Tag Archives: politics

Motherhood Makes Beautiful Things

Posted on by Run DMT
8

In recent months, there has been a resurgence on  “war on women”.  I’m not referring to the “war on women” that has been happening for centuries in the Middle East or the heinous atrocities happening to women in Africa or even the verbal attacks in the U.S. political arena. Instead, I’m referring to the age old war of working moms vs. stay at home moms and the other ugly battle, attachment parenting vs. traditional parenting.  First, it was the ridiculous comments made by Hilary Rosen about Ann Romney.  Then, there was an uproar in response to the Time magazine cover.

Why do we allow society or the media to flame these feuds?

If you work outside the home and still have the strength to raise a family, then you should be applauded.  If your job is a full time mom trying to juggling it all without losing your mind or yourself trapped between a world of toddlerese and Lori Berkner, then your efforts should be applauded as well.  Neither job is easy.  Motherhood no matter how it’s dressed up, be it a corporate suit or yoga pants, requires sacrifice and that sacrifice should be praised not ridiculed.

And yet, somehow that sacrifice opens the door for ridicule or judgment rather than praise.

As moms, we make decisions every day about child-rearing with the sole purpose to do what’s best for our children.  Therefore, how can any reasonable child-rearing choice be wrong?  If you choose to breastfeed your child until school-age, who are we to judge?  If you choose to bottle feed your baby over breastfeeding, who are we to judge?  And if your child stays on the bottle, boob or binky until kindergarten, then that’s also a parenting choice and no one should judge.

No matter which avenue we choose to get there, we all want a stress-free existence with confident, well-adjusted children.  Our ultimate goal is the same.  So why not build a society that mirrors the one created when we cradle infants in our arms, be it on the breast or on a bottle?

Acceptance and support starts with each of us.  As mothers, we need to stop criticizing each other and start supporting one another.  We can’t allow magazine images and political sound bites to open the door to criticism and attacks.

Motherhood makes beautiful things.  Society needs to stop turning into something ugly.

With yesterday being Mother’s Day, I felt compelled to share my thoughts about moms supporting other moms and what better way than incorporating it into a Music Monday post.  What topics and tunes are moving you?

I’m still co-hosting with Xmas Dolly and her Monday’s Music Moves Me crew (Lorie, Stacy, Callie and Cathy), so link up and share.

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Denise Mestanza-Taylor+

Peace, Love and Understanding

Posted on by Run DMT
19

I hate war, but I respect and admire a soldier’s sacrifice to protect my freedoms.

 

Because I fear guns, I support stricter gun laws, but I also understand the 2nd Amendment will never be abolished.  However, in light of the Tucson shootings, something must be done so that mentally unstable people can never possess a handgun.

 

I may disagree with a person’s political views, but I would never use the term Nazi or any other ethnic epithet, racial slur or hateful imagery to emphasize my point.

 

I love this country just as much as any conservative or libertarian even though I adopt a different belief system.

 

I’m not trying to destroy America.  I just want this great land to be even better than our forefathers envisioned.

 

By sharing my wealth, I feel I demonstrate loving thy neighbors.

 

Supporting social programs doesn’t make me un-American, a socialist or a communist, but suppressing or silencing my ideals would be un-American.

 

So I ask you,

“What’s so funny about Peace, Love and Understanding?”

 

 

As I walk through
This wicked world
Searchin’ for light in the darkness of insanity.

I ask myself
Is all hope lost?
Is there only pain and hatred, and misery?

And each time I feel like this inside,
There’s one thing I wanna know:
What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh
What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding?

And as I walked on
Through troubled times
My spirit gets so downhearted sometimes
So where are the strong
And who are the trusted?
And where is the harmony?
Sweet harmony.

‘Cause each time I feel it slippin’ away, just makes me wanna cry.
What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh
What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding?

So where are the strong?
And who are the trusted?
And where is the harmony?
Sweet harmony.

‘Cause each time I feel it slippin away, just makes me wanna cry.
What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh
What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh
What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding?

 

I’d also like to share another classic because its lyrics and meaning also ring true in today’s world.

 

 

 

Visit Amanda, Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.

