latter issues have always been at the forefront of the thoughts and actions of sincere people of conscience and faith. The omission of these life issues by the so-called pro-life movement reveals a blind spot in their vision. To limit the definition of which life needs preserving and in what context diminishes their cause's credibility. Why is it that they are more preoccupied with life in the womb or in a petri dish than after birth? Why the omission? Why the apparent compartmentalization?

The religious right defines life narrowly because it is easy and fits their parochial mindset. It's easy to support life in the womb, on a death bed or in the laboratory. An unborn baby or a terminally ill patient are easy to sympathize with as they epitomize innocence and vulnerability. I would argue that the life of a mother of four suffering from HIV/AIDs in Africa, the war orphan in Iraq or the wrongfully condemned prisoner here at home are just as deserving of the energies of committed people of faith. The conditions that put these people in life-threatening situations need to be addressed. Unfortunately, many who pretend to espouse the preservation of life find these more complicated and confusing threats to life uninspiring and not worthy of involvement or attention. Why bother with "liberal" causes like poverty, conflict resolution and global warming?

more...

(For the record, the News Leader is based in Staunton, Virginia, which is a very conservative area. I predict many angry LTTEs in response to this! ~Cabcere)

Hi fellow Virginians,
Some of you may have heard about this - the Virginia Association for Community Conflict Resolution is trying to get 350 pre-orders for peace-themed license plates to raise money for peace efforts. My local newspaper ran an article about it a few days ago, and I thought Virginia DUers might be interested. Here's a link to the article: http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/virgi...

And here's the official site: http://www.vaccr.org/peaceplate.htm

I don't know if anyone will be interested, but I thought it sounded good - I would consider getting one myself, but I just got new plates about a month ago.

Peace,
~Cabcere

Apologies for the language, but this really makes me sick. I had a friend who was 19 years old, who joined the Marines after graduation and went to Iraq. He didn't do it for the glory or the excitement of being on the front lines - he did it because he wanted to help people. He wanted to go to Iraq so somebody's husband or father wouldn't have to. And he was killed over there on Valentine's Day of this year. Dead at age 19; buried seven months to the day before what would have been his twentieth birthday. My friend understood what war was and what sacrifice meant, and he went all the way and made the ultimate sacrifice. And I will not have a parasitic coward like Rush Limbaugh throwing blanket statements around about how all 19-year-olds want in on the "excitement" on the front lines of Iraq, because even if that's true in some cases, it's not true in all and for him to say shit like that trivializes the true motives and real honor of people like my friend. People who, in a mere 19 years of life, had more manliness, more integrity, and more honor than a cowardly blowhard asshat like Rush Limbaugh will EVER have. So shut the fuck up, Rush. Now.

I grew up always "proud to be an American," always loving my country and feeling very blessed to live in such a great place. Never once did I even feel remotely bad about my nation - at least, not until I was seventeen. That was the year we went to war in Iraq. That was the year I studied at the University of Cambridge in England, and was advised not to flaunt my nationality - no USA/American flag t-shirts, hats, or anything, because we were beginning to be dangerously despised as a nation. That was the year I was first treated rudely and with disgust by British strangers because of the actions of our president, and that was the year I saw the anti-American graffiti all over the walls of buildings in a country that was supposed to be our ally. That was the year I realized that the "American Dream" had started to go horribly, horribly wrong in the hands of this madman.

Now, four years later, things have gotten worse than I could have imagined at the time. I had opposed the Iraq war from the start, believing it was an act of unprovoked aggression that would not accomplish anything. I didn't think we were likely to catch Saddam - and I am willing and able to accept the fact that I was wrong about that. It turns out I was wrong about several other things, as well. I naively assumed that our troops would at least be adequately protected with the proper armor and equipment in this war - I was wrong. I believed that these same troops would be well cared for once they came home - I was wrong. I believed that Bush really meant it when he said he was going to get Osama bin Laden - I was wrong. I thought our president, whose sworn duty it is to protect and defend the United States Constitution, would do just that - I was wrong. Never in my wildest dreams (or worst nightmares) did I imagine that Bush would dismiss the Constitution as "just a goddamned piece of paper," and then accuse his detractors of being unpatriotic and trivializing the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform. Never did I imagine that my friend Danny would be one of the ones who would make the ultimate sacrifice in this ill-planned, falsely reasoned war.

