my first election night

For the first time in my life I had the liberty of staying up to watch the coverage of the US election night because I don't have to work today. I did sleep between midnight and 3 am (gmt+1) and probably won't be going back to sleep anytime soon today, but that's okay (just don't ask me to drive a car today). It was absolutely worth it, because I had the chance to watch something historic, to see the world change before my very own eyes.
Not only is this a great moment in the history of the United States of America, this long-time hegemon of the western world. It's also a great moment for the rest of the world. Because the 44th President of the United States will also be the first African American president of the United States. Because a woman was a front and center in the run for the White House for a very long time in this election and because the vice presidential candidate for one of the two major parties was a woman. Because this poses a symbolic end to the borders of race and gender - it's still a long way to equality but it's also certainly a beginning of a kind. For America as well as for the rest of the world this is a big win in the fight for equality of all people - whatever their ethnicity, their gender, or age.
Unfortunately for one minority this positively life-changing election also means a life change in the negative sense. Namely for GLBT folk in states where the majority voted for some kind of ban on gay marriage, be it Florida or California. This means that thousands of people lost rights today, rights they already have, as the bonds they officially forged got shattered by people who don't even know them, their partners, their families. This just shows that the fight against injustice and for equality isn't over by a long shot. Indeed, it has just begun.

Congratulations, America, for choosing an awesome new president, for choosing Change.

Election Night coverage

It's 11 pm here in Austria and I'm still determined to stay awake for the election results. this just isn't something that I want to wake up to in the morning, this is something I want to see live. And to make this more fun I'm live twittering the whole thing. If you want to read about Austrian TV presenters mis-pronouncing names and places and filibusters - go to http://twitter.com/mcCutcheon
I'll be trying to make this as much fun as possible. Also am keeping my fingers crossed for Obama and hoping I won't have to eat my words tomorrow morning.

I wish I could actually vote on this

Once upon a time in Austria there was a draft for a Registered Partnership Act. The minister of justice, a social democrat, had worked it out with several lobbies from the pro- and anti-gay marriage sides. Granted, the draft didn't include adoption, social security, health care and several other points of importance to Austrian LGBT people and their lobbies. However, after many months of fighting between left and right as well as among the major LGBT lobby groups said justice minister presented the draft for assessment by all stakeholders (a common legislative process in Austria) before the draft would go to the Council of Ministers to be formed into law.

But let's rewind to the assessment phase for a moment where all the political fun took place. Knowing well that adoption was out of the question anyway LGBT lobbies began criticizing the absence of social security rights etc. That was to be expected. One super right wing party bashed the draft in general since they see no need for equal rights - not a surprise either - while the other super right wing party smartly kept their mouth shut, probably because there were too many rumors among journalists and gays that the party leader was a closeted homosexual.

Not surprising though not quite expected were also the remarks that came from the conservative, catholic church-influenced party in coalition with the social democrats. They seemed to have realized earlier that there was no way they could forever oppose gay relationship recognition, but decided they weren't going down without a fight. Not all but some, many, party members began debating that while the queers should totally get some model of recognition no way where they gonna get it in a registrar's office or share a common name if they want to. While some were completely against holding the ceremony at a registrar's office some said they just "didn't want a ceremony with all the bells and whistles". Because that's what heterosexual people do. They plan big parties at the registrar's office - apparently. And here some people really believed that was a church-thing and not a registrar's thing - but what do they know, after all they're not allowed to get married so you can't really blame them for not knowing about weddings, can you?

Thus continued the discussion about where those homosexuals were to be wed not-quite-married-please-call-it-something-else and other "issues" the conservatives had with the draft until the planned discussion of the issue of gay partnership equalization in the Council of Ministers was moved from June to August. And in the middle of all this the coalition broke, Austria voted again and now the social democrats and the conservatives have been fighting for five weeks about such basic things as whether they'll actually manage to form a working government at all.
The issue of gay marriage? Droned out by politics.

And that is how once upon a time Austria almost got the worst same-sex relationship recognition ever seen.

another psa brought to you by a relentless mcC

Tell me again that Starbucks is bad.



while they apparently trust you to tell them the truth about whether you voted it's still great that they're trying to encourage people to actually go and vote. it's a good ad methinks.

Oh, and because I will invariably annoy you with this for the next couple of days anyways:
VOTE!
I know the lines are long, I know you're probably gonna miss work and make less money that week (though that may actually open up the chance for you to finally get some decent health care like I do), I know you have better things to do - no wait actually you don't, you shouldn't. Because this election is really important. And no matter if people tell you that your ONE vote won't make a difference, it will. Many "one votes" will make a lot of votes and that will make all the difference. Make your voice count. Go vote on Tuesday! Please.


And while we're at it: Vote NO on Prop8, because this PSA shows you what fundamentally will happen.

