Journalism! Clinton, Obama, Address Supporters at JJ Dinner

Hey, check out this story I wrote and had published on my college news website in 2008!

 Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama spoke in front of a group of approximately 4,000 Democratic officials, activists and supporters at the Virginia Democrat’s annual Jefferson-Jackson fundraising dinner in Richmond Saturday night.

 The crowds of supporters at the Stuart C. Siegel Center at Virginia Commonwealth University competitively traded cheers for their candidate of choice and waved signs in an atmosphere that more resembled a college basketball game than a political fundraiser. Though many of the attendees at the event were dressed in tuxedos and evening gowns, some in the crowd who paid just to see the program were just as likely to be sporting jeans and t-shirts, with campaign buttons the accessory of choice for the evening.

 Several themes appeared in both Clinton and Obama’s speeches, as the candidates worked to excite and inspire the crowd.

 “The Democratic Party must stand for change,” said Obama. “Not change as a slogan, not change as a bumper sticker, but change we can believe in.”

 “You know, for me, politics isn’t a game,” Clinton said. “It’s not about who’s up or who’s down. It’s about your lives, your families and your futures. And isn’t it about time you had a president who brought your voice and your values to your White House?”

 Both candidates addressed the recent appearance of Senator John McCain as the front runner for the republican presidential nomination.

 Clinton spoke in fighting terms to a room that booed whenever McCain’s name was mentioned.

 “If I am your nominee," said Clinton. "You will never have to worry that I will be knocked out of the ring, because I have the strength and experience to lead this country and I am ready to go toe to toe with Senator McCain whenever and wherever he desires.”

 Clinton also described President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney as “the oilmen” on one occasion. She said that McCain represented “more of the same.”

 "We have tried it President Bush's way: concentrate wealth, hoard power, disregard science, shred the Constitution, smear dissenters, impugn patriots," Clinton said.

 Obama initially spoke well of McCain, saying, “He is a good man and a genuine American hero and we honor his service.”

 However, Obama also criticized McCain heavily for his stance on current policy.

 “He once opposed George Bush's tax cuts for the wealthiest few who don't need them and didn't ask for them,” Obama said. “He said they were too expensive and unwise. And he was absolutely right. But somewhere along the line, the wheels came off the Straight Talk Express, because he now supports the very same tax cuts he voted against. This is what happens when you spend too long in Washington. Politicians don't say what they mean, and they don't mean what they say."

 Clinton and Obama also both referred to their respective health care plans.

 “I am the only candidate left in this race, democratic or republican, with a health care plan to cover every single man, woman and child,” Clinton said. “I believe health care is a fundamental human right and a moral obligation for the United States of America.”

 “My plan would bring down premiums for the typical family by $2,500 a year,” Obama said. “And the one difference between my plan and Senator Clinton's plan is that she said she'd ‘go after' your wages if you don't buy health care. Well I believe the reason people don't have health care isn't because no one's forced them to buy it, it's because no one's made it affordable - and that's why we bring down the cost of health care more than any other plan in this race.”

 Obama also mentioned his desire to provide the best education possible for American children, by working to raise teacher’s pay and providing $4,000 a year tax credits for Americans to help pay for a college education.

 Both candidates spoke of the need to get American troops out of Iraq, but Clinton said distinctly, “I will start to bring them home after 60 days,”

Obama stated that he believes the party will unite behind whoever the eventual nominee is.

"Senator Clinton was my friend before this race started, and she'll be my friend after this race," he said.

A super short story from a prompt

 “I’ll see you in hell,” I said cockily, as I turned the gun toward the last man in front of me. It had been a long day of chasing down villains and gaining my long sought revenge against those who had killed my parents. It was the culmination of 10 years of training, hard work and long nights, traveling around the world to learn from the most dangerous of women, the deadliest human weapons ever known. And here was the last one, right before me, with wide eyes and wild hair and a mouth pleading with me in words I chose not to listen to. I smiled, started pulling the trigger, and my world blew apart in a searing pain.

I came to in an elevator, pimento green, with light organ music playing. Was that the girl from ipanema? I was sitting on the ground and quickly stood up, to lean against the railings and take my bearings. There must have been another person in the room I didn’t see, someone who shot faster than I did. I cursed under my breath. Was this then, the end? I came to the last stage of my quest and I died before finishing it?