I Speak for the Seas

Posted on by Run DMT
39

For years, I have protested off-shore drilling simply because the idea of an oil rig sitting off in the distance of our eco-sensitive Gulf shores (even 125 miles off shore) never sat well with me and my stance on the issue caused many heated debates with friends. As Sarah Palin, the GOP and their supporters shout “Drill, Baby, Drill!” with our Gulf waters their prime target, the prospect of oil rigs erecting in our coral reefs appeared imminent and the idea continued to make me ill and furious.

 

My friends would argue about it lessening our dependence of foreign oil and I would discuss the importance of seeking alternate energy sources.  Since we had opposing viewpoints, the arguments always seemed moot and only led to me writing my representatives to voice my concerns.

 

I am the Lorax. I speak for the seas.
I speak for the seas, for the seas have no tongues.
And we simply cannot go drilling
Along as we please.

 

Then, just weeks before Earth Day, President Obama agreed to explore more off-shore drilling options and my heart sank like a sunken treasure to the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.  It appeared that I had lost every argument along with every hope of keeping our coral reefs rig free.  Now, I sat in the same boat as Al Gore and Flipper , because oil is the thneed which everyone needs.

 

 

Then, like an ironic twist of fate, an oil rig exploded off the shores of Louisiana the day before Earth Day.  As black sludge and smoke overshadowed our green “Save the Earth” celebrations, we mourned the loss of the 11 men who died in the explosion as well as the loss of our precious wetlands and a fishing economy which thrived from those waters.

 

With more than 210,000 gallons of oil pouring into the Gulf a day, experts predict that the oil spreading throughout the Gulf will surpass the oil spill created by the Exxon Valdez in approximately two months. Now, like many other Florida residents, I worry and wait to see how the oil spill will affect our wildlife, our beaches, our tourism, our economy and our livelihood.

 

On Saturday evening, my family and I ate at our favorite waterfront restaurant to soak up our beautiful Gulf view before the oil washes upon our shores.

 

 

In the meantime, I’ve stocked up on Dawn dish detergent to help clean up the oil slick Swomee-Swans and the Humming-Fish when they arrive to escape the Gluppity-Glupp and Schloppity-Schlopp.

 

 

 

Excerpts from Dr. Suess’s The Lorax

I am the Lorax,” he coughed and he whiffed.
He sneezed and he snuffled. He snarggled. He sniffed.
“Once-ler!” he cried with a cruffulous croak.
“Once-ler! You’re making such smogulous smoke!
My poor Swomee-Swans… why, they can’t sing a note!
No one can sing who has smog in his throat.

 

And so,” said the Lorax,
“-please pardon my cough-
they cannot live here.
So I’m sending them off.
“Where will they go?
I don’t hopefully know.
They may have to fly for a month… or a year…
To escape from the smog you’ve smogged up around here.”

 

“What’s more,” snapped the Lorax. (His dander was up.)
“Let me say a few words about Gluppity-Glupp.
Your machine chugs on, day and night without stop
making Gluppity-Glupp. Also Schloppity-Schlopp.
And what do you do with this leftover goo?
I’ll show you. You dirty old Once-ler man, you!

 

“You’re glumping the pond where the Humming-Fish hummed!
No more can they hum, for their gills are all gummed.
So I’m sending them off. Oh, their future is dreary.
They’ll walk on their fins and get woefully weary
in search of some water that isn’t so smeary.”

 

“But now,” says the Once-ler,
“Now that you’re here,
the word of the Lorax seems perfectly clear.
UNLESS someone like you
cares a whole awful lot,
nothing is going to get better.
It’s not.

Preserving Brooker Creek Preserve

Posted on by Run DMT
8

One of our favorite family pastimes is visiting Brooker Creek Preserve for its hikes, story time and hands-on education center.

 

 

 

 

While visiting the center the other day, I heard some heartbreaking news.  Brooker Creek Preserve faces closure due to budget cuts. Pinellas county commissioners have drastically reduced the staff and the operating hours of the center despite the facility already relying heavily volunteers to run its programs.

