Nov. 2, 2000
Demockracy

I hate voting. I really do. When I first turned 18 I was really excited about it, and then in college I would go to the church or whatever and see people I knew and think, "Wow! We're all participating in the running of our country. Our voices matter." I haven't thought that in a long time, though. In poll after poll and study after study it is shown that the majority of Americans believe in a woman's right to choose, yet candidate after candidate either takes a pro-life stance or refuses to comment. What is that about? And as much as I'd love to be able to focus on other issues that affect me, I just can't vote for a candidate who is at all interested in telling me whether or not I get to control what happens in my uterus, and that's all there is to it. For a wonderful rant on this topic, check out this week'sTomato Nation.

I got on this topic because Nancy sent me an e-mail about a web site called Democracy Net which is sponsored by the League of Women Voters. They let you search by your district and then show you who's running for all the different offices and what their positions are on various issues, which would be a lot more helpful if some candidates didn't answer "no comment" to every issue (thanks a lot, Zell Miller. Yes, I could do a lot of research to find out how you've voted on every single issue since you've been in office, but your apparent belief that more people will vote for you if they don't know where you stand on the issues is cynical and disappointing). Also, they don't list candidates' positions on Roe v. Wade, and, as I've mentioned, that's something I really need to know.

So I'll go, and I'll vote. I'll make my voice heard, the little squeak of buttons flipping instead of the mighty shout I'd like to raise. When I was in Scotland I read a travel book written by an Englishman about the U.S. His thought on our political system was that it is "democracy in reverse". In other words, it doesn't matter what the constituents actually want because it's very important not to accomplish much of anything so as not to offend anyone so that one can get re-elected. It's all so depressing. (Not that England can talk really; they're still stuck with just the two parties, as are we.)

I need to cheer myself up, so why don't I plug all of my friends' new projects? It makes me so happy to know so many talented people! First of all, I've just received my very own copy of Julie Loyd's debut CD, Self Portrait #9. I met her at Swannanoah this year, and she is one cool chick. She's got sound files on her web site, so check it out! My favorite band that I've still never managed to see live, Ashen, has a new CD out called No Other Comfort. And Erin McKeown, a.k.a. The Lady, has a new CD, which I have not yet purchased but which is definitely next on my list. Trivia: Erin and I went to high school together. Her career is really going well, and she deserves all the recognition she's getting. You've gotta check her out! And while I'm plugging things that have nothing to do with me and could, in fact, be considered competition if you wanted to be all Scrooge-y about it, make sure to catch Karma Lingo while they're still doing alternate Sunday nights at the Somber Reptile (especially if you like big-sound rock and roll with lots of keyboards and vocal harmonies), and come out to Eddie's Attic on Nov. 11 to see another Swannanoah pal, Devon. She'll be opening for Caroline Aiken, and it'll be a blast. (Man, that was exhausting. Too many links. I'm just going to stick to rambling and ranting from now on.)

As for me, I still don't have any gigs for you to come to. I'm sorry. I promise I'm working on it. The choir I'm currently singing with, Collegium Vocale, is having a concert, though, on November 18 in Glenn Memorial at Emory University. It's going to feature all American composers: Copland, Barber and Bernstein. Plus that old Emory Concert Choir favorite, "Hark! I Hear the Harps Eternal". I may even audition for a solo. Does that count for anything?

What's in my stereo at home