What -ism It?

By now we all know who the president elect is. If you don't what rock have you been hiding under? Barrack Obama received the nod from the American people, without or with the help of racism. Personally, I didn't vote. I thought they were both good men, and both would do the country a great service whoever should have been the winner. Most people I personally know voted for McCain. I don't talk politics, so I don't know their reasons. My parents are republicans so that was their reason. My husband voted for Obama. So here is the point. We all know of someone who didn't vote for Obama because he is black. That is racism plain and simple. I know of people that would have got out of the military nor would have voted for Hillary Clinton because she is a woman. This is sexism. What I wonder is what is it called when you vote for someone just because they are black or just because they are a woman? I can site reasons that sticking to your own kind just because they are as being a bad thing. I think Obama will be a great president. I also think if someone voted for him just because he is black that it was a bad idea. I just wonder what -ism is it?

Sexual Side Effects May Include…

By now most of us have heard about have heard about the Olympic swimmer Dara Torres, the 41 year old who qualified for her 5^th Olympics and broke her own record. Now instead of celebrating her victory people want to say there is no physical way a woman her age can do that so she just HAS TO BE using drugs (You know because we are all suppose to have spread out by then and be steadily approaching Grandma Moses speed). It made me think, if this was a man would this even be an issue? I know there has to be one out there somewhere that has qualified many times although none are coming to mind. The women of sports are still breaking new ground every year, and in many ways are still looked down upon by their male counterparts. I think the worst male opinions of female athletes come from the ones that couldn't run a mile if there were a keg of beer and a ribeye steak waiting at the end for them.

I think just because she did very well some people are jealous. Well I can't do that so there is no way anyone else could. If that is the case all of them should be tested (which aren't they anyway?) I know I couldn't do anything any of them do. Should I belittle their accomplishments for that reason? No. I write better than a lot of people. A lot of writers write better than me. I can swim, but mostly just enough to save my life. I once served a volleyball game within one point of victory against members of the school volleyball team of which I was not a member. (I didn't try for it, that ball is painful on my stick arms.) I was a member of the color guard my senior year, but I would say a good 75% of the time I dropped my rifle during competitions. I was a rifle expert in the Marine Corps. My husband and I are tied at the Bass Pro Shop target arcade in shooting matches. (He won't go back; I think he thinks I am going to win again. I asked him once if it was better just to stay tied and he said yes.)

No matter what it is, there is always going to be someone better, and we should congratulate them for it. It is how it is, and we should just accept that fact.