Turk(ish) delights

There are several types. One is the delight of things related to turkeys, our feathered friends. One is about wildly stupid, inept people in the public eye. Another is about experiences in Turkey, the expansive, multicultural country, sitting awkwardly between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Or maybe they don’t think it’s awkward. But in any case, my Turk(ish) experiences come together in a strange blogged union here.

First, some travel highlights from the land of religion and capitalism.

click for turkish delight (in a new window)

Maybe you’ve seen my turkey lumiere and already know my affinity for our barnyard companions. But thinking about Turkey makes me think about turkeys, and my confusion about our attitudes towards these kind birds only grows when I hear about expat groups getting together to celebrate Thanksgiving. You didn’t get enough of the fucked up, racist, colonialist, gluttonous holidays when you lived in Amerika? You feel the need to export that shit?

Don’t unnecessarily take a life this year: make one better. You can ask that Prez Bush pardon this year’s White House Thanksgiving turkeys, or you sponsor a turkey for only $25 via Farm Sanctuary. My personal suggestion is to have the donation card sent to anyone you know with blood money in their hands or pockets. Or Sarah Palin.

You know who isn’t a turkey? Obama. This post-racial lie is annoying, but I admit if I’d been walking into a voting booth today, I’d have signed off for the guy. It took a few videos of his family in recent days, a few persuasive words from thinkers I admire, and the myth finally won me over. That does not negate how terrible this election has been for women. But too many people will benefit from the “change.” As an ally of many who are not always exclusively women, I have to believe that the most impoverished in my homeland will have a better chance at surviving now.

But I’d like to avoid this kind of speciesist language in general. I’m just trying to make a point, and though that’s hardly an excuse for using oppressive language, maybe it gets you to think differently about it all. I guess my question is: do you really think the animals would have voted for Gov. Palin?