The Obama-Ad

OK, I finally got around to watching the Obama infomercial on YouTube and I have to say it is a genius campaign move. I loved how he got the proper mix of telling the moving stories of American citizens, making clear what his points are and frickin tear-jerking music (admittedly, my current hormonal and exhaustion status might have something to do with that). Seriously, if America doesn't vote for him now I'm gonna loose all confidence completely.

So please, Obama-voting-Americans, don't feel safe because the polls project a lead for Obama, go VOTE on Tuesday.

Why do I care so much? Because this affects us too. Because whether I particularly like it or not the U.S. is still kind of a hegemonial power. So what America becomes politically has an impact on Europe as well. I really love this guy... Obama may actually be the most amazing politician the U.S. has produced in a very long time.

New/Different angles on Prop8

John Scalzi has is making a good point by drawing attention to the effect that Prop8 would have on existing marriages so I'm now drawing your attention to his post. Also, in the second comment there's a link to what it sounds like if you exchange the wording "same-sex" for "interracial" in a Pro-Prop8-ad (that word just broke my virtual tongue). Not that I really think that any of my readers would even think about voting yes on Prop8, but why not get the word out there:


Vote NO on Prop8!

Back in my day... we used to protest xenophobia

I just had a moment. I'm studying Austrian history for my exam and suddenly I found out the reason for me being out protesting on the streets of Vienna with my parents as a 9-year-old. I distinctly remember the "Sea of Lights", it's one of the few very clear memories I have (yup, my goldfish memory unfortunately goes way back). I remember meeting up with friends of us - one of their sons is only a couple of days younger than me (interestingly he later ended up in my class in high school and as a one-week-fling of mine). Their big family and our small family went to Heldenplatz (Heroes' Square) to protest xenophobia in the exact same place where not-enough-years-ago Adolf Hitler had declared Austria's annexation to the Third Reich. The trigger for the protest was the "Austria first!"-referendum by Austria's resident right wing party - which back then was the only right-wing party - now that we actually have two sadly I'd have to specify which did it. Back then it was the FPÖ.

In 1993 I was too young to know what exactly we were protesting aside from the explanations my parents gave me. I knew we were out there to stand up against racisms and right-wing politics, as much as one can grasp that as a 9-year-old. But I remember that feeling of uniting against something that oppresses, making a stand, I - who is usually afraid of the masses - remember that effervescence (I've always wanted to use this word) of... "good" if you want to call it that. 350.000 people holding candles and torches on a dark and rainy January night on the streets of Vienna's inner city - that's simply a very emotional thing.

Now that I came across the referendum that triggered all this, I had to think about what's going on today. Today Austria has two dangerously right-wing, xenophobic, populist parties that make the "Austria First!"-referendum look harmless in comparison - yet I don't see people in the streets. Granted we're not much of a protesting nation in general, but now even the will seems lacking. In fact, only 4 weeks ago a lot of Austrians voted for these two parties. Combined they would reach about 28% of all votes. Yes, that scares me. Even more it scares me that there has been no outcry this time around - because we've gotten frickin' used to them. But we shouldn't! We should all grab our candles and torches and walk the streets and protest against what this country is becoming, to show that there still are people who are against racism and populism and these right-wing politics.

Oh my...

How bad does it have to get before it gets better??

Today Austria basically voted for the two right-wing parties. That means that we'll either get the same coalition whose failure just triggered the reelection - until their next failure follows suit - OR, and much much worse, the conservatives will coalite with the right.

I really don't know what to do. I can't just pack my bags and move, not this fast. However, we're talking about a country that never changes, so maybe we should begin making plans.

daily show snippet

Samantha Bee at the DNC interviewing people about - what's the word?
Ah yes... Decision.

Disney and guns. And Ani of course.

Disney's got balls and I like it. They're basically sticking their tongue out to the state and the NRA. Yay Disney!

I had to think of Ani's To the teeth just now:
"open fire on each weapons manufacturer/while he's giving head/to some republician senator"

don't they ever learn?

supreme court upholds right to hold a gun

great. give them guns and make it a constitutional right on top of that. just great. what a grand idea.




/sarcasm

a different kind of "food-fight"

a bit longish, but quite disturbing: america at war via foodstuff. trust me, you won't get hungry.

10.000 yrs iraq

eat this!

Reading up for my thesis I listen to the music that's on my laptop. And sometimes I listen more closely than usually. And that's good, because it pays off to listen to the Barenaked Ladies properly. For instance to "Fun & Games" from their "Are Men" album:

We sent in the army
They sounded alarms we
Saw it coming from a mile away.
We kept it off radar
Because we had to say our
Intentions were to save the day.

Why did you fail to see?

