I think it says a lot that both Democrats Obama and Biden have rallied at my school before the election and the only Republican on the ticket that came here was Palin. I think it says something of McCain- knowing BOTH of his opponents have been here and he hasn't.

Around here I really wonder how many of these old South people are racist and don't even know it. I mean seriously, can the old south open it's eyes or recognize faults or problems with traditional tradition??

I have always been into politics, I mean i was one of the speech and debate geeks in high school. For the last 8 years I have been wondering how we had a president (besides him rigging a re-election for himself) with worse oratory skills than teenagers at a debate competition. How embarrassing! I mean maybe if he had a doctor's note for learning disabilities or a speech impediment. But a rich kid who went to Yale and harvard has NO EXCUSES otherwise. 

This year I am more fired up than ever! Obama has a positive message, is well thought out and is a charismatic public figure. If nothing else, at least the rest of the world could think, "Finally! The USA has an intelligent leader/representative! The bigots are not in office anymore! WOW SOMEONE WHO ISN'T WHITE FINALLY HAS A TURN!" It's sad to have to say that, but a country made up of so many ethnicities should not be represented by white men each time. We are not all white men, we should not let them allow themselves to monopolize power. And there are so many whites who I can see around here are seething at the notion that this power is in possible jeopardy. 

My daddy is a white man. No, I don't really call him daddy. I call him dad-cake. Thank god he knows what's up. Especially here in the south. I find there are so many die-hard good ol' boys around here. And their brainwashed "traditional" wives too. The kind that don't want new folks comin' round. And these "republicans" around here... who are NOT rich, who are just so fundamentally prejudiced are so happy that Sarah Palin is around. A new role model for the women! 

Oh, that's another thing I have been getting off on. I watch the news on a very regular basis and I am so grossed out to see these bimbo suburban housewives cheering Palin on. The middle class women who don't know how to listen or to think are finally finding some sort of political hockey mom barbie! How many times I have watched these women talk about sexism and how hard things are blah blah blah FEMINISM! 

That's where I slam on my breaks, because- good for you if you are a woman who worked hard for your 6 figure income, but where did you come from? Could you care less for those who are still struggling? Then how the fuck are you a feminist? Isn't the essence of femininity not only strength and hard work, but also nurturing concern and humbleness for others? You are not a feminist if you abandon these things and visions of equality over profit and self wealth. Sarah Palin may be political barbie but just because she is a woman in a high political placement at the moment does not mean she should be a feminist martyr. Her ideals are wayyyyyy too whack.

Unfortunately, I really wonder how many women around here, and this country in general- don't have the instinctual ability to gather facts and put 2 and 2 together? How many of us don't come equipped with the instinctual urge to exercise that ability? How many women's intuitions are powered off towards anything not directly involving them? OPEN YOUR EYES OUTSIDE OF YOUR OWN LIVES!!! 

Joe Biden came to ECU yesterday. 

I went to the Obama rally too, but that was months ago and I thought they wouldn't allow cameras- so left mine at home.  I knew the Biden rally was happening  outside of the rec center, coincidently at the same time I had to be there taking a fitness test.

I had a little panic through security. 

I had been scoping out security initially anyway because I didn't intend on staying for the rally after the test. (I thought it might be over) I brought my camera in case of a glimse, but didn't think to leave my little wooden pipe/a little trinket box with some herb in it at home... Like I said, didn't think I was staying- but when I came out of the rec center and saw that Biden hadn't yet spoke, I decided to stay.

I planned on sitting on the outskirts of the fences and lines of security. When I decided I wanted to get closer- I suddenly remembered I had those 2 things with me and was wondering how easy it would be to get by. 

I walked around in circles for a minute, trying to find a place to be discrete. First, I put the pipe (it's flat and shaped like a leaf) in my back pocket. Since the metal parts on it are minimal, I figured it could get through the detector. I can get through with my glasses and jewelry (visible or non), so surely this wouldn't set it off. 

I watched the guards rifle through people's bags and saw them take out a jacket, pat it down and move it on, so I started second-guessing the back pocket idea and decided to put it in my vest pocket, snap it shut, and put in my backpack. I put the little trinket box in a disguised compartment of my backpack and got in line.

Made it passed the walk-through detector and stood to wait for the guard to look through my bag. He threw out my apple, fine. I'll take another one. Made me throw out my nice new can of mace- bummer. Said I couldn't have it back after the rally. He pulls out my vest pats it down, feels something and opens the pocket. 

I'm like- Fuck!!!

It was my wallet. He opened it, put it back in the vest, patted it once more and moved it along. I thought my anxiety was over until he started going through the side pockets of my backpack.  

I realized I accidently left a little green jar that I had forgotten from a week or so ago, and I wasn't exactly sure if it was empty or not. He found it, alright. He took it out, opened it, looked inside of it, (I saw little flakes and was EXTREMELY nervous at that point) closed it, put it back in my bag and told me to go on.

He must've known what it was, but still kept his mouth shut and let me go. I am so glad this guy working for the security of the potential vice president saw that a little bit of greenery is not of any REAL concern. 

Mostly I was glad since although I have made it past my 2 years unsupervised probation for being arrested, my record has not yet been expunged and so any trouble with the law sends me more likely to jail.... and much, much more likely to screw over my education degree, or chances of being hired as a teacher in a public school- which isn't what I want to do when I graduate, but if I don't get into grad school, it looks a lot like what I'll be doing, so I better be more careful.

Here are a few pictures I took. I took 15+ minutes of video, but think I need to break it down before I can upload it onto youtube. I tried last night and it took forever, but when I get around to it, you can see the rally just as I did.

I think the first picture is nice. A sniper above the rec center. How symbolic