buy a pape, mistah?

Yes, I did watch Newsies again this break.

Anyhow, I was recently reading another little town's free weekly paper and I remember thinking, 'Hey, I actually like the writing in this.' Let me explain. We have an atrocious local paper. I can't abide by it. I occasionally purchase it so I can 'shop' in the Sunday ads (lately, I've just been checking out the ads in the library's paper). We have also have our free weekly alternative paper (FREE EVERY THURSDAY, the stands announce and I always think, 'How much does it cost all the other days?...because, yes, I'm a total geek). I get this almost every week. I always thought most of it was okay, but I didn't love it.

Currently, there's one writer's writing that I really don't love at all. Now, before I link to this author's article I most recently read, I need to hem and haw a bit (or something). I hate being critical of others for so many reasons. One, though, is that I have nothing spectacular -- or even mediocre -- to offer instead. Here, I write a bunch of crap (sometimes daily...I won't subject anyone to another NaBloPoMo for a while, I promise). When I write elsewhere, the result isn't all that much improved. I sincerely wish it was, but it isn't, no matter the practice I put in. Perhaps in a few more decades....

I also kind of hate to compliment people on things. I'm always afraid that if I tell someone, 'I love your hair,' she'll look at me and think, 'Jeez-o, I need to change my hair because that person who looks like she barely even brushes hers likes mine.' And, yes, I think about myself entirely too much (hello, blog). Back to the point, no?

I read this article last week or so and, once again, I was disappointed with Williams's writing. (If she ever read my blog, she'd, no doubt, be at least equally disappointed with my writing.) Here is an excerpt from her writing. (In the article, she was giving an overview of the memorable moments of 2008.)

The 2008 presidential election was the major event of the year. It was a historical race for many reasons, and it will be remembered for a long time to come. It was not memorable only because of the people running and the environment in which they were running, but because the election was a circus.

The ringleader was none other than Barack Obama. In his campaign, there were songs with his name in them, video games with his picture, even T-shirts in malls. It was a spectacle like nothing this country had seen before. It went beyond policies and ideas to become what seemed a popularity contest—no substance, only style.

In hearing Three 6 Mafia scream the words, “Like Barack Obama said, ‘Yeah it’s time for a change,'” I was overcome with a sense of shame. What our Founding Fathers had built for us was turned into a joke, a three-ring circus, and it was heartbreaking. Barack Obama took this election by storm, not because of his ideas, but because he was the more fashionable candidate. I believe 2008 will be a landmark year for this country because that was the year our Founding Fathers rolled over in their graves. They stood for the ideas of individual responsibility, small government and low taxes, and the election was proof positive that people disregarded everything these men stood for, and they decided they would rather vote in a popularity contest than they would in an election.

I know that I am not this writer's audience. When she writes that "people disregarded everything these men stood for," I know that she is sneering at me. However, I take serious issue with the argument here. (Or serious 'tissue' in the words of Pic.) I did not vote for Obama because he seemed like the popular choice. I voted Obama/Biden because my ideals more closely align with those represented by this ticket. Sure, some people had other reasons for voting for him, but that's always the case. During the first election in which I was old enough to, and did, vote (a presidential election), I heard people say, 'I voted for Bush because my dad did' and 'I voted for Bush because he's cuter.' There were probably people saying the same about Gore, although I'd like to leave the argument of who's cuter far behind, thanks much. There is always the element of popularity contest. One candidate may be more popular in someone's family or in the country as a whole, but damn it, I voted for Obama because I agreed more with what he'd like to do here. (What he will be able to do...quissa?) And, anyhow, the Republicans were offering up Palin. Palin?! Seriously. I don't think I could any longer respect myself if I voted her into any kind of office. I feel for the people who wanted McCain and the right's values but were stuck with Palin. I don't understand the people who actually wanted Palin.

Anyhow, I'm even more disappointed with this piece because it's the third or fourth I've read by her that feels like the exact same article being slightly revised and reprinted. Give us something new. I wasn't fond of the right-leaning writer who wrote in this space before her, but at least I could respect his position, while I totally disagreed with 99% of it. I can't get past Williams's writing and repetition enough to take her seriously.

So, as I said, I give you this drivel, nothing profound or great in it's place. My writing will probably never be fantastic, but it's my best means of expression (you should hear me try to explain my thoughts aloud...it's not pretty).