putting my time where my mouth is

just in case you are wondering, i really am active in politics. i participate in rallies, anti-war ones mostly - but i have also worked in clinic defense and protested for/against various causes. i am part of a few different email lists and today i received a notice that barbara boxer would be speaking in burbank tomorrow about the samuel alito nomination.

i am going. ms. boxer is one of the few senators who dares speak out against the things she finds morally reprehensible. she also voted against the iraq war.

before it was cool.

here is sample of her positions on foreign policy issues, courtesy of wikipedia:

In 1997 the Senate passed a Boxer resolution calling on the United States not to recognize the Taliban as the official government of Afghanistan because of its human rights abuses against women. In October 2001, Boxer successfully authored a resolution calling for the inclusion of women in the temporary government of Afghanistan.

Senator Barbara Boxer meets Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. (3/30/2005)

In March 2005 the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed Boxer's amendment to the Foreign Affairs Reauthorization Bill strongly urging Saudi Arabia to permit women to run for office and vote in all future elections.

Boxer is a cosponsor of S. 495, or the Darfur Accountability Act of 2005, which would impose sanctions against perpetrators of crimes against humanity in Darfur. Sanctions under this legislation include imposition of a military no-fly zone in Darfur, a coordinated effort between the U.S. and Sudanese governments to track down and prosecute individuals in Sudan in any way involved with genocide or other war crimes in Darfur, a call for the Sudanese Government to take an active roll in combating Janjaweed forces within its borders, and a policy of sanctions against the Sudanese government, including sanctions which will affect the petroleum sector, and individual members of the Sudanese government whose actions support the crimes of violent militias in Darfur.

On April 5, 2005, the U.S. Senate passed by 52-46 votes an amendment by Senators Boxer and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) that would repeal the Global Gag Rule, which President Bush established by executive order on his first working day in office in 2001. The Global Gag Rule denied U.S. international family planning assistance to organizations that use their own privately raised funds to counsel women on the availability of abortion, advocate for changes to abortion laws, or provide abortion services.

if i had my druthers, she would be my choice for 2008. i think that boxer and barack obama would make an excellent ticket for the democrats to put forth. many other people are for hillary clinton, but i have a much higher regard for the words/action ratio and the bravery and intelligence that would be represented by obama/boxer.

why i feel this way and how disappointed i am in hillary clinton and her pandering to conservatives is a subject for another entry.

since i am not working, i responded to the email and found to my delight that i have a space. i take this as an opportunity to fufill my duties as a citizen. i consider it a responsibility to take part in the government and polticial issues.

if you don't, someone else will do it for you.