It was a gag
It was all for a laugh
And they were shocked and they were awed
and they were blown in half

Fun and games
We're just pulling legs
We knew this barrel of fun
Would be a powderkeg

We kept it all long-range
and made a regime change
You'd have thought it would have been a gas
But when it got ugly
We sat around smugly
Because you bought our little joke en masse
Don't look at me that way

It was a gag
It was all for a laugh
We knew your sons and daughters
Would be blown in half

Fun and games
We're just pulling legs
We knew this barrel of fun
Would be a powderkeg

Put a smile on
We're the ones that you selected
Leave that dial son
Because we just got re-elected
In a while our
Bill of rights will be rejected

and all the blame will be deflected
the forests will be unprotected
the nation's poor will be neglected
creation myth is resurrected
a new salute is genuflected
a gallup poll will be respected
gallows pole will be erected
all this will go undetected

While you all slumbered
We sat and crunched numbers
Of all the causalities we could afford
There's no need to draft them
You could hear us laugh then
The poor and black all need the room and board
Did I say that out loud?

It was a gag
It was all for a laugh
And now our very nation has been blown in half

Fun and games
We're just pulling legs
We knew this barrel of fun
Would be a powderkeg

Oh yeah....

drop out day

Edwards dropped out today. It probably was very very clear that he didn't stand a chance against Obama or Hillary, but meh... I kinda liked him :(

I don't mind that Rudy is out of the question though. That is if he'd just, finally decide to stop preparing and actually drop out. No, wait, I stand corrected: that guy was out of the question from the very beginning :)

I was already waiting for this

Finally: the religious has reacted to the movie release of the first part of Philipp Pullman's His Dark Materials. If you don't know the trilogy evade the last to paragraphs, cause they refer to the last chapters of the third book. On the other hand if you're a spoiler freak go ahead and read it anyway.

I've recommended His Dark Materials before. If you don't like reading at least go see the movie. I have a feeling it might be well done. I can tell you for sure on Saturday cause finn is taking me to see it Friday night. I'm all giddy about that already.

another red telephone

Via huffpost I came upon this article about an activist who set up a direct line from a Boston street to Iran, so citizens from both countries could communicate with each other. That's not only a genius idea but also so very very important, because it shows that the people usually don't have a problem with each other - it's always just the warlords of any given country who need to pretend they're doing the right thing by threatening each other and launching bombs on the other. Unfortunately the wars they start don't affect them, but said people, the citizens on both sides, who, in the first place, didn't have anything against each other.

encounter with ex-communism

I'm sitting in my grandparents' living room. Both of them are currently reading a newspaper/political magazine. They're really committed that way, my grandmother was pretty involved with the party when she was younger and still reads and watches political news like a maniac :)

They're being lovely as per usual, but just as always they can be a bit tiring at times. My granddad has really bad hearing but refuses to wear a hearing aid. Oh, he does own one - state of the art - but he's never worn it. Ever. He also has had a couple of tiny strokes in the past so his memory has suffered from that. But I don't mind answering his questions twice, that's not the problem. The problem is, that my grandma mumbles and that she does so quietly that even I have problems understanding her. So my grandpa doesn't hear her. But of course he doesn't ask, it's not like he has a hearing problem, right? So she calls him stupid because the things he didn't properly hear he forgets even faster. Surprise! Also my grandmother claims not to have any hearing problems at all. No, no. Incidentally she just got up, went to the other room and turned on the TV at a volume that almost made me jump out of my seat. So basically I've spent the last couple of hours yelling to them and repeating myself. If I could only make him wear the stupid hearing aid... But I guess when you're almost 90 you're allowed to be stubborn.

Still I'd like to stay longer, but I have to go back tomorrow night, cuz I have uni on Saturday. In fact I wanted to come yesterday and stay for two nights, but the Hungarian train conductors' strike kept me from it. Every time I drive through this country, be it by train or by car it strikes me how desolate it still is. I think I saw a couple of newly built roads when the train was closing in on Budapest, but then I see houses in a state that is third world like. And when I get off the train I can't even count as fast as I'm stumbling over beggars and homeless people. Especially with what is going on politically at the moment, this doesn't always resemble the EU-member country it should be.

Nonetheless my grandmother insists that we go shopping tomorrow. She always does that. And of course I don't mind the opportunity to buy some clothes without turning the ATM card over a couple of times in my hand. But I fear that she feels she has to do this. I don't care! That's not why I come to visit them. I'm fine with just buying a rod of salami to take home with me and one to bring to my dad.

However I am planning to come more often now. It just sucks that I can't really bring finn, because it's already such a hassle for them if I come alone. Now that I can at least access the internet here I won't feel so completely cut off from civilisation. That's a good feeling.

always protect your source

"Saying the free flow of information must not be choked off, the House on Tuesday took up a media shield bill to protect the confidentiality of reporters' sources in most federal court cases. The White House, warning that the bill would encourage leaks of classified information, threatened a veto. (taken from editorandpublisher.com

And here I was thinking that this was a standard thing done to protect journalists and their sources, and the public's right to information. Stupid little me... Let's just hope the WH doesn't get its way with this.

What a sensible solution...