 

 

 

As a resident of a neighboring county, I would gladly pay an entrance fees to keep the gates of Brooker Creek Preserve and Weedon Island open to support these invaluable resources and the many lessons taught there.

 

 

Both centers offer wonderful lessons of our delicate ecosystems and local history.

 

 

 

 

I would rather share with my children lessons of conservation rather than sad stories of bureaucrats not seeing the beauty and educational value in such wonderful places.

 

Since Pinellas residents already pay significant taxes to support these centers, county officials should promote both centers as points of interest to tourists and draw revenue from its visitors and residents outside of Pinellas rather than closing its gates permanently.

 

 

If you live in the Tampa Bay area, I urge to support these centers by asking Pinellas County Commissioners to reconsider their position or contact The Friends of Brooker Creek and The Friends of Weedon Island to learn how you can help.

 

From the Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve website:

 

The Friends will continue to provide as much support as possible for programs and other needs at Brooker Creek Preserve. We are in the process of finding ways to raise funds to that end. To succeed, we need YOU! We are looking for ideas, event planning assistance, and some energized hands. If you are interested in joining us in this important mission, please contact us at 727-934-2680 or info@friendsofbrookercreekpreserve.org.


 

PhotoStory Friday
Hosted by Cecily and Momma

 

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Music for Martin Luther King Day

Posted on by Run DMT
10

Although some Americans shout disparaging remarks of President Obama, I can’t help still feeling hopeful that he will deliver his campaign promises.  The Tea Party’s angrily demonstrates with defaced images of Obama to resemble Hitler, but I don’t understand the connection and it turns my stomach.  All this hate weighs heavy on my heart.

 

The world sees Obama as an ambassador of peace, yet a small group of Americans see him as another socialistic dictator.  Although no one will admit it, I believe it all boils down to racism.  Some people simply cannot deal with the fact that there’s black man in White House.  They allow their fear and prejudice shadow their judgments instead of seeing a great leader.

 

Today, we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, a great man who preached that we put aside our hate.  However, forty-seven years later after his famous “I Have a Dream” Speech, some Americans still refuse to see past the color of a person’s skin and it saddens me.

 

Despite all the signs of hate in our country, I still hold onto hope and “a dream that my (four) children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” ­– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

 

As I continue to cling to hope, images of the devastation in Haiti bombard my television. The previous images of hate became horrific images of despair. Surprisingly, these images quickly turned to love as people from all over the world held out their hands to help the poor people of Haiti. Racism aside, signs of support flooded the small island of Haiti.

 

So maybe there is still hope for America.

 

“We shall overcome.” –Dr. Marin Luther King, Jr.

 

 

 

My Hope

Posted on by Run DMT
Reply

A friend sent me this political cartoon and I love the message it embraces.

 

obama-and-mlk

 

On election night, Obama’s victory speech brought me to tears.  I still can not believe I have lived to witness such an event in my lifetime and that my children will know a world truly without boundaries and free of prejudice.

 

I also have a dream.  I believe that he will be the president to bring us into better times again.  I envision a great leader who will bring a divided nation together while spreading a message of peace across the globe.  I believe his plans for a better America are not simply words to win a campaign, but an actual design to lift this nation out of the turmoil we are now facing.  You are my hope, President Elect Obama.  Now, prove you are worthy of it.  

 

God bless America!

 

obama-peace-sign

Pushing It Palin-Style

Posted on by Run DMT
6

During one of our water breaks on our long Sunday runs, Tiffany asked me what time I put down on the application for the Disney Marathon. 

 

“Well, if I run at my slowest pace of 11 minute miles, that’s 55 minutes to run 5 miles.  Given that pace, I figure I should finish it in about 5 hours, right?”

 

“Good!  That’s what I thought, too!” Tiffany replied.  “My goal is to beat Katie Holmes’s time: 5:29:58.”

 

“Oh we could so beat her!”  We’ll kick Katie Holmes’s a$$!”

 

Then, this past week, Tiffany asked me if I knew that Palin ran a marathon.

 

“Palin ran a marathon?”

 

“Yeah, it was in Runner World.  Her time was 3:59:36.”

 

“How old was she?  Wow.  The other Denise was right.  She is a super woman.  She is a machine, but I still ain’t voting for her.”

