Don't Play Me Small

In my last post I mentioned that I would probably volunteer for the Obama campaign leading up to Super (Duper) Tuesday. I was good to my word, and on February 2, Sarah Peters and I canvassed for Obama on the West Side. I woke up around 7:15 AM after a night of drinking, and hightailed it across town wearing my old DNC canvaassing t-shirt from the summer I went door-to-door in Philadelphia getting campaign donations for Kerry/Edwards. It was a great experience. We met up at a park in Santa Monica, which was filled with supporters, signs, and volunteers. We were paired up with an older women, Maud, who upon first impression, struck us both as your stereotypcial California liberal. When we went back to Maud's home, I thought my assumptions and judgements would be confirmed, but I was was pleasantly surprised, and very thankful that she shared her family and home with us. At her home we were immediately greeted by her husband, who held the door open with a warm smile, and asked us all if we'd like capuccinos. He said he loved making them, and he bustled about the kitchen preparing them for us. The house was already full with other volunteers, and immediately we found ourselves in a liberal paradise that to me really represented the Obama campaign: it was positive, it was diverse, and it was a change to what I was used to. The house wasn't huge; it was modest and decorated in a kind of casual/artistic/relaxing way. Books by Charles Bukowski and Ezra Pound were on the bookshelf. There was homemade art and paintings on the walls. Toys and newspapers and pillows were strew about a sitting room off the kitchen. The volunteers were varied and friendly. There was an Asian couple, unmarried but living together: she taught sociology at a local university, he was an environmental engineer for the city. There was a girl our age who worked for the ACLU and knew some random Northwestern RTF kids. There was a dreadlocked lawyer from down the street eager to convince undecided voters to vote for Obama. Maud's daughters were great. Her red-headed 10-year-old was clad in her mini Chuck Taylor's, and dutifully made copies of campaign materials. She struck me as well-behaved, confident, and intelligent. She talked about Obama, and wasn't at all shy around strangers. The younger daughter was probably about 6, and had a friend sleeping over. The friend was the cutest little Asian girl, and Maud hugged them both good-morning. The girls' preschool teacher, an undecided voter, dropped by to observe. The vibe was welcoming, positive, and really struck me. After cappucino, we went over the canvassing forms, then broke off into pairs to canvass opposites side of our assigned streets.

We canvassed Independent and Democratic households to find out who they were voting for on Tuesday: Voter ID. I didn't encounter too many characters, although one man testily replied that he was "voting for Bush." After canvassing we returned to the house and the husband and daughter made us bagels with lox. The younger daughter and her friend had canvassing a few houses with Maud, and were telling us stories from the field. The girls were so cute and so well behaved. In Maude's home I saw many of the things I would want in my own family: respectful chldren who are a part of the household, loving parents, and proof that you can have an intelligent healthy household. I feel like whenever I see parents/children in public or on television, they're fighting and horrible, or ignorant and spoiled, or depressed and angry. Maud's husband asked us where we lived and when I said Los Feliz, he replied that he and Maud had lived in Los Feliz when they were "falling in love" and fondly recalled a bench outside the infamous House of Pies where they would sit and talk for hours. My heart and soul were gushing and squealing in glee. To me, Maud's family embodied what is at the heart of the Obama campaign: things do not have to be the way we think they have to be; there is a place in this world for intelligence and positivity.

After canvassing, we got a ride back to the park where there was a rally complete with speakers (Max Kennedy), food (Subway), and music. Afterwards Sarah and I were both feeling really calm and happy and sad at the same time. The campaign really spoke to me, the experience of canvassing and all I'd seen Saturday really touched me, and made me think about what my values are and what I want in my life. We went and sat on the beach for a little while, then we went back to Sarah and Johns and took a nap. That night we decided we wanted to go out to eat and do something mildly cultural. I tracked down an Oaxacan restaurant that had live music, and we called up Deirdre, always a great person to discuss social issues with. We enjoyed a delicious meal with amazing mango margaritas over live maribe music. It was such a pensive day, or weekend for that matter.

The Big O

On Friday the Obama campaign sent out an email notification that a last minute rally was being organized at a TBD location on Super Bowl Sunday in Los Angeles. Speaking at the rally would be Caroline Kennedy, Oprah, and Michelle Obama. Obviously we'd be going, but Sarah and I decided to volunteer at the rally. Again, I woke up at 7:15 and we hauled ass across town eating nothing for breakfast but Sarah's homemade "Barack-clava." Once we arrived we were having second thoughts: the rally wouldn't start until 1:30PM, we wouldn't necessarily get to be on the ground floor for the event, we could not leave the building until the rally started, we hadn't been allowed to bring any bags inside and as a result there was nothing to do but sit and wait, and finally, there was no food or coffee. That last part was detrimental. The event was really thrown together at the last minute, but we decided to stick it out. We were informed that people had been waiting outside to get into the event for hours. People were hungry for Oprah. At one point we thought we could maybe sneak out for coffee and get back in. I opened an arena door a crack, and was immediately assailed by rabid Oprah fans. We were trapped. However, we randomly found a small box of Noah's Bagles coffee and helped ourselves.

We were ushers, which proved to be harder than anticipated. We had to fill all the sections behind the podium first, so that the TV cameras would show a full house. If we let people sit wherever they wanted, there would be huge gaps in the audience. Most people acquiesed, but some were grumbling and wanted to sit where they wanted. About 1/2 of the arena was full. This was an accomplishment considering that it was raining outside (the end of the world in L.A.), that the event had only been annoucned 2 days prior, and that it was Super Bowl Sunday. Robert, Eleni, and John came to the rally, but Sarah and I were seated in a different section.

