Pinko Magazine Hedonism + Activism

There is so much going on right now it’s hard to keep track. If you’re running for Congress and someone leaves a severed goat’s head on the front step of your campaign office that’s a bad thing right? The pundits say it’s going to be a landslide and Osama bin Laden has yet to release his annual message. That’s a good thing right? Did you casually mention at a dinner party the other night that, when he was young, Osama bin Laden was lithe, taut, and fine? Everyone knows that … right?  Joe the Plumber is a lying skinhead. We all have figured that out at least. With so much to keep track of we break things down in our Gay Marry It … or Abort It? Election Edition. It’s what’s hot and what’s not with two days to go. To the list!

Gay Marry It

Early voting! 27 million people have already voted that’s insane. 

Abort It

Voter suppression. Here is the most comprehensive and thoughtful rundown I’ve seen of the various organizations (Voter Suppression Wiki, Twitter Vote Support) doing voter suppression work, and the ways that all of us can feed into them and support them if the need comes up on Tuesday. 

Gay Marry It

The rumor that Bill Ayers biography was actually written by Phillip Lopate.

Abort It

The rumor that Barack Obama’s biography was actually written by Bill Ayers. 

Not Sure

What if Phillip Lopate also wrote Dreams from my Father? That might have been good! 

Gay Marry It

Refusing to indulge in the idea of Barack Obama losing. Amen! 

Abort It

The fact that I just wrote that. We’re totally fucked. [Editors note: In 2003, in a drug-induced stupor I willed the Philadelphia Eagles to lose the Superbowl in exchange for a divine and loving god sparing me a heart attack on my friend Ann's porch. Don't fuck with me.] 

Gay Marry It

Mark Ambinder’s takedown of McCain campaign memos claiming they are on the brink of a massive victory. 

Abort It

The McCain campaign banking on racism to put them over the top. Is there any other strategy at this point? I love the barely coded language his surrogates are using. They don’t say “whites won’t vote for blacks, we hope.” They say “anything could happen once voters are in the secrecy of the voting booth.” Like what? Could you get a pizza delivered there? If you can get a pizza delivered in the secrecy of the voting booth I’m voting twice. 

Gay Marry It

Arizona! Voters there booed John McCain at a rally in his home state today. Besides the Grand Canyon and that pancake place in Prescott, I don’t think much of Arizona, but these folks are making me think twice. 

Bonus Gay Marry it

Indiana! Obama could take this thing. Read Ari Berman’s stellar report from the ground. 

Gay Marry It

Ludovic Blain’s fantastic effort to track (and maybe end?) “dog whistle racism” in the 2008 election. (Dog whistle politics, as explained well in this super piece, is a scenario in which politicians use code words to signal unpopular stances to one target audience, while avoiding a backlash because the reference is lost on others. Sound familiar? 

Abort It

Coded language tying the Democratic economic agenda to deep-seeded fears of “welfare mothers.” 

Also, it’s pretty obvious that when Sarah Palin calls Gay Congressman Barney Frank “Uncle Barney” she’s tapping into really awful insinuations about child molestation right? 

Also, did George Will need to ”go all Henry Higgins” on Donna Brazile and correct her speech on national television today? Probably about as much as he needed to chalk up Colin Powell’s Obama endorsement to the fact that they’re both black. 

 

An impertinent question

I hate to ask but what happened to “toot,” Barack Obama’s grandmother? I hope she gets to see him elected on Tuesday … I hope we all do … but he went to Hawaii to visit and things didn’t look good, now not a word. 

Gay Marry It

Obviously, “No on 8,” the effort to hold onto gay marriage in California. This thing is tricky and it’s ugly, and right now very tied up in a serious clash between racial identity and homophobia. My friend Richard, who is reporting on the issue for The Nation, texted me that he was “surrounded right by about 500 chinese teenagers all wearing red protect marriage t shirts. Scary!!!” The sad thing is that ten years from now this won’t even be an issue. But Tuesday we have to hope the good side wins, and the worst elements in the race are repudiated. 

Abort It

This ad. Guh I knew that speech Gavin Newsom gave was going to hurt down the road. 

Uhm, what a sad note to leave on! Here are more happy polls.

Ideas for next week? Anything good we missed this week? What the fuck are we going to talk about after the election!? Just Email us! Or drop ideas in the comments.

About The Author - Ben Wyskida is a writer, activist, conscientious hedonist and political communications strategist living in Brooklyn. - Visit Ben's site.