The elevator door opened with a light ding. I stepped out into a cool blue room, filled with a hodgepodge of people. Some were in various states of disarray, sweaty and panting; others were dressed to the nines, still others just looked like they had strolled in from running errands at the grocery store. Everyone looked bewildered. It was strangely quiet.

A microphone screeched and thudded and the crowd winced en masse. A carefully coiffed Indian woman in a lime green skirt suit stood in front of a bland ikea painting on the wall, her long glossy hair sprayed and curled into high, large Jackie Kennedy style submission, a shiny red smile plastered on her lips.

“My apologies for that noise,” she said in a clipped accent as she folded her hands in front of her, a clipboard tucked under her arm against her side. “Welcome, welcome, to today’s intake room 23. If you’re here, you must have said, ‘I’ll see you in hell’ at some point in your life.”

I blinked at her along with the rest of the people. What an arbitrary distinction.

“Now, that’s a sin of wrath, so you’ve been sorted into this terrace of hell. But since we have so many souls to deal with these days, we’ve had to become very particular with our divisions of groups simply to make things more manageable,” she chirped at us. “Get used to this quickly; you’re going to be here forever and the snack bar is open but your options will never change. Okay, I’ve got to go run and welcome intake room 24! Have a lovely eternity!”

She switched the microphone off and ran off to a door on the side no one had noticed before, her heels clacking on the tile. The door vanished as soon as she closed it behind her.

I looked around at the others next to me, all of us dumbfounded into silence. The girl from ipanema still played in the background.

Throwback Thursday: These

Written July 25, 2007. A half decent poem by 19-year-old Rachael. I actually quite like this one.

I'm still awake and
Life's not easy and
Sometimes it hurts to look at the pictures
you know.

I said I would sleep and 
I sit here thinking of the future
glamorizing the past and 
it's sad and sweet and beautiful
you know.

I doubt I'll dream I'll
just fall into oblivion-
It's a dream just to kiss you dear.
Yet it's so easy to go back and remember
these stolen moments in another life.

A playground, a pond, 
A rooftop, a fountain with water streaming high
These are places where I loved life and dove deep
into something wild and unknown. 

No regrets.

And these ghosts- I have buried-
Until they became reality - I can see them now.
it's flawed but good and good but flawed-
I am past my idealizations of these boys
and see them now as men.

These stories I have written
with a pen called teenage love and loss
have taught me and now
I love to read them and remember-
even if it is I alone.

-And It is nothing wrong for you dear- nothing wrong-
just me trysting with old friends-
my heart likes to think on how it leapt and flew-

Just know and think and remember these things-

when you told me stories by a running creek
when you danced with me in a movie theater
when you held me close as deer drew close to watch
when you kissed me while I held your car keys ransom

and lord, when you shouted- shouted my name 
racing through a crowded party just to find me

you captured a place in my mind and soul
a place that is not emptied or broken by your absence 
but strengthened with the lengthening memories of these-

all these boys who caught my eyes and stole my heart
in windswept moments through time.

Finally giving it back- 
intact and whole and beating so strong- 
so one last -you dear- 
could hold it and keep it safe.

So now it's a Thank You for these
as I head away from Neverland and 
towards the city of unnamed streets and
sometimes I dream of kissing you dear
you know.

I said I would sleep and
my limbs are weary and 
now I put this child and all- 
all of these to rest and
life's not easy but it's beautiful
you know.

Journalism: ENDA Vote to Come Soon

How sad is it that I wrote this article in 2007 and ENDA STILL hasn’t passed? :( 

(Originally published in Broadside on October 1, 2007)

           

The Employee Non Discrimination Act, a bill addressing discrimination in the workplace towards members of the LGBT community, is coming up in Congress soon, the third time such a bill has been brought before the floor of congress.

“It’s still legal in 31 states to fire someone because of their sexual orientation and in 39 states to fire someone because of their gender identity,” said Brian Walton, associate counsel for the Human Rights Campaign. The Human Rights Campaign is a self-described civil rights organization which advocates on behalf of LGBT Americans.

In its original form, ENDA, which was sponsored by openly gay Representative Barney Frank (D-Ma.), would have added on to Title XII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protections against discrimination determined by sexual orientation or gender identity in the workplace. Last Thursday, Frank and House leadership determined that ENDA would be split into two bills, one for protections on sexual orientation and one for protections on gender identity.

