31 October 2000
I'm in the middle of my own personal Bjork-athon, in order to celebrate the fact that I own more CDs by her than by any other musician/group in my collection-- five, to be precise (surpassing the previous record of four long held by Tori Amos and only recently tied by Bjork). I am listening to all five CDs in chronological order, a pleasurable practice that fully demonstrates my anal nature. I listened to Debut first, then went out to coffee with Billy. Now I'm on to Post, to be followed by Telegram, Homogenic, and finally Selmasongs.
The latter is my most recent CD purchase, actually. Despite the mixed reviews it received (and the abysmal length/price ratio), I really do like it. Bjork keeps getting weirder, and I just eat it up. The mix of orchestral sections, Bjorkiness, guest soloists, Stomp-esque industrial noises, and show tune feel is both completely bizarre and inexplicably appropriate. The first time I listened to it, there were a few moments that literally astounded me-- I think I actually said "Holy shit!" somewhere in the midst of the second track. I will venture to say that this album is only for those who truly appreciate the weird- if you are just a casual Bjork fan, maybe borrow it first and see what you think.
Saint Paul being the fairly liberal (or just terminally polite) place that it is, never have I witnessed hordes of rabid anti-abortion activists waving signs imprinted with fetuses, yelling and shaking their fists outside a Planned Parenthood clinic like you see in newscasts or movies of the week. Out the window of a number 4 bus the other day, though, I saw a crumpled old man in a light blue jacket, alone, shuffling back and forth in front of the PP clinic on Ford Parkway. There was no one in the vicinity of the clinic, let alone any women who seemed to be likely patients; the man seemed to be determined nonetheless. He carried a small sign on a stick, bearing the message "God is pro-life," with the word "God" surrounded by neon yellow bolts like rays of sun.
I thought of all the ways in which God (well, should I believe in one) had proved him/herself to be decidedly NOT pro-life throughout the annals of history. And aren't those anti-abortion protesters ignoring that particular godly trait when they kill doctors who perform abortions? Ahh, sweet hypocrisy.
The lone protester was gone by the time I returned a few hours later.
I am also both amused and confused by those Republican ads featuring women talking about how the evil Democrats are trying to control our personal lives while the trusty Republicans will keep their hands off. I want to shake them: "Hello? Allowing you the right to a safe and legal abortion is an invasion of privacy? Sorry, babe, but those Republican hands are all over your uterus."
Oops, I just saw that commercial in its entirety... as it turns out it's an ad run by Planned Parenthood featuring pro-choice Republican women talking about how they DON'T support Bush. My mistake. The point still stands, though- Republicans are always talking about how they will stay out of people's private lives, all the while fighting to ban abortion and pass legislation limiting the rights of GLBT people. Sorry fellas, but making mandates over women's bodies and punishing people for who they chose to spend their lives with can't be considered respectful of individual privacy by any stretch of the imagination.
I honestly cannot fathom how anyone with a brain and/or a soul can vote for Bush. I just don't get it. His platform is fundamentally unfriendly to just about every single marginalized group in the country. It's depressing to think there are enough bigots in this country to form a majority.