Am I Whacky?

[stonebender]

I'm very seriously thinking about applying to American Candidate.



I like entirely too many of the "reality" television shows. I did play around with the notion of applying to Real World five or six years ago but was too old. I was mainly going to do it because I thought it might be an educational experience for people to see day-to-day what life is really like in this United States for a "severely" disabled person.

I was directed to this link through luckysurf.com and got to playing around with the idea of entering. I'm under no delusions that I would win or even get on the show. However if I did manage to get on the show, it would be a wonderful opportunity to talk about a lot of things that concern me that don't get talked about much in mainstream media. Polyamory for sure, disability rights, the erosion of civil rights in this country etc. etc.

I do have a few concerns: although I'm out to everyone in my day-to-day life. I have not told my parents about my poly life nor my paganism. Both of which would hurt my parents tremendously and I have not told them mainly because they don't really figure into my life much these days. I try calling them once or twice a month and I see them once or twice a year. It just seemed easier to leave it as it is, but if I get on the show these issues will come up.

I'm not sure that I said this before but my primary income is benefits from SSI, SSDI, Medi-Cal and IHSS. Although I wouldn't be, and have not done anything illegal, it always concerns me when the government starts knowing details about my life. There always is the threat of reduced benefits and given California's budgetary crisis I wonder what they could use to start reducing them even more than they already are threatening to cut them.

Although I am sure that some of my positions will be played for their comic effect, I wouldn't want to trivialize many of my heart felt opinions nor damage my communities by misrepresenting them. (I'm not interested in being Tal. ;-)

So I would be very interested in people's thoughts about what I'm thinking about doing. I would also love to hear anything people think I should have positions on and what those positions might be. I'm not promising I will agree with you but I wouldn't pretend to know everything I should need to know if I were actually running for president. I would also love to hear what people think I should do. The questionnaire has all kinds of questions about campaign promises, campaign slogan's, campaign songs etc. I'm supposed to make a videotape part of it should be just a statement of my positions and my life. The videotape is also supposed to include an opening speech.

I know this is an unusually long post for me. I hope it sparks some interest and comments. Really, feel free to tell me anything.

Comments

[rmjwell.livejournal.com]

I can understand your concerns about adverse publicity. But I think you would likely make the cut to get on air for at least a bit because you are well-spoken, photogenic, and your disability represents an easily marketable commodity (in the sense that you stand out --no pun intended-- from the crowd). Additionally, with your activist background you even have some political credit on your c.v.

If you decide to go for it, you have my support, Guy.