Has America changed or do Americans still believe in humility and gentleness and civility at the end of the day?

It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks in politics. The DNC just finished wrapping up an astounding convention by nominating the first woman for President of the United States. I listened to incredible speeches made by Michelle Obama, President Obama, Bill Clinton, and Hillary herself. I listened to republicans like Michael Bloomberg take Donald Trump to task. It was all fascinating.

I talked about this in brief with my friend, James, who sent me the picture below.

My response was to say, "Funny cartoon, but I (of course you know this) am very excited by my democratic nominee. So it's not vomit or poop to me. I sent her money. 🙂 But I know you feel very differently (and respect that). I've watched the DNC the last three days. Michelle and Barack and Bill knocked it out of the park." To which James responded with another picture:

And I wonder if he's right. David Brooks, the conservative opinion columnist for The New York Times, wrote yesterday that "It could be that in this moment of fear, cynicism, anxiety and extreme pessimism, many voters may have decided that civility is a surrender to a rigged system, that optimism is the opiate of the idiots and that humility and gentleness are simply surrendering to the butchers of ISIS. If that's the case, then the throes of a completely new birth are upon us...if that's true it's not just politics that has changed, but the country."

So yeah, I guess I'm wondering if the country has changed. I guess we won't know until the November election but I hope that humility and gentleness and civility are still the things that Americans will embrace at the end of the day instead of fear. 

For the first time in 240 years a woman has been nominated by a major political party for President of the United States.

Yay! This Democrat is pretty happy that for the first time in 240 years, the United States has nominated a woman to a major political party for President. I'm just going to savor this moment. It's been a long time coming. I'm so proud to see this happening within my lifetime. Whether or not she wins against Donald Trump in the fall is not the point. A glass ceiling has been shattered for all time, and I was there to see it break.

Dear New York Times Magazine, was your other option Hillary's face on a giant testicle?

I try not to get political on my blog. My regular readers know I'm a democrat and that's that. However, the New York Times Magazine (a publication that usually has great covers) just published the most shocking one I've ever seen, and Hillary Clinton looks absolutely terrible in it. Seriously, this whole theme of "Planet Hillary" is so ugly it makes me cringe every time I see it.

Click to EMBIGGEN

I take some validation that I'm not the only one that thinks this is terrible. I can't explain how anyone with any taste would take a look at this and think, "I'm going to print this as the cover for our magazine."

For one, it's incredibly unflattering extending the sides of her face in fleshy wrinkled overtones to make her resemble something straight out of Dr. Who (Cassandra anyone)?

Cassandra and Rose (one of the Doctor's companions). Cassandra in this
episode is the last human. They've managed to keep her alive through 800
surgeries, and she's basically stretched skin, veins, and needs to be misted
to prevent from drying out. She's also incredibly vain.

And two, the whole premise of it: that Hillary has got an irresistible pull likened to gravity and is somehow sufficient to bring stars into her orbit is absurd. Planets orbit stars, NOT the other way around. But even aside from scientific inaccuracies, the thing is a mess and is rightfully being ridiculed. 

Planet Hillary Spoof 1: Wrecking Ball ala Miley Cyrus

Planet Hillary Spoof 2: E.T.

Planet Hillary Spoof 3: Hillary as the Death Star

Planet Hillary Spoof 4: The Annoying Orange

What a train wreck. It makes me want to ask the editors of The New York Times Magazine, "What exactly were you thinking by publishing this? Was your other option a picture of her face on a giant testicle? Please don't answer that."