 

I began to visualize Palin running a marathon along the icy polar caps of Alaska while holding a rifle and shooting baby seals.  How does a mother of five and a governor find time to train for a marathon?  How can she be that fast?  She simply can not be human.

 

 

My training trance was abruptly interrupted when Lori commented on how my pace suddenly picked up a bit. 

 

“Well, I thought we only had to be Katie Holmes.  Now, I have to beat Palin’s time!”

 

Indeed, Palin did run a marathon at the fabulous age of 41.  She ranked 15th place in her division and 63rd out of 203 runners.

 

If I can’t beat her time in January or February, then it’s something for me to strive when I hit the big 4-0!

 

Other Politicians Who Have Run Marathons

  • George W. Bush, Houston Marathon 1993 (3:44:52)
  • Michael Dukakis, Governor of Massachusetts, Boston Marathon 1951 (3:31:00)
  • John Edwards, Marine Corps Marathon 1983 (3:30:18)
  • Bill Frist, Marine Corps Marathon 1997 (4:54:36)
  • Al Gore, Marine Corps Marathon 1997 (4:58:25) :-)
  • Mike Huckabee, Governor of Arkansas, Little Rock Marathon 2005 (4:39:04)
  • Tom Vilsack, Governor of Iowa, Little Rock Marathon 2005 (5:28:39)
  •  Clarence Thomas, U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Marine Corps Marathon (3:11:xx) 1979

 

Celebrities Times I have to Beat

  • Katie Holmes, New York City Marathon 2007 (5:29:58)
  • Oprah Winfrey, Marine Corps Marathon 1994 (4:29:20)    
  • Will Ferrell, Boston Marathon 2003 (3:56:12) -As if I could run that fast!  LOL
  • David Lee Roth, New York City Marathon 1987 (6:04:43) – I could so kick his rocking a$$!
  • Mario López, Saved by the Bell, Boston Marathon 2002 (5:41:41)

Barack the Vote

Posted on by Run DMT
5

As in previous elections, Florida votes are critical.  With Floridians being such a crucial piece in this political puzzle, many politicians follow the campaign trail down to the Sunshine State.

 

A couple of weeks ago, Barrack Obama visited Florida and stopped in Dunedin for a quick rally.  Given that this election is such a historical event in more ways than one, I asked my oldest daughter, Allana, if she wanted to join me at the Obama rally.  Allana has been studying the branches of government, the candidates and the election process in school and this first-hand experience provided a wonderful learning opportunity for her.

 

 

Although the doors opened at 10:30, we arrived around 9:30.  At that time, the line to enter the stadium was already half a mile long.  As we waited in line 3 hours, the line continued to grow approximately another half mile behind us.  Knology Park stadium has approximately 5,000 seats, but it has been estimated that 10,000 people attempted to attend Obama’s Dunedin rally and many supporters were turned away.

 

As Allana finished some homework, I chatted with people around us.  The crowd was very diverse.  Young and old, black and white, college students, working people, retired folks, homosexuals, heterosexuals, liberal and conservatives all rallied together to hear the solutions the next President of the United States offered to fix our country.

 

The rally began with a non-denominational prayer and the pledge.  Despite the stereotypical assumptions often made by conservatives, it demonstrated that Democrats are spiritual and patriotic.

 

Local politicians (the mayor of Dunedin and the CFO of) and a volunteer for the Obama campaign gave short speeches prior to Obama’s arrival to the podium.

 

Allana was so moved by the whole experience that she wanted to create a sign to capture her feelings about the whole scene.  If you read it carefully, she wrote “I love B.O.”  With a stadium jammed with 6,000 sweaty Obama supporters, there was certainly a lot of that!

 

 

Political rallies always make me chuckle, because they remind me of the football pep rallies during my high school years.  Politicians often use words like “We need to shake them up!” or “Those politicians didn’t keep their eyes on the ball.”  Obama was no exception and the enthusiasm of the crowd was intoxicating.

 

His talking points were the same issues he shared during the first presidential debate and once again, Obama’s presence was very presidential.  He was articulate and I believe he will represent America well.

