So… yeah. Human Rights work is funner.
Here’s the thing, human rights is not something that should be politicized. Real people with lives, with other real people who love them, exist outside the confines of our modern, clean homes in Western Civilization. Doing the right thing by those folks is not something that should be difficult. After all – that’s why we pass the plate every Sunday morning. To help others, to give freely of ourselves.
But those gifts shouldn’t be the faithful equivalent to outsourcing jobs. We can’t outsource our humanity.
Currently, I’m writing on Morocco. And Sudan. And Congo. And other dismal places with horrible problems. I have found such an abundance of love, of human strength and faith. The moral force of doing what is right compels me to do more.
I’m waiting on calls to be returned from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Two organizations that I have vehemently disagreed with in the past….Guantanamo, ahem. But alas, as there are no right-leaning organizations doing the same work – I will call the folks with skin in the game.
It is fascinating to depart the full-time political game for something that, to me, is more meaningful. But just so my readers know, I still have some pretty strong opinions about the midterm elections and the prospects for 2012. I promise to share them soon.
In the meantime, remember that we must live right and be worthy if we are to expect worthy partners in love, in business and in life.
–Media Lizzy
Smart Girl Summit…
Will share pictures and stories from the Smart Girl Summit this weekend, but I wanted to say thank you to Teri Christoph and Stacy Mott for the invitation to host a panel!!! I met lots of folks that heretofore I had only interacted with on Twitter or Facebook. I also saw some old friends, what a wonderful event! More tonight or tomorrow!
The Hate-Off
When does hyperbole turn into hate speech? In my latest podcast, I examine that question then dissect the Left & Right’s use of hyperbole that transforms into hate – or calls for violence. Show opens with a tribute to Mediaite’s Tommy Christopher & RedState’s Caleb Howe.
Listen HERE.
—Media Lizzy
On life, journalism & a cup of coffee
As a little girl, I often marveled at my father. He was editor of a magazine, traveled the globe and possessed a command of language, communications, history and the news. It was humbling to be his daughter, then empowering. I remember spending healthy portions of summer vacation in his office, or under the gentle tutelage of others who worked for him. I remember the Wang computers, the enormous design and layout rooms and desks. The smell of collaboration was in the air. I was infinitely amazed. Before me were dozens of people putting together a magazine, but more than that – they were informing readers of the truth.
It struck me how noble a profession journalism could be. I was naive, to be certain. But after17 or 18 years in politics and media…I guess you could say I have been lucky. Once in a while, that idealism manifests itself in political consultants, elected officials, sub-cabinet officials, policy makers and yes, journalists.
In 2006, I made a decision to leave campaign consulting behind me. After working on presidential, senate & gubernatorial races – I realized I wasn’t cut out for the medieval bloodletting necessary to be successful. For as long as I can remember, writing is my love. From the fumbling poems and silly news stories and short stories I penned as a little girl, to the daily reports I sort through today that encompass genocide, war, human brutality and corruption – writing and absorbing information about the world we live in has been my greatest love professionally.
Survival inside the beltway is about building an urban family. Sometimes you hang out in person. Sometimes you spend years talking on the phone, via email, and on Twitter before you ever find the time to grab a coffee. Or lunch.
This summer, I returned to Virginia. While hosting a dear friend who was visiting from France, we spent a day in DC. We were running late, and traffic was a bear. I had scheduled coffee with Mediaite‘s Tommy Christopher but after a couple of phone calls, blazing heat and a couple of hours that disappeared into a black hole… I canceled. We were both scheduled to be back in DC this week. My schedule is less hectic, and I was pleased to have more time to hang out. Tommy is a lot more than a White House reporter.
Principled, a loving father, a devoted friend, passionate about truth and fairness – he is one of those rare men that packs smarts, humor and kindness into one personality. More than once, he’s kept me honest.
I took for granted that this week would be like any week. School was starting, my daughter began high school – and I was able to begin the tough task of catching up on research, writing and putting together my new home. Turns out, this week was nothing like I planned.
Tommy Christopher had a heart attack. He’s 42. And he tweeted it live. “I gotta be me. Livetweeting my heart attack. Beat that!”