“In the crunch the official Whip count taken in contemplation of the bill it became very clear that while we would retain a significant majority of Democrats, we would lose enough so that a bill that included transgender protection would lose if not amended, and that an anti-transgender amendment would pass,” said a statement released by Frank.

Numerous LGBT-rights organizations that helped create the original wording of the latest ENDA bill spoke out in protest of the taking out of the transgender provisions.

“The breaking news that the House has decided to move forward on a non-discrimination bill that is not inclusive of gender identity is devastating,” said Joe Solomonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, in a statement. “The Human Rights Campaign remains dedicated to the fight for full equality for our entire community and, in light of this new reality, continues to consult with members of Congress and our lobbyists to determine how we can achieve that goal.”

“If the Democratic Congress takes the gender identity and expression clause out of ENDA, they’re a bunch of cowards for not realizing that any discrimination is all discrimination,” said George Mason University alumna Allison Medwin, who identifies as queer. “It’s wrong. Either they’re committed to stopping discrimination for those who face it or they’re not.”

“I believe that it would be a grave error to let this opportunity . . . pass,” said Congressman Frank in his statement.

In its original form, ENDA had 117 co-sponsors, including Virginia’s own James Moran (D) and Bobby Scott (D). It was the first bill with gender identity protection language included.

“Most people don’t get that it’s still legal to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Ric Chollar, the Associate Director for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning Resources at Mason. “Building recognition of sexual orientation and gender identity in the federal law is crucial.”

The first legislation that tried to protect sexual orientation with federal civil rights laws was introduced in 1976, 12 years after the Civil Rights Act was passed. In 1994, the first bill known as ENDA was introduced. Two years later, ENDA came within one vote of passage in the Senate, during the backlash to the Defense of Marriage act passed under President Clinton’s administration. The last major legislative action on ENDA was taken in 2002, when the Senate Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Committee held a hearing on ENDA and favorably reported the bill to the Senate floor.

ENDA would have been the first legislation of its kind. The way ENDA is drafted, before the taking out of the gender identity clause, it is designed to act as a leader on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and would work to prohibit discrimination based on the actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity of an employee or applicant. It would not allow employers to use quotas with regard to sexual orientation or gender identity, would not require employers to provide domestic partner benefits and would not apply to employers with under fifteen employees. ENDA also does not apply to private membership clubs, the armed forces, or religious employers. While religious groups are not permitted to discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity, they can exercise a preference for co-religionists and require employees to conform to the religion’s tenets and teachings.

“ENDA is really important to us because we need people to be informed. This affects us our entire lives; with the so called marriage amendment it was really an issue for people who wanted to get married,” Alex Gant, co-chair of Mason’s Pride Alliance, said. “This is going to affect everyone our entire lives. It’s about working – everyone has to work – everyone at some point in their lives will have to work somewhere where they’re probably going to be discriminated against.”

Several cases citing workplace discrimination against employees because of sexual orientation or gender identity have been brought forward in several states, with few finding recourse because of the lack of legal protection in most states. Only 17 states ban sexual orientation-based discrimination and seven bar bias against transgender employees. The District of Columbia currently has laws in place protecting against discrimination by sexual orientation or gender identity in the public and private sectors. Virginia has no laws on the subject.

Currently, Mason includes sexual orientation in its non-discrimination policy. Also, the Cities of Alexandria and Falls Church, along with Arlington and Fairfax Counties prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The addition of gender identity and gender expression to the existing non-discrimination policy at Mason is under discussion. However, at the state level, the Commonwealth of Virginia does not include sexual orientation, gender identity or expression in its anti-discrimination laws.

“There’s a little bit of judgment for what you can and cannot do. They can see you doing retail, but other work is different,” said Dan Odom, a junior and Broadside staff reporter.

Bush has not yet commented on the ENDA bill or said how he would approach it if it passed in Congress.

The ENDA bill without trans-inclusion will be marked up by the chamber's Education and Labor Committee next Tuesday so that it can be sent it to the House floor for a vote.

rehearsal

I’m at rehearsal now, surrounded by happy chaos and clamor. I can hear at least four separate conversations, voices blending and separating excitedly, echoing slightly in this drab downstairs church basement, with pistachio-vanilla gelato tile floors that remind me of Rome and the endless giant plastic ice cream cones on sidewalks. The exit sign glows vaguely and from its center, as if tired and unable to go on. I feel the cushion beneath my ass, the pain in my neck, my jaw, my knee, my soul.

