Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Mourning In Michigan


Hey Happy Campers! What's good? I'm just glad to be here, quite frankly.

I hate politics. All politics: organizational, office, local, national, you name it. I hate politics. To me politics are an underhanded, dirty business. It's a way to finesse how you really feel. That's my ultimate beef with politics. It's inherently deceitful.

There were 5 proposals on Michigan ballots yesterday, two highly controversial ones: Prop 2 and Prop 3. Prop 2 called for the end to all race and gender based assistance to be outlawed in the Michigan state constitution, effectively ending affirmative action in the state. Prop 3 called for a prohibition on hunting mourning doves. Apparently, this being a HUGE hunting state, hunters didn't have enough shit to shoot at and now wanted to blast the international symbol of love out of the air.

The interesting thing that greeted me this morning wasn't surprising at all. At least not if you live here. The compassionate people of the State of Michigan decided that Blacks were being treated mighty fairly. Too "fair" in most cases and rejected "race based preferences". So there will be no leveling mechanism, no matter how poorly constructed, to counteract the long standing tradition of "I know his dad, he's hired".

Those same people also felt that killing mourning doves was a bit much and overwhelmingly voted against letting hunters have at it.

It's been long understood that some people will protest fur-wearing and cruelty to animals, and those same people will become alarmed if a Black person moved on their block or dated their kids. I've seen bigots let their dogs lick them in the mouth.

That's the nature of compassion and empathy in these United States. Save the animals, let the human condition grow worse.

Man, I hate politics.

KZ

28 comments:

onefromphilly said...

I'm so damn glad that the elections are OVER. I hate politicians. Remember my friends politicians are to be used, reach out and use one regularly before they use you.

My only goal in this election was to try to VOTE OUT, pink slip, FIRE anybody who agrees with, shook hands with, talked to, had lunch with, or made eye contact with that AZZ in the Big-House over at 1600.

Knockout Zed said...

@OneFrom
This election season will not be missed. I'm glad a gang of Bushites will be hitting the pavement in January.

KZ

nikki said...

man, i heard about that proposition about the race-based preferences and it sickens me that it was passed.

i'm glad the election thing is over too. it'll be interesting to see if there's much of a difference with the democrats controlling the house (and possibly the senate).

cuz right now, i'm referring to the dems as 'repub light'...they haven't showed me shit to lead me to believe it'll be any different for black folk with them in charge.

Miz JJ said...

As an outsider looking in the thing that strikes me as odd is how close so many races are. I mean in Florida Foley was on the ballot and almost won his seat for some other dude. People actually went in to the poll booth and checked Foley's name. Dude is a child molester, but people identify so strongly as republican they still voted that way. Just strange. I am glad it is all over.

I do agree with Nikki that a lot of Dems who won are Republican-lite so I think that helped the Dems. It is too bad that you guys only have 2 parties to choose from.

Knockout Zed said...

@Nikki
The Dems are indeed Repub-lite! I don't see any significant difference except for foreign policy, which the White House gets to dictate almost exclusively anyway.

@MizJJ
You got room in the Great White North for me?

KZ

Little Brown Girl said...

Yeah I heard abotu that this mornign Zeddie...but ironically enough I wasn't surprised. You obviously knew that a Dog...or a Dove as it may be...is much higher on the humanity scale then "coloreds!" They kiss a dog in the mouth in a minute but are reluctant to shake a black persons hand...which for me is actually a good thing, all other things considered!

Anonymous said...

I knew that Prop 2 would get passed. I had a discussion with one of my white male friends and he was so against it because he's poor and doens't get anything from his parents knowing anyone and doesn't fit into Affirmative Action so why would he vote for it? Forget the fact that he has a wife and a daughter...I just gave up. No one cares anymore! I'm starting to be one of the ones that just doesn't give a damn.

Knockout Zed said...

@RD
And that's why it pays to have transferrable skills. I'm leaving asap.

@TS
He benefits because everytime his face is seen he's reminding the powers that be of their son, nephew, grandson, etc. He's the familiar and we're the unfamiliar. Period.

KZ

A.u.n.t. Jackie said...

doves are good eating, and after reading a book at my parents house about the historical documented accounts of torture and lynching in this country, i'm just glad it's not colored folks hunting season any more.

my friends back in la all had a dinner party and watched simultaneous broadcasts of election results and debated the night away...i wish i'd been there. that must mean i love politics or at least like them allot huh?

Knockout Zed said...

@Miss Ahmad
"Doves are good eating"? I'd like to think it takes one to know one.

hehehe

KZ

Disco said...

I was really , REALLY hoping that it didn't pass. Proposal two, that is.

And the fact that it did is appalling at best. I will be DOUBLY hard for me,a BLACK WOMAN, a DOUBLE minority to recieve fair treatment. I am beyond disgusted at this point and disheartened in humanity as a whole.

@TS: That's what "they" see.... that's what they all see....only what wrong with something if it fucks THEM up.

But what got me was 'how the fuck did this even MAKE IT ONTO the ballot in the fifteenth fucking place????!!!' That shit shouldn't have EVEN been up for voting dammit!

Dee said...

I think all politicians are sociopaths. How else can you climb so high unless you are telling everyone exactly what they want to hear.