What’s more…my respect for and feelings of kinship aren’t unique. Dozens and dozens of people offered support, encouragement and well-wishes. Because Tommy is one of those guys, you gotta love him. Because men like him don’t come along in life – let alone journalism and politics – every day.
If you know Tommy, send him some love. If you don’t, say a little prayer. Or do a rain dance for his healing. As for me, I can’t wait until he’s back inside the beltway, sans hospital gown, and sitting across the table from me with a cup of coffee. Even if it has to be decaf, to keep that immense heart of his strong.
—Media Lizzy
Exhibit A for Tolerance: John Cusack
Over the years, I have been fortunate to acquire friends, colleagues and acquaintances across the political and ideological spectrum. Each one of them possesses a unique, interesting take on politics. While they make cogent, passionate and well-organized arguments – I am still an establishment-friendly Republican and so we often agree to disagree.
Which works fine, makes for entertaining conversations over coffee, or dinner. What disturbs me is the attempt by some folks, liberal or conservative, who are apparently engaged in a “hate-off” competition, where the weapons are hyperbole, ignorance and rage. Such behavior appalls me. I don’t think the jokes some conservatives tell are anything but racist, and I’ve often criticized their ranks. On more than one occasion I have railed against the anti-war rhetoric that was exploitative or vile. But rarely have I laughed sooooo hard as when John Cusack blocked me on Twitter.
Apparently, mentioning the proper spelling and context of “hypocrite” is an offense against his conscience. It would be hilarious if not so pathetic.
This silliness got me to thinking…if Cusack and his pals behave just like the birthers who behave like the truthers, 
maybe they should all be one one team. Their issues are different, to be certain. Abortion, anti-Newt, or anti-War, or whatever – but not every players plays the same position. He’s Left Field, Orly Taitz is Right Field. But their actions place them all on the same team.
Reasonable people exist on both sides of the aisle, and they don’t engage in a “hate-off.” Just a thought.
—Media Lizzy
On Glenn Beck…
With his staff’s monumental assistance, Glenn Beck has done an enormous amount of research. On modern day Americans and our antecedents. On different leaders in history, their policies and politics. He talks of honor. Of faith.
The US Constitution protects his right to speak. To draw conclusions. To lead a peaceful assembly. And so he does.
Throughout our nation’s history people have said all manner of things. Smart things. Stupid things. Great things. Meaningless things. Incendiary things. And their allies and foes debated as well. That is one part of what America stands for. The free and fair exchange of ideas is a part of us all.
When someone uses incendiary language, we do not have to listen. We do not have to embrace their language. We have no obligation to empower them. We have a right and obligation to stand up against those who would breach our values.
We must know the difference between speech we dislike and speech that is incendiary. We must be willing to defend the rights of others who say things we disagree with. We have to be honorable enough to defend them. Because honoring our Constitution, the sacrifices of our Armed Forces, federal law enforcement officers from the Secret Service to the Border Patrol, and our local law enforcement who protect us from danger, from evil – seen and unseen, is our obligation.
I don’t listen to Glenn Beck every day. I’m not an ardent follower. But I also don’t have a problem with him drawing his own conclusions. I don’t think the Republic will collapse because of him. I don’t think the nation will collapse because of Van Jones either. But…that doesn’t mean we do nothing.
Living with honor matters. And that brings me to why I am glad Glenn Beck stands on The Mall today, with thousands of Americans lifting their hearts to praise our nation and faith. If he lights the fire, the love of country and inspires people to be honorable – that is a good thing. That’s not about his policies – just about one human connecting to another.
I don’t have to agree with him to be glad he stands there. I don’t agree with him on many things. But I believe he has a right to say it. Here in the United States we have an unbridled freedom. Where dreams are possibilities. Where one person matters. Where one voice makes a difference. I don’t believe that faith in our fellow man is negative. It is necessary.
If Glenn Beck inspires one person to live right and be worthy, then it was a successful event. I suppose I am grateful to see him, and so many others, standing in our nation’s capitol city honoring not just America – but America’s warriors. The event is cohosted by the Special Forces Warrior Foundation. These are men who know what sacrifice is, they make it every day. Their families love them, sacrifice with them, bury them and carry on.
The price of freedom is omnipresent to them. If Glenn Beck inspires one American to honor them – to me, it’s worth it all.
—Media Lizzy
This post may also be found at BlogHer.