The speakers were great. Caroline Kennedy spoke first, followed by Oprah. Two things Oprah said really struck me. She said that after she endorsed Obama she got a lot of angry comments on her website saying that she had turned against women. She said that she's been a woman all her life and that she is a "free woman." As a free woman she can vote for whoever she chooses. Oprah said she also got comments saying that her decision was racially motivated. To that she said "don't play me small" (my new favorite quote ever--try using it today). She said that she wasn't voting for Barack because he is black, but because he is brilliant. We were seated behind the podium, and as Oprah spoke I was shaking ever so slightly: Oprah was only a few yards away from me! I also couldn't stop staring at her butt. She looked good, and as she spoke I was often jumping up and down and screaming. Oprah looked right at us a few times: jumping up and down in the front row of the balcony'll do that. We were on the jumbotron at one point. I caught it out of the corner of my eye. Yikes!

After Oprah spoke, out came Michelle Obama with Stevie Wonder. He played a little ditty on the harmonic and sang Barack's name. It brought tears to my eyes. Stevie Wonder is so joyous and cute. Then Michelle spoke, and was simply brilliant. Her talk was great. She understands. She said that she and Barack only finished paying off their student loans a few years ago, and that was only because Barack had 2 best-selling books. She said that when people look at her life she wants them to see what an investment in public education looks like. She ended her speech with a story about a little girl in South Carolina that had me and Sarah crying. She said that she was approached by a 10-year-old girl in S.C. who said that if Obama won the election it would be a historical event. Michelle asked the girl what the win would mean to her? The little girl replied that it would mean that she "could do anything", and started to cry. I was crying. Robert, Eleni,and John all enjoyed the rally and Robert later said that it made him want to live a better life. I think we all went away with the sense that we have a great deal to contribute to our communities and our government. It was inspiring, introspective, and uplifting.

After the rally we all went to Chilli's. The Super Bowl was on the TV there, and an occassional glance at the TV was all I ever saw of the game. The Super Bowl didn't exist in our world. Most of the guests had come from the rally, and we talked to the woman in the booth behind us--a single mom putting herself through school. She'd driven up from San Bernardino with her little daughter. The little girl smiled and showed us the Obama t-shirt her "mommy bought" her. Things like that make your heart leap.

Tuesday

I had to work on Super Tuesday (February 5), but left around 4pm to drive home and vote. Sarah and Zoe had done "visibility" for the campaign during the day. They stood out on the corner of Fairfax and Santa Monica and dressed up as robots by wrapping themselves in tin foil. They held up homemade Obama posters and drew a lot of attention. After I voted I met up with some Obama supporters in my neighborhood who were waving signs by the 101 Freeway entrance. For an hour I shook my American flag and held a bright Obama face poster one of the guys had made. They were made from a stencil and looked awesome, very Warhol meets L.A. graffiti. We got a lot of horns in support. However, one of the organizers said that they had been flicked off by some people, which suprised me. Later in the night, a woman in a pick-up truck drove by and called me and another woman, "traitors to womankind" and flicked us off. I was aghast and confused.
A. By her logic I wouldn't have been able to vote for a Presidential candidate until this year.
B. By her logic I should be voting based on either my gender or race.
While I screamed "don't play me small" in response, her comments hurt me. It seems that a lot of Hillary Clinton supports are angry about the support for Obama, and I don't understand why. I thought vaginas were for urination, procreation, and menstruation; not voting. I didn't know you could vote with your vagina, here I've been using my brain and the little push pin to dimple the chad.

That night I went to a "watch party" sponsored by the campaign at a club in Hollywood. There were other return watching events, but this one was the largest and would have speakers. Upon arrival I was struck at how "event-y" it seemed: people were dressed up, there was a red carpet, a guest list, DJs, etc. However, I did recognize familiar faces from my canvassing/volunteering. I just went over in a hoodie and jeans. CNN and MSNBC were broadcast on the walls. Elected officials and union member and campaign chairs spoke in support of Obama. The overall feel of the night was positive even if we lost California. It hurt to lose California, but truthfully a lot of work was done to close the lead that Hilliary Clinton had in the state for months. In this primary of a delegate here/a delegate there every vote counts.

This primary could go on for months, and that's a good thing. This primary is historic in numerous ways: we've had record voter turnout and campaign involvement in the Democratic Party, we have started with and will end with diverse candidates (Richardson, Hillary, Obama), states have gained a voice that they didn't have when primaries were winner-take-all, and the party is on the cusp of reincarnation.

That is why the divison and anger I experienced first hand (via a flipped finger) on Super Turesday really hurt me. Why the anger, lady? I think that for some Hillary Clinton supporters there was a sense of inevitability: she was going to be the first woman president. I thought the same thing myself. My decision to vote for Obama wasn't a flip one. However, I never once thought that I had to vote for Ms. Clinton because she was a woman or that I had to vote for Obama because we're both biracial. My primary vote was a roller-coaster of a process reached by reading blogs, newspapers, and magazines, watching primary and caucus returns, and visiting candidate websites. This is not a campaign about race and gender, and while some people have really tried to categorize it as such, what this really boils down to is world view. If you believe that you can accomplish more with an olive branch than with a sword, then you're voting Obama. If you believe that the only way to defeat the Republicans is to storm into the room with guns drawn, then you're voting for Hillary. A lot of us have been left angry, hurt, and disillusioned about our Government and country following the Bush II Administration. We know that Carl Rove and his cohorts are dirty and unscrupulous. We know that there were no weapons of mass destruction. What is the best way to govern in the wake of this? I feel that it's the "win more bees with honey" road as proposed by Mr. Obama. For the first time in my lifetime there is a Democratic candidate that has excited and energized the people. He is intelligent, hopeful, and gracious in his approach. He is what the country needs right now.

At the rally Robert was able to get one of these for our apartment. It smiles down on me in the living room and reminds me that things can be better when they feel the worst.