Has it ever occurred to any of you who are busy bashing those of us who came of age during the seventies and eighties that many of us were dirt poor AND white?  Does anyone even consider that today's young women and men are better off because efforts by the people that came before?  

When I got my first "career" position, I was only the second woman in the department, and women were permitted only because a law suit had finally settled.  Some brave women and minorities have gone through hell to file lawsuits and fight for the right to work, and many of us have them to thank.

I heard the same suggestive comments 30-35 years ago...many of us have. It was NEVER our intelligence or ability that got us jobs...the implications were disturbing then, and they are even more disturbing to hear now.

Ever since women and minorities began to make a little headway in the 70's, we have been told that we only got where we are because of our gender or race.  All of us.  We could go back further and recognize that the founders of this country didn't intend for women, minorities OR white males that didn't own property to benefit from the lofty goals in the bill of rights and new constitution.

It has been one, continuous, and long struggle to offset the bias towards wealthy property owners, and sad to say, there is STILL gender as well as race discrimination, there is still the massive effort to distribute all wealth to a few, and not only that, AGE discrimination is real and frightening, and possibly worse for women...no one would ever make comments about not wanting to watch a public official, black man, black woman, or white man get older by the day.  No one.  

It's accepted to inspect every wrinkle, every vocal inflection, breast size, skirt length, leg shape, hair color and style if a candidate is a white female though.  If her husband cheats, it's her fault, if she stays with him, she's wrong, if she leaves him, she's wrong.  Stop it already!!! Remember the rude comments about Dr. Dean's wife, or the comments already being made about Mrs. Spitzer? Now I have to read constant rudeness about older white women on kos as well?

Believe it or not, a lot of us are old enough to remember Vietnam, Watergate, the savings and loan scandals, Iran contra and other misadventures.  A lot of the same players were involved in every one of these scandals, and their names weren't Hillary, Gloria or Geraldine.  

I have been idealistic all of my life until recently.  Now I am just sad.

I'm afraid that too many democrats waited too long to get out and vote.  I'm sure those of you here were very active, and I don't like generalizing about your generation any more than I like having you generalize about mine...but didn't a lot of folks decide to take their ball and go home when "their" candidate didn't prevail. I went through a stage after the 2004 election of being angry at ANYONE who was a republican because they had blood on their hands...

But...where was everyone on our side in 2000 and 2004?  Wasn't it as clear then as now, how desperate the situation was becoming?  There was so much excitement then, but the youth vote didn't materialize to the extent that was needed for a course correction. WE may have had a chance to stop this mess from getting worse...maybe not, but I certainly worry that we are beyond the tipping point now.

People of my generation are/were idealistic too, and it is very easy to forget that the racial and gender struggles for equality were real then and they are real now.  The republicans leading this country have done everything in their power to bring us "uppity" folks back to heel...in 8 years their progress in destroying our constitution is breathtaking, and I fear for our country and the world.

I admire the diarist and know exactly what she is talking about...but it isn't older womens' fault.  Most of us were running into the same prejudice you have experienced, if not more.  Many of us have had our hopes dashed, our careers aborted, and our life directions altered irrevocably by the blocks that have been put in our path, and money has always been a large part of it.  Poverty isn't unique to any one group of people.

At 56, and having just lost a job, I am looking at going back to school for a new career.  I have no one to support me, have been living off what little savings I had and have legitimate fears for employment options when I complete my training.  When I start seriously looking at camping gear, and checking the web for free camping sites, I am not doing it for fun.

Will I be living in my car, while our brave new generation of rulers, throws my little tiny SS safety net out the window, unwilling to pay for all of us old people who are responsible for every ill in society?  Not all of us in this country are under 30 and it scares me to death to consider my future as I age, when the "new" leadership has so much contempt for those older than they are.

It worries me, and I think it should.  I don't like the tone here, and I am not reassured that your candidate is going to do anything to improve our economy or make my life more tolerable.  Sorry I haven't been convinced.  Instead I am depressed and saddened.

But back to the diarist, my rant is not intended in any way to diminish your achievements.  I feel proud, and envious.  My folks had nothing, didn't attend college, and when I was a little girl and made excellent scores on aptitude tests, NOBODY told me that I might go on to be a fantastic engineer...they told me those scores were unusual for a girl, and that my english score should have been higher.  It was suggested that I study typing and shorthand so I would be able to find work.  

Mock me if you will, but my generation did not cause this mess; we have been victims of problems as old as civilization, just as you are. We all need to recognize the efforts of those who have fought the good fight...throughout history.

To blaim Hillary, Gloria and Geraldine for ruining society, as if they are a separate species from the rest of us, gives them far too much credit, and ignores the true culprits.  It is also about as logical to think Rush Limbaugh single handedly represents all white males in the world.  

A little more tolerance from those advocating hope and change would reassure me more than the tirades I read here.  We can find bad actors in every single segment of society, like it or not.  WE are not perfect, not a single one of us.

Rant over.