The Impact of a Newly Formed Group: Clinton Supporters Count Too
May 17, 2008
I’ve been keeping an eye on this for the last several days on some of the Ohio blogs that I check and read daily. Jill Miller Zimon of Writes Like She Talks has been leading this discussion from what I can tell in the Ohio blogosphere.
This group that was formed in my own back yard, Columbus, Ohio, is purpotedely very upset by the perceived mistreatment that its candidate, Hillary Clinton, has received from the Obama campaign, the main stream media, the DNC, and the voters in the democratic party.
According to one of the group’s founders Cynthia Ruccia:
“We have a plan to campaign against the Democratic nominee,” the group said in a press release Thursday. “We have the (wo)manpower and the money to make our threat real. And there are millions of supporters who will back us up in the swing states. If you don’t listen to our voice now, you will hear from us later.”
“We’re just at the boiling point,” Ruccia said. “Women will sit back and be quiet about things for a while, but we’ve had enough. Unless Hillary Clinton is our nominee, we are not going to support the nominee.”
I have publicly stated in this blog in the past that I believe that many members of the main stream media have been incredibly biased toward Barack Obama in their coverage of the democratic party nomination battle. I can barely watch Chris Matthews or Keith Olbermann on MSNBC on primary nights when they are “reporting the news.” I think it is a very accurate portrayl of those “journalists” to say that in the very least they have a strong bias for Obama, but more accurate to say that they are virtually writing campaign spots for him each night. CNN is somewhat more balanced, but not without bias.
I think that to criticize the women that form Clinton Supporters Count Too is very dangerous. There are many women and men that have been quietly watching the coverage of these two candidates and have noted the blatant sexism in the coverage.
To dismiss this group as zealots, biggots, or lunatics on the fringe will only further hurt the democratic party and its chances in 2008.
My advice? Dialogue with this group and acknowledge their concerns. To ignore them or to ridicule them is to strenghten their arguments. Many democrats are less than thrilled at the prospect of having to support Obama in the general election. I include myself in this group. But for me, it has everything to do with his lack of experience and a track record. But I will hold off on publicly saying for whom I will vote until the general election.
If you want to learn more about what the Ohio blogs are saying a few suggested sites include Blue Bexley, Ohio Daily Blog, and Writes Like She Talks.
Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner Encourages High Schoolers to Vote
May 17, 2008
According to the Columbus Dispatch, Jennifer Brunner returned to her alma mater, Whetstone High School in Clintonville to discuss the importance of voting to graduating seniors.
Brunner has been a somewhat controversial figure in Ohio politics as of late with regards to her push to return to paper ballots in some instances. I have found myself disagreeing with her on that issue and some others, but I couldn’t be more happy with her promoting this great program.
The Grads Vote 2008 program, “The Ultimate Civics Lesson” encourages students to register to vote and to exercise this right. Through this program, Brunner not only encourages recent graduates to vote, but to also become poll workers and to get involved in choosing those that will lead our cities, states, and nation.
“Graduating from high school is a rite of passage, and being able to vote and have a voice in your democracy is a rite of passage,” Brunner said yesterday. “We’re putting those two important things together.”
Brunner started the project as a pilot program in five counties last year and expanded it to all 88 this spring.
Grads Vote 2008 packets have been sent to 1,032 high schools. They include a letter signed by Brunner, Gov. Ted Strickland and Ohio schools Superintendent Susan T. Zelman.
I whole-heartedly applaud this effort by Secretary of State Brunner. To learn more about the program, visit this site.
Child Sex Abuse Awareness Working in Lancaster, Ohio
May 17, 2008
It is often said that one can rarely read a newspaper or watch the news today without being constantly bombared with all that is wrong in the world. I admit that I have been guilty of saying that. This post is to congratulate the Child Advocacy Center of Fairfield County located in Lancaster, Ohio. I read the article in the Columbus Dispatch that details the success of a new program provided by the Child Advocacy Center to students in Fairfield County.
According to the article, two days after a presentation at Cedar Heights Elementary School in Lancaster, a 9 year-old indicated that she had been sexually abused. After investigation, a sex offender (pedophile) neighbor confessed to having molested this poor child.
I know that it angers many of us that pedophiles are released into our communities after far too short jail sentences where they are able to prey on the most innocent among us, our children.
This story highlights the importance of open dialogue with children on issues such as abuse of any form to help protect them from these monsters.
The Child Advocacy Center of Fairfield County spreads their message:
The parts of your body covered by a bathing suit are private, and if someone tries to touch those parts, you should say no, then go and tell a trusted adult.
Now that is a message that all parents should be teaching their children and that should be prevelant in our school systems.
Columbus Race For the Cure a Success
May 17, 2008
This will just be a brief post to congratulate all of the runners today in downtown Columbus braving the possibility of rain for the 16th Komen Columbus Race for the Cure. There was a record turn out today and the participants raised an outstanding $2 million. That is truly inspirational!
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