The Morning After’

The day after the election was both a celebratory and reflective day. Mommy and Daddy discussed our thoughts and emotions over the over-all election results, especially the re-election of President Obama. Mommy asked Daddy to compose a commentary on our shared philosophy and interest in the election outcomes, so that someday the two of you would reflect on our thinking and include it in your own formation of judgment and analysis.

Daddy’s response was (and is) direct and quite simple. Read Mommy’s beautifully crafted Facebook response to one of her republican friends. Daddy stands by that decision, her commentary cannot be improved upon…

                Just an alternative view, since you did post on fb (love ya). You, I, and women close to us, may never personally choose to have an abortion, period. Or, we may one day be faced with a scenario that unless faced personally, you don’t know what you would choose…I can say for certain if my little girl was raped and impregnated at, let’s say 13, I would want her to terminate her pregnancy (and that could be by use of the day after pill-which I don’t know if it’s even still available)…her Daddy would enact justice on the rapist (but that’s getting off track). Or, what about the 14 year old girl who is impregnated by her father, or the situation in which a mother is told if she carries out with her pregnancy she won’t live to raise her other children (in my case, my “older” husband would be left with the monumental task of raising two toddlers by himself). Now you may be thinking these are rare scenarios, but I personally have dealt with each of these scenarios in my short career. My point is I find it fascinating that the same political party, (Republicans) whom doesn’t want “BIG” government, wants to make such an intimate and personal choice for women and their family. This choice should be made between a woman and her spiritual beliefs, and her doctor(s) with her spouse or significant other. I also find it fascinating that the same political party that likes to argue that too many families are reliant on government assistance, is the same party that wants these women, despite their financial inability to provide for themselves, let alone a child, wants these same women to carry out their pregnancies and not assist them in feeding them (how is that moral?). You can’t have it both ways. Either you want women to carry out their pregnancies despite their ability to feed and care for them, or you don’t. I’m a strong advocate for adoption, but that’s not always an option for everyone or for everyone’s individual situation (as I mentioned a few).

               Now I personally find it interesting that even today we have to be talking about equal pay for equal work, but the sad truth is, we do and we are. The position that exploiting women by paying them less for the same work men do is a “business decision” is immoral and sad! I want an even playing field for both my children. After all, for a political party that advocates for two-parent households, who understand that women these days HAVE to work, but want women, specifically, mother’s to go home and cook dinner (then return back to work on a flex schedule), you’d think they would want to reward them by at least paying them what they earn… but they don’t. Again, how is that moral?

It comes down to this, really, a recognition that politics and all matters of reason should require critical thinking and analysis and commitment to stand on defensible principle. Mommy and Daddy have beloved friends who are stalwart republicans, Uncle T. Wilson and Uncle Rudy, our state representative and friend Mike Karickhoff, daddy’s colleague and friend Jerry Miller, among the notable. We love and admire our friendship and friends, and respectfully disagree on a number of counts of reasoning and analysis; in some instances we do agree. Government and politics seem incredibly corrupted and lacking in transparency for politicians of all political party affiliation.

Essentially it comes down to an assessment and agreement with fundamental philosophy and patriotism and perceived self-best-interest. The national republican party is broken, functionally incapable of survival as it presently exists, a subject of agreement with the likes no less of Jeb Bush and others. The principle platform is an expression of pro-choice extremism, like it’s most dominant current caricature in the form of the “Tea Party” which asserts draconian, punitive, war-like answers for serious, and valid, social issues facing our society and world. It is unabashedly misogynistic and elitist. And that’s that.

So, we celebrated the re-election of a tolerant, socially progressive, and imperfect President Barrack Obama---not a Muslim, not a socialist, not a communist, not anti-American, not the end of life as we know it. We celebrated the defeat of United States Senator candidates Akin and Murdock—malignant incarnations of the heart and soul of a desperate and extremist bent once-proud republican heritage. We celebrated the election of our friend republican State Representative Mike Karickhoff. And we celebrated living as free citizens of the greatest nation on earth, with the promise of a better tomorrow for our two precious resources—Emilia Bodhi and Jude Liam.

Someday (both of you “voted” with Mommy yesterday), the two of you will fully understand your responsibilities as citizens of America and the world and your Mommy and Daddy are presently confident you will exercise those responsibilities with reason and compassion. Yesterday we exercised our love, especially, for the two of you, and Sister Kelly and Brother Aaron, and Brother Sean Franky, and Brother Ryan and Sister Holly and our fellow citizens. Now we pray for peace and prosperity.

Yesterday was an important day of duty for all citizens. Today is our celebration and our important day of parenting. And sharing with the two of you a matter of serious import for which today you are too young to comprehend. But in tomorrows that lie ahead…you are our greatest hopeJ.

PS  Mommy just wants to reiterate, my response was specific to only two important issues.  There are several, and as a whole, we believe that currently the Democratic Party moves closer to enacting social justice.  I however believe, you, Ms. Bodhi, will be the creator and leading activist for a NEW third party… one that more accurately addresses the needs of our society.  Let’s just hope you have inherited your Daddy’s beautiful talent for writing…and not your Momma’s ha/ha  Buddha, you with your athletic charming self can pass out flyers and knock on doors for your sister’s movement hee/hee 

After dinner play-doh time :)

Bodhi, you could play with play-doh for hours, Buddha, you play for about 45 minutes and then you are done hee/hee :)

Mommy picked out some tree branches Daddy cut down from our neighbor's tree ha/ha!  Daddy cut branches down so that we would have a clear view of the Seiberling Mansion...he could have just waited a few days for the leaves to fall on their own, anyway, I picked out some perfect branches :)

I spray painted them, wrapped all the branches together to appear as though it's actually a tree, then poured plaster and rocks into a planter to secure it.  Now, I have to purchase an Alice In Wonderland book to hang the pages from the branches with ribbon, tidy up the top of the planter, add some lights, and add a "G" and "H" to the planter as well.  It'll be our "book tree."  Mommy LOVES trees :)