On the Subject of Political Bones

My submission for the MCAD wide project "Dear President ______" Two small "slides" attached with a bracket. Each slide is 1.5"x2". FALL/2008

The subject of politics seems to be rampant everywhere I go, and for good reason. There is a palpable buzz in the air surrounding this election, as opposed to the drunken stupor we all tend to fuzz through post-presidential elections. We are caring before ballots are cast for the first time in a very long time, or, at least, this is how I perceive the mood among many right now. In 2000 there was nothing to cause agitation until the chads were hanging on for dear life. In 2004, there was still a heavy sense that things could—by hopes of hopes—not get any worse, so the country was complacent to go through "4 MORE YEARS! 4 MORE YEARS!", because sometimes you have to dance with who you came to the dance with. Of course, I'm oversimplifying, but really, do you recall the fervent sense of, "We gotta get this done now or we are really beyond help!" in the previous elections? I don't. I remember John Kerry and John Edwards both being flat and wimpy, with progression being the last thing on their mind and the idea of fix fix fix being the message. Fix the war! Fix the unbalanced taxing! Fix justice! And the right ran on the premise that at any one moment our nation could fall to terrorists and "DO YOU REALLY NOT WANT US ON THAT WALL?"


Kerry and Edwards. Our once great hope? FALL/04

This election year there is vibrancy. There has been an alteration to the status quo. In the primary alone—on the left—there was a Hispanic, woman and African-American running. Think back to Kerry and Edwards? Oh, how far we have come! Wimpy white dudes be dammed! The fact that it came down to Clinton and Obama was astounding (although still heartbreaking considering 2008 finally marked that chance and milestone). Even as much as I dislike Palin, the fact that things have been so rearranged for how presidential politics are run, we have the GOP—of all people—wanting to be in on the fun. That said, Palin is an infuriating draw into the old shitty playbook. Trying to sway voters from the other party who didn't get their lady with someone who is so unbelievably not fit to be the VP is egregious to me. Somethings change, somethings stay the same I suppose.


Sarah Palin, doing some AD work for LensCrafters. Created by Chris Burns, appreciated and laughed at by me. FALL/08

Still though, she has caused a stir. An interesting and violent storm of scrutiny that, while not unwarranted, is a bit unsavory to digest, primarily for all the sludge that is dug up and shoved down our weary throats. We're choking on reasons to love and hate this woman. We're choking on reasons to fear McCain, celebrate Obama, worry about Biden and it's all for someone's bottom dollar, but obviously not our own. The media is a corporate machine spinning its wheels off trying to subject us to their interest, wherever that lies. The days of Woodward and Bernstein are beyond us. Nobody will harm their interest for the truth, and if someone is to try, then there is someone to dispute and pull apart.


Nearest the camera is Erik Brandt. Arrested on Sept. 4th outside the RNC for riding his bike. I reiterate: he was riding his bike. FALL/08

So, we are now in an age of prolific blogging. For instance, the most interesting coverage I found of the RNC that recently concluded on our doorstep in St. Paul came not from CNN, Fox, NBC, CBS etc. It came from Erik Brandt and Chris Burns, along with many other individuals willing to assess the situation on their own accord as opposed to sing along to the tune of a talking head. I know, probably, that my mom and dad heard nothing about the arrests and violence because, really, where would they? To the general public the RNC went off without a hitch, and even if there was reporting on the protests it was "violent anarchists" and "liberal protagonists". I can tell you, with much sincerity, the line in the sand is not that harsh. I write before you as someone who has never wanted to tow a party line. The state I came from and the family I love are all aligned with the right, never falling too far into the trenches, but never straying too far from the flock. Through punk rock, friends, literature and other media I found that I didn't hold those beliefs as those around me did. Through a maturation process we learn to take things with a grain of salt from both sides. But, right now, right here in this country, things have gone horrifically awry. I don't need much convincing that I'd rather believe in candidates proposing change—not fixing the problems—but rather adapting and solving those problems with effectively thought out means. I don't need much convincing to hear the same words about terror and war from the right to understand they are not who I wish to vote for.

Assessment is part and parcel with patience, and as much as we have run out of it in this country, let us still asses the things we all would like to see going on. Let us understand that there is no polarity to political ideas, but rather a middle ground, and right now we all are working towards the same ends. What we must ask ourselves is if we stay with the same path, or do we run with this buzz in the air? Are we ready to accept change? Are we ready to take back what was once ours?

I am.