George Allen in 2012? “Perhaps”
My friends at The Daily Caller have an exclusive with former Virginia Governor (& US Senator) George Allen. He talks about the midterms, his perspective and a possible appearance on the ballot.
His answer: “Perhaps.”
Read it all HERE.
—Media Lizzy
On life and Hitchens, via geNoticed
from my recent column at geNoticed:
…It says in a few words what he failed to say in all of Hitch 22. What’s more though…he invokes Henry Miller in that title – Topic of Cancer, from Miller’s Tropic of Cancer. It is Miller he most reminds me of, a brilliant searing light in a world scarcely capable of comprehending or containing him.
Read it all HERE.
—Media Lizzy
Ted Olson, and the Prop 8 Case
First off – let’s note that the Prop 8 case was brought by a Republican plaintiff. Argued by Republican Ted Olson. And decided by a judge who was appointed to the Federal Court by a Republican president. Update: Judge Vaughn Walker was outed as gay. Then admonished by Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council. A full court press ensued, read more here.
Recently, I wrote about my knack for Pot Stirring (read that first, if you’re likely to knee-jerk at a pro-gay marriage piece) when it comes to the establishment GOP versus the establishment & grassroots evangelical conservative movement. The issue of gay marriage, or civil unions, or “protecting marriage” seems to be a place where some simply want to make a stand. Not just a stand – but a bare-knuckled, knock down, drag-out (pun intended) fight at the OK Corral. It’s Tombstone time.
I don’t get it. Many of the conservative arguments I’ve heard are so bigotry-laden, it defies description. As I have said before – given the Federal governments repeated failures to manage even the simplest of tasks, there seems to be no upside in asking the Feds to manage marriage as an institution. Some of the folks squawking about “limited government”- to include taxes, spending, health care, Medicaid, Social Security, Medicare, appropriations and virtually every oversight issue seem to be the same folks who want the Federal government to take control of one of the most personal decisions each of us makes.
Ask anyone who has a fiance or spouse that is a foreign national what the K Visa process is like. It takes FOREVER. It is inefficient, it’s painstakingly ridiculous and tough on the relationship. Trust me on this – if your love & relationship survives the K Visa process – the 50 years you have together will be blissfully uncomplicated. The payoff is immeasurable, life with the man or woman we love is such a beautiful thing. However, the government’s (mis)management of the process should give everyone clamoring for a federal amendment to the Constitution pause.
Yes, I am aware that the Republican platform calls for all kinds of things. No, I am not aware of a single presidential candidate from either party that gave a damn about what the party extremists, er, party base, thinks or inserts into the platform. Not in my lifetime anyway. It is an ugly and oft unspoken truth that the establishment gives the base the platform as a cookie, so they have a snack on which to raise money and organize. Don’t get me wrong, in general principles, establishment folks do believe in the same issues – but we tend to be a bit more pragmatic than those demanding ideological purity.
Tell ya what, I’ll submit to the ideological purity exam right after y’all stop screwing around on your wives, stop binge drinking in the hotel bar at every state or RNC party function, come out of the closet, stop whoring around, stop being racist, homophobic and general hypocrites. Oh, and when you stop the junkets to the Mariana Islands to check out the working (girls) conditions. Also, kindly please stop spending my tax dollars on creating temples in your name – you know, bridges, post offices, etc. When those tasks in all the varying degrees have been accomplished – then we can talk turkey about “protecting marriage.” And how it is you have the moral consciousness to do so, above all others, who don’t whore around. Who don’t binge drink at party functions. Who don’t act like morally depraved hypocrites.
Keep your vows, first. Then you can judge me for abiding by the Constitution. I actually believe the “All men are created equal” line. That means one group is not allowed to take away rights from another group. There is no State-sanctioned religion. So, much as I appreciate your religion does not allow for gay marriage – mine doesn’t either – all one has to do is mosey-on-down-the-road to find a church and a pastor who will sanction marriage between two men, two women, or a man and a woman.
I am comfortable enough in my own skin to know that the man I love, who loves me, will always be mine. I also know that two men or two women getting married has no effect on my union. Our union has everything to do with us, with a life we co-create that is “ours.” The more people who unite and define that for themselves, with honor and integrity, the better off our society will be.