In short, so much has gone wrong during the past few years that I barely recognize the America of my youth. My America is a great country - but she has been bruised, battered, raped, pillaged, and mocked by this lunatic president and his corrupt administration. I want her back, and I want her healthy again. I want my country to once again be the land that I loved during my childhood, so that my children can love it too and enjoy the benefits of freedom - not the oft-trumpeted sick parody of "freedom" that George W. Bush wants us to buy into, but the true freedom to be human, to reach our full potential as human beings and to bring about positive change in the world. That is the America I once knew, and the America I still dream of. I don't think my America is gone quite yet - but I fear for her, and for what the next two years might bring for all of us here. God help us all.

700 more days of the Bush nightmare presidency will likely lead to:

1) Approximately 1,630 more U.S. military fatalities (probably a low estimate)
2) Approximately 200-250 more U.S. military amputees
3) Approximately 29,000 more Iraqi civilian casualties
4) Approximately $18,000,000,000 more spent on the war



(These estimates are based on numbers I got from the Wikipedia article on Iraq War casualties, Faces of the Fallen, and the National Priorities Project: Cost of War. They may not be completely accurate - after all, they are just estimates based on averages so far, and I'm not a math major...but I think these numbers at least give us some idea of the extent of the continuing nightmare.)

They say that there are different stages of grief people go through when they hear bad news: shock, denial, bargaining, anger, depression, etc. (and finally acceptance, but I'm nowhere near that one yet). This afternoon, at about 12:30pm, my little brother IMed me to tell me that one of my friends from high school was killed in Iraq yesterday. At first, I couldn't believe it...but gradually it sank in, and ever since then I've been on an emotional rollercoaster of depression, numbness, and anger. Right now, I am angry, and so please forgive me if I rant too much here - I just needed to vent somewhere, and right now I'm not in the mood to have my patriotism questioned or my feelings criticized.

*deep breath* Okay, here we go.

My friend's name was Danny. He was two years younger than me, and I met him in high school marching band. He was a trumpet player (and a damn good one, I might add!), and he was one of those people who could always make anybody smile, no matter what. He was great on the marching field - perfect posture, crisp movement, commanding presence - so it didn't really surprise me to learn he had joined the Marines after graduation. One of the things I remember about him was the way he could take band seriously - snap to attention, march cleanly, hit every note perfectly - all with a twinkle in his eye. When we had competitions to see who was the best marcher, he always did great, but even when he was zoned in on the task at hand and focusing on marching his best, you always knew that behind his stern "game face," there was a smile waiting for his friends. And he had lots of friends. He was a charmer - one of those guys who could make any girl feel special and any guy feel cool. He was a great guy, funny, smart, sweet, and talented...and he never lived to see his 20th birthday.

Danny was shot and killed yesterday (on Valentine's Day, which is bitterly ironic - he was always such a sweetheart, and he took my best friend to the Valentine's Day dance one year when she didn't have a date at the last minute), at the age of 19. All that life, all that promise, all that talent, snuffed out...and for what? The thing that upsets me the most about Danny's death is not that it happened at war. He was a Marine, and he was proud to serve his country - this I know. But what really upsets me is that it was this war. It would have been hard enough to lose a friend like him under any circumstances, but the fact that no one will ever see his smile or know his friendship again because of a lie...that's the worst part. My friend died for a lie; he died for a "president's" overinflated ego; he died for arrogance and petty vendettas and WMDs that weren't there.

