Ok… this was going to be a rambling post about how we’ve having to watch what we spend, and how we’re seeing how we can stretch our cupboard contents through the month, things of that nature. Obviously the economy, whether one is in the States or the rest of the world, is important, and lots of people are talking about it. But, I just read an article on Time.com titled ‘Is Barack Obama American Enough?’ and all I can think is WTF?!?!?! Is he American enough? Where does that come from? His name? How is having a name like John McCain any more ‘American’ than Barack Obama? Because it sounds more ‘American’? Please! Tell that to the hundreds of thousands of millions of immigrants over the years who have moved to the States, making it the country it is today, who have ‘foreign-sounding’ names, but who are as American as Mr. McCain. Tell them that, because of their name, they are, maybe, not American enough. And then see what they say.

Something like that floors me, because not only is it putting importance on a name, but the person attached to that name. In this case, the person attached to that name happens to be black. So, what does that mean for every other person of color, whose name happens to be a little different than John or Sally Smith, or John and Cindy McCain. Are they suddenly becoming ‘less American’ because their name doesn’t fall into the prescribed ‘American’ pattern? Are the Redumblicans (please note that this is NOT a personal attack on my Republican friends, merely a statement against Redumblicans in general) really willing to risk what goodwill they might have with voters on someone taking that attack the wrong way, and passing their opinions to their friends, and so on, and so on, and so on… I’m sure they would insist that what they mean is they are questioning Barack’s associations – his ‘relationship’ with William Ayers, his belonging to a church with a preacher not afraid to speak his own mind – and how those relationships bring to question his patriotism. Obviously the Republicans have forgotten the history of the United States that has encouraged the ancestors of the very people they are seeking votes from today to immigrate to this great country of ours (The USA, not Denmark, I am still a US citizen even as I am becoming a citizen of the world. :D). If I recall from grade school history, the founding fathers were traitors and terrorists, the whole lot of them, and proud of it. At least once they believed they could make a change, and take charge of their destiny. Once they had HOPE that they could make our country great. But, you know, who wants to think about that little bit of the past. After all, we aren’t supposed to think for ourselves any longer, or question the government for things like bailing out huge corporations so they can continue spending money recklessly… why, that’s un-American, to think that one man actually can make a difference!

All I know… if a few people hadn’t felt that they could make a difference, NO ONE would be having this discussion today.

Barack Obama is as American as I am. A bonified American hybrid, with the best of a few different flavors wrapped into one, seasoned with adventures, trials, and daily life, seeking the American Dream, just like the rest of us. He’s one man, trying to make a difference. If that’s un-American, then the US is going to be a very small country very soon. John McCain can have that country, I want to live someplace where it’s ok to question what goes on in the government, where it’s ok to speak your mind and have independent thoughts. And there’s NO WAY I’m moving back to a country with John McCain as president, because I don’t believe he can do that. You can shout about being a ‘maverick’ all you want, but unless you do it, it’s all talk.

So that was my rant for today. Now back to our regularly scheduled programme… :p