An American Insult

by Charles Karel Bouley II

Often times, in the gay community, we can forget that we are not gay or lesbian Americans, but Americans first. Whatever comes before that—gay, lesbian, fill in blank here—may come before it as a particle of speech, but in truth, nothing comes before it when civics and the nation are involved. And as Americans, we’ve been insulted.

Let me say civility is overrated, especially when your country is in danger. And America — gay or not — is in danger.

The neoconservative Republicans, now dubbed the “NeoCoNazis” after their convention, by me, are planning another coup so they can complete their takeover of the Supreme Court and most other branches of government.

No, I’m not a conspiracy theorist, just observant.

John McCain—in a sheer act of politics with no regard for the safety of the nation he professes to love, an act that is not only an insult to American women but to Americans in general—has shown he is a pawn, not a maverick, a sycophant instead of a strong leader.

Gov. Sarah Palin is a two-year governor of a state that has fewer than 700,000 people. She was formerly a mayor of a town of 9,000. Excuse me if I don’t want her butting heads with Middle Eastern leaders or making actions that affect world economies.

And don’t start with the Barack Obama comparisons. We all know it’s apples and oranges.

And why is no one saying it, why is no one talking about the elephant in the room?

McCain wants Hillary’s women. So he throws some inexperienced white woman out there to “complement” his ticket.

This is time for statesmen, not amateurs. I’ve met Hillary Clinton, and Mrs. Palin, you are no Hillary Clinton.

This verges on treason to me. It truly does. We are dying as a nation in almost all ways. We need inspiration, hope; we need change or we will, in fact, fail. We need passion and experience; we need help from every branch of government and each other. No one can stand idly by; it truly is time for a 21st century revolution—a revolution with an eye to the future, not the past.

And leaders must take us there. That’s how it’s always been.

I want Obama and Sen. Joe Biden to say what needs to be said, that to turn the country over to Palin would be a fatal error. That McCain, if elected at 72, having survived cancer a few times, will probably die or become infirm in office because the stress is far too great in this particular job (heavy is the head). And when that happens, not if, our country will be hers to run.

Talk about chances. Zero foreign policy. Is she the face to lead us out of Iraq? President Palin. Because if you can’t imagine that, then you can’t imagine them. That is more of chance than not at this point. Get over it, sorry, no time for civility.

This woman totes guns, poses with dead bears and thinks it’s acceptable to enter the world’s stage of politics with a four-month-old son with Down syndrome—a job that takes a full-time parent, not a full-time nanny. But, oh well, duty calls, I suppose. Hubby will mind the kids. Very maternal. Thanks mom. And get over that, too. Ask any parent of a child that has challenges if they have time to be vice president; or the desire, for that matter.

This is a woman that fell through those cracks in the ceiling Hillary broke when it comes to the executive branch of the U.S. government at this time. If she were a job applicant for the most important job at your company and walked in with this resumé you’d say see you in five or 10 years when you’ve run something bigger than, say, Memphis.

These people will stop at nothing to keep their cash flowing. They will insult women, Americans, and yes, even Mrs. Palin. She may allow herself to be used this way, but how can she look in the mirror? And when she does, does she know she looks just like Karen from Will and Grace? There, I said that, too.

This is a comedy, really. Can you imagine the rest of the world looking at this? A laughing stock, again.

The Titanic is sinking and we ask a lifeboat captain to step in and save the day. Wonderful—a rookie lifeboat captain at that. Oh, but her captain is strong? Really? Not a word I’d use for McCain. Dawdling, infirm, angry, pandering and on the verge of traitorous with this pick, but not strong.

I hope CNN will stop acting like Palin’s press secretary. How about the toughness you showed Hillary? And it’s not editorializing to say this pick jeopardizes our national security; that’s fact. It’s not hyperbole to say that should this woman become president, world markets could crash. It’s not incorrect to say we have an aging, somewhat infirm senator now leading the ticket with someone, a token woman, on it; a woman with the governing experience equal to less than Mayor Gavin Newsom.

I maintain it is un-American to vote for McCain. His policies will lead America to financial and political ruin in the world (even more than now) as he is being run by criminals inside a criminally run neoconservative party. He has chosen someone who would no more be able to govern the United States into a prosperous and happy 21st century than George Bush has. He obviously cares more about political gain than American progress. That is un-American.

Mrs. Palin, had you been a true American, you would have declined and stated to Mr. McCain that the government and the country needs the best of the best right now if we are to survive. And while you may be competent, you have had no time at all to prove you are even capable, let alone the best, and less than 80 days is too short of a learning curve for this particular job. Your opportunism got the best of your patriotism, and perhaps even your family life, but only your family can decide that. Country first, indeed!

In any event, you and your leader must not have a chance to rule over any American family’s life. America can’t take it. This isn’t an empty insult, it’s one that aims to destroy our very way of life.

Overreaction? Look around. Our way of life is almost gone. McCain is white. Palin is a white woman. They will each get some votes because of that. And should they win, kid thee not, it will be because of that, the most un-American reason of all. It’s time that we just put that out there. They have no issues on which to stand, no success to build upon, nothing but the lack of melanin in their skin and gender. Please say that’s not enough to get elected.

And if it is, I hope Canada is readying a place for me and the rest of us. Because in their world, there's no room for anything not like them, especially us.