Forgiveness is divine, they say; time heals all wounds, they say; this too shall pass, they say; and about a million other cliches I'm sure Danny would laugh at me for using here. One day, I may be able to forgive George W. Bush for killing my friend and thousands of other people who were sons, and daughters, and aunts, and uncles, and cousins, and parents, and friends, and lovers. One day, I may be able to tap into that divinity and forgive Bush's deadly lies and all the horror he has inflicted on not only the Iraqis, but on his own American people. One day, I may be a better person than I am now, but for today, I cannot do that. Today, I simply cannot find it in what's left of my heart to forgive that monster for ending thousands of promising and fruitful lives, all for arrogant lies, greed for oil and power, and a selfish need to prove his manliness. Mr. President, you have proved nothing - except that you are a lying, arrogant, spoiled brat who is a plague upon our nation (and, indeed, the world). And in his nineteen short years on this Earth, Mr. President, my friend Danny was more of a man than you will ever be - even if you live to be a hundred. For the world's sake, sir, I hope you do not - but if you do, I hope that one day you will realize the full extent of the horrors you have inflicted, and that that knowledge will haunt you for the rest of your days.

My Christian upbringing and the force of habit dictate that I end this long message with a "May God forgive you, Mr. President," but I cannot. I cannot ask God's forgiveness for you just yet, sir, and I doubt that I will ever be able to offer you mine. You have caused the death of one of the kindest, sweetest, and funniest men I have ever known. He is not your first victim, nor will he be your last...so until the killing in your name comes to an end, Mr. President, I can only pray for Peace. Peace in Iraq, peace at home, and peace for Danny's family and friends - and the families and friends of the thousands of other victims of your regime. Peace - may it come soon.

that one of my friends from high school was killed in Iraq yesterday. We weren't super close and we hadn't really talked in a year or so, but he was a really great guy and I'm so lucky to have known him. I can't believe he's dead - he can't have been more than nineteen, and although I know thousands of other young men and women have died, this wounds my very soul. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers...thanks.

(or, at least, the one I *thought* was going to be the love of my life)...kind of betrayed me, I guess. I thought he was my best friend, I thought I loved him...and worse, I honestly thought he loved me, too. Turns out he didn't and had just been playing with me all that time. It's too bad...ours would've made a great story to tell our kids, if we had gotten married and decided to have children. We met at age ten in the county spelling bee. His number was right beside mine and we really hit it off, becoming good friends right away. We kept running into each other here and there, even though we didn't go to the same school, and every time it was really great to see him and we had a good time talking, hanging out, etc. I'm not sure when exactly I "fell in love" with him...maybe it was just a gradual progression of feelings over the years, I don't know. Our junior year of high school, we were both accepted to the Governor's School, so we finally could see each other on a daily basis. Senior year, we finally ended up dating...for about two weeks. During that time, he treated me like total crap, and yet I still thought I loved him even after we broke up. He was one of those guys I thought I could change, you know...make him love me through being there for him no matter what, but it didn't work out that way. I finally realized he didn't care about me when I asked him to be my date for senior prom, he accepted, and then two weeks later dumped me - his friend of eight years and (I thought) possible love interest - to go with some other girl he wasn't all that interested in (either). It's been almost four years now and I keep thinking I'm over it, I'm over him, but it still hurts pretty badly, you know? Maybe iife, and although I didn't think it was possible for me to fall in love again, I think I may have with him. He has been a wonderful friend to me for the four years we've known each other, and although we're not officially dating any more (the long-distance thing makes it pretty tough), we're still very close. If things are still the same between us in two years, he said he'll propose to me then. And, although I'm a classic example of a commitment-phobe, I'm totally okay with that - I could do a hell of a lot worse than spend the rest of my life with this man. (I know, that sounds horrible, lol, but I mean it in the best way possible!) A lot may change in two years, but I hope whatever happens, we will still at least be friends, because he is wonderful.

I was fortunate enough to know both of my maternal great-grandparents pretty well (even better than my grandparents, I'd say). They were both wonderful, wonderful people - always so full of life and love, and I'm so blessed that I got to know them.

My great-grandmother had suffered a stroke and congestive heart failure, but even though her body was weakened, her spirit was strong as ever, and she would always insist on cooking delicious meals for us whenever we came to visit. She made sure the candy jar was always full for us kids, and was just a wonderful, sweet, strong lady. She was smart, too, and one of the most optimistic, positive people I have ever known. "There's something good about everything" was her signature phrase, and I still try to remember her wisdom when things get tough in my own life.