1969 said...

My only goal was the same as onefromphilly's (coincidence since we both live in Philly?)

I wanted as many Bush supporters as possible to be unemployed. Somebody's gotta pay.

Knockout Zed said...

@Robyn
I'm a single minority, but that Black man thing is a doozy!

How did this make it on the ballot and my Thong Subsidy Initiative fail?

KZ

Knockout Zed said...

@GC
That's where I am with politicians. They are inherently sneaky. Politician steal pussy when the woman is drunk and asleep!

(I know it doesn't make sense!)

@Sixy
Somebody's gotta pay. It might be us.

KZ

DivineLavender said...

Politics are corrupt and I know it intellectually and emotionally. I vote for the symbolism of fighting and being heard. I owe it to myself...I owe to those before me...those beside me. I live in a lilly white area...and for those old white men to see my black ass and with my nappy hair voting is a powerful feeling. I never will miss a change for my personal victory to stand in that booth, NEVER!

Plus, I love wearing my red and white "I VOTED" sticker! Its cute! *smiliing*

aquababie said...

i was sad to see that prop 2 passed. anything to keep black folk down in their opinion is good. what a bunch of crap.

i also agree with the thoughts on the democrats. i really want to see what they have up their sleeves. i can't trust none of them.

Rashan Jamal said...

Is proposition 2 even legal? Have they went to court to contest that yet?

I hate politics too. Especially when the outcome is pretty much concluded before you even vote.

Mr.Slish said...

This is the very reaosn why I should read more! Cause I don't know what DA HELL your talking about..Now I gotta go and look shit up so I can have something intelligent to say...lol

Miz JJ said...

There's room for you in Canada. Prepare yourself for all the white girls you can handle ;-)

Just took a look at the link. Lol @ Michael Jordan donating to a political party. He has twisted himself into a pretzel to remain apolitical. This is the dude when asked about sweatshop labor of his air jordans scowled and said that has nothing to do with him. Oh really Mike.

Knockout Zed said...

@DL
I try to walk around and let them know I've offset their vote.

@Aqua
Prop 2 is everything to these people. The good ol' boy network prevents "qualified" Blacks to get gigs, but nothing in place to keep "non-qualified" whites out. Fantastic!

@Cas
They went to court to contest it being on the ballot, because they used deception to get the signatures for it. They lost in court. It'll get challenged, but in the meantime it's the law of the land.

@Slish
There's nothing much to say, man. Animals, si. Blacks, no.

@MizJJ
When we were teenagers, my friends would go party in Windsor. "Them white girls be all over a brotha!" Umm, no thanks. There's enough of that in Satan's Anus.

Jordan is funny. Apolitical and phony. I thought the Jerome Bettis donation to Bush/Cheney was interesting.

KZ

1InTheSame said...

I was hearing that some people in the Michigan area were complaining because the wording of the Affirmitive Action ballot was confusing and they accidentally voted wrong,also saying that some commercials were saying if you are for Civil Rights vote "yes" and blacks should have voted no. Educate me on this ....

Angel said...

in a book i've read, the author talks about that too. "some people treat their pets better than than they treat Black people." damn politics. it's scary that even though ward connerly can reference the kkk, his argument is still validated by some. in class we've been talking about the argument between race-based affirmative action and class-based affirmative action. you can only imagine the conversations we're having! i'll definitely keep you posted boo!

Knockout Zed said...

@1in
You're exactly right. The proposal was called "The Michigan Civil Rights Initiative". If you were FOR maintaining affirmative action, you should have voted "NO". If you were anti-affirmative action, you should have voted "YES". Basically counterintuitive: Yes (negative), No (affirmative).

So the commercials being run were saying if you're for equal rights, vote YES.

And there you have duplicity in action.

KZ

ChezNiki said...

Well Rumsfeld just stepped down. One bright spot amongst some of the other bright spots.

Sorry to hear about that in MI. On the MA ballot initiatives, they voted against allowing state-funded childcare workers to use collective bargaining to get better benefits

and against allowing additional liquor licenses for grocery stores (right now non-liquor store can only get three per company due to a post-prohibition law that is still on the books) due in part to scary drunk-driving TV ads which ran non-stop for weeks.

Sometimes it just makes more sense to let the legislature decide these issues...they may not have decided the affirmative action issue any differently. But at least in the legislature, they have to research it and hear testimony... instead of having an uninformed, knee-jerk reaction to something that may make sense to people who have half a brain.

I try to stay out of politics for the very reasons you wrote about. But I cant help it, I love it and I get re-sucked back in to it all the time! LOL

Anonymous said...

The YTs in Michigan have had a bug up their ass since the Supreme Court case with the University of Michigan law school.

Its funny, this is the first election cycle that I have been OUT of politics...and I dont miss it a bit.

You gotta nice spot here KZ....and thanks for hanging out over at blaquescribes...


Ill be around more often.

The Brown Blogger said...

Glad I came in on sort of the ass-end of this. I hope everyone can see it, most of us living thru a few majo and mid-term elections now.

The shit has never changed. Now the question is what are we going to do about that?

aquababie said...

looking at the link, folk give their money away to anyone. they are fickle and don't give a damn.