la política electoral

I had a meeting today for our conference on supporting social movements, during which, among many other things, we discussed who would moderate the closing panel. some people felt this was a particularly important decision because a) the topic is political b) the panel includes at least one politically outspoken person c) Laura Nader (Ralph's big sis) is on the panel and d) it takes place a mere 3 days before the election. a democratic party leaning professor was decided upon.

what followed really bothered me. there were half joking comments about turning people's mics off if disparaging comments about (or merely disagreements with) Obama or his stances were made. I muttered something under my breath about free speech. the conversation then turned to blaming Nader for Gore's defeat. The Jag said, "Nader should be banned from the ballot in swing states." A lone undergrad spoke up and said "maybe the democratic party should stand for real change." I kept my mouth shut.

i find it really frustrating that people who consider themselves so liberal, the kind of people who dedicate time to a conference on supporting social movements, code pink enthusiasts, radical activists, trans rights workers, people with close relationships and vested interests in subjugated groups around the world, would be so closed-minded. i don't care who they vote for. its none of my business and frankly, if people want to write in Ann Coulter for president I won't judge them for it (well, maybe just a little, but i'm sure they have their reasons). but to limit people's options or access seems to me to be the opposite of democracy. and these are people criticizing Palin for suggesting that a democratic Hamas victory didn't count as democracy.