Once upon a time, not so long ago, more than 40 states prohibited interracial marriage. President Obama’s mother and father would have been barred from marriage. Ask anyone who entered into such a relationship before 1990 if it was difficult, they’ll have stories. Ask folks who did so in the 1960s or before – and you will have your socks scared right off your feet. Prejudice and bigotry are the evil minions of ignorance.
Having a genuine religious objection to gay marriage is normal. I converted to Roman Catholicism several years ago, and it saddens me that my church has not yet reconciled with homosexual members of its congregation. It took hundreds of years to correct the serious wrong done to Mary Magdalene when she was painted a whore. Part of my daily prayers include reconciliation with the Holy Father for all who wish to be closer to Him, and to Jesus Christ. I would never pretend I speak for Christ, or that He speaks through me — I am far too ordinary. But I believe He loves all of us equally, I don’t believe He would turn away from anyone of us if we came to Him honestly.
But that is faith. The state has no religion. Other churches do sanction gay marriages, and I am thankful. One of my favorite people in the world, one of my best friends, and a man who I admire to the highest order, is Charles. He is gay, he is in love and if he and his boyfriend wanted to marry — I would be honored to attend. I want happiness for him.
I want the federal government to worry about the Constitution. For instance, it would be nice if the Congress managed the 14 separate appropriations bills they are required to produce, rather than the ridiculous omnibus bills we are forced to accept year after year after year. (That particular offense is true of both parties) It would be nice if the Executive Branch would find a way to be more efficient, perhaps beginning with a rough, realistic approach with regard to the cost-benefit analysis for America’s schoolchildren and the rather foolhardy Department of Education. I am also perfectly happy with the same scalpel carving out overspending, and the bizarre discretionary funds being spent at an always record pace at the Departments of Defense, Labor, Commerce and Energy. Interior too.
Perhaps after that set of Herculean tasks is completed satisfactorily, I might relent on my thoughts about the meddling of government in the legal contract between two people, that codifies their personal commitment to each other. I know folks who have inter-faith relationships, one a Catholic – the other a Jew, or an Anglican, or whatever combination… does the evangelical movement wish to prohibit these as well? Do they want gays to sit in a separate section of restaurants?
I have to believe that many of them do not understand that what they are arguing for is essentially, “Separate but Equal.” As a girl who grew up in the early 80s, in suburban Atlanta…in Marietta, Chamblee, Smyrna and Dunwoody – I will say this: the post-Segregation era was not just ugly but FUGLY. The twenty years following the Civil Rights Act didn’t make things perfect and Stepford-esque in a day. It was hard work. During my freshman or sophomore year, Henderson High School (which doesn’t exist anymore) was shut down because of a inter-racial fight. Two very popular athletes, both from good families, fought over something. A girl, if memory serves. One was black, the other white. We were in a nice, middle & upper middle class neighborhood. (at the time, haven’t been there in 20 years)Tensions were high, the police came. The school was on lock down. Cooler heads prevailed, everyone went home. Ignorance and fear ruled that say.
Frankly, the whole thing was stupid. My take at the time was simple: Get over yourselves already.
My take on the gay marriage issue is pretty much the same. But it comes with a catch: why do they want to take rights away from gays? who is next on their agenda? Women? Some will be angry at what I wrote there – but, you know, JD Hayworth has been talking about people marrying animals as a result of gay marriage. Talk about crazytown. They bring up polygamy too. Also absurd. 1+1=2. Nothing more.
Life has so many opportunities, so many blessings, so many adventures and challenges. Love, honesty, fidelity and faith are virtues we should teach our children. Fairness, justice too. Justice is not a dirty word, it is endemic to our nation’s founding. The injustices suffered by our antecedents led to the Revolutionary War. It led to a war cry for freedom, equality and justice for all.
Let us honor them by honoring each other.
For another take, read Jason Pye’s piece at United Liberty. Good stuff.
—Media Lizzy
Obama and Genocide: By the numbers
To put my article, The Power Vacuum, into context:
Most recent reports from the UN indicate that 45,000 people die every month in Congo. President Obama has been in office for 18 months.
Which translates to roughly 810,000 people – in the Congo alone, who have died on his watch. Welcome to Rwanda, Mr. President.
Tragic. Unacceptable.
—Media Lizzy
