Clinton should not give up
As a Hillary Clinton supporter, I have been frustrated with media coverage of her campaign. The talking heads, political pundits or whatever you choose to call them have done a great disservice to the American people.
Don’t even get me started on my dissatisfaction with Howard Dean and the Democratic National Convention and the quest to push Hillary out of the primary race ‘for the good of the party.’
Whatever happened to looking out for the good of this country?
Finally, Thursday, I realized I was far from alone when I opened USA Today to find a full-page ad supporting Hillary’s decision not to withdraw from the primary race and assume the submissive position.
The ad was paid for by WomenCount PAC (1016 Lincoln Blvd, San Francisco, Calif., 94129, e-mail: womencountpac@gmail.com), an independent group started up by Susie Tompkins Buell, the co-founder of the Esprit clothing line. Buell, it must be noted, helped head up Hillary’s fundraising operations in the San Francisco area.
In case you missed the ad, it was tagged ‘not so fast ‘ Hillary’s voice is OUR voice and she’s speaking for all of us.’
‘We are the women of this nation. We are rich and poor, young and old, married with children, married without children, single moms, gay, straight, and widowed. We are every color. We are of every religion. We are from all political parties.
‘We love our country. Now more than ever, so much of what we cherish is at risk ‘ our homes and our health, our safety and our planet, our children and our values. We raise our voices, in one glorious, defiant chorus to tell the world that these times demand strength, courage and vision.
‘And that is why we stand united in our unwavering support for Hillary Clinton.’
As a feminist (there I said it!), the solidarity of sisterhood laid down in the first part of the ad sent shivers up and down my spine. Could it be that women will stand together this election year to say ‘enough’ and get the two-party system to recognize we count and are not to be ignored?
And, just so you’ll know, the wealthy clothing magnate did not pay for this ad. Women like you and me, across the breadth of this great nation, chipped in to pay its $80,000 cost.
The ad continued, ‘As this indefatigable woman campaigns, she speaks with our voice. She carries our hopes, dreams and aspirations with her and transforms them into policies that can make our nation great again.’
Talk about the American Dream, which is very quickly seeming to be just that ‘ a wispy miasma slipping away like quicksilver as gas prices and health care costs rise toward the heavens and thousands lose homes to foreclosures!
The ad continued, ‘Women risked all they held dear to make this country great. They put their lives on the line in all our quests for justice ‘ from Abigail Adams to Sojourner Truth to Susan B. Anthony to Eleanor Roosevelt to Fannie Lou Hamer to Barbara Jordan to Ann Richards to Dolores Huerta. And now, Hillary ‘
‘We want Hillary to stay in this race until every vote is cast, every vote is counted, and we know that our voices are heard,’ the ad concluded.
WomenCount PAC has more ads planned and quite frankly I can’t wait to see and read them. Additionally, the political blogs have fired up full force with women voicing that dissatisfaction, frustration and adamant desire to be heard, even if it means defecting from the Democratic party.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
On a happier note, 4-year-old Andy Dunn was home from Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital yesterday after having his Hickman catheter removed Friday. Turns out the catheter, a central line aiding in the administration of chemotherapy, was the site of a bacterial infection that sent him back to the hospital this last time.
If all of Andy’s bloodwork looks good, he will begin his last round of chemo this Friday with a stem cell transplant anticipated about three weeks after that, according to Dot Dunn, Andy’s mother.
Dot says everything at her house is gearing up for today’s birthday party for Andy, with tents going up in the back yard.
‘We want everyone to come on out, starting about 1 p.m. Bring chairs and coolers and help us celebrate Andy’s birthday early,’ she said.
The good folks at Dr Pepper, as usual, are donating drinks for about 400, she noted, but since her hope is to have a thousand folks or better, bring drinks just in case.
Entertainment will begin at 2 p.m., Dot says, with a comedian who’s played at Zany’s and does fire-breathing and sword-swallowing as part of his routine and a magician from Knoxville.
Be aware that the Make-A-Wish Foundation will not be involved in making Andy’s wish for a heart-shaped swimming pool a reality.
‘We didn’t know this until this week, because we hadn’t received any communication from them. But they’ve told us they won’t do a pool because it increases the value of our home,’ Dot said.
Andy’s mother noted that she has also been told that any monies donated to Make-A-Wish in Andy’s name would not come back to them for the pool project.
Make-A-Wish does want to send Andy to Disneyland, something Dot doesn’t rule out ‘when all is over and done.’
‘But,’ she noted, ‘that’s not what Andy’s wish is.’
So, tear up those Make-A-Wish Foundation checks for Andy Dunn and head for Regions Bank, where all the downtown tellers know Andy’s account and put your donations to work helping the young cancer patient see his wish fulfilled.
Bring out the chairs, coolers. Prepare to see fire-breathing, sword-swallowing and participate in the magic that’ll be happening this afternoon at 865 Mt. Zion Road.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
Didn’t get out much this week due to a nasty sinus infection/head cold that many in Warren County are dealing with, but I was able to enjoy at little music at Song Writer’s Night at Capalano’s Thursday.
Elements of the Turkey Creek String Band performed a 30-minute set upstairs at 6 p.m. and everyone there had a big ole time.
With Trent Kell on guitar, Hillary Bevels on fiddle and Bill Cathcart on fiddle and guitar, the group performed a rousing, foot-stomping rendition of ‘Swallow-Tail Jig,’ followed by ‘Bill Cheatham’ and ‘Old Joe Clark.’
We even had a dancer in the audience in the form of 3-year-old Campbell Kell, the grandson of Trent, who danced jigs throughout the set with boundless energy and a beaming smile. Campbell’s mom Jenene and dad Keaton attended, with Keaton playing a mean set of spoons.
My only complaint was that Bill only sang when the band was gearing up, with a splendid version of ‘Keep on the Sunny Side.’
Audience members who nicknamed the half-hour set ‘McMinnville City Limits’ got me to thinking. Wouldn’t it be great to get some of the county’s many pickers together for something like that every week or so. I know these guys get together at each other’s houses to jam, but since I’ve never been invited to come and sit and listen, why don’t we just appeal to folks like Joe Kuhn, Andy Gay, Sam Young, Gary Clendenon and Lynn McGregor (to mention just a few) to move that private jam session somewhere a little bit more public and invite a few more folks to enjoy the music?
What do you say, guys? Can we talk?