Today at the Ferry Building, some enthusiastic people were handing out Obama/Biden stickers. The young man who handed me my sticker said, "Stick it on your bag, so you always have it." This seemed like sensible advice, so I followed it, which led me to imagine all the people I passed, who must have been thinking, "If that middle aged woman with graying hair and jeans and sandals who has been shopping from local farmers in San Francisco and putting her purchases in canvas bags which tell us that she is a teacher is voting for Obama, maybe I should, too." Glad I could do my part.
For some reason, this got me to thinking about "San Francisco values." You know, like tolerance and saving resources for the next generation, which actually are the values of most Americans. It got me wondering why it's okay to declare I "shop locally," but not that I "buy American." I'm sure there's some nuance here, but it's just one of those stupid ways we've decided to separate ourselves.
Speaking of tolerance, I can't help but be fascinated by the Sarah Palin hatred (check out factcheck.org for which stories are actually true). Women I know who have formerly been calm and accepting are just livid. I know part of it has to do with the insult they feel McCain has laid upon them in thinking that we would just switch our vote because there was a woman on the ticket. The other part has to do with the idea that this woman who seems like someone down the street who just won the lottery and ended up on television for no other reason than luck, can actually think that she could be the President (and, really, why shouldn't she think that? Look who is in the office now). I had to admit that I had my own, very non-PC reason for being bothered that she was running for Vice-President, which I confessed to a friend (whose name I will protect because she felt the same way). I'm not sure that it's a good idea for a mother of five, including a special needs infant, should have any job other than being a mother (if she can afford it). I will defend with my life her right to work if she chooses, but it does affect my opinion of her. But like buy locally, buy American, I suppose you can look at this as naive and old-fashioned or as post-feminism.
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