Kris Schultz

This posting on TomPaine.com lists many things I am politically thankful for this year. What a difference a year makes.

My personal thanks goes to my best friends Julie Pearson, Jeff Pittman, and Tina Mitchell for all their support, to my family (especially thankful that blasted Newburgh, IN tornado missed my brother's house), to Frankie the pug, and to my personal troop, Staff Sgt Dana Christofferson of Sioux Falls, SD - may you not have to go to Iraq ever!

Through a lot of focus, hard-work, and determination, I've lost almost 70 lbs since February. It's the hardest thing I've ever done - harder than running a Governor's race, harder than graduating college a year early, and harder than surviving a New Hampshire blizzard. One of the things I was looking forward to doing when I lost my weight was shopping at "normal stores."

See, for those of you who are of "normal" size, you probably take it for granted that you have a wide array of store choices. I did too, until I gained those 70 lbs.

It was mortifying for me to realize I needed to switch to the plus sizes. I will never forget the day I had to buy bigger clothing 10 years ago. I was in Louisville standing in Bacon's "Woman's" Department - the code word for fat chicks in many stores - and I just started to cry. I couldn't believe I was a size 18. I eventually grew to my largest size 24.

It was embarrassing to stand there that day and know things had changed for me. I will never forget the shame I felt. It wasn't until years later that I learned that it was due to a medication I took that ruined my metabolism. I was at the time a vegan, and eating a whole foods diet. I was exercising. But my body had changed due to the medicine, and to reverse that - now off the medicine - has taken a strict eating program and exercise. No surprises there. There is definitely something to be said about metabolism that has nothing to do with will-power or caring for oneself. It just happened, and it has taken a lot of attention for me to reverse it.

So, my size 18 jeans are now loose after dropping almost all of those 70 lbs., and I know I need a new wardrobe again. I am at the magic weight I'd hoped to reach when I could go to the "normal" stores again. A size 16 was always at stores like the Limited (now Express), where I spent the majority of my clothing budget.

Today, however, not so, just a big disappointment. Today I feel the same sense of embarrassment I felt 10 years ago when I was ghettoized to the fat chick department when I entered the Express store at Union Station to learn that the largest size they now carried was a 12! That is the size I'll be when I finally reach my goal weight, but what happened to sizes 14 and 16 they used to carry?

So I did something I've wanted to do for the last 10 years since gaining that weight - I asked for the Express corporate customer service number to complain. It's 1-877-415-4551, if you'd also like to call, or email them. I told them I used to spend all my clothing money at this store, and about my weight loss, and wanted to know if they carried any bigger sizes. They said no. I asked for an explanation of why they chose to eliminate sizes 14 and 16, and they said they would send me a formal letter. I promise to reprint it here if it comes.

It will be interesting to find out how they try to justify this. The average size of a woman in America is a size 14. I am tall for a woman at 5ft 8 inches, and am a German descendant (and all the brawnyness that comes with that.) I am looking more fit and better looking than I have in years, and am deeply proud of my weight loss.

But I strongly believe Express is wrong to exclude these sizes.

I think Express - and all women's stores - should sell at least to a size 18, if not larger. They are loosing money by this choice, so it doesn't make any sense - and at a time when women are growing larger, not smaller.

Now, you may say it is the store's way of sending a message to women that they should loose weight. Give me a break - stores aren't fitness centers or intro preaching morality, they are into taking our money. By that logic, it's an unwise financial decision. These stores have lost money from me for years.

God bless Lane Bryant for changing their styles, becoming hip, and dumping the moo moos, because they've kept me clothed for years. But this isn't about Lane Bryant, they'll be getting my money for a bit longer, it seems. It's about arbitrary beauty discrimination.

What is beautiful, after all? Do they not want woman of "size" shopping or being seen in their stores? If so, shouldn't they do a beauty-check at the door to make sure teeth are white and straight, hair is well-coiffed, and faces fit a certain level of beauty too? Wouldn't want all ugly chicks to be seen in your stores, right?

I am angry because it is wrong of Express to eliminate these sizes. It is embarrassing to me personally - and an affront to the majority of women in America - who are size 14 or larger.

I urge you to join me to complain about their downsize-ism by calling 1-877-415-4551 or emailing today to tell them they are wrong to choose arbitrary beauty limits over free market choices, and are loosing money because of it.

So, Oprah, as you know, is an influential person in my life. She
inspires me all the time to live a better life, most recently inspiring
me to loose 70 lbs on her Boot Camp program.

Yesterday she revealed how she got her big break on her 20th Anniversary
show, nationally syndicating her talk show.

She first found out about syndicating her show while on a date with
movie critic Roger Ebert, who had his own syndicated show.

Soon thereafter, Oprah became OPRAH.

Moral of the story: you never know when or how your big break is going
to launch you into bigger or better things.

Oprah was on a date with Roger Ebert... How random is that?