My great-grandfather (we always called him Papa, although to this day I'm not entirely sure why) was a fit and strong yet gentle man - he was always willing to take me and my brother and cousins on tractor rides, or show us some new trail he'd found, or teach us how to do all sorts of neat things around the farm. He was usually pretty quiet and laid-back around the house (although he was very active and a hard worker on the farm), but he could be wickedly funny, too, and he used to tell us stories and jokes that would make our sides hurt from laughter. The two of them together just seemed to radiate love and contentment, and for me they always seemed like the perfect couple. They got married young - I think he was 18 and she was 16 - and they stayed together for the next 70 years. I never once even heard of them fighting or arguing about anything (although I'm sure they did occasionally - they were human, after all).

Papa died when I was about 14 or 15, after a tractor accident that left him pretty much incapacitated - paralyzed from the waist down, if I remember correctly. They put him in a nursing home, which he hated, and he slowly lost the will to live. I miss him greatly, and I feel like if that tractor hadn't overturned, he would've had several more good years of life...but part of me's kind of glad he didn't live to see his 90th birthday. Why? Because that would've been on September 11, 2001, and I think that would have hurt him greatly to live through that...so part of me is glad he found peace before then.

Great-Grandmother passed away a year or so after Papa. She had been in ill health for many years, and at that point had outlived not only her husband, but all of her children as well. I was sad when she died, and I still miss her. She was a wonderful woman, and Papa was a wonderful man. I guess the good thing is that if there is a Heaven, they're together again...and just as much in love as ever. Peace.


(Wow, that was a long piece! Sorry about that...I tend to ramble when I get thinking about things, especially those close to my heart - and both of my great-grandparents certainly were.)

but I've certainly thought about it. Wished for death, heck, even prayed for it because I felt like my life was going nowhere fast, but I couldn't bring myself to actually DO anything about it. And for a long time, I felt like a total p*ssy because of it. I think on some level, I really didn't want to die - I just wanted to get away, to just go to sleep for a really really long time and wake up when things got better. But I never tried to overdose, or hang myself, or anything like that. I did slash my left wrist a few times, but I think even that was rather half-hearted - I couldn't (or wouldn't) bring myself to actually get serious enough to do much more than break the skin. The last time I really did it, I finally drew blood, and it stung when I washed the cut. Somehow that made me feel...well, not really "happy," per se, but accomplished. I think I really did it for the scar, though. I cut myself because I felt worthless and I wanted to feel pain, but I also wanted some mark, some imperfection to remind myself who (and what) I was. And now, I have it - a two-inch diagonal line across my wrist/forearm, and I'm okay with that. I don't think I "love" it as much as I used to, or wanted to, or whatever...but it is a part of me, and now instead of "reminding" me that I'm a useless piece of crap, it reminds me that I have been through bad times before and survived, and that I am strong - that my greatest enemy is myself, and that I can conquer her.

Yeah. Sorry for rambling on about my teenage love affair with self-injury...but somehow, it seemed appropriate for this thread (? If not, I'll delete it or whatever). Peace.

some insanely complicated (well, maybe just insane) hierarchy of evilness over at Fox. They probably have flowcharts and stuff set up on the walls and everything to remind people, because I imagine it would get a bit confusing. Allow me, then, to present my interpretation of: The Fox "News" Hierarchy of "Values!"

1) ENGAGING IN SEXUAL ACTS WITH CONSENTING ADULT INTERNS is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Any Democratic President who engages in such behavior shall be demonized without mercy. However, SEXUALLY HARASSING (NON-CONSENTING) EMPLOYEES is perfectly fine, provided the "harasser" is a) conservative (sorry, "traditionalist") and b) continuing to bring in high ratings for Fox News. Also, HOMOSEXUAL SOLICITATIONS OF UNDERAGE PAGES by Republican Congressmen are allowed, but as this is not held in such high esteem in the right-wing world, steps must be taken to falsely label said Congressman as a Democrat.