 

 

After the Obama rally, I had considered voting early.  Voting early will help avoid a repeat of the 2000 election.  Plus, the temptation to vote early offers a lot of appeal to any mom because we can avoid waiting in long lines with whining children.    Although, I realize the importance for my children to witness democracy in action as I model my civic duty when voting, waiting an hour or so in line with screaming children in tow to vote can deflate anyone’s patriotic passion. 

 

Somehow, I avoided procrastinated voting early.  Honestly, I don’t know if I will vote for Obama because I don’t believe Obama represents the true left of the Democratic Party.  If I voted today, I would cast my vote for Cynthia McKinney of the Green Party.  

 

 

However, with an election so close, Obama could lose the election because of my vote.  I want to vote my conscious but I realize I may need to vote my party on Election Day to help Obama defeat McCain.

 

She Called Me a Bad Name!

Posted on by Run DMT
9

A few weeks ago, my friend, Diane, organized a brunch playdate, which we now affectionately refer to as “Mimosa Monday”.  Each guest brought a scrumptious breakfast item to share and our fabulous host served cocktails.  The day started with brunch with mimosas, followed by a liquid lunch and more mixed drinks in the afternoon.  Hey!  It’s five o’clock somewhere!

 

 

 

Yes, our children were in deed there and playing…somewhere.

 

Late in the afternoon, Kathy and Diane approached me with a look of concern on their faces.  “We need to talk”, Diane slurred to me.

 

“Oh dear,” I replied thinking her issue was related to our moms group.

 

“Kathy and I have been meaning to discuss something with you for quite some time now.”

 

I quickly sobered as the seriousness in her tone made me nervous.

 

“We feel you are misguided and confused.  We believe you are more conservative than you think.”

 

(((GASP)))  Oh the horror!  How dare they call me such a foul word?  Me, a conservative? My ears began to ring.  I felt a pang in my heart.  I envisioned Al Gore standing in the white light with a disapproving expression on his face as he tore my voter’s registration card into pieces.

 

“What is this? An intervention?” I asked sarcastically.

 

“Yeah, you could say that,” Kathy chimed in.

 

Diane and Kathy then proceeded to tell me all the ways they felt I was a conservative, a mind game strategy to recruit me to the dark side.  I tried to speak, but they were well-prepared for their ambush.  The two clever and conniving conservatives released their ammo of right-wing agenda and I froze like a deer in headlights.  I tried to fire back but I could not fight off the constant discharge of conservative cartridges.  Powerless by my inebriated state, I resigned to their tricky tactics and submissively listened as they condemned my liberal claims.  That late afternoon, they won the battle but not the war. 

 

How could anyone mistake me for a conservative?  Is it because most of my friends are Republicans?  Perhaps, people make the assumption because I prefer not to talk politics in social circles.  I refrain from such banter as my opinions and views are seldom the majority in this big red retirement state. 

 

For the record, I am indeed and whole-heartedly a flaming, left-wing liberal and have been for years.  I am not a moderate nor do I walk down the middle.  For goodness sakes, I wore a “Jesse Jackson for President” button in high school.  In each election, I have voted for Democratic candidates and have even voted for Nader once!  (((GASP!)))  Therefore, to call me a conservative is simply blasphemy.

 

With that, here (in no particular order) is my list of issues that I support/oppose and make me a true bleeding heart liberal. 

  • Pro choice (I actually have an e-mail subscription to NARAL Pro-Choice America.)
  • Women’s rights/equality
  • Oppose the death penalty
  • Larger government
  • Welfare
  • Universal Healthcare
  • Oppose the war, but support the troops
  • Oppose off-shore drilling in Florida’s Gulf Coast
  • Public education/oppose vouchers
  • Separation of church and state 
  • Oppose hand-guns laws/Abolish the Second Amendment
  • Gay rights/Same sex marriage
  • Human rights (I belong to Amnesty International.)
  • Environment and Global warming
  • Legalized drugs
  • Higher taxes for the wealthy and corporations

 

And now if you excuse me, I must prove my worth as a bleeding heart liberal by organizing and leading a protest for one or all of the above issues.