Journalism!: Kids campaigning before they can vote

Originally Published on UWire’s Youth Vote ‘08 in 2008. The website was shut down shortly after the presidential election and thus, I do not have the exact date on which this article was published.

This election season, more young people are getting involved in politics than ever before. Here's the twist though - a lot of these student volunteers are so young that they work for an election without actually being able to vote for a year or more.

Thomas Senecal, 15, a student at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Maryland, first became involved in Democratic politics at the young age of 8.

"[In 2000], my [third-grade] teacher saw my interest in current events, and even had me writing letters to the Supreme Court to express my opinion on Bush v. Gore," Senecal said. "I started volunteering for Sen. Kerry during the 2004 presidential election, primarily because I wanted to keep President Bush from having a second term any way I could. Plus, I had by that point developed an interest in all things political (and especially Democratic politics), so it seemed like the only logical thing for me to do."

Senecal, though raised in a "stoically Democratic family," said he ultimately came to his decision to be a Democrat through issue-by-issue research on topics such as economic growth, education, energy policy and national security. Senecal worked in multiple campaigns in 2006 in Maryland, helping in races for the U.S. Senate, state Senate and Governor. All of his candidates won. He founded Teens for Clinton in support of Sen. Hillary Clinton's run for the Democratic presidential nominee. Currently, he is working as a volunteer with on Sen. Barack Obama's youth campaign.

"I have mostly been providing feedback on the best strategy to reach high schoolers and what I call their 'senior network' - that is to say, even though most high schoolers can't vote, most have a large network of older friends, parents, and trusted adults to lobby and convince to support Senator Obama," Senecal said. "I've been suggesting what may and may not work based on what I observed with Teens for Clinton and just from a high school standpoint, which is surprisingly more unique of a standpoint in national politics than you may believe."

Seventeen-year- old Republican Daniel Tillson, a senior at Bishop Denis J. O'Connell High School in Virginia, also was brought into politics by a teacher.

 "Back in middle school, I was lucky enough to have Brian Holoubek, former lobbyist and Hill staffer, as a teacher," Tillson said. "One day he pulled me aside and told me he thought I had a talent for politics. With a little push and some guidance, I quickly got involved in campaign life."

 Tillson now has worked in every part of a campaign from volunteer to consultant, and ran his first local campaign at the age of 15. More recently, he managed the campaign of Republican Mark Ellmore, who is running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Virginia's 8th district.

 "Up until last month, I was the youngest campaign manager for a federal campaign in the country," Tillson said. "I had the distinct privilege to manage a campaign for the Republican candidate in Virginia's 8th District, Mark Ellmore. With my senior year in high school coming up, I decided that it would be best for me to take a break from the day-to-day management activities."

Tillson figured out his political preferences while working on a campaign.

 "When I was just beginning campaign life, I only had a very broad general idea of what I believed in," Tillson said. "After knocking on literally thousands of doors and hearing people's stories, I have become well connected in the community and have been able to formulate my own opinions based on everything I've learned."

 Though neither boys will be old enough to vote by the time November rolls around, both take heart in the effect they are having on the election.

 "Sometimes I forget that I'm still technically a minor, especially when I'm supposed to phonebank and explain 'Why I'm voting for Hillary Clinton,' " Senecal said. "Though I would really like to vote, I reconcile that simply by convincing many more people to vote for my candidate in place of me."

 Tillson thinks the best way a student can have an impact on an election is to influence the voters around them.

 "Think about it, candidates themselves only count for one vote but in reality, the winner often has tens of thousands of votes. The best way to have an impact on an election is to influence the voters around you," Tillson said. "As a 17-year-old, I won't be able to vote in this historic Presidential Election but I'm not disappointed because there are a lot of undecided voters in my immediate community that can be persuaded to vote one way or another."

 Mike Connery, the writer of Youth to Power, names two reasons he believes young people under voting age are getting involved in politics.

 "A lot of the issues that are driving people to get involved politically in the past few years- the Iraq war, Hurricane Katrina- are affecting these kids as much as those over the age of 18," Connery said. "Age isn't really a discriminating factor. Also, the tactics the Obama campaign uses to get people involved equally reach people under 18. The political process is talking to them in a way that it hasn't before. There are more mechanisms to reach these kids now that weren't available in the past."