2) The act of SMOKING CIGARETTES shall not be allowed, if the smoker is a Democrat and especially if he or she is running for the office of President. Democratic cigarette smokers shall be publicly reviled. However, prominent Republicans shall be permitted to USE COCAINE, DRIVE WHILE INTOXICATED, and participate in other forms of substance abuse, because the powerful goodness of their inherent Republicanism trumps any "youthful indiscretions," even if said "indiscretions" continued into said Republican's forties.

3) MARIJUANA is a horrible, horrible thing that only filthy dirty hippie liberals use. If any Democrat admits to using marijuana, even if he or she claims to have never inhaled, demonize him or her thoroughly. CRYSTAL METH, however, is perfectly okay, provided it is PURCHASED FROM A GAY PROSTITUTE by a pastor.

4) ABORTIONS are not acceptable, even if the mother has been a victim of rape or incest or if her life is in danger. If a woman becomes unintentionally pregnant, or if there are complications during the pregnancy, it is always her fault because she is a filthy whore. Likewise, STEM CELL RESEARCH is unacceptable because it destroys precious embryos that would have been destroyed anyway, and uses them for science, which is the enemy of faith.

5) HOMOSEXUALITY is unacceptable, although this applies only to members of the Democratic Party. Republicans may lead homosexual double lives, especially if they are PASTORS or CONGRESSMEN in public life, because professions such as these highlight the moral values of the Republican Party. Democratic homosexuals shall have NO RIGHTS, but homosexuals in positions of power in the Republican Party shall be granted special rights, and even be allowed to raise children if they so choose.


I could say a lot more about this, but quite frankly it's making me sick. I'll consider coming back to it later and finishing, if I have the stomach for it.

I think I understand where you're coming from. In fact, I've been feeling very much the same way lately. I'm a 21-year-old anthropology major, and over winter break I did some serious self-questioning and soul-searching, because it feels like I'm not doing enough, especially in the corrupt climate of today's world. At times it overwhelms me, the sheer enormity of the enemy we face. People are dying in Iraq, in Darfur, in our very own New Orleans still, and sometimes I just feel totally helpless and powerless to do anything to stop it. The earth is heating up, our foreign relations are shot all to hell, and my America - and the freedom I always thought defined it - is being undermined, if not downright destroyed by the Bush administration. Lying, corruption, thievery, torture, murder, and a shift towards totalitarianism - when you stop to think about all this, or especially if it's always in the back of your mind like it seems to be with me, it threatens to crush you under the horrible weight of it all and destroy you.

I want to make a difference. I want my life to have meaning. And I think I can say, with a good deal of certainty, that we all feel that way. I think we all go about it differently, but in the end it usually works out for us to affect the world in our own little way. (At least, I hope so. I keep telling myself that, anyway... ) I haven't found myself yet, but it sounds like you have, and that you're doing what you can to make things better. I've always believed that journalists have a special advantage in that department (although I'm sure I'm romanticizing it quite a bit), and some part of me still thinks "muckraker" (in the Ida Tarbell sense, not in the literal sense) would be an ideal job. Make a living exposing corruption? Bring the truth to people, and get paid for it? Yes, please! (Realistically, I know it's nowhere near that simple, and certainly not glamourous - my mother was a journalist, and she debunked some of my more romantic notions of journalism fairly effectively. But the basic principle of getting to the bottom of some of the nastier aspects of society, and making that information available to the public, still appeals to me.)

I don't have the answers. As mentioned earlier, I'm a college student, and I don't even know where I want to go with my life when I graduate next year - much less how I intend to change the world! But that doesn't mean I'm going to give up, and I hope you don't either. You are not alone in feeling the way you do. As long as humans still have values and morals and the strength to adhere to them, you will never be alone in questioning the "rightness" of a situation and searching for ways to make it better. I think the words of wisdom from KO that BerryBush posted earlier really nail it - the Cornell commencement address, in particular, really hit it home for me, especially the part about listening to your moral compass. My words are clumsy, awkward, and probably nowhere near what you were looking for, but I do get where you're coming from. Stay strong, my friend - you have my best wishes, and I honestly believe that as long as good people do their best, we can turn this situation around. Peace.