In the lead up to today’s primary vote, I’ve been hearing/reading the phrase “South Carolina picks the President” which is always followed by a pair of disclaimers which invalidate the statement. In our current era of constant hyperbolic predictions by the media, I wanted to point out how important those disclaimers are.

The first disclaimer is “…because whoever wins the South Carolina Republican primary wins the nomination.” This might be hard for some people to comprehend but it’s important to remember that the Republican nominee for President is not actually the President of the United States of America. To date Clinton and Obama together defeated three Republicans: Bush in ‘92, Dole in ‘96 and McCain in ‘08.

The second disclaimer is “…since 1980.” Which means that the relationship between the South Carolina Primary and the eventual nominee is a relatively new one. 32 years might seem like a long time (it’s longer than I’ve been alive for one) but that’s only eight elections. Three of those primaries/nominations went to incumbent Republican Presidents (Reagan in ‘84, Bush in ‘92, Bush Jr in ‘04) and one was to the incumbent VP moving up (Bush in ‘88). That leaves four other primaries/nominations were there was some suspense: Reagan in ‘80, Dole in ‘96, Bush Jr in ‘00 and McCain in ‘08.

South Carolina shouldn’t be bragging about 32 years of presidential accuracy when they really mean 8 of 8 and more accurately 4 of 4 or 5 of 5. In that same period though the state has given all eight of its electoral college votes to the republican nominee, though the Southern Democrats have made some close races (Carter in ‘80 and Clinton in ‘92 and ‘96).

Most importantly there is a third disclaimer that no one will say out loud: “South Carolina isn’t the deciding factor in the nominations.” It’s only the third state in the archaic and undemocratic primary system and with many more states to vote before the national convention. The people of South Carolina’s primary votes have lined up with the last eight nominees but that’s no reason to think that will happen a ninth consecutive time or a tenth or so on.
Thankfully South Carolina is not America. It’s just a small part of it.

I first saw Patrice O’Neal in the fall of 2002 when he joined Comedy Central’s Contest: Searchlight. The mockumentary followed the imaginary contest that had lead to the creation of a tv show called “Jesus and the Gang.” Peter Gallagher had been “hit by a car” and could no longer play the title character so Patrice was brought in to play the character in western wear. He described his character as “Big Black Cowboy Jesus” and sweetened an already funny show.

After that I searched out a few recordings of his stand up on the untamed internet of the day. He had a brilliant way of twisting the ordinary and could be delightfully vulgar. Whatever he was talking about he could always make me laugh, sometimes in spite of myself.

My friends and I planned a trip to New York City for March 2003 and to get in the mood the night before I went to see “25th Hour” a second time in the theater. Patrice had a scene in that as “Khari” a bouncer who gives Ed Norton’s character some advice about prison. I left the movie excited about the adventures I was about to have.

The second night we were out there we wound up in The Comedy Cellar without realizing how significant a place it was. We had a wonderful time tucked away in a corner which gave us a view of the whole room including the stage and the entrance. As the show went on I wondered if the only comedian I wanted to see would be there. And then halfway through the night, a large man entered and went through the center of the room towards the bathroom. It was Patrice.

My knee started bouncing under the table and I had to wait another two comedians before he came on but it was worth it. I can’t remember how he got on the topic but he did a really long bit on the sound of a penis going into a vagina. It was everything I thought he would be.

When I got home I put on the tape of the Chappelle’s Show that I missed while travelling and saw Patrice as Pit-Bull attending the Playa Hater’s Ball. It was the most Patrice O’Neal-ish week possible.

Ever since then I tried to follow his career and keep up with his appearance on the second episode of Arrested Development, Shorties Watchin’ Shorties, his comedy specials on HBO and Comedy Central, guest appearances on The Office and more.

Hearing that he had a stroke last month was upsetting but I held out hope that was dashed this morning as he passed away. I’ll always remember how much laughter and insight he brought to my life. Thanks for everything Big Black Cowboy Jesus!

I’m not sure why I bothered but I decided to look at the Feather River Bulletin’s website today. It’s as poorly designed and inessential as you’d expect a small multi-town news organization t’s site to be. But against my better judgment I read three articles and was shocked by each one. I never really read the paper while we lived there, but I have to wonder if it was always at this quality (after my Mom stopped classing the joint up that is).
continue reading "I shouldn’t have done it"

As we all wait for Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell to be repealed either now or in the future, I’ve been thinking about a meeting my grandfather went to back in May of 1977 and the statement released afterwards.

In 1977 the Episcopal Church allowed the ordination of women and one of the early and most contentious ordinations was that of Ellen Marie Barrett who was a lesbian. Discussions and arguments spread across the country and my grandfather, Rev. Mac R. Stanley attended a meeting of California clergy. I know a little bit about the meeting from his journal entries and what a gay clergyman said to me at his funeral, but the conversation reached a turning point when my grandfather spoke late in the day.

Afterwards they released a statement in full support of Rev. Barrett and other gay clergy. I can only find it excerpts of it online but what is there is I think still noteworthy:

Gay men and women have made enormous contributions to the Church … daring all, risking all — to serve unfalteringly people who if they knew they were homosexual would turn on them in confusion, or horror, or unease …. It is only from the outcast that we can ever be redeemed, only from that which we want to cast out of ourselves that in finally facing honestly we can ever become whole men and women again. Jesus’ whole life is a statement about that …. If homosexual men and women are not good enough to serve at the altars of the Lord who went to a cross for us all, then perhaps they are not fit in any capacity to serve or minister …. The Church, like all institutions, has always accepted homosexuals when it was to its profit, convenience, and benefit. What it has not done is to be honest about that, to be forthright, to give back the love it has received. I have seen a fine and distinguished bishop of this Church, Kilmer Myers, walk unfalteringly to a cross on this issue, as he asks us to look again at a Christ who holds out hope, confrontation, forgiveness, new possibilities, and redemption for all of us equally. If Ellen Barrett…if homosexual men and women want out of their sadness and joy, to reach out lovingly — what about that is so threatening to us? … Can we look at what the Church’s legalisms have done to people? I call the Church to not only look at that. I call the Church to repent …. The real business of the Church … is to reach out and help bring in the Kingdom of God to our world …. In the name of God, I urge you to help this saintly bishop to start the process now.

-Statement to the Clergy Conference (topic: “sexuality”) – Diocese of California – the Rev. William H. Barcus III, May 5, 1977

This of course took place five years before I was born and I didn’t hear about it until at my grandfather’s funeral when a gay clergyman (whose name I don’t recall) came up to my grandmother  with me, my mother and then Bishop of California and thanked her for all my grandfather had done that day for gay rights.

You can find what I quoted and a lot more information at http://www.oasisca.org/OAsisa%20Transfer%202009/0_Historical/chron.html#1977

I’ve always been annoyed to hear people talk about “how celebrities die in groups of three.”

Over five days we lost Robert Mulligan, Harold Pinter, and Eartha Kitt. Which are all great losses but is it a frightening phenomenon that they all die around the same time? Does the death of one famous person mean everyone else should be nervous?

No. One celebrity are likely to die around the same time as two other celebrities simply because there are so many of them now.

Andy Warhol said it best, “In the future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes.” There is a constant parade of new artists, writers, actors, musicians, athletes, politicians, reporters, and people who are famous for no reason (people on YouTube, Joe The Plumber, anyone from a reality show, anyone from an MTV reality show) who add to the old classic famous people.
So not only do we have new famous people coming up every day, but now our old famous people are Old! Mulligan was 83, Pinter was 78 and Kitt was 81. As harsh it may sound it’s not uncommon for people in their 80s to die.

So now we have too many celebrities and too many old celebrities. It just makes sense that there would be a steady stream of dying celebrities that observers can group into threes.

Just a few notes on things I was thinking about that should be revisited…

continue reading "A Few Follow-ups"

What a day yesterday was.

Obviously I’m thrilled about Barack.  I’ve been wanted him to be president since his speech  at the 2004 DNC.  And what’s impressive, is that the message he delivered then, is the same thing he promised during his campaign and I am supremely confident that he will deliver.  It was a thrill to hear him speak last night in a wonderful speech that managed to encompass his campaign ideals, the history and founding ideals of America and the grand expectations and forward thinking to carry us into the future, what ever that may be.

Also I enjoyed John McCain’s speech.  He sounded like he did in 2000, which was a welcome regression.  As we stand here and look forward to the future we have a lot to do and I believe we can do it.  Barack will need a First Hundred Days akin to FDR and he’s getting ready.  His transition teams are moving amongst the government now and he’s constructing his staff. How’s that for Ready on day one?

And I wouldn’t be surprised if the Lincoln parallels ccontinue and we see another Team of Rivals.  But hopefully Karen Sebelius gets in there too.

But the triumph of Barack (which I figured was a given in the morning)  came with the sting of prejudice and hate in the form of Prop 8. A truly horrific bill that shamefully appears to have snuck through and passed as of now.  Things could change but it’s doubtful as they count more ballots we’ll find a stack of NOs.  But this afternoon when I stopped by the Supreme Court I was told that 3 different groups are trying to over turn 8, each with a different strategy.

So while we’re moving forward in one way, we’re still dragging in another.  But the fight isn’t over.

And here are a few smaller things that I was watching…

continue reading "It’s morning again in America"

Today, right now is the election.  I voted early and had a little line, but nothing to complain about.

I have a great feeling that Obama will win.  It’s tremendous.  But I’m nervous that Prop 8 might.  Let’s hope people aren’t so evil and foolish as to pass it.

Today is being called “the most important election of our lifetimes.”  And that could be true.  But I don’t think we’ll know until in the future looking back.  Because 2000’s feels pretty danged important.  Though comparing the two elections, this one has much more a build up and Obama will represent much more of a change and a follow through on everything America represents.

But hopefully his presidency will be more important than Bush’s and will leave more of a lasting mark.  In fact, if Obama can simply undo what Bush has done, that will be enough and 2008 will be the most important election.