 Senecal believes the youth vote this year will have a strong impact on the outcome of the election.

 "I think that there is a definite potential for the youth vote to be the tie breaker this season," he said. "It's particularly difficult to poll young voters (pollsters can't call cell phones), so its hard to tell how big turnout will be, but given the upswing from 2004 and the youthful excitement that surrounds Senator Obama, it is very clear that youth will play a major role in electing Senator Obama President in November."

 Tillson thinks the youth involved in politics are often the ones that can push for greatest change.

 "Of the voters that do show up to the polls on Election Day, the youth are always the ones with the biggest drive and passion to make a difference," Tillson said. "There is no doubt that the turnout for people our age will be large enough to make a difference and it's very important that the candidates pay attention to us."

 Both boys hope to be involved in politics for many years to come.

"I'm only beginning my career in politics," Tillson said. "As I get older, I'll do my best to do the same thing that my history teacher did for me in middle school and give someone else with the same talent that push and motivation they need to get involved."

Throwback Thursday: Poetry Which is Hilariously Emo in Retrospect

Written June 19, 2007. OMG 19-year-old Rachael, who hurt you.

-i try not to get depressed
and not to get sad
and not to give up hope-

i hope that i made a difference
and that it wasn't all bad

i hope that some time we shared
is uncolored by me
and still black and white and 
good

i hope you remember me
and smile
even if it's bittersweet

i hope you think of me
and think of something good
even if you hate me now

i hope that someday
you and i can start over again
and be the friends
we should have been
before i
messed it
up

but most of all
i hope that you are happy with your life
no matter what or if i'm ever in it again

i hope that you stay hopeful
and don't give up on anything
because of me

i hope that you grow old
and joyful and still stay
childlike and innocent

i hope that you make a difference
painted in bright colors and brilliant lights
and that every part of it is good

and i kindof
hope that you
forget completely
about me someday

because i wish that i could
forget about me
completely
too.

My Articles on Buzzfeed!

I mean, they are both community articles that the staff hasn’t bothered to review yet or give any promotion, but it’s up!

First one is about Celebrities who took their Spouse’s last names. I’d like to put together some historical and trivia based ones, but I decided to start with something fairly easy first. However, putting it together took a lot more work than I imagined (oh, the fun of dealing with content management systems again), so - Go check it out here!

Second one is on Celebrities who added their spouse’s last names to their own. You can read it over here!

Throwback Thursday: A Litany by Candlelight

I wrote this on April 17, 2007 after attending a vigil at George Mason University remembering the victims of the Virginia Tech Shooting. A lot of students from my school knew people there, so it was a really emotional event.

“Times like these, we need to count our blessings,” said a Mason student wearing maroon and orange. After she suggested that those present name the things that they’re thankful for, there was an initial silence, and then an outpouring of thanks.

“Parents.” “Strength.” “Family.” “Love.” 

Male and female voices called these out from all corners of the crowd. 

“I’m thankful that on a night like this we can gather together. God is here.”

Some shouted loudly, others were barely audible.
“That the world cares.”

Some shook with the cold and others rang out with confidence. 
“Unity.” “Resiliency.” “Compassion.” “Charity.”

But all of them named these things with grateful hearts, taking heart in finding the good still left.

“Sisters,” one girl said as she gathered her friends closer to her.

“That it ended when it did.” A sentiment greeted with sighs of agreement.

A sense of community spread throughout the crowd as more and more chimed in. Once, two spoke at once, but then stopped, letting the other speak.

“I’m thankful for all of you.”

“For the health care workers,” one said. “The Red Cross,” followed right after.

Many of the thanks were touched with a solemnity earned by worry. 

“That my brother still has a future.” The crowd silenced briefly.

“For every mom that called their kid today.” 

“For Facebook and Cell phones,” greeted with laughter. However, the sentiment was accepted as truth- Many Mason students today reached their friends at Virginia Tech through these mediums to find that they were safe.

“I’m thankful that even though there’s evil in the world, we know that there’s still good,” a man cried from the back, his voice breaking.

“For the men and women in uniform.” Those that helped today. 

“To be able to go to a university.” Since so many around the world cannot.

“For tomorrow morning.” When the sun will rise.

“I’m glad that the story isn’t over.”

No it’s not. The healing is just beginning.