Anyone who has read my bio knows that I’ve been teaching for 29 years. I also managed to fit in 10 years of psychotherapy “practicing” in there – and I will never forget the stories of two good-looking, young women who came to seek help: usually for family-of-origin and boyfriend problems (and from the perspective of a systemic family therapist – these are one and the same thing).
Both of these women were brand new teachers – but instead of starting their teaching careers at Step 1 on the salary schedule (like most of us have to) – these two lovely young blonde teachers started at Step 10! Cuz the principals loved the way they filled out a skirt and blouse. And if anyone cottoned on to the error – my patients were told that it would be reported as a clerical error. These two beginning teachers told me that when they were hired – all they had to do was to tell the principal that they couldn’t take the job because it didn’t pay enough. This made a great deal of sense to me because I remember the many interviews I did — trying to land my first teaching job – and how I always came down to the final three candidates, And, I was always up against a nice pair of tits and nice legs. If SHE got to interview first – I knew I was doomed.
So when the owner of the Diebold electronic voting machine (a reported buddy of Dubya) guaranteed Dubya the 2004 election – guaranteed by his electronic voting machines — and Florida, Ohio and New Mexico gave Dubya the election – though the exit polls did not – I knew that my voting “daze” were done.
An African-American woman friend of mine explained to me how Arnold gained the California governor’s seat after Gray Davis had been recalled (though I’m not sure if the original Republican takeover plan wasn’t scuttled by Arnold [there is a bit of Democrat in our Arnie]). I mean – California finds itself in close the same predicament that we had when Gray Davis was recalled: which is a rather large budget deficit. Yet Bill Simon is not calling for Arnold’s head. Yes, I voted for Arnold – but I also voted for Gray Davis – because Gray is good to teachers – and then Arnold messed with us teachers. Should I have voted for Gray twice? Nah! Arnold is much cooler. But this is what makes voting confusing for me.
And the straw that really broke this camel’s back is the Indian gaming propositions that are being voted on on Super Tuesday. Let these people have their casinos for Christ’s sake! After the genocide perpetrated on the American Indian and the years of abuse and disenfranchisement they have endured – why the hell can’t they make as much money as they want.? They will be giving plenty back to the State! Hell!! You can’t blame the current California deficit on them!?
So why am I not going to vote anymore? Because I plainly don’t give a f***! I don’t know Who, or What to vote for anymore. If you want to count me: “Count me out” – cuz the parting on the left is now a parting on the right – and I’ve been fooled so many times that I won’t be fooled again.