I am proud to announce that Steve Marchand - who served as Deputy Campaign Manager for Mark Fernald for Governor (NH) when I was Campaign Manager, is now the Mayor-Elect of Portsmouth, NH!

My brother Greg, sister-in-law Kathleen, niece Mallory and nephew Michael live in Newburgh, IN, where the tornadoes hit night before last. Though they sustained only minor damage, houses in their small neighborhood were destroyed.

The Red Cross took out a full page ad in today's Washington Post Express requesting more money because they are stretched beyond their limits.

Even with all of our giving, they still need more.

Fact: 30,000 people will die today of preventable disease and extreme poverty

Fact: 70% of Sub-Saharan Africans live on less than $2 a day

Fact: 25 million Africans have HIV, over 2 million of them children

Fact: As Americans - citizens of the most wealthy and most powerful nation in the world - we have the power to change Africa right now with our voices.

Please, if you haven't already, take a moment to sign the One Campaign Declaration:

WE BELIEVE that in the best American tradition of helping others help
themselves, now is the time to join with other countries in a historic pact for
compassion and justice to help the poorest people of the world overcome AIDS and
extreme poverty.

WE RECOGNIZE that a pact including such measures as fair trade, debt relief, fighting corruption and directing additional resources for basic needs - education, health, clean water, food, and care for orphans - would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the poorest countries, at a cost equal to just one percent more of the US budget.

WE COMMIT ourselves - one person, one voice, one vote at a time - to make a better, safer world for all.

As I left my apartment building near 15th and N Sts NW in Washington yesterday, the air was clear, the day was bright, and a spring was in my step. Walking to my bus stop, thinking of my work day ahead, I saw a crowd gathering a block away. The officer told me as I was to cross M St that this is where Rosa Parks funeral is going to take place – one blessed block from my new place. A national treasure’s final goodbye one blessed block from my place. Oprah Winfrey expressing her gratitude and farewell one blessed block from my place. I couldn’t believe it.

Me being me, I stopped in my tracks and considered going to the CVS around the corner to buy a piece of poster board and grab a sharpie from home to put “ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE” in big, bold, thank you letters to say my part. Like anyone would care, necessarily? But Rosa Parks inspires me deeply, and it’s only (did I mention?) one blessed block from my place and I am standing right there.

But, though the tug to stand there with my sign was strong, I knew I had a lot on my plate at work, so I headed on to my bus stop. The irony that I was walking to catch a bus was not lost on me, knowing anybody who boarded could sit anywhere they liked.

I am glad I didn’t see those days of Jim Crowe laws. I can’t imagine someone’s skin color relating to those crazy, insane, arbitrary Jim Crowe laws did back when Rosa Parks stayed put in her seat. It really hasn’t even been that long ago, has it? I can’t imagine it, really. But I board the bus, sit in the back, and keep on thinking.

I know we have more to do to defeat the effects that slavery and racism have on our society even today. We have plenty to do on a lot of issues, and I think about that all the time. Lately, my thoughts have gone from “Please, let’s bring home the troops from Iraq!” to “How do we have a balanced Supreme Court with Bush as President?” to “How can we win at least either the House or Senate next year?” to “We have the power to save millions in sub-Saharan Africa if the USA acts now.” I am thinking about this all the time, and trying to find my role in that process as each day passes. I never feel like I am accomplishing enough, but I know this field is where I belong.

And then here’s Rosa Parks’s funeral one blessed block from my place. It motivates me just at the right moment when I am looking for a sign that I am on the right path in my life.

My journey started young and strong. From the moment I became politically aware as a 6th grade student at Our Lady of Mt Carmel, I knew I wanted to be in politics – I knew clearly that if government performed correctly it could be a force for good in the lives of others. I’d heard the stories from my Grandfather about FDR and the Civilian Conservations Corps that saved our family from starvation and dire poverty.

I remember the nuns and priests at OLMC and at Holy Rosary telling me about social justice issues and I knew I wanted to make a difference. As I grew older, I knew I could be a teacher or an aid worker and affect the lives of people on an individual basis, and I admired that. Yet I felt from that early age that if I were in politics I could potentially affect larger numbers of people in need. I’ve always wanted to be in politics not for power for myself, or greed, or fame, or wealth, but in service to others and make the world a better place.

But as the years went on and my ambition crept smaller and smaller, I’ve wondered if I really could make a difference.

I’ve had many a jaded year in Democratic politics with its hardball and smashmouth and its take-no-prisoners survival of the fittest craziness, just as much from my own party as the other. That young person who wanted world peace and food for all is still there.

My deep, compassionate heart always wanted to win with my agenda so I could help the powerless have more power and help the voiceless have a voice. I knew what it was like first hand to be the little guy, and I’ve worked hard for everything I’ve had. And though I know that’s why I got involved in politics and campaigns in the first place, Rosa Parks’ legacy inspires me personally to know for sure that one person really can make a